A02178:3880
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
Part 4 › MEDITATIONS ON PROV. 4. VERS: 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 2… › Part
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.
The thief without any hatred of theft doth sometimes keep himself from the outward act, that he may avoid hanging and the outward danger of the law. And that the shame of the world and fear of men doth more prevail with many than the fear of God, it may appear by this that1 they will abstain from such things whereunto there belongeth shame, or for which some grievous punishment amongst men is appointed, as for theft, murder, adultery, &c. yet they will pass by great sins for which there is no penal statute, as swearing, &c. For if ⟨p. 617⟩there were any true conscience of sin in them, they would make a conscience of all sins: but especially of these sins which in Gods eyes are most abominable. Again, we must not rest when we have left any sin, as though that were sufficient: but we must narrowly search into our hearts, to see what cause hath moved us so to do: for if we do not with sorrow repent us of our wickedness, and leave it for the fear of God; but forsake it, either because it will be no longer profitable unto us, or because we be sickly, or old, or weak, and take no longer pleasure in it; then our labour is but lost, our hearts have deceived us. And many (no doubt) are thus deceived; yea, they show that they be deceived by this, that they can still speak of their sins without sorrow, and laugh at others, which commit the same sins. Verily, if they had repented of their sins, the remembrance of them would have been grievous unto them; yea, they would be very sorry when they saw others fall into the like sin. But seeing they can laugh and make a sport at it when any man doth it, as they have done, most sure and certain it is, that their hearts have deceived them, they are yet in their sins, though they have left them outwardly.
The theefe without any hatred of theft doth sometimes keepe himselfe from the outward act, that hee may auoid hanging and the outward danger of the lawe. And that the shame of the world and feare of men doth more preuaile with many than the feare of God, it may appeare by this that1 they wil abstaine from such things whereunto there belongeth shame, or for which some grieuous punishment amongst men is appointed, as for theft, murther, adulterie, &c. yet they will passe by great sinnes for which there is no penall statute, as swearing, &c. For if