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,…

73 Herein is a difference between children and bastards, that original sin in the¹ refused, hath the root as rottenness, the branch as dust, the bud as blasphemy, the fruit as despair: in the elect being overturned with the power of affliction, then ariseth in stead of it both the blossoms of rising from sin, and the sweet smelling fruit of conversion unto God.

73 Herein is a difference betweene children and bastards, that originall sinne in the¹ refused, hath the roote as rottennes, the branch as dust, the bud as blasphemie, the fruite as despaire: in the elect being ouerturned with the power of affliction, then ariseth in stead of it both the blossoms of rising from sinne, and the sweete smelling fruite of conuersion vnto God.

1. 1Children and bastards how they differ.

74 There is nothing so good, but privy pride will corrupt it, nothing so evil, but a lye will cover it. For privy pride cast the Angels from heaven, exiled Adam out of Paradise,¹ overthrew the deerest of God his children, when they were most full of the spirit, and was ⟨p. 64⟩the last but most fiery temptation, wherewith our Saviour Christ was assaulted. It is seen² of others, before it is espied of our selves, it cometh with greatest graces of God, whereas other sins come with sin, it was the first sin in God his child, and it will be last. For even when all sins seem to bleed, and all graces seem to stand, herein we can be proud, that sin is so dead, and godliness so abundant in us.