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,…

3 It is a kindly thing to fear at Gods threatenings, & therefore when the judgements of God were denounced, it was noted as a sign of great deadness of heart, if the most¹ wretched sinner were not smitten with terror, & he that was in the highest degree of reprobation, as Pharaoh feared, for it is the nature of an iron rod easily to break an earthen pot: But for promises to bring us to fear, it is as strange a thing as it is in nature that thin water should break a body, and yet some bodies there be of so weak substance, that any² thing will dissolve them. Such is the nature of them, who seeing and finding in themselves³ a great unworthiness, to inherit such gracious promises of God, are ever ready to melt away, and to break in sunder, as beaten with an iron rod. Wherefore if we can thus fear⁴ in love, and love in fear, we may have a good testimony to our own consciences, that we have a good fear, because tasting how gracious and marvellous the Lord is in all his Saints, we fear least we should lose so good and so gracious a Lord.

3 It is a kindly thing to feare at Gods threatnings, & therefore when the iudgements of God were denounced, it was noted as a signe of great deadnesse of heart, if the most¹ wretched sinner were not smitten with terrour, & hee that was in the highest degree of reprobation, as Pharaoh feared, for it is the nature of an iron rod easily to breake an earthen pot: But for promises to bring vs to feare, it is as strange a thing as it is in nature that thin water should breake a bodie, and yet some bodies there be of so weake substance, that any² thing wil dissolue them. Such is the nature of them, who seeing and finding in themselues³ a great vnworthinesse, to inherite such gracious promises of God, are euer readie to melt away, and to breake in sunder, as beaten with an iron rod. Wherefore if wee can thus feare