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,…

8 If we would know what it is to pervert, we shall see it in Augustine. De vera religione cap. 34. to put out of order, as it were shuffling the cards to place a deuce with a King, to bring in that which should be kept out. Now what is order? that the worst be subject to the better. Then those are perverse, which place the worst above the best, which place them in great callings, which are unworthy to be among the base people. To them it is said, cease to do perversely. None perverts another, but first he perverts himself; and those that pervert themselves, pervert their rules or their ends: their rules, as to prefer mans laws before Gods laws; their ends, as preferring temporal things, as this case, this gain, before eternal: now and then at their leisure thinking of the chief end of all, but preferring the other. Even as the crab going backward himself, persuadeth all other fishes they swim wrong: so these being perverse themselves begin then to shuffle the cards, then they will have men be of their minds, or they will turn justice into wormwood, that it shall be as bitter as wormwood to the good man to do justice: for my part I would Ahab troubled Israel no more, though Elijah bear the blame.

8 If we would know what it is to peruert, wee shall see it in Augustine. De vera religione cap. 34. to put out of order, as it were shuffling the cardes to place a deuce with a King, to bring in that which should bee kept out. Now what is order? that the worst be subiect to the better. Then those are peruerse, which place the worst aboue the best, which place them in great callings, which are vnworthy to bee among the base people. To them it is saide, cease to doe peruersly. None peruerts another, but first hee peruerts himselfe; and those that peruert themselues, peruert their rules or their ends: their rules, as to prefer mans lawes before Gods lawes; their ends, as preferring temporall things, as this case, this gaine, before eternall: now and then at their leisure thinking of the chiefe end of all, but preferring the other. Euen as the crab going backward himselfe, perswadeth al other fishes they swim wrong: so these being peruerse themselues begin then to shuffle the cards, then they will haue men be of their mindes, or they will turne iustice into wormwood, that it shall be as bitter as wormwood to the good man to doe iustice: for my part I would Achab troubled Israel no more, though Eliah beare the blame.