A02178:5137
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.
unless they persevere I say, for that through the spiritual adversary, and his forcible power, whereby God suffereth him sometime for a season to winnow them as wheat, they are so bewitched and intoxicated, that they are carried by violent force of temptation, to wax weary of, or to refuse all means of comfort by fits: yea, almost to have no desire at all unto them, yea sometimes to speak very evil of them: but all this is but temptation, and therefore God will be merciful unto them, for Christs sake.
vnlesse they perseuere I say, for that through the spirituall aduersarie, and his forcible power, whereby God suffereth him sometime for a season to winnow them as wheate, they are so bewitched and intoxicated, that they are carried by violent force of temptation, to waxe wearie of, or to refuse all meanes of comfort by fits: yea, almost to haue no desire at all vnto them, yea sometimes to speake very euill of them: but all this is but temptation, and therefore God will be mercifull vnto them, for Christs sake.
Thus Job cursed the day of his birth, and wished to be strangled, Jeremiah almost repented that ever he preached in the name of the Lord: both scarcely abstain from blasphemy. David moved with the spirit of ambition (though dutiful admonished) wilfully went on in numbering the people. Peter also vaingloriously presuming of his own strength, being most wisely and effectually preadmonished of his weakness even by our Lord Jesus, yet wittingly rushing as a horse into the battle, even then very cowardly yieldeth, yea doubly denieth, yea strengtheneth his sin with a threefold cord, and fasteneth it with bannings and cursings: and yet for all these he obtained mercy most bountifully. For why? as Satan had desired to winnow them, so our Lord Jesus prayed for them, that their faith, though it was vehemently assaulted, yet should not be overcome; although it was bartered, yet that it should not be destroyed; and though it was oppressed, yet that it should not be extinguished. And here be you fully persuaded, that albeit Luke 22. 31. the words seem to run as belonging but to Peter▪ viz. I have prayed