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,…

And albeit, many occasions may be pretended to stay us from good, which may seem to carry some show of good, yet they are deceiving corruptions, and full of rottenness at the core, as experience proveth. Some are kept back from catechising of their family, because they would not be made the by-talk of the people, they would not men¹ should talk of them, and tear me them a precise company. Some go aloof and walk along from pure zeal in good works, that they might retain their liberty in buying and selling, and so better take order for domesticall expenses, which they think would fall to the ground, if God should be purely worshipped. And indeed every thing creepeth under colour of a good thing, and they will turn out nothing naked, but with one ragged reason or other, although their pretences be of an ill die, or their reasons not able to keep them from any injury of the weather whatsoever. They are carried away with the deceivableness of sin, their corruption deceiveth them, they are beguiled with the devils² sophistry in putting that for a cause which is no cause at all. But this hypocrisy of hart may appear not only in not doing of good, which we should do, but also in doing of good otherwise than we ought to do. To leave sin in it own nature is a commendable thing, but if we do it for fear of punishment, or for shame of the world, rather than for conscience of sin, it is not at all praise worthy. The adulterer may restrain his loathsome and sinful action, not for that he feareth to defile himself with sin in the sight of God, but because he would not be known to have sinned in the sight of the world: the thief may surcease from actual theft for fear of the law, and to avoid the gallows: but neither of these have repented of their sin, though after a sort they have left their sin.

And albeit, many occasiōs may be pretēded to stay vs from good, which may seeme to carrie some shew of good, yet they are deceiuing corruptions, and full of rottennesse at the core, as experiēce prooueth. Some are kept backe from catechising of their familie, because they would not be made the by-talke of the people, they would not men¹ should talke of them, and tear me them a precise company. Some goe aloofe and walke along from pure zeale in good works, that they might retaine their libertie in buying and selling, and so better take order for domesticall expences, which they thinke would fall to the ground, if God should be purely worshipped. And indeed euery thing creepeth vnder colour of a good thing, and they will turne out nothing naked, but with one ragged reason or other, although their pretences be of an ill die, or their reasons not able to keepe them from any iniurie of the weather whatsoeuer. They are carried away with the deceiueablenesse of sinne, their corruption deceiueth them, they are beguiled with the diuels