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,…

8 If Gods children are ready to slip in a moment; how much more dangerous is the¹ estate of the wicked, who are willing to fall continually? It is wonderful to see a poor sinner ready to swoon and fall dead almost at every sin, which a man would think to be nothing to fear him, or drive him to this fear; and yet when adversities, strange judgements, persecutions, and death do come, to be exceeding patient, comfortable, courageous, and valiant. And again, it is strange to see others, who marvel that men will suffer themselves to be feared with sins, and ask what mean men to stand trembling at the word of God: yet let sickness come, or if the hand of God be upon them, or let death² come towards them, they quake at the name of sickness, death, or hell; and either they prove very senseless and blockish, or else they be in a most desperate estate: yea, if God begin to reckon with them, every countenance of a godly man, every chirping of a bird, and drawing near of the least and weakest creature towards them, every shaking of a leaf, moving of a shadow, every noise of the air appaleth their courage, and maketh them most fearful cowards. They fear most when Gods judgements are executed, which fear least when they are threatened: And they fear least when Gods judgements are accomplished, which tremble most when wrath is denounced. Wherefore if we long for courage, and loth cowardice, against the evil day, let us labour for a good conscience, which breedeth³ true boldness, and fly from sin, which bringeth a spirit of fear upon us, as daily experience may teach us. It is better to fear the evil to come, when only fear, and not evil is upon us, than to fear then, when besides the fear, the affliction it self is come, which so sorely besetteth us, that we have no liberty or leave to breathe for any comfort, or to hope for any deliverance.

8 If Gods children are readie to slip in a moment; how much more dangerous is the¹ estate of the wicked, who are willing to fall continuallie? It is wonderfull to see a poore sinner ready to swound and fall dead almost at euery sinne, which a man would thinke to be nothing to feare him, or driue him to this feare; and yet when aduersities, straunge iudgements, persecutions, and death doe come, to bee exceeding patient, comfortable, couragious, and valiant. And againe, it is strange to see others, who maruell that men will suffer themselues to be feared with sinnes, and aske what meane men to stand trembling at the word of God: yet let sicknes come, or if the hand of God be vpon them, or let death