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,…

CHAP. XXXVI. Of hearing Gods Word.

TF the Psalmist (Psal. 94.) could make his argument, He that hath planted the ear, shall he not hear, much more may we argue thus: He that hath planted the ear, shall not he be heard? Shall not he hear, saith David, shall not he be heard, say we? And surely in his creation he planted the ear to this end, and therefore by the title of creating us he¹ hath good interest to the ear: but if the title of creation will not serve, yet in respect that he preserveth us continually, which we call his providence, that interest may serve: but if that serve neither, yet Adam having through² sin alienated himself from God, his soul, his body, and so his ears too: by the right of Redemption the Lord having purchased us a new, and buying every jot of us again as³ it were at the second hand, in this right he may surely claim our ears. Now if he may claim them, as they be his, and in truth they be his, then must we hear him: or if they be not his, and by no right appertain to him, then we are not the Lords Israel. But if we be the Lords, then I say the Lord hath said, he cannot abide, that a candle being light should be put under a bushel, and that our ears, which appertain to him; should be put to no use: which if they be, they little or nothing differ from a carved image, who hath eyes and seeth not, ears and heareth not. He will not have us come to the Church, and the word beat and beat upon us, and no more stir us than it doth the pillars or seats we sit on, wherein we show our selves to be but idol Christians, or counterfeit professors. Then if we must needs hear, the next thing to be inquired of, is the special subject or object of our hearing. We can hear a noise as of the beating of the air, of the wind, of⁴