The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…

CHAP. XL. Of the judgements of God, and how just he is in judgement, and how his promises and threatenings to Israel, appertain to us.

CHAP. XL. Ofthe iudgements of God, and how iust he is in iudgement, and how his promises and threatnings to Israel, appertaine to vs.

Let the wicked rebel as they will, and think how by their subtleties they may escape Gods threatened judgements for a while; yet they shall be pursued from far, and shall taste the heavy hand of God, both fearfully and wonderfully: as we see in Ahab 2. Chron. 18. 33. and others: wherefore let the judgements of God ever humble us, for if they do not humble us, assuredly they fall upon us.

LEt the wicked rebell as they will, and thinke how by their subtilties they may escape Gods threatned iudgements for a while; yet they shall be pursued from farre, and shall taste the heauie hand of God, both fearefully and wonderfully: as we see in Achab 2. Chron. 18. 33. and others: wherefore let the iudgements of God euer humble vs, for if they doe not humble vs, assuredly they fall vpon vs.

3 As there was not one of the Israelites perished, so was there not one of the Egyptians¹ escaped; which is a type of the last judgement of God, wherein as not one of the wicked shall escape, so shall there not one of the godly perish.

3 As there was not one of the Israelites perished, so was there not one of the Egyptians¹ escaped; which is a type of the last iudgement of God, wherein as not one of the wicked shall escape, so shall there not one of the godly perish.

1. 1See death and judgement.See death and iudgement.

4 We may not doubt, albeit we see not Gods promises forthwith accomplished: neither must we be secure, because we see his judgements and threatenings delayed, as they did in Jeremies time: for though he tarry a while, yet will he certainly come at last, and that more speedily to us than to them, because our sins are greater, for that we have greater means of knowledge than they had.

4 We may not doubt, albeit we see not Gods promises forthwith accomplished: neither must we be secure, because we see his iudgements and threatnings delaied, as they did in Ieremies time: for though he tarrie a while, yet will he certainely come at last, and that more speedily to vs than to them, because our sinnes are greater, for that we haue greater meanes of knowledge than they had.

5 They that mock long at Gods judgements, will mock in the end and be mocked: wherefore it is good to pray for inward reverence, before God sendeth outward vengeance. When the Lord accuseth and judgeth us to show himself just and innocent, he will have none other to witness against us than the mountains, or the heavens and the earth: he will come to no court on earth but to his creatures, and his servants have used the¹ same proceeding, as Moses calleth heaven and earth to witness, nay we are to call to witness the stones in the wall, the timber of the house, that they may give their voices on our sides, that we have told them their sins, and that we have spoken to their consciences,² and then the very beams of the Church and stones of the wall shall be witness of this controversy. So that though men would bear one with another, yet the mountains, the heaven, and the earth shall give up their voice, that God hath not come suddenly upon us, but that he forewarned us. It were a great matter if a man should be judge in his own cause, yet the Lord so rules the matter, as that he will condemn none, but such as first shall see their just condemnation. We shall have all things laid plain and orderly before us, as it is Psalm 50 so that we shall be driven to confess Gods plea to be just against us: for howsoever men can daub and deceive their own conscience, howsoever they can smother and choke their own sins and delude men; yet in the day of wrath, the sealed book, the sealed book shall be opened, and the recorder in our own conscience shall give sentence unto it, and then the Lord shall win and recover his action at our hands, and we shall yield that he is just.

5 They that mocke long at Gods iudgements, will mocke in the end and be mocked: wherefore it is good to pray for inward reuerence, before God sendeth outward vengeance. When the Lord accuseth and iudgeth vs to shew himselfe iust and innocent, he will haue none other to witnesse against vs than the mountaines, or the heauens and the earth: he will come to no court on earth but to his creatures, and his seruants haue vsed the¹ same proceeding, as Moses calleth heauen and earth to witnesse, nay we are to call to witnesse the stones in the wal, the timber of the house, that they may giue their voyces on our sides, that we haue told them their sinnes, and that we haue spoken to their consciences,

6 There are places in the Scripture, where the Lord is a comforter, and there are places,¹ wherein he is an accuser: the places where he is a comforter show such persons or such times, wherein the Lord by his accusations hath so far prevailed, that the people were humbled thereby. The places wherein he is an accuser, import such times and persons, to whom the Lord hath showed many comforts and benefits, but they have been unthankful, as are we in our times in our Realm, and in this place. For it hath been the wisdom of the Lord always after his threatenings taking place to remember mercy, and after his mercies contemned to send out his threatenings, as Hose. 4. 1.

6 There are places in the Scripture, where the Lord is a comforter, and there are places,¹ wherein he is an accuser: the places where he is a comforter shew such persons or such times, wherein the Lord by his accusations hath so farre preuailed, that the people were humbled thereby. The places wherein he is an accuser, import such times and persons, to whom the Lord hath shewed many comforts and benefits, but they haue been vnthankfull, as are we in our times in our Realme, and in this place. For it hath been the wisedome of the Lord alwaies after his threatnings taking place to remember mercy, and after his mercies contemned to send out his threatnings, as Hose. 4. 1.

1. 1How God is an accuser and an acquiter.

7 The manner of the ancient Church hath bin, that wheresoever mention was made in¹ the word of the children of Israel, the Christians took that specially to appertain to themselves. But now adays in our age the case is far otherwise, we are so loth to be accused, that our manner is to account our selves to be accused in nothing, but there where the Lord hath as it were, by name spoken unto us, and if the Lord hath written no prophecy specially to this land, then we think nothing concerneth us. Howbeit, as Paul saith, Rom. 2. That they are not only Jews, that are Jews outward, but they also which are Jews inward: so I say, that they are not only the children of Israel, which came out of the loins of Israel, but who so truly lay hold on the promises made unto Israel, are the true children of Israel also. But not to stand long on this point, I say, look as Moses is more inferior than Messiah, and as Jesus is better than Joshua, & the kingdom of heaven better than Canaan, and the blood of Christ more precious than the blood of bullocks or of goats; so are we better Israelites, by faith taking hold of the promises made unto Israel, than they that descended only out of the body & loins of Israel. So that if any will lay claim to the promises of Israel, he must acknowledge himself to be the child of Israel: but if any will let go his hold on this promise, he must also exempt himself from being the child of Israel. He may well be of the line of Cain, Ham, or Esau, but the other he shall not be. And then if we will be the children of Israel in their promises, we must be the children of Israel also in ⟨p. 724⟩their accusations. And surely there is good reason why we should so be, where as Jacob had two names, the one Jacob, the other Israel, we read very seldom in the Scripture that the Jews are named by the children of Jacob, but called for the most part the children of Israel. For the name of Jacob being given him at the time of his nativity, and the name of Israel being assigned him by the Angel for a name of benefit, because he wrestled with God, the Lord herein insinuateth, that the children of Israel, that is, the children of his benefits, must with a special care hear his word.

7 The manner of the ancient Church hath bin, that wheresoeuer mention was made in

7 The not observing of the Judgements of God, maketh us so loth to love his mercy, and so slenderly to fear his Judgements.

7 The not obseruing of the Iudgements of God, maketh vs so loth to loue his mercie, and so slenderly to feare his Iudgements.

8 It is a natural thing to reform our selves whilst Gods Judgements are upon us.

8 It is a naturall thing to reforme our selues whilest Gods Iudgements are vpon vs.

CHAP. XLI. Of Joy and Sorrow.

CHAP. XLI. Of Ioy and Sorrow.

HE is not far from joy, that sorroweth either for want of good things, or for sense of evil: for the true way to godly mirth, is to feel godly sorrow.

HE is not far from ioy, that sorroweth either for want of good things, or for sense of euill: for the true way to godly mirth, is to feele godly sorrow.

2 When we have greatest cause of joy for well doing, then it is a good thing to fear most our unthankfulness, and our self-love and our secure unkindness.

2 When wee haue greatest cause of ioy for well doing, then it is a good thing to feare most our vnthankfulnes, and our selfe-loue and our secure vnkindnesse.

3 Gods children not cherishing a continual sorrow, have often an excessive sorrow.¹

3 Gods children not cherishing a continuall sorrow, haue often an excessiue sorrow.¹

1. 1Sorrow.

4 When a man is most merry, he is nearest danger.¹

4 When a man is most merrie, he is neerest danger.¹

1. 1Mirth.