A02178:4339
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,…
The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham, minister and preacher of the Word of God collected into one volume: revised, corrected, and published, for the further building of all such as love the truth, and desire to know the power of godliness. By H.H.The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham, minister and preacher of the Word of God collected into one volume: reuised, corrected, and published, for the further building of all such as loue the truth, and desire to know the power of godlinesse. By H.H.
London: printed by Thomas Snodham and Thomas Creede for William Welby, 1612London: printed by Thomas Snodham and Thomas Creede for VVilliam VVelby, 1612
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
10 First; it is a good argument to make us humble, when we know that all things are1 given us, and therefore Paul useth this as a reason, to take away all glorying in our selves, saying: What hast thou which thou hast not received? &c. The gifts of God of themselves do not puff us up, for they are good: but the corruption of our nature taketh occasion thereby to be proud, either when we think we have greater gifts than we have, or when we think ours to be greater than other mens: and so lift up our selves over them, and think that they should be in subjection under us. Again, the greater and better the gifts are, the more do they puff us up. For what is better than the knowledge of the word, and yet it puffeth us up? Seeing then that pride doth ever follow the gifts of God, which yet are good, and given to a good end: and again, seeing that every man hath received something of God, all men ought to take heed to themselves least this pride do not overwhelm them. But those more especially are to take heed, which have received greater gifts, because more easily they may fall. And this sin of pride must especially be taken heed unto. For even in good things this will be ready to assail us: but other sins ⟨p. 713⟩are commonly in the doing of other things. Secondly, although Gods children be ever2 assailed with this sin, and albeit it doth commonly come with the gifts of God, yet is it not such a sin but that it may be overcome, and therefore when we see our selves assaulted with it, we must not quail, although it were not possible to have the upper hand of it: for we see that the children of God by grace have from time to time overcome it, as even Paul himself, we see a man having received rare gifts, and yet confesseth of himself, that3 he is not worthy to be called an Apostle: and in another places nameth himself a servant and helper, which because he spake unfeignedly, therefore it is true that this sin ruled not over him. Again, Moses brought up in the Kings court, guiding the people of Israel to the promised land, seeing God face to face, yet was a very meek man, yea, the very meekest man4