A02178:98
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.
5 In afflictions we must search the cause: first by ascending to God, then by descending1 into our selves. First, we must ascend to God, pleading guilty, craving mercy, and not stand quarrelling with the malice of men, or hatred of the devil against us: for as it were no good wisdom for a man, condemned to die, to make any long suite to the Jailer, or to the executioner, (for they be but under officers, & can do nothing) but he must labour to the Judge, who can either reprieve or release him: so it is no good policy to stand about Satan in our temptations, who doth all by constraint & restraint under the Lord: but we must go to the principal, that is God, in whose hands are both the entrance, the continuance, and the issues of our sufferings. Secondly, we must search our selves, how far either reason is unreformed, or affections unrenewed: knowing that the devil himself2 can never hurt us, until we have hurt our selves. And look in what measure our reason is corrupt, or our affections disordered, in that measure are we weak, and easier to be overthrown of men, or of Satan: and in what measure our reason is sound, and our affections sincere, in that measure we remain invincible. Before, and in all we must pray that the spirit may be given us, that we neither add nor detract, that we go not too far, nor come too short.
5 In afflictions we must search the cause: first by ascending to God, then by descending1 into our selues. First, we must ascend to God, pleading guiltie, crauing mercie, and not stand quarrelling with the malice of men, or hatred of the diuell against vs: for as it were no good wisedome for a man, condemned to die, to make any long suite to the Iaylor, or to the executioner, (for they be but vnder officers, & can do nothing) but he must labour to the Iudge, who can either reprieue or release him: so it is no good policy to stand about Sathan in our temptations, who doth all by constraint & restraint vnder the Lord: but we must goe to the principall, that is God, in whose hands are both the entrance, the continuance, and the issues of our sufferings. Secondly, we must search our selues, how farre either reason is vnreformed, or affections vnrenewed: knowing that the diuell himselfe