A02178:5130
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.
A LETTER AGAINST HARDNESS OF HEART.
A LETTER AGAINST HARDNES OF HEART.
I Beseech GOD, the Father of JESUS CHRIST, to give me his good spirit; in writing to give advice, and you in reading to receive it, Amen.
I Beseech GOD, the Father of IESVS CHRIST, to giue mee his good spirit; in writing to giue aduice, and you in reading to receiue it, Amen.
Since the time that I received M. S. Letter, wherein he declared his careful compassion over your estate: I have been not a little grieved, because partly for want of a convenient messenger, and partly because of my manifold distractions with the like occurrences, and other weighty affairs, I have been hindered from writing hitherto unto you. And albeit even still I be in the same case, yet conscience towards GOD, and love and compassion towards you, forceth me to overcome lets, which hardly I could otherwayes prevail against. And albeit I cannot speak1 as I would, yet of that which I shall write (proceeding from the forenamed grounds) I look for some blessing of God through Jesus Christ, if you will not too much faint in faith, and yield to the adversary: yea if you will but hope so well of your self as (in the fear of God I write it) I hope of you. First, whereas it seemeth you are sometimes grieved, because you tarried not still at Cambridge according to mine advise, you must know I advised it not as a thing necessary, but more convenient, as I then supposed, but I advised you to obey your father, if his pleasure still continued to have you home: whereunto you yielded, I cannot see how you offend, it being your fathers pleasure you should so do. And who knoweth whether being there you might not have been as much troubled, there being no privilege for persons and places in such cases? And who knoweth whether it be the Lords pleasure, for the example and instruction (and I hope the consolation) of others in the end? And albeit you will now think that here you were nearer the moe and stronger means, yet know you and be persuaded, that God can and doth in such