A02178:3846
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.
MEDITATIONS ON PROV. 4. VERS: 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23.
Take hold of Instruction, and leave not, keep her, for she is thy life.
Take hold of Instruction, and leaue not, keepe her, for shee is thy life.
THE matter which is contained in this verse, hath been often repeated1 in the Chapters before, yet here again it is necessarily repeated: for in these matters besides our great dullness and negligence, we are so ready to deceive our selves, and to think we love the Word when we do not, and do persuade our selves in our own imaginations, that we have laid fast hold of Wisdom, when indeed we have neither touched▪ nor tasted it. Therefore that we might beware of this, he repeateth that which he had spoken before in most effectual and significant speeches. For the word which is here translated, lay hold, doth signify to lay hold with strength, as we see men that are in peril of drowning, they will lay hold so fast2 upon a thing, that their hands may be sooner broken then loosed: all their power for the present time is in their hands, and they will most surely hold fast that they catch in their hands; In like manner must we lay hold upon Wisdom with our heart, with such strength and power must we catch hold of it, that nothing whatsoever be able to separate us from it. This is the first thing whereunto we are here exhorted. The second must necessarily be joined to this: which is, that we do not leave it for any thing, but keep it as fast as we hold it.