A02178:4659
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.
4 We may read in the 16▪ of Exodus, how the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses & Aaron, which is a manifest sign, that they never repented them of their murmuring in Egypt, at the red Sea, and waters of strife. And although the Lord delayed the punishment, yet could they not be brought hereby to repentance, because they neither felt what their murmuring deserved, nor what the mercy of God is worth▪ We must then learn, not only to leave sin, and purpose not to commit it again, but we must with grief of heart repent of it, feel Gods mercies in forgetting it, and a hearty hatred of it. Otherwise when a new occasion is offered, we shall fall thereinto again, as a swearer1 will after an Oath be angry for it, yet because he seeth not the grievousness of the sin, hath not acquaintance with the reverend use of the Name of GOD, falleth to swear again: So it is with them that profane the Sabbath of the Lord, and of them that speak evil of the magistrates & minsters, they say they will do so no more, and yet because they repent not, therefore they fall again: So is this seen in angry persons, which are rather grieved for shame or loss, or such like causes, & not for the love of GOD: so it is in thieves, which come to the gallows again, although once received their pardon. This also may be seen in Tale-bearers, when their dealing is known, they marvel at themselves; yet not repenting, they fall to their sin again. The Apostle Saint James in his fourth chapter teacheth us, not only to cleanse the hands, but to purge the heart also: for we must see our hearts defiled with the sin we leave, or else it is impossible to repent, for the heart being still defiled, will yield to a new occasion. The means to leave these sins is there set down, to howl and weep, &c. Jam. 4. for the burnt child feareth the fire: but because God doth not throughly punish men, & because mens hearts do not feel the grievousness of sin, and Gods judgements ⟨p. 781⟩due to them for the same, therefore they sin afresh: but if they did feel Gods wrath, and the grievousness of their sins, then no doubt they would shake at the appearance of evil. Therefore that we may come to this, and hate those sins that especially do prevail against us, we must use sharp medicines, as in an old festered sore, they use corrosive