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 When we see good men get new distinctions, as though they had not been well taught before, it is a dangerous thing, Non perseverrae (I say) noxium tibi. Ezech. 33. 13. Have ye suffered so many things in vain, saith Paul, Gal 3. 4. 2. Pet. 2. 20. Remember what it is to have one devil go out of one, and to have seven to come in for it. It is a principle in the Civill law: Commonly in all things we have fair beginnings, Ministers in their first day of ordination,¹ on those days wherein we receive the Sacrament, when we are fasting, in affliction, in sickness, or such like goodly promises and fat, but slender performance and lean. Nay, some do not only not persevere, but they fall to worse: they will say one day, as a wretch² spake: Gloria patri, and another day, & filio, and the third, & Sp. S. but for that, sicut crat ⟨p. 766⟩in principio, they fall to their old bias again. This is like to Nebuchadnezzars image, the head is of gold, the breast of baser metal, and so nearer the end, the worst still. The Papists call them that shrink, worse then cloth that shrinketh but when it is wet.

4 When wee see good men get new distinctions, as though they had not beene well taught before, it is a dangerous thing, Non perseuerrae (I say) noxium tibi. Ezech. 33. 13. Haue yee suffered so many things in vaine, saith Paul, Gal 3. 4. 2. Pet. 2. 20. Remember what it is to haue one diuell goe out of one, and to haue seuen to come in for it. It is a principle in the Ciuill law: Commonly in all things we haue faire beginnings, Ministers in their first day of ordination,¹ on those daies wherein we receiue the Sacrament, when we are fasting, in affliction, in sicknes, or such like goodly promises and fat, but slender performance and leane. Nay, some doe not onely not perseuere, but they fall to worse: they will say one day, as a wretch