A02182:95
Propositions
Propositions containing answers to certain demands in divers spiritual matters specially concerning the conscience oppressed with the grief of sin. With an epistle against hardness of heat, made by that worthy preacher of the Gospel of Christ, M. R. Greenham pastor of DraytonPropositions containing answers to certaine demaunds in divers spirituall matters specially concerning the conscience oppressed with the griefe of sinne. With an epistle against hardnes of heat, made by that woorthie preacher of the Gospell of Christ, M. R. Greenham pastor of Drayton
Edinburgh: printed by Robert Waldegrave printer to the Kings Majesty, 1597Edinburgh: printed by Robert Waldegraue printer to the Kings Majestie, 1597
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.
84 As it argueth great height and willingness to sin, when men fearing to sin in the day, redeem, & steal time to sin in the night: so it showeth a great height and willingness to godliness, when men being not sufficiently contented to do good in the day, stretch their well doing ⟨image 25⟩even to the night also; wherein they show themselves to be free from vain glory; that none seeing them, yet they do good for love of God, and not for outward things.
84 As it argueth great height and willingnes to sinne, when men fearing to sin in the day, redeeme, & steale time to sin in the night: so it sheweth a great height and willingnes to godlines, when men beeing not sufficiently contented to doe good in the day, stretch their well doing ⟨image 25⟩even to the night also; wherin they shew themselues to be free from vaine glorie; that none seeing them, yet they do good for loue of God, and not for outwarde things.
85 As by nature we are long and hard to be brought to be grieved; so being once down, we are hard to get up, and to rise out of our grief again: for two extremities attend upon us, the one to be grieved and feared toe little; the other, to be grieved and feared toe much: the one makes us secure, and the other dead and dull. To meet with these two, it is good in time of joy to think what judgments have befallen us heretofore, what may befall us hereafter. In time of humbling, we are to consider what mercies we have received, and what mercies are stored up, and tarry for us again: and surely, no one thing makes grief more to waste us, than the forgetfulness of Gods mercies past, and the carefulness of them that are to come: though mercies succeed mercies, yet the sea of Gods mercies is never drawn dry, if ⟨image 25⟩we claim hold of them by our former experience.