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,…

Thus it is the wisdom and goodness of God to wane us from the world by affliction, which as it causeth us to find great comfort in beholding God but even in a glass, so it hasteneth us to taste of the fullness of comfort in him, by beholding him face to face.

Thus it is the wisedome and goodnes of God to waine vs from the world by affliction, which as it causeth vs to finde great comfort in beholding God but euen in a glasse, so it hasteneth vs to taste of the fulnes of comfort in him, by beholding him face to face.

5 Joseph, saying thy servants are men occupied about cattle, might seem to dissemble, but it is not necessary always to speak all Truth, and they confessed the principal truth, that is, that they were shepherds, which kind of men were abhorred of the Egyptians, and this turned to their profit: for being severed from the Egyptians, they might better maintain peace among themselves, & be kept free from the corruption of the Egyptians, whereinto by familiarity they might have fallen. This teacheth us that we should not be ashamed of our kindred, though they be contemptible in the world. For Joseph being a chief ruler in the land of Egypt, yet confessed all his fathers to be shepherds, he would not have his brethren change their trade, though he might have gotten for them great preferments. Our of all this may be gathered that the Lord worketh a contempt of this world in the harts of his children, and that they had rather be door-keepers in the house of the Lord, then to dwell in the tents of the ungodly, we ought likewise not to be ashamed to be called the people of God, the Disciples of Christ, no nor yet Precisians, and such like names as are commonly given to Christians. This may teach us, that the mean estate is always best▪ so that we ought to give God thanks for it, and not to be ambitious, for they that would be great in the world can hardly be religious. But because many will be called¹ brethren, which be no• so indeed, it shall be good to set down some notes of brotherhood: and the first is to help one another in need, yea, though it be with danger of our lives; therefore it is said that a brother is made for the time of adversity: the godly brethren hazarded their lives for Paul, for those that sought Pauls death, would likewise have slain these if they had known them. There are divers examples of this in the Scripture, as Moses and Paul, who wished themselves accursed and wiped out of the book of life, for their brethren. Rahab although but a novice in religion, yet ventured her life for the espies: Jonathan for David: David for the people of Israel: Obadiah for the Prophets, & CHRIST for us all, leaving us an example that we should give our lives for the brethren. Esther for the Church, and Judith for the children of Israel, and Paul rejoiced for the afflictions which