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,…

WE must hear the word attentively and fruitfully, and not with the ears of the world, which are deaf ears. As the Apostle said, it is all one to be a child in discretion, and a child in years: so it is all one to be deaf by nature, and to make our selves deaf. The Adder is called deaf, for that she maketh her self so, she is said not to have ears when she hath ears, but not to hear the charmer, least she should lose her poison: such hearers are Deut. 29 19. such hearers had Steven, Act. 7. 57. such hearers are Jerem. 7. 10. Another kind of hearing there is, when one doth hear a voice, but a greater noise is in his head, excellentius sensibile, as Aristotle calleth it, so that he cannot hear the less. It is the voice of the Ostrich, Bring, bring; Emolumentum is excellens sensibile, it is the finest word that ever was invented, it maketh that nothing else can be heard for it. There is a third kind of hearing, the most usual of all, and yet heinous enough: They have ears to sleep. A very unproper speech, that is they cannot hear for sleep, as Eutychus had in the Acts at Pauls sermon, where Eutychus fell down, and had almost broke his neck for it. See the judgement of God upon the first evil hearer of the Gospel. Well, hear thou the word of God preached diligently: Potest enim tibi id in animo conting•re, quoa Eutycho in corpore.

WE must heare the word attentiuely and fruitfully, and not with the eares of the world, which are deafe eares. As the Apostle saide, it is al one to bee a child in discretion, and a child in yeeres: so it is all one to be deafe by nature, and to make our selues deafe. The Adder is called deafe, for that she maketh her selfe so, she is saide not to haue eares when she hath eares, but not to heare the charmer, least shee should lose her poyson: such hearers are