A02178:4414
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.
Many now a days in giving voices, have a pretty wise policy, because it is so evil a1 thing▪ I will give no voice at all, hold you content, such be [Greek or Hebrew], neuter passives, indifferent men, that will do neither good nor evil. These are odious unto the Lord, Zephani, 1. 12▪ If there be any man, that saith, I will neither do good nor bad, or hath set down2 that rule with himself, I will, saith the Lord, seek him out with a lantern to a strange judgement. They will say, as it is Ps 12. Our tongues & lungs are our own, and therefore we may speak, as we list, and when we list. By this they show, that they have neither Logic nor Divinity. The holy Ghost saith, thou shalt not give thy voice. If the precept be affirmative, it bindeth semper not ad semper; but if it be negative, it bindeth but semper and ad semper. The like precept is, thou shalt be no usurer: well, I will not lend at all, but thou must lend, and yet not lend to usury. Thou shalt not take the Name of the LORD thy GOD in vain. Well, I will not swear at all; yea, thou must swear by his Name, & yet not take it in vain. Thou shalt not bear false-witness: well, I will bear no witness at all; yea, thou shalt3 bear a witness, but yet not a false witness. So I will not give my voice at all; yes, thou shalt, and yet not to a Rabbi, or a multitude. The reason hereof is, because we were born to bear witness to the truth. Therefore was I borne saith Christ. Whereupon Augustine saith, this belongeth to all Christians. Fulgentius a good and holy father saith, when Truth is endangered, both he which denieth it, & he which holdeth his peace, do betray the Truth. Well, it is said, thou shalt not answer, and therefore we hold it not needful to give our witness to the Truth, except we be asked and entreated. But is it not often said in the Evangelists, Then JESUS answered & said, when no man spake unto him? Hereupon one said, Truth demanded it in his Conscience. As GOD is said in Isaiah, to hear us, before we call unto him; so will he have us to answer him, before he speak to us. Psal. 5. David tarrieth not to defend the innocent, till he be entreated; taketh no reward to do right, being reaie without desiring. As we have two kinds of sins, sins of omission, and commission, and