A02178:436
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.
Schism.
Schisme.
1 Although it is sure that a good man shall not finally fall in the main points of his salvation, yet he may be seduced in some less matters, but for all that in the end he shall escape: but the seducer shall surely be punished. For a well meaning man found in faith, and yet a novice in Christ, may be carried to like some solemn superstitions, and ⟨p. 37⟩pompous ceremonies in the worship of God. Again, a man careful and right in the substance of salvation, for the remnants of corruptions & defects of good things, may easily be drawn of a malicious man to cut off himself from the Church, not being able to discern between essential and accidental, between the principal and inferior points, which make or destroy a Church, that is, which cannot judge how, the substantial ground works remaining, there is a Church, though there be otherwise some accidental things wanting. If any man not so much intending this mans good, as to feed his own ambition,1 pride, stomach or vain glory, shall carry such a one to such superstitions or schisms, he by his evil heart intending to hinder the truth, and to destroy the temple of God, the Lord shall destroy him, and he shall either grow profane or worldly, or he shall be cut off by death, or bear some other token of Gods wrath. And because of a singularity of2 spirit, such men with an evil conscience disturb the Church, they may grow from error to heresies, from preciseness to profaneness, from strictness to madness, not being content to be corrupted, but seeking to corrupt. Howbeit, the man of infirmities and for want of judgement going in an high path, shall in the end inherit good things and be saved, but as by fire.