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,…

God his children seeing those troubles to help them, which hurt the world, find only the truth of this doctrine, howsoever in time of prosperity the wicked would seem to be in as great quietness as the other. But as the deep sea in a calm day seemeth to be as still as other waters, until by the tempest of winds the raging of the one make a plain difference from the other: so the wicked do seem to have as great peace as the godly, whilst no trouble bloweth upon them: but so soon as the storm of temptation ariseth, then the hellish waves of their fearful torments yield a manifest distinction between their rage and the estate of the godly.

God his children seeing those troubles to helpe them, which hurt the world, finde only the truth of this doctrine, howsoeuer in time of prosperitie the wicked would seeme to be in as great quietnes as the other. But as the deepe sea in a calme day seemeth to be as still as other waters, vntill by the tempest of windes the raging of the one make a plaine difference from the other: so the wicked doe seeme to haue as great peace as the godly, whilest no trouble bloweth vpon them: but so soone as the storme of temptation ariseth, then the hellish waues of their fearefull torments yeeld a manifest distinction betweene their rage and the estate of the godly.

The very Heathen had a taste of these unquiet brunts & anguishes of spirit, which they termed Furies, which toss a mans conscience with such continual accusations, as neither¹ eating nor drinking, nor sleeping nor waking, nor speaking, nor keeping silence they can find any quiet. Neither is there any greater plague than this, as testifieth the Wise Man in the book of the Proverbs: Give me any plague, saving the plague of the heart, &c. No marvel: for when our reason and appetite fight one with another, and there is an hurly burly within us, we shall find nothing to be more precious than the peace of conscience, which so commendeth us to God, that we shall find in trouble peace, in banishment our country, in imprisonment liberty, in death life. What madness then is it to put this peace from us, and to hale towards us as with cart ropes these direful plagues of the spirit, which so torment us in this life, & without repentance in death will bring us to hell. If then by the grace of God his spirit, we would oft set before us some serious meditation of death, and think earnestly of our departure from hence, even as our deliverance out of the flesh were then at hand, doubtless we should find by that an approved trial of the image of that estate which we should have, if death indeed were present. And if in the quietness of our minds on our beds at midnight, we would without hypocrisy present our selves before God his judgement seat, as if Christ in that instance did appear in the clouds, we would redeem this benefit and peace of conscience with all the goods in the world. Wherefore as the Prophet exhorteth us, it is good thus to examine our selves, and not to tarry the trial of our hearts, until affliction cometh upon us, but in the calm of our minds to use this practise in trembling. Let us pray then that this may still sound in our ears, that unto them that love God, all things shall turn to the best, as we may see