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,…

4 To a good action, it is requisite that our intent be according to the word, that then our action being good, we use right means: if our means be good, then must we have faith: if we have faith, then must we have sound hearts: if our hearts be sound, we must devour through peace all hindrance: and waiting for the good time of the Lord, we must possess our souls in patience.

4 To a good action, it is requisite that our intent be according to the word, that then our action being good, we vse right meanes: if our meanes be good, then must we haue faith: if we haue faith, then must we haue sound hearts: if our hearts be sound, we must deuoure through peace all hindrance: and waiting for the good time of the Lord, we must possesse our soules in patience.

5 There are divers plain Israelites that will suffer a veil to be put before their faces, and they will use them as the Pharisees did John Baptist, to object him against Christ; John and his Disciples fast: and why do others so, but to have a cloak for their wickedness? These are abused for want of wisdom, and would mislike their practises in their heart, if they could sound the depth of them: Praestat esse caudam Leonis, quam caput vulpis: Better to be the tail of a Lion, than the head of a Fox. Well, it is good to be just and wise, but yet not for our selves: but yet such as will not keep their wisdom to themselves, but tell it out, or write it, come to wrack. Because he will not follow the counsel of Amazias, See not, he hath the reward of the Prophets, & all the Prophets except four perished. The cause was, they were more wise than was for the Princes advantage. In respect even of God his permission, it is just that the just should perish: we may say, is this his reward? but we must know that when for corruption of time, God his children cannot live without hazard of their hazard, he taketh them away: neither in so doing doth he break his promise, that gives them for a long life, eternal life; for a bag of silver, a bag of gold: for in so doing he promiseth the less, and performeth the more. We would indeed be the Lords servants, if we saw his service would always prevail; but because sometimes we see their seats without honour that serve God, we will be none of his servants, or we learn by reason to judge no action by the person: yet we say, if he prevailed not, he took no good course, or if we cannot but say, he is wise, we say he is too wise. The Prophet (