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,…

6 We are therefore to believe the providence of God, first generally over all creatures, then particularly over every one of them: yea even over the sparrows. Again, if the Lord hath care of beasts (as indeed he hath) because they were made for man, he will much more have care of man, for whom they were made. He hath a care for the wicked to do them good; for he filleth their bellies with his hidden treasure, then will he much more rejoice over the godly to do them good: if he loved us when we were his enemies, will he not provide for us being reconciled to him by the death of his own and only Son? If he did us good when we sought him not, will he not much more when we do seek him in praying unto him, as he hath commanded? If he hath done us good, when for our sins he might have punished us, will he not when with his spirit he hath sanctified us? Oh then let us not be unfaithful, and so become murmurers against the Lord: but let us be faithful, and to look unto the Lord to do unto us according to our faith.

6 We are therfore to beleeue the prouidence of God, first generally ouer all creatures, then particularly ouer euery one of them: yea euen ouer the sparrowes. Againe, if the Lord hath care of beasts (as indeede hee hath) because they were made for man, hee will much more haue care of man, for whom they were made. He hath a care for the wicked to do thē good; for hee filleth their bellies with his hidden treasure, then wil he much more reioyce ouer the godly to doe them good: if he loued vs when we were his enemies, will hee not prouide for vs being reconciled to him by the death of his owne and onely sonne? If hee did vs good when we sought him not, will he not much more when wee doe seeke him in praying vnto him, as he hath commanded? If he hath done vs good, when for our sins hee might haue punished vs, will he not when with his spirit he hath sanctified vs? Oh then let vs not be vnfaithfull, and so become murmurers against the Lord: but let vs be faithfull, and to looke vnto the Lord to doe vnto vs according to our faith.

7 Furthermore, this providence of God must be confirmed by the example of Gods children in all ages, as in the time of the fathers before the flood, who did eat nothing but herbs; ve some of them lived nine hundred years, to teach us that men live not by these means: f by these means he nourished them, he will by greater, as by flesh and fish, nourish us. The Israelites were fed with Manna (which was never seen before nor since) for the space of forty years. If they gathered any more thereof than the Lord commanded, it stank: yet being kept before the Ark 400. years it did not so, and when they came to the promised land it ceased: whereby we may learn, that it is not the means, but the blessing of God upon the means that giveth nourishment. Did not Moses and Elijah live forty days without meat, and the children of Israel go forty years in the same garments not waxing old? and othersome having meat in abundance been hunger-starved? and shall it not teach us that these things are ordained for our weakness, and that the Lord without these means can nourish us? If David proved by experience, that he never saw a righteous man, of righteous parents, begging his bread; if we be now righteous, as they were then, the Lord will provide for us now as well as he did then for them, and we shall have the like experience.