A02178:715
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.
100 It is a marvellous thing, that a young man should be so zealous in youth, and about1 40 or 50 years should be honest and hold his own, but have no such vigour as before: But we must know that even his heat is mixed much with heat of youth, which shooteth and thrusteth out a little with a great heat and outward show in the beginning, and that afterward the strength of godliness being sounder, a man shall be less vehement but far more solid, at what time his pure zeal being naked in it self, for that his young heat forsakes him, seemeth happily to be less, but sure it is more sound and substantial than it was before.
100 It is a maruellous thing, that a young man should be so zealous in youth, and about1 40 or 50 yeares should be honest and hold his owne, but haue no such vigor as before: But we must know that euen his heate is mixed much with heate of youth, which shooteth and thrusteth out a little with a great heate and outward shew in the beginning, and that afterward the strength of godlines being sounder, a man shall be lesse vehement but farre more solid, at what time his pure zeale being naked in it selfe, for that his yong heate forsakes him, seemeth happily to be lesse, but sure it is more sound and substantiall than it was before.
- 1The zeal of youth and of age.The zeale of youth and of age.
101 It may seem strange, that we are so much moved with the sermons of godly1 men at our first calling, and after we have long believed, that we should find ourselves so coldly and seldom mou•d. Here we must know, that at our first entry to Christianity, there is a more combustible matter in us, & that every little spark of fire would inflame us, that is, that we had such great ignorance, that every principle of knowledge did afresh us, and such profaneness, that every precept took hold on us: but afterward being much purged and cleansed both in life and judgement, we are not so lightly moved, we are not so soon carried away, every course dit will not satisfy us as at the first. Again, the graces of God are sweetest at the first, and sprout out much in the beginning; for then we