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,…

Indeed so long as we are led with the cord of our natural corruptions, there is no conflict, the flesh rebelleth not against the spirit: but when our judgements are heavenly, and our affections spiritual, fighting with carnal reason and earthly cogitations, then is the main battle. When Satan seeth a man given to the world, and as long as he is in a mammering, he striveth not with him, but when he seeth himself forsaken and defied, and that Christ Jesus a stronger than he hath made an entrance into the house, then he rageth, then he useth his cunning, all his shifts, and summoneth a Parliament of seven devils more, who come all together to the casting out of Christ, to the discouraging of the man newly called, and to make a reentry into his old possession. Thus then we shall see, he is a roaring lion, and that our fight is not only with worldly powers, but also with spiritual enemies in heavenly things. So long as we follow the guise & fashion of this world, and frame our selves to live after it, we shall be at league with them, and they will be at peace with us: if we follow heresies, heretics will not speak ill of us; if we like idolatry, idolaters will be acquainted with us; if we will walk carefully our selves, and will not rebuke the sins of the world, or desire the dreams of heresies, happily we shall pass scot-free; but when we hate the world, the world will hate us, because though we be in the world, we are not of the world, John. 15. If we proclaim war with heresies, heretics will condemn us, if we taunt and rebuke the sins and cold profession of worldlings, they will soon put us to silence. For it may be, they will be content, that we should be Momes, and do well, and not rebuke them; but when we pull at their sins by the ears, and lay violent hands on their cold profession, then we shall see the enmity between the seed of the Serpent, and the seed of the Woman. Thus we see, so long as we will shake hands with the world, the flesh and the devil, we shall be quiet enough; but all our perils and dangers are in resisting them. For all must have these troubles, that make their choice, but all make not this choice, & therefore are so quiet: all must suffer persecution, that will live godly in Christ Jesus; but so few ⟨p. 604⟩suffer, because so few live godly in Christ Jesus.

Indeed so long as we are led with the cord of our naturall corruptions, there is no conflict, the flesh rebelleth not against the spirit: but when our iudgements are heauenly, and our affections spirituall, fighting with carnall reason and earthly cogitations, then is the maine battell. When Sathan seeth a man giuen to the world, and as long as he is in a mammering, he striueth not with him, but when he seeth himselfe forsaken and defied, and that Christ Iesus a stronger than he hath made an entrance into the house, then he rageth, then he vseth his cunning, al his shifts, and summoneth a Parliament of seuen diuels more, who come all together to the casting out of Christ, to the discouraging of the man newly called, and to make a reentry into his old possession. Thus then we shal see, he is a roring lion, and that our fight is not only with worldly powers, but also with spirituall enemies in heauenly things. So long as we follow the guise & fashion of this world, and frame our selues to liue after it, we shall be at league with them, and they will be at peace with vs: if we follow heresies, heretikes will not speak ill of vs; if we like idolatrie, idolaters will be acquainted with vs; if we wil walke carefully our selues, and will not rebuke the sinnes of the world, or desire the dreames of heresies, happily we shall passe scot-free; but when we hate the world, the world will hate vs, because though we be in the world, we are not of the world,