A02178:3533
The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…
The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham, minister and preacher of the Word of God collected into one volume: revised, corrected, and published, for the further building of all such as love the truth, and desire to know the power of godliness. By H.H.The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham, minister and preacher of the Word of God collected into one volume: reuised, corrected, and published, for the further building of all such as loue the truth, and desire to know the power of godlinesse. By H.H.
London: printed by Thomas Snodham and Thomas Creede for William Welby, 1612London: printed by Thomas Snodham and Thomas Creede for VVilliam VVelby, 1612
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Thy word is proved pure. Many would think this to be but a small commendation for the word of God: but come to a man when his mind is much troubled, and tell him of the word, and what pureness, what comfort will he find in it? Surely he will be as one that hath no taste in it, and as one that feeleth no more sweetness, than a sick man doth taste in a chip. And notwithstanding all that the word shall do to him, he will still follow his own ways, and go on forward in the devices of his own head. Do men then feel such infinite comfort in the word? so much is their comfort as is their faith: and so little is their faith, as little is their comfort.
Thy word is proued pure. Many would thinke this to be but a small commendation for the word of God: but come to a man when his minde is much troubled, and tell him of the word, and what purenesse, what comfort will he finde in it? Surely he will be as one that hath no taste in it, and as one that feeleth no more sweetnesse, than a sicke man doth taste in a chip. And notwithstanding all that the word shall doe to him, he will still follow his owne waies, and goe on forward in the deuices of his owne head. Doe men then feele such infinite comfort in the word? so much is their comfort as is their faith: and so little is their faith, as little is their comfort.
Look into Gods children, how greatly they lament their unbelief▪ look into David, look on Job; look on the late and blessed Martyr of God Bradford, who almost in all his1 books, and in every meditation complaineth of his unbelief; notwithstanding that he was a man so rich in the graces of God, so throughly mortified to the world, so stayed in faith; and yet the nearer he came daily to Christ, the more he still crieth against unbelief. Wherefore Paul seeing this to be a common disease among all men, saith, This is a faithful thing, and worthy of all men to be remembered, That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners: this is a faithful saying, with such like speeches, which the Apostle useth as preparatives to stir up our faith.