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 We oft hear the word, but not as the word of the Lord, and therefore we hear it¹ but in part, because we think it is the word of Isaiah, of Peter, or of the Minister, we think it is Hose, or Paul that speaks, but not the Lord. Well, if we will tarry until the Lord himself come, we shall not hear nor see him, until the heavens roll up together as a scroll, and a globe of fire consume the face of the earth, until the Sun be turned as black as a pot, and the sea boil as a pot of oil, and then we must rather give an account of our hearing, than stand to hear again. Well then how are we said to hear the word of the Lord? First we must know, that Christ received a commission from the Lord, This is my beloved Son, hear him. Here is his commission. Then our Saviour Christ being to go to his Father, left a commission with his Apostles, Who so heareth you, heareth me, who so receiveth you, the same receiveth me: but who so refuseth you, refuseth me. So that to hear the Ministers is to hear Christ, and to hear Christ is to hear the father; so that to hear the Ministers is to hear God. And the words of Hose, and of Peter, they be the Lords words. And all this word sent from God shall be as effectual by the mouth of the Ministers, to convert, as if they were spoken by Christ himself. And we know that Christ being the Minister of circumcision, converted not all his auditors, nay he converted but a few of his hearers. Peter converted more at one sermon, who was but his Apostle, than we read that he himself ever converted all his life long. But if it will not be, but still we think it is the word of the Preachers, surely by our own imaginations the Lord will punish you, that is, it shall be unto you a mans word, Hosea's word, or Peters word, not the word of the Lord. And then if we hear it not as the word of God, but as the word of man, it will never do us good, it may breed some little purpose in us, but it will never breed in us any great practise to our comfort. So then if we hear it but as from men, we shall •ot in our sin, and so lye still, until the Lord find us out in the searching day of his judgement.

3 We oft heare the word, but not as the word of the Lord, and therefore wee heare it¹ but in part, because we thinke it is the word of Esai, of Peter, or of the Minister, wee thinke it is Hose, or Paul that speakes, but not the Lord. Well, if we will tarrie vntill the Lord himselfe come, wee shall not heare nor see him, vntill the heauens roll vp together as a scrole, and a globe of fire consume the face of the earth, vntill the Sunne be turned as blacke as a pot, and the sea boile as a pot of oyle, and then we must rather giue an accompt of our hearing, than stand to heare againe. Well then how are we said to heare the word of the Lord? First we must know, that Christ receiued a commission from the Lord, This is my beloued Sonne, heare him. Here is his commission. Then our Sauiour Christ being to goe to his Father, left a commission with his Apostles, Who so heareth you, heareth me, who so receiueth you, the same receiueth me: but who so refuseth you, refuseth me. So that to heare the Ministers is to heare Christ, and to heare Christ is to heare the father; so that to heare the Ministers is to heare God. And the words of Hose, and of Peter, they be the Lords words. And all this word sent from God shall be as effectuall by the mouth of the Ministers, to conuert, as if they were spoken by Christ himselfe. And we know that Christ being the Minister of circumcision, conuerted not all his auditors, nay he conuerted but a few of his hearers. Peter conuerted more at one sermon, who was but his Apostle, than we reade that hee himselfe euer conuerted all his life long. But if it will not be, but still we thinke it is the word of the Preachers, surely by our owne imaginations the Lord will punish you, that is, it shall bee vnto you a mans word, Hosees word, or Peters word, not the word of the Lord. And then if we heare it not as the word of God, but as the word of man, it will neuer doe vs good, it may breede some little purpose in vs, but it wil neuer breede in vs any great practise to our comfort. So then if we heare it but as from men, we shall ot in our sinne, and so lye stil, vntill the Lord finde vs out in the searching day of his iudgement.