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,…

Lay this foundation sure, that there is mercy with Christ Jesus.¹

Lay this foundation sure, that there is mercie with Christ Iesus.¹

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Remember the former mercies you have received; and think your present estate to be¹ none other, than the estate of Gods children. If you be grieved, pray to God; if relieved, praise him: there is a vicissitude of grief, and comfort, as of light and darkness.

Remember the former mercies you haue receiued; and thinke your present estate to be¹ none other, than the estate of Gods children. If you bee grieued, pray to God; if relieued, praise him: there is a vicissitude of griefe, and comfort, as of light and darknes.

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Beware of a discontented mind in any case, yea be contented to have your desires denied¹ you of God; and if your prayer be not heard, vex not your self too much: neither vehemently covet, nor be grieved for any thing, saving the having or loss of the favour of God.

Beware of a discontented minde in any case, yea be contented to haue your desires denied¹ you of God; and if your prayer be not heard, vexe not your selfe too much: neither vehemently couet, nor be grieued for any thing, sauing the hauing or losse of the fauour of God.

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In our great fear, we are less to be feared; those are to fear, which fear not.¹

In our great feare, we are lesse to be feared; those are to feare, which feare not.¹

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Sometimes the Lord doth bring unbelievers that wander from him by crooked ways,¹ unto himself.

Sometimes the Lord doth bring vnbeleeuers that wander from him by crooked waies,¹ vnto himselfe.

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Reverence those words and works of God, which you understand not.¹

Reuerence those words and workes of God, which you vnderstand not.¹

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As the sense of an aguish man is corrupt; so is the judgement of one that is in temptation,¹ (Muscul.) so that things that are, either seem not to be, or not such as they are.

As the sense of an aguish man is corrupt; so is the iudgement of one that is in temptation,¹ (Muscul.) so that things that are, either seeme not to be, or not such as they are.

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The patient bearing of misery, is an acceptable sacrifice unto God. When the Goldsmith¹ putteth a piece of gold into the fire to make better use of it; it seemeth to the unskilful that he utterly marreth it: so the children of God in affliction seem to the judgement ⟨p. 856⟩of the natural man undone and brought to nothing: but spiritual things are spiritually discerned.

The patient bearing of miserie, is an acceptable sacrifice vnto God. When the Goldsmith¹ putteth a peece of gold into the fire to make better vse of it; it seemeth to the vnskilfull that he vtterly marreth it: so the children of God in affliction seeme to the iudgement ⟨p. 856⟩of the naturall man vndone and brought to nothing: but spirituall things are spiritually discerned.

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As none can discern of the Sun, but by his own light: so neither of the Spirit. Hereof¹ arise the divers judgements of the tempted, of themselves; because sometime the good² spirit doth enlighten them, and other times they are left in their natural blindness, and Satan also easily deluded them.

As none can discerne of the Sunne, but by his owne light: so neither of the Spirit. Hereof¹ arise the diuers iudgements of the tempted, of themselues; because sometime the good² spirit doth inlighten them, and other times they are left in their naturall blindnes, and Satan also easily deluded them.

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2. 2Note well this rule.

Believe always your estate to be the work of God, and vary not therein, for your humiliation,¹ your consolation, the glory of God, and the good of others.

Beleeue alwaies your estate to be the worke of God, and varie not therein, for your humiliation,¹ your consolation, the glorie of God, and the good of others.

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Beware that you do not often alter your judgement of your estate, as saying, sometimes¹ it is God his work, sometimes Melancholy, sometimes your weakness and simplicity, sometimes witchery, sometimes Satan, for these divers thoughts will much trouble you: you may think Melancholy may be an occasion, but no cause, and so of the rest. Look steadfastly to the hand of God, surely resting on this, that he not only knoweth thereof, but that whatsoever is done, directly, or indirectly, by means or immediately, all is done and governed by him.

Beware that you doe not often alter your iudgement of your estate, as saying, sometimes¹ it is God his worke, sometimes Melancholie, sometimes your weaknes and simplicitie, sometimes witcherie, sometimes Satan, for these diuers thoughts will much trouble you: you may thinke Melancholie may bee an occasion, but no cause, and so of the rest. Looke stedfastly to the hand of God, surely resting on this, that hee not onely knoweth thereof, but that whatsoeuer is done, directly, or indirectly, by meanes or immediatly, al is done and gouerned by him.

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Beware of reasoning, of musing, of solitariness, of impatience of spirit, of murmuring, of¹ anger, envy, wishes suspicions, jealousies, too often eating, &c. or fastings, much meddling with worldly business, or much idleness, lying musing in bed, vain mirth.

Beware of reasoning, of musing, of solitarines, of impatiencie of spirit, of murmuring, of¹ anger, enuie, wishes suspitions, ielousies, too often eating, &c. or fastings, much medling with wordly businesse, or much idlenes, lying musing in bed, vaine mirth.

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Say not you cannot be helped: for that may hinder the work of God. Say not if I were¹ in such and such a place, I should be well.

Say not you cannot be helped: for that may hinder the worke of God. Say not if I were¹ in such and such a place, I should be well.

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Whereas in consideration of the falling away of many excelling you, both in the ages¹ and graces of the new birth, you fear you shall not persevere to the end: your meditation and collection is good so long as it preserves you from the carelessness of your flesh: but it is evil, when it would dissolve the assuredness of your faith. Indeed so long as you look upon your self you have cause of fear, because you are unable to prolong, as you are to begin new birth: but if you look to God, you have nothing but matter of faith, for that whom he once loveth, he loveth for ever. Again, as a man swimming in deep waters is² never in danger of drowning, so long as his head continueth above the waters: so, though you swim in deep fear of dangerous temptations, yet you are sure and secure, because Christ Jesus your head is still above all your troubles, and therefore is able to draw you his member to the shore of salvation, without all peril of perishing.

Whereas in consideration of the falling away of many excelling you, both in the ages¹ and graces of the new birth, you feare you shall not perseuere to the end: your meditation and collection is good so long as it preserues you from the carelesnesse of your flesh: but it is euill, when it would dissolue the assurednes of your faith. Indeede so long as you looke vpon your selfe you haue cause of feare, because you are vnable to prolong, as you are to begin new birth: but if you looke to God, you haue nothing but matter of faith, for that whom he once loueth, he loueth for euer. Againe, as a man swimming in deepe waters is² neuer in danger of drowning, so long as his head continueth aboue the waters: so, though you swimme in deepe feare of dangerous temptations, yet you are sure and secure, because Christ Iesus your head is still aboue all your troubles, and therefore is able to draw you his member to the shore of saluation, without all perill of perishing.

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2. 2

It is hard to take up and bear the yoke of Christ: but much harder it is to continue,¹ drawing and panting in it unto the end. This caused a godly father to pronounce, that in godliness not so much the beginnings as the endings are to be looked to. Judas began gloriously, but he ended shamefully: Paul began ill, but he ended well. Then let us say to our own souls, Good Lord, what if our first love be grown cold, how fearful is it to come a great way out of Sodom; and in the end to become a pillar of salt? Oh, let us never put² our hand to the plough, and look back: keep us dear God, from the beginning in the spirit, and ending in the flesh. Oh, suffer us not to be the first in outward vocation, and the last in inward sanctification: let us fear, having been once lightened, to be darkened.

It is hard to take vp and beare the yoke of Christ: but much harder it is to continue,¹ drawing and panting in it vnto the end. This caused a godly father to pronounce, that in godlines not so much the beginnings as the endings are to be looked to. Iudas began gloriously, but he ended shamefully: Paul began ill, but he ended well. Then let vs say to our owne soules, Good Lord, what if our first loue be growne cold, how fearfull is it to come a great way out of Sodome; and in the end to become a pillar of salt? Oh, let vs neuer put² our hand to the plough, and looke backe: keepe vs deare God, from the beginning in the spirit, and ending in the flesh. Oh, suffer vs not to be the first in outward vocation, and the last in inward sanctification: let vs feare, hauing beene once lightned, to be darkened.

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2. 2A sweet Prayer.A sweete Prayer.