A02178:4136
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.
CHAP. XXIII. Of Examples, and how we must not sin upon example, and of divers occasions of sin.
CHAP. XXIII. Of Examples, and how we must not sinne vpon example, and of diuers occasions of sinne.
Our plain excuses now adays are mosest, it is a custom, sic vinitur, there be many others that live so. Are not our arguments now adays such, as the Eunuchs, 1. King. 22. unto Micheah. See all the Prophets which are four hundred speak good to the king. i. as the king would have them, therefore I pray thee, say thou so too. This is one argument, and how do ye answer it? Even as Chusa said to Absalom, that he went not with his friend, because the multitude was not with him, for where the multitude is, even there will I be. Here is the practise, but where is a precept for it? I will show you where ye shall have a precept for it. There is a fellow, a controller of Moses, the child of Belial, that hath a1 precept. Deny nothing that you may win the multitude. But, if he had stayed there, he had not bin clean contrary to Moses. Exo. 23. 2. but he goeth further & saith; Though they go wrong, thou must go with them, and do as they do. Oh that this lead not to perdition: We are naturally inclined to this; every man is first evil, every one by nature is a Papist, a Machiavellist, every one is given to follow a multitude. Of this doctrine some may have use now, & some hereafter. And seeing, as Aeschines saith, we must learn that now whilst we be young, which we must practise when we be old: I shall think the word of God hath it fruit, if any shall beware by it, & practise it hereafter. First, I note, where the holy Ghost flatly forbiddeth the following of a multitude, that it is a thing that cometh to pass daily: we must not think the holy2 Ghost giveth precepts of those things, that come not to use in 7. years, this is one chief point in all offices. Plato in his Alcibiades had persuaded Alcibiades to live justly all his life time: he promiseth that he will do so. I pray God, saith Socrates, you may begin, and also continue, but I fear least the sway of the multitude carry you away: and to an Elder he writeth, though the multitude do not change you, yet it may be as rubs in your way. I will show you a reason hereof,