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,…

That we may make this a rule, to examine our hearts by: do we love the law of God? how shall we know it? even when we are as glad, that others do well, and fare well to their salvation, as we would be for our selves; when we are as much grieved, when others do ill, as if we our selves had done it. For many will come so far, as to mislike sin, and to speak vehemently against sin, but few come to be grieved for sin: wherefore seeing sin is so ripe, let us so be grieved for it as we may pray against it, and let us crave of God to have this godly grief stricken into us, that by that means we may be stirred up to prayer, and so we shall in time to come, either rejoice to see our prayers granted, and our mournings effectual, or else we shall bear the testimony of a good conscience, and in as much as in us doth lie, we shall be guiltless of their sins. Neither in saying, Consider how I love thy precepts, doth the man of God say out his good deeds, but humbly confesseth to the Lord his own graces received, as may appear by the words following, where he pleadeth mercy and not merit. This love wherewith he loved God came from that¹ love wherewith God first loved him. For he seeing the great love wherewith God loved him, he was moved and enforced to love God again: so that his purpose is thus much: Thou seest Lord, that I am an enemy to sin in my self, for I forget not thy law; thou seest I am an enemy to sin in others, for I am grieved to see them transgress thy law: wherefore O Lord, quicken me, and let thy loving mercy whereby thou hast created me and redeemed me in Christ, whereby thou hast delivered me from so many troubles, and enriched me with so many, and continual benefits, renew, revive, quicken and restore me.

That we may make this a rule, to examine our hearts by: doe we loue the law of God? how shall we know it? euen when we are as glad, that others doe well, and fare well to their saluation, as we would be for our selues; when we are as much grieued, when others doe ill, as if we our selues had done it. For many will come so farre, as to mislike sinne, and to speake vehemently against sinne, but few come to be grieued for sinne: wherefore seeing sinne is so ripe, let vs so be grieued for it as we may pray against it, and let vs craue of God to haue this godly griefe stricken into vs, that by that meanes we may be stir•ed vp to prayer, and so we shall in time to come, either reioyce to see our prayers graunted, and our mournings effectuall, or else we shall beare the testimonie of a good conscience, and in as much as in vs doth lie, we shall be guiltlesse of their sinnes. Neither in saying, Consider how I loue thy precepts, doth the man of God say out his good deedes, but humbly confesseth to the Lord his owne graces receiued, as may appeare by the words following, where he pleadeth mercie and not merit. This loue wherewith he loued God came from that