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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02178	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.; Works	Greenham, Richard.; Holland, Henry, 1555 or 6-1603.; Hill, Robert, d. 1623.	1612 (1612)	STC 12318; ESTC S120843	1,539,296	988

loue darkenes more than the light and falshood heresies and lyes more than the trueth This is a sin to be punished when we haue the word and yet walke not at libertie and if wee cannot be at libertie when we haue the word it is sure that we cherish some secret sinne and doe not search into God word For that is so full of wisdome that it will rid vs our of all Yet the children of God haue their infirmities out of which they haue good issues But the ignorance of Gods word is the cause of many troubles for though a man were in as great a streight as Abraham was when hee should offer his sonne yet should he be directed Then this layeth a straight charge on vs to studie the word of God Vers. 46. I will speake also of thy testimonies before Kings and will not be ashamed IF God will thus assist mee I will speake euen before the wisest and stand in the sight of the Kings though it be fearefull This then will assure vs that we shall neuer fall if we study heare reade c. on Gods holy word and take heede to our wayes according thereto Then if we desire to stand for euer let vs meditate on Gods word for God hath giuen this not onely to the learned but also to idiotes Here wee see that wee neuer rightly profit till we be not afraide before whomsoeuer wee come for if wee bee assured that our cause bee good then may wee be assured that it shall be giuen vs what to answere and this maketh men afraide when they doubt of their cause Wee are not afraide to speake to a Gentleman if a Lorde bee with vs then shall wee not neede to feare a King when the King of Kings is with vs as Moses Hebr 11. None then haue this gift of bouldnes but they to whome God giueth it not the wise not the mightie of the world The Word giueth vs what to answere then if we faile it is a signe that wee faile in the Word But let vs deale earnestly with the Word and keepe a good conscience and it shall be giuen vs. This doth againe commend the word of God vnto vs. If wee be not ashamed of him before Kings we shall be Kings in his Kingdome Vers. 47. And my delight shall be in thy commandements which I haue loued THat he may come to this grace he will loue the Word because he delighteth in it for delight is the signe of loue Doe wee not then delight in the Word wee haue not a loue to it so of prayer and hearing the Word if we delight in it we will prepare our selues to heare it and meditate in it afterward for hee sheweth his loue when he saith I will meditate then if we will not finde terror of conscience and fall into many euils let vs make conscience to call it to minde For if wee doe take the Name of GOD in vaine by hearing the Word without meditation then the Word being a true witnes shall be a witnesse against vs in that day for this meditation is commended Part. 13. There are set times for hearing praying c but meditation must euer be with thee that thou mayest knowe whether the thing thou doest bee agreeable to his will and whether thou mayest looke for his blessing in it ¶ Vers. 48. Mine hands also will I lift vp vnto thy commandements which I haue loued and I will meditate in thy statutes IT was not sufficient as he thought to acquaint GOD with the delight of his heart vnles he also made manifest vnto him that his outward gesture was answerable to his hart You shall obserue it euen in little children that if they desire to haue any thing that they see they will stretch out their hands that they may get holde and hauing once gotten it you shall hardly get it from them againe And certainly if the inward man be sound you shall obserue it by the outward gesture of the bodie The people were desirous to heare Christs Sermon their eyes were bent and fixed vpon him Luk 4. 6. Dauid would expresse his loue to Gods Arke he da●nced before the Arke of Gods Couenant If wee loue Gods Worde and loue it in truth our hands will be as ready to turne ouer the leaues of that blessed booke as our hearts are desirous of the vnderstanding of it that in this longing desire taking it into our hands we may in the ende haue such fast holde of it that wee will not forgoe it for all the worlde We cannot employ our hands in a better worke especially when we haue freedome from our callings then to take vp the booke of God and peruse it ouer Augustine tooke it vp and was conuerted by that one sentence Rom 13. 14. The night is past the day is at hand c. Vrsine tooke it vp and was comforted by this one sentence None can take them out of my Fathers hands Iohn 10 29. Chrysostome tooke it vp and was assured that in his zeale hee should not want because Dauid had saide The earth is the Lords and all that therein is Bil●ey tooke it vp as it is in the booke of Martyrs and was much quieted by that saying of Saint Paul This is a true saying and by all meanes worthie to be receiued that IESVS CHRIST came into the worlde to saue sinners of whome I am chiefe And such was the loue of one Gregorie Crowe of whom wee may read in the said booke that suffering shipwracke hee cast away his money and kept his Testament in his bosome and after many dayes floting on the Sea vpon a maste being taken vp by a certaine passinger his first care was for that booke of his fearing least it should haue bene wet with the Sea If he had looked for a Crucifixe as hee looked for Gods booke surely the whole world should haue bene acquainted with it Doth Dauid thus shew his inward loue by his outward gesture let vs doe it whensoeuer wee come either to heare God speaking to vs or will our selues speake vnto God Let our eyes bee fastened our eares attentiue our hearts intent our persons reuerent before our God that whatsoeuer wee doe may argue our pietie to God and bee answerable to the inward affection of the soule And I will meditate And why should not wee The Iewes are reported to be so skilful in that Bible that many of thē were able to tell how many times euery letter of the Alphabet was in the Hebrue Bible The Scriptures are a light shining in a darke place 2 P●● 1. 19. we must attend vnto them while we are wandring in the darke places of this world can wee attend without meditation the word of God is the sword of the spirit Ephes. 6. without meditatiō it is a sword in the hand of a child or a mad ●●ā How many take delight in reading of b●llads and idle discourses who neuer meditate to the word of God The sicke stomacke

wisedome personage or blood that he shall think it a disgrace to consecrate all his life to the ministery of the Gospell Can flesh puffe vp it selfe so farre aboue the Saints aboue the Angels aboue the Lord himselfe or if he doe shall he not be rewarded Yes surely for if the Lord would keepe silence the very creatures themselues would be reuenged of him 7 We must desire that which is truely good for there are many kindes of good There is Isachars good Genes chap. 49. Isachar an Asse of great bones couching downe betweene two burthens sa●e that which was good and was content to beare Howsoeuer many big-boned Asses lay them downe betweene a paire of burthens for ease hastning onely to auoy de the burthen and the heate of the day There is Demetrius his good the siluer-smith Sirs yee know that by this craft we haue our goods For we know that the labour is nothing so great now as it hath beene and that in these daies a clus●er of the common or ciuill lawe is worth an whole vintage of diuinitie There is Balaacks good Numb chap. 22. I purpose to doe thee good to promote thee There is Peters good Be good to your selfe ●or we knowe if he dare say to the King thou art impious he may carrie Iohn Baptists reward for his labour and send his head for a second course And yet there is a better good For we must not saith Syracid Aske of a woman touching whom she is ●ealous nor of an ambitious man touching thankefulnesse nor of an●ireling for the finishing of ● worke nor of the men of the world touching the things pertaining to God for the world is a great fauourer of the heresie of the Libertines and if we fall to counsell with flesh and blood we may doe to the booke of God as Ieconiah did to the Prophecie of Ieremiah cutte it in peeces with a pen-knife and cast it into the fire for the wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with God 1 Cor. 1. 8 Whatsoeuer is written for vs it is written and if it be written for vs and for our sakes Let me heare saith Dauid what the Lord will say concerning me and so we must attend to heare the Lord what he will say concerning vs. As for me although I doe but sitte and mend my nettes and haue no part nor fellowship in this businesse being vnworthie to be matriculated into the high calling of the Ministerie yet feeling my soule hath chosen the tabernacle of the Lord for his portion and seeing the day may come that I may keepe a doore in the same as the Lord liueth before whom I speake he knoweth that in his feare I speake to this end that by mine owne mouth I may be stirred vp to prepare my selfe to this calling and that all you as Augustine said in his case when it was as mine is now hearing what my desire and purpose is may pray to God for me that I may haue power and strength giuen me to performe it 9 In prouiding for the Ministerie good men would be preferred God can doe much they say he may make them able It is like Saunders argument God is omnipotent Ergo there is transubstantiation Nay he hath enabled diuers well In the wildernesse when meate could not be gotten he rained quailes but in Canaan when they were in case to prouide for themselues that prouision ceased Many simple men at the first comming of the Gospell were stirred vp when the Vniuersities were the greatest enemies of his truth but now when he hath restored to vs the plentie of Canaan we must know that the date of that extraordinarie calling in our daies is expired Yet he may doe well True he that casteth blindfold may hit the marke but yet no wise man will lay any wager on his head If I might see a fierie tongue sit on his head I would say somewhat After his receiuing vp into glorie whē he ascended vp on high then he gaue gifts vnto men such gifts as on their Coronation daies Kings are wont in great abundance to scatter among the people The Conduits ranne with wine and all the cocks with rose water and his Missilia new coyne of gold siluer by handfuls were throwne amongst them Such were the gifts of tongues prophecying healing all knowledge and other graces Now although he giue vs all things liberally yet he cōtinued not his largesse daily as at his inauguration We must not looke alwaies to haue the like MAN for gathering it vp but returne to our occupations and let vs remember the Lords steward must be fraught with all store new and olde fitte to entertaine the sonne and daughter of the great King of heauen Prophecying the signe of learned men Numb 11. 25. Euen poore Bez●●●l and A●oliab before they could make curtaines and worke in blew silke yet for so much as it belonged to the Lords tabernacle they were filled with the Spirit of God in these mechanicall hand●-workes Esay 6. 7. his mouth was touched with the hotte cole then sent verse 8. ●erem 1. 9 his mouth is tou ched with the Lords hand and he was bidden goe and crie chap 2. 1. of Christ this question was asked Iohn 7. 15. How knoweth this man the Scripture their testimonie is of him Ioh. 7. 46. Matth. 7. 28. he speakes with power and what this exceliencie is may appeare by his disputation with good schollers as it was likely Luke chap. 2. verse 46. by his Hebrew Ephathah whereas their vulgar speech was Syrian by his perfect and often quoting of the Scriptures and the Thalmud in discourse of the traditions of Corban and the other of the gold of the temple c. by Herods great expectation and questioning with him of many things Luke chap. 23. verse 9. by Sadduces and Scribes putting ●●●th hard questions as of the woman hauing seuen husbands of paying tribute and his stopping their mouthes and by teaching by Parables which was the learning most accounted of in these times and as yet amongst the Iewes best thought of by the desire that the Greekes had to see him which came vp to the seast Iohn chap. 12. verse 21. by the counsell of his brethren that he should get him abroad and shew himselfe to the world thought to be famous By his owne testimonie Behold a wiser than Salomon is here by Nicodemus Iohn chap. 3. verse 2. which confesseth him to be a Teacher sent from God M●tth chap. 13. verse 51. The Apostles daily taught by Christ the best Schoolemaster for three who eyeere together and yet more were commaunded to tarrie and waite for the promise of the ●ather the Comforter to be sent Apollos through his learning a great helpe to the Apostles Act. chap. 18. verse 24. and 28. Paul was brought vp at the feete of Gam●l●●l a per●●ct Pharisie Act. chap. 21. vers 3. an expoūder of the law though

the liuely voice of the Prophets feedeth most effectually searching euen the secret chambers of the soule and working greatest impressions in the heart The holy bookes and monuments of the righteous are as strong chests and storehouses wherein God hath euer reserued most pretious food for posteritie neither may wee reiect the industrie of the heathen for they haue some foode meete for liberall men in matters naturall and politike seruing well if due regard and choise be had for our direction in things appertaining to this present life All wise men are circumspect what they feede vpon to preserue their bodies and ought they not much more to be respectiue wherewith they feede their soules Some regard onely the lips of the righteous and feed long before they be strong men or haue their wits exercised to discerne good or euill Some attend onely the hand and bookes of the righteous and these know little how soundly and truely the beleeuers mindes and hearts be fed by the breaking of the bread of life Some regard neither these men starue their soules with ignorance and are setled in Atheisme and prophanenes Some attend both and haue well tasted of the good word of life and goe on from strength to strength vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ. Some yet there are which neither regard righteous men nor righteous matter but feede indifferently vpon all bookes alike to the great hazard of their owne soules these men are vaine and feede themselues with vanitie The diuell in elder ages in the blinde Papacie fed blind soules with fables and idle Friers inuentions now mens wits be refined they can no more feede on such dry stubble Hee feedes daintie eares with choise of words and vncleane hearts with the vnchaste and wanton loue-songs of Italian Poetrie Such foode breedes many vncleane beasts in Citie and Country Such men cannot loue the truth and holinesse because they are repleate with errour and vncleannesse Mr. Ascham a man greatly to be commended for his learning and good affection to pietie of this matter writes on this manner These inchanters of Circes saith hee brought out of Italie marre mens manners in England much by example of life but more by precepts of fond bookes translated out of Italian into English Againe tenne Sermons at Paules Crosse doe not so much good for mouing men to true doctrine as one of those bookes doth harme with inticing to ill liuing I say further these bookes tend not so much to corrupt honest liuing as they doe to subuert true Religon More Papists be made by your merrie bookes of Italie than by your earnest bookes of Louaine This complaint ought wise men to consider well of for that the world was neuer more full of Italian conceits nor men more in danger for the long contempt of Gods truth to be Italianated The diet and cure of soules afflicted is a very great mysterie wherein but few haue trauelled to reduce that matter into any good forme of art or to giue vs any good method of practise M. Luther M. Beza Vrbanus Rhegius M. Taffin and others haue very excellent formes of consolation and many godly brethren in our times haue ministred good helpe for the cure of soules afflicted but wanting art and good experience we conceiue the danger to be great and often as blind Empyrikes cause it to be greater for that wee rather gesse vncertainlie to applie good remedies and speeches vnto the sicke than know how to proceed by any certaine rule of art and well grounded practise If the naturall Physition might truly say as touching his facultie Vita breuis c. much more assuredly may the spirituall Physition prefixe such an Aphorisme to all this mysterie wee haue in hand For herein the godly learned know it a matter farre more difficult to iudge what secret causes breede the hidden distemper of the soule and here it is farre more dangerous to proceede onely by experience without art and skill And here we must as carefully respect all occasions and circumstances of time place and persons For a word spoken in due time is like an apple of gold with pictures of siluer so the contrarie vnseasonable and impertinent speeches be most dangerous The patient here must doe his part prout fides patientis adiuuat and the assistants must be of like tender affection and good meanes must imforme and time conuenient rightly be applied It fares here with vs as with other men in humane sciences wee know the afflictions of the minde to be very great and dangerous but how great and perilous all men cannot so well conceiue much lesse how with art and skill to proceede in the practise of this cure This reuerend man of God M. GREENHAM was a man in his life time of great hope and could haue giuen best rules for this vnknowne facultie for that the Lord by his good knowledge and experience restored many from vnspeakable torments and terrors of minde of which some are asleepe in Christ and as yet liuing not a few If the Lord had not so soone translated him to rest hee was no doubt as fit and as willing as any in our age to effect this matter Of his knowledge this way all the godly learned that knew him both can and will speake I doubt not Of his good will herein to posteritie let his owne words testifie the good desires of his heart for by a speciall occasion he speaketh of himselfe on this manner He hath had a long time a setled disposition as he trusteth of God to studie the cases of Conscience to succour the perplexed in them he hath been so filled with compassion to the afflicted which God wrought in his heart as if he had been distressed with them He hath seene the manifold blessings of God vpon his trauell Againe that many godly learned friends would perswade him to the aforesaid studie by these and such like arguments First that hereby hee might traine vp some younger men to this end and communicate his experience with them Secondly that he might leaue vnto posteritie a commentarie of such particular maladies as through Gods blessing hee hath cured together with the meanes vsed to that end and because precepts are wanting rules of direction in such cases by a through searching with a diligent and continuall obseruation and conference with others learned and experienced might in this age or in the age following be brought to some forme of method and Art whereby the knowledge and experience of these things might be made common to many not onely to the fruitfull curing but also the healthfull preuenting of manifold mischiefes Thus farre his owne words Let these graue Counsels and fruitfull obseruations in this first part of his holie workes which I haue here published testifie how mindfull and carefull he was for many yeeres to giue herein a comfortable direction for posteritie I am the meanest and the weakest of many brethren to write of this reuerend mans

neede not to condemne him he hath done enough let my sitting in iudgement vpon him cease seeing he hath so straightly examined himselfe I remit all I will examine no further hee is free let him come and so let him eate and drinke Thus I say our examination must be in a iudiciall forme that is we must enquire of our selues whether we be guiltie or not guiltie worthie or vnworthie And because euery man is readie to perswade himselfe that he is worthie to beare out this point we are to trie our selues whether we haue faith and because faith hath relation to the truth and the truth must try vs which saith Cursed is hee that continueth not in euery poynt of the Law to doe it wee must search our bookes of remembrance considering what God hath against vs and examine our selues according to euery word thereof Then because we must be constrained to conclude that we be vnworthie we must in the next place goe out of our selues and faint after the righteousnesse that can make vs worthie For a man that findeth himselfe to be left in the estate of condemnation to him will seeme a good saying worthie to be receiued That IESVS CHRIST came into the world to saue sinners and to him the name of a Redeemer will be most precious And therefore at this second returne commeth to be considered of that Faith which commeth by the blessing of the Gospell whereby wee seeing our owne ignorance doe seeke wisedome out of our selues being conscious of our owne vnworthinesse and sue for obedience in the Sonne of GOD and seeing we are altogether aliants from God by reason of these things we seeke for our perfection in CHRIST vpon this condition is righteousnes giuen vnto vs. Then because the examination of this standeth in another point for that a condemned person will redeeme his pardon by a price be it neuer so great if by any meanes he be able to make it and a man spareth no cost for that which indeede hee doth loue as wee may see in the example of a vile loue of Esau who setting his loue euen vpon meate was content with the losse of his birthright to buy it if we truely esteeme Christ his death wee will giue any thing for it And truely God requireth nothing at our hands but euen that small condition Ephes. 4. 52. To be curteous one to another and tender hearted forgiuing one another euen as God for Christs sake for gaue vs. Where we see that as God hath for giuen vs so we should forgiue others ●or a man that purposeth truely to haue Christ it is little to giue ●oue that as the Godhead head wrought in loue towards vs so we must worke in loue toward others This as a necessary thing is first to be required the rather for that we escaping the sentence of condemnation and that by no other meanes but by remission which is as a bridge to escape by it were very rigorous and hard dealing we our selues hauing gotten ouer others being as desirous to come ouer if we should pull vp the bridge from them this would be too sauage euen among the heathen This point of louing others God so loueth and so accounteth of that if a man were readie to come to the Lord his immediate worship hee is content this dutie should rather be left to him vndone then that dutie should be vndone to our brethren And in the parable of the debtor we see this more effectually For so long as the debt is directly the Lords hee breaketh out into no such words as hee doth when the seruant taketh his fellow seruant by the throate saying Pay mee that thou owest So that the retaining of enmitie to our brethren doth after a sort more offend God then our offending against God himselfe This is all the Examination before hand When a man hath by due Examination found himselfe vnworthie and vnworthy in respect of himselfe then is hee to be transformed And here note a thing contrarie to our common diet Though in our ordinary foode our meate is changed into vs and becommeth of our substance not we are changed into it here in this meate I say it is contrarie we are transformed into it not it into vs so that we may say of this spirituall food as of the nature of the leauen The leauen is not vnleauened and changed into the meale though it ●eth hid in the meale but the meale is transformed into it and leauened by the leauen So may we say of this sacramentall food we are trāsformed into it Wherfore seeing the Apostle saith Le● a man examine himselfe and so let him eate our examination must end in eating and drinking and not in abstaining They then that thought they honoured the Sacrament with abstinence they by this rule plainely dishonour it for it is saide Let him examine himselfe and so eate not so let him abstaine And the Sacrament is abused as well by forbearing hauing examined our selues as by receiuing it vnworthily The things receiued are called Bread and Wine Concerning the nature whereof better relation we cannot haue then Psalm 104. where seeing the vse of Bread and Wine to bee to nourish to strengthen and to comfort wee shall the better marke the Analogie in this The bodie of Christ represented by Bread must haue that effect in the soule which bread hath in the bodie but bread hath this effect to strengthen the body of man as appears by the cited testimonie of the holie Ghost therfore our soules by CHRIST receiue strength against sinne We reade in Genesis that Abrahams seruant returning from their pursuite had their hearts strengthened by bread which they had of Melchisedech and we know that the Paschall Lambe was to giue strength to the eaters thereof so our Sauiour CHRIST calleth vs vnto him that hee may giue vs spirituall strength for newnesse of life in the strength whereof wee must so labour for righteousnesse as if heauen were to bee purchased by our works For CHRIST his bodie is not only quickened but quickening not only sanctified but sanctifying And as in the bodie such be the humours as in the mea●e so in the soule in the actiue parts of righteousnes wee receiue such meate as may enable vs to labour for the kingdome of heauen This is that which the holie men did take in the Sacrament On the other side the blood of CHRIST must worke that effect in our soules which wine doth in our bodies The effect of wine is also set downe Psalm 104. but more liuely P●ou 31. it is said wine is to comfort them that are in the present estate of death for such wine was ordained Then looke what the gladnesse is of the bodie after the wine receiued so there is the same analogie by spirituall comforts in the blood of Iesus Christ seeing that wee can no more goe through that absolute

varietie of learning as may giue content to each seuerall Reader Histories for the Temporist Philosophie for the Naturalist Ethiques for the Moralist Mysteries for the Artist and languages for the Linguist Heere is a Flood for the great Elephant to swimme in and ● Foorde for the little lambe to walke in Would wee be acquainted with the vanitie of the worlde what better meanes haue wee then the booke of the Preacher would wee know how to liue in the worlde whence better can we haue it then from the booke of the Prouerbes and if we would powre out prayers to God Dauid in his Psalmes hath a platforme of praying which one little booke is the Epitome of the Bible Caluin calls it the Anatomie of the soule Another the prayer-booke of the Church Athanasius the definition of humane life Basil the prediction of things to come Nazianzene the sweete Companion of life Augustine the common Treasurie of all good things Ambrose the Medicine of Mans salutation Chrysostome a Salue against euery sore Gregorie that Stone which killed Goliah And Bernard saith that whosoeuer faithfully and deuoutly doth sing the Psalmes in a sort is in association with the Angels without which deuotion what Quirister soeuer shall sing them in the Church I may say vnto him as Augustine once saide to the singing men of his time Plus placet Deo mugitus Boum latratus Canum grunnitus porcorum hinnitus Equorum quàm cantus Clericorum luxuriantium The bellowing of oxen the barking of dogs the g●unting of swine and the ●eying of horses doe more please God then the singing of luxurious Quiristers Now though euery Psalme be of speciall Obseruation yet this one is especially remarkeable It was penned by King Dauid that sweete singer of Israel it hath in euery verse a commendation of the word of God it is artificially written euery eight verses beginning in the Hebrue tongue with one Letter of the Hebrue Alphabet and the longest Meditation that euer Dauid had either concerning Gods word or workes it seemeth hee had it when he penned this Psalme which the Iewes vsed as a Catechisme for their children To the ende this Psalme might bee vnderstood of all it hath beene expounded by many worthie men especially by that worthie man of God M. Richard Greenham memorable in our Church It is pittie that all his meditations on this Psalme come not yet to light but that in former editions about fortie verses were left vnexpounded Now that godly man who hath the sale of his workes was very desirous that there might bee an Exposition vpon euery verse and to that purpose hath employed mee And I finding the foure first verses expounded by a worthie Elisha vpon whom the spirite of this Eliah doth rest was bolde to set downe the same as I found it the rest I haue finished according to the grace giuen vnto mee and thus offer them to the Church of God I remember that an ancient Father saith Iudicem aditurus patr●num quaere Must you appeare before the Iudge seeke a Patron I am now to appeare before as many Iudges as Readers I desire a Patron and I finde none fitter then your Honor who hauing for manie yeares post beene a bountifull Patron to my labours in the Church will I doubt not vouchsafe to become a Patron of these labours for the Church If euer wee must looke for a blessing from Counsellors it is then when they consult with the Lord and are not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ. Among manie such Honorable Senators in our Kingdome we haue good cause to number your Honor. What Sabbath is there which you passe ouer without the morning and euening sacrifice what Minister is there who preacheth before you whome you sende away without a blessing what moneth is there in which you once are not a Communicāt at the Eucharist what day is there that passeth ouer your head in which you vse not both prayer and meditation You were once gracious in the eyes of that Queene then whome the Church neuer had a more nourcing mother you are nowe gracious in the eyes of that King then whom the Church will neuer haue a more nourcing Father in this honorable Parish wherein you liue what good you do by your owne example in frequenting Gods house your liberalitie bountie in maintaining Gods Saints your care that your familie may be the Church of God I had rather be silent then say little Your old age is a crowne of glorie being thus found in the generation of the righteous The consideration of your honorable respect to pietie and godlines hath made me a long time to honour you in mine heart and the consideration of your fauour to mee a poore preacher emboldeneth mee to publish these my labours vnder your Honorable name If it please you to allow that your name which I am perswaded is written in the booke of life may remaine in this liuing and worthie booke I haue that which I desire by this Dedication Thus crauing pardon I humbly take my leaue beseeching the Lord to continue you long a trustie Counsellor to our most gracious King your Honourable Ladie the Ladie Margaret a precious Iewell vpon your right hand and your hopefull and happie Children as Oliue plants rounde about your Table London From Salisburie Rents at S. Martins in the fieldes Nouember the first 1611. At your Honors seruice Robert Hill WHOSOEVER IS DESIROVS TO LEARNE AND REMEMber the Word of God that he might liue after it let him consider of that which is written in the 119. Psalme ALEPH. THE FIRST PORTION ¶ Verse I. Blessed are those that are vpright in their way and walke in the Lawes of the Lord. THat which all men seeke for and few finde the same is set out in the word of God namely felicitie and true happines And because God would haue all men to know wherein their blessed estate doth consist therefore Christ begins his first Sermon with it Math. 5. Dauid his first Psalme with it Psal. 1. And the Prophet in this place his first verse with it describing therein a blessed man A description opposite to all that vaine felicitie which euer vaine Philosophers deuised out of their deepe speculations or prophane men frame out of their corrupt affections not consisting in pleasures riches honors greatnes in ciuill honestie formall hypocrisie or the whole possibilitie of nature but in the sinceritie of the heart and continuall walking in the waies of God Salomon saw this and therefore after he had sought happines in all things of this life he willeth vs to heare the end of all namely to feare God and keepe his commandements for thus saith hee this is the whole man If this saith one be the whole man then without this man is no man no though hee wallowe in wealth swimme in pleasures and be carried alofte vpon the wings of Honor For first all these though they were all in the possession of some