is to say whether is the happiest I. Hall ANOTHER IN ENGLISH IN COMMENDATION of Maister Greenham and his godly and learned workes set forth by Maister Holland Preacher of Gods word GReene yet I am may Greenham say and greene shall flourish still Though World Sicknes Death and the Graue on me haue wrought their will The Apostate world me wore with griefe and troubles manifold Whilst that I sought with all my strength her pillers to vphold Then Sicknes came Deaths Sergeant grim my â—arkesse craz'd t' arrest And Death at sheeles with gaping graue receiu'd me for their guest But great Emmanuel mark'd and smilde to see them take this toyle To roote and race out Greenham quite and gaue them all the foyle My soule he plants in Paradise there greene to flourish aye And charg'd the graue my body safe to keepe till the last day And least Death should suppose on earth h 'had blotted out my name He stirs vp Hollands louing minde for to renue the same So that as oyntments precious my workes on earth doe smell Refreshing poore distressed soules whom Sathan seekes to quell Loe here the fruit of godly zeale and zealous pietie In Greenham who triumphs against all Sathans tyrannie In spite of world Sicknes Death Graue and all the powers of Hell With godly Men aliue and dead it alwaies shall goe well F. Hering TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL SIR MARMADVKE DARRELL AND SIR THOMAS BLOOTHER KNIGHTS SVRVEYERS GENERALL FOR THE VICTVALING OF HIS MAIESTIES NAVIE Stephen Egerton wisheth increase of all true comfort in this life and euerlasting felicitie in the life to come through our Lord Iesus Christ. PVblius Virgilius Prince of Latine Poets being demaunded why he read the writings of old Ennius made this answere Aurum colligo ex Ennij stercore that is I gather golde out of Ennius his dunghill meaning thereby that though Ennius his Poems were not so exquisitely penned as they might haue been by Virgil himselfe yet much good matter might be picked out of them Surely right VVorshipfull if one heathen man could gather gold out of the writings of another how much more may we being Christians gather not gold only but pearles and pretious stones out of the religious and holy labours of Master Richard Greenham though not all polished by his owne penne being a most godly brother yea more than a brother euen a most painefull Pastor zealous Preacher and reuerend Father in the Church of God of whom I am perswaded that for practicall diuinity which ought worthily to haue the preheminence he was inferiour to few or none in his time VVherefore the same prouidence of God which moued that faithful Minister Master Henry Holland to collect and publish so many of his worthie labours for the good of the Church doth call and allure others to the reading of them and namely you right VVorshipfull who haue shewed singular kindnes as Naomi saith of Boaz both to the liuing and to the dead that is both to good Master Holland while he liued and to his desolate widow and fatherles children since his death In respect whereof shee desired by my hand to testifie hir thankfulnes to both your VVorships as it were by these two mites of this dedicatory Epistle which office of loue to my deare brother deceased and to his widow and children liuing I doe the more willingly tender to your VVorships because I am partly priuie to your kindnes and bountie both towards them towards others The Lord giue mercie saith Paul to the house of Onesiphorus for he often refreshed me c. The same might faithful Holland say and the same may his widow and children say The Lord giue mercie to your houses and posteritie for you haue often refreshed them which being done as I doubt not in faith and from loue out of a pure heart shall be put to your reckning and brought in as a cleare euidence for a comfortable sentence to passe on your side in the day of the Lord Iesus Christ To whose most gratious direction and blessing I commit you both with the vertuous and Christian Ladies your wiues and whole families From my house in the Black Friers this third day of Aprill 1605. Your VVorships readie to be commanded in the Lord STEPH EGERTON GRAVE COVNSELS AND GODLY OBSERVATIONS SERVING GENERALLY TO DIRECT ALL MEN IN THE WAIES OF TRVE GODLINES BVT PRINCIPALly applyed to instruct and comfort all afflicted consciences Affections HE vsed this triall of his affections as of anger griefe ioy or such like in this manner If by them he was made lesse fit to pray more vnable to do the good he should lesse carefull to auoid sin then he thought his affection carnall and euill and not of God but when his anger loue grief and other affectioÌ„s prouoked him more to pray and made him fitter to do good then he thought his affections to be sent from God as a blessing vnto him 2 God sheweth vs often in our affections what we may doe in our outward actions 3 Some labour more for knowledge lesse for affection some more for affection lesse for knowledge some busie themselues in Church-discipline and are slender sighted in their priuie corruptions some be diligent to espie things in others abroad and negligent to trie themselues at home but it is good to match both together 4 Rare good things are pleasant but by vse they are lesse esteemed and rare euill things are fearefull but by vse they become lesse grieuous This comes to passe because we rather bring with vs naturall affections of ioy and sorrow and feare than spirituall meditations which are onely of the true ioy and sorrow 5 We must euer learne to suspect our owne opinion and affection when the case any thing concerneth vs. 6 He said that when for some causes naturall affection deceiued him yet the ordinance of God caused him to doe duties 7 He thought it not good at table to be extraordinarie either in ioy or sorrow vnlesse it were for some special cause but rather it were conuenient priuately to a godly friend or before the Lord to powre out our hearts and after the example of Ioseph to make our affections knowne as little in companie as may be Afflictions 1 HE thought all afflictions to be puttings of him to God from slothfulnes 2 It is a most certaine thing in Gods children that the more their afflictions grow the more their faith groweth the more Sathan striueth to draw them from God the more they draw neer to God although indeed in feeling they caÌ„not see somuch 3 Many can speak faire things in the eares of God so long as they be in affliction but afterwards they will speake euill things in the eares of heauen and earth 4 He said to one complaining of sudden gripes and nips in the bodie Of sudden â—eares in the minde that we should make our vse of them and though it were hard to search the particular
one will follow wherefore as it is good wisedome not onely to auoide the plague but to eschewe euery little ragge that may seeme to carrie the plague so it is heauenly wisedome not onely to auoide grosse sinnes but all such shewes of sinnes as may draw on the other And as we count it pollicie not to go as neere the riuers banke as we can least suddenly or at vnawares we should slip in so it is a spirituall policie not to goe too neere sinne least we be ouertaken of it before we be aware of it 5 It is our corruption to be scrupulous in sinne in the beginning but when we are entred in a little wee runne ouer head and eares 6 This is a sure experience whether the sinne which hath often assailed vs shall get dominion ouer vs or not if the oftner we are tempted the more we are grieued the more we striue against it the more we labour for the contrary vertue we shall shortly be conquerors ouer it But if the first comming of sinne wrought some griefe in vs the often comming of it makes our griefe the lesse and causeth vs to cease to vse the meanes of with standing it and to be carelesse in the contrarie vertue then it were to bee feared that that sinne in time should preuaile against vs and that we should get no victory ouer it 7 Though it is hard to find out our speciall sinnes yet by often and diligent examining of our selues by earnest prayer that God would reueale vnto vs our sinnes by often hearing and reading the word by marking the most checks of our consciences and reproches of our enemies we might be led to the neerest sight thereof 8 If Gods children are readie to slip in a moment how much more dangerous is the estate of the wicked who are willing to fall continuallie It is wonderfull to see a poore sinner ready to swound and fall dead almost at euery sinne which a man would thinke to be nothing to feare him or driue him to this feare and yet when aduersities straunge iudgements persecutions and death doe come to bee exceeding patient comfortable couragious and valiant And againe it is strange to see others who maruell that men will suffer themselues to be feared with sinnes and aske what meane men to stand trembling at the word of God yet let sicknes come or if the hand of God be vpon them or let death come towards them they quake at the name of sicknes death or hell and either they proue very senslesse and blockish or else they be in a most desperate estate yea if God begin to recken with them euery countenance of a godly man euery chirping of a bird and drawing neere of the least and weakest creature towards them euery shaking of a leafe mouing of a shadow euery noyse of the aire appaleth their courage and maketh them most fearfull cowards They feare most when Gods iudgements are executed which feare least when they are threatned And they feare least when Gods iudgements are accomplished which tremble most when wrath is denounced Wherefore if wee long for courage and lothe cowardise against the euill day let vs labour for a good conscience which breedeth true boldnes and flie from sinne which bringeth a spirite of feare vpon vs as daily experience may teach vs. It is better to feare the euill to come when only feare and not euill is vpon vs than to feare then when besides the feare the affliction it selfe is come which so sorely besetteth vs that wee haue no libertie or leaue to breathe for any comfort or to hope for any deliuerance 9 They that will haue a true faith in Christ must belieue in him that he is our wisdome righteousnes sanctification and redemption Are then thy cogitations confounded Seest thou no knowledge not so much as a literall knowledge of Christ but all is doubtfulnes all is dulnes all is deadnes in thee as though thou neuer knewest heardest readest or learnedst any thing Now know and belieue that whatsoeuer knowledge experienced power of vnderstanding was in Iesus Christ the same is made thine hee is thine annoynting that will teach thee all Hast thou knowledge and yet thy life not brought agreeable or proportionable to thy knowledge Thou art troubled with thy sinnes thou feelest no goodnes thou thinkest thy selfe as an euill tree voide of all good fruite Now remember that as Christ being no sinner was made of God a sinner and punished of God as a sinner for thee thou hauing no righteousnesse art made through Christ righteous and shalt be rewarded of God as righteous through him It may be God hath enlightened thee with heauenly vnderstanding he hath hitherto strengthened thy desire in giuing thee to walke vprightly but now thou art afraid thou shalt not perseuere because of thy corruptions thou tremblest to remember how many excelling thee in gifts and graces haue fallen away and that all is but hypocrisie thine owne heart thou thinkest will one day beguâ—le thee now call to minde that Christ is made vnto thee holines not as a new Moses to follow but as a Messias to beleeue in as the author and finisher of thy holinesse so that to perseuere seemeth impossible to thee yet with him it is possible yea and more easie to continue thee in holinesse being begun than to conuert Zacheus Mathew and Mary Magdalen or to reconcile the Lambe and the Lion others which he hath surely done There is one thing yet troubles thee thou hast many things promised thee and thou thinkest they are not performed thou lookest for peace of thy minde and behold a wound of the spirit thou art the heire of the whole earth and yet pinched with pouertie thou art Lord of libertie and yet liest in prison it is so and yet in all this see Christ is thy redemption not suffring thee to be ouercome with any of these in this life freeing thee wholy from them in the life to come Admit thou werst cruelly persecuted caÌ„not he that made the fire not to burne at all the three children in the furnace make the fire so easily consume thee as thou shalt comfortablie beare it Will not he that made the Lions being hungrie not once to open their mouthes on Daniel crush thee so greedily that thou shalt willingly sustaine it Now the meanes are the word prayer and Sacraments the word carrieth the spirit of faith into thy heart prayer giueth thee a feeling of thy faith the Sacraments confirme both thy faith and feeling 10 We must not be proud in our gifts for God hath in iudgement giuen iudgement to many simple ones to spie vs out If we confesse to God we must frankly and freely bring our selues into the presence of God and lay our hearts naked and bâ—re before him we must not as harlots wipe our mouthes and say we haue offended and yet fall into sinne againe but
all ioy so God would not haue vs to murther all griefes but that the remembrance of our bodies turned to moules and of soules called to the booke should correct our vnruly hearts remembring in our deepest ioyes the lamentable cries of Syon and accompting our delight to be but as the ruines of Babell 12 Oh that men would feare and follow the Lorde Well follow they must one way or other If wee will not follow the shepheard to the folde we must follow the butcher to the shambles if we chuse rather to goe to the shambles then to the fold we are sheepe indeede and worse then sheepe too But men haue gotten an old distinction when they are not able to turne their sicke bones on their beds they then will bring a dish of sinnes and dryed skinnes to the Lorde but how vnacceptable a sacrifice such refuses are Malachit doth tell them and they shall one day trie it 13 If yee aske whether a man may not lawfully desire to be in the Ministerie or no I answere that in the Ministery are two things a worke and a worship a dutie and a dignitie the worke or dutie to the glorie of God and good of his Church a man may desire but the worship and dignitie to serue our owne loose mindes is not to be desired 14 It is the wisedome of God in his holie word not onely to instruct vs in things concerning our saluation but also to teach vs in things of this life For although all things be good in the ordinance of God yet they are not good to vs vnlesse by knowledge and faith we be able to vse them according to the ordinance of God with prayer and thanksgiuing And as it is not sufficient to be a good man onely but a good man must vse good things So it is not enough to vse good things alone but he that must vse them must see himselfe to be a good man that is to haue his heart clensed by faith and by prayer whereby he is assured that he hath fetched the interest from Christ who hath and giueth title to all being himselfe the heire of the world 15 When we examine our selues we are to sit in iudgement on our selues and to keepe a solemne court in our owne consciences to suâ—uay our memorie our wit our senses our members and to see how we haue vsed them but yet so as least we should be too faâ—ourable to our selues either in not espying out our sinnes or in not condemning our sinnes still we remember to make the law the Iudge but Christ the answerer of tâ—e Iudge 16 If God his children are readie to slip in a moment how much more dangerous is the estate of the wicked who are willing to fall continually 17 It is wonderfull to see a poore sinner readie to swound and fall dead almost at euery little sinne when nothing in the world doth feare him or driue him to this feare and yet when aduersitie strange iudgements of God persecution death come to be exceeding patient and comfortable couragious and valiant and againe it is straunge to see others who maruell that men will suffer themselues to be feared with sinne and aske what men meane to stand trembling at the word yet let sicknes come or if the hand of God be vpon them or let death come towards theÌ„ they quaile at the name of sicknes hell or death and either they proue very senselesse blocks or else they be in a most desperate estate Yea if God begin to reckon with them euery stirring of a mouse shaking of a leafe mouing of a shadow euery noise of the eare euery countenance of a godly man euery chirping of a bird or drawing neere of the least and weakest creature towards them appalles their courage and makes them most fearefull cowards They most feare when God his iudgements are executed which feare least when they are threatned and they feare least when God his iudgements are accomplished which tremble most when his wrath is denounced Wherefore as we most long for courage and most lothe cowardlines when the euill day approcheth so let vs labour for a good conscience which breedeth tâ—ue boldnes flie far from sinne which bringeth a spirit of feare on vs. And surely experimentall wisdome may teach vs that it is better to feare the euill to come when onely feare and no euill is vpon vs than to feare then when besides the feare the affliction itselfe so sorely presseth vs that we haue no libertie or leaue to breathe for any comforts or to hope for any deliuerance 18 We are wont to ascribe the afflictions of the Church or Common-wealth the defect of right discipline and gouernment to the sinnes of the Magistrates when rather if we consider things with a single eye our owne sinnes haue begot such fruites For that God who rather loueth many than one that God who for tenne good men would haue spared whole Sodom who rather taketh away Saul a sinful gouernour than punisheth his louing Israel being humbled subiects knoweth rather to take away the King if the subiects be good than he desireth to alter the whole estate for the sin of one vnlesse it be when both Prince and people agree together in sin That God which euen in the time of the Church remaining but in a few families would rebuke Kings as Pharaâ—h and Abimelech that they should doe his Prophets Abraham and Isaac no harme â—oubtlesse the sinnes of the people doe breede defects of well doing in Princes When Israel began to sinne the Lord withdrawing his grace from Dauid left him to the numbring of his people The Altars were not taken away and why in the time of Iosiah The holy Ghost saith the people had not prepared their hearts to walke with the Lord their God 19 It is farre otherwise in our Christian profession than in the profession of other Arts. Physitians loue to haue some secret experiments wherein they haue a singularitie and which in their life they will communicate to none Lawyers haue some points which they will not make common but keepe for present and priuate gaine But this is rather a note of pride and of a conceited minde in heauenly things than of godlinesse For as true godlinesse forewarneth others of that sinne the sting torment filthinesse whereof we haue found so it traineth vp others to that fruit of holinesse whose beautie glorie and excellencie we haue both tasted and proued 20 It euer hath beene and is that prayer or comming to the diuine Seruice as they call it and resorting to the Sacraments haue beene more accompted of than the word hearing of it preached Many of superstition may thus come to prayer and of custome resort to the Sacrament who either doe not at all heare the word or else they heare it at their leisure or else they doe it but in ceremonie without vnderstanding or if they vnderstand it
tune sometime in Herods tune sometime in the Pharisies tune and sometime in the Disciples tune in all which the diuell bereaued them of the pure vse and due consideration of Christ crucified And yet some of these would hate a Iew some would spit at a Iew some would weepe to heare the name of Christ and would pitie his death I am the longer in these things to make the iudgements of God in them profitable instructions to vs by prouoking men to thankfulnes for their deliuerance if in truth they be deliuered that is if they be not now as prophane as euer they were superstitious not forsaking but changing the sinne As for the erroneous heretiques not to speake of all let vs adde somewhat of the most pestilent family of loue who shoote as much too short at this pricke as the other shoote too farre For in speaking of the birth death and resurrection of Christ these men as fooles flying one extremitie runne post-hast into the contrary extremitie and therefore these wretches imagining to themselues a spirituall Christ are as much to be maliced as the Papists are to be pittied For after Poperie yet some cause was giuen of reioycing in that the truth of the historie was left vnto vs but these fellowes vnder a colour of not being ceremoniall but altogether desiring to be spirituall take away all from vs and yet most deceitfully will seeme to graunt all If ye demaund any thing of Christ his birth they will graunt it if ye aske whether he was borne of the seed of Dauid and of the Virgin Mary they will confesse it but as vnderstanding it after this allegorie for that Mary as they say signifieth doctrine Dauid the beloued seruice so that this is their iudgement of Christ his birth that he was borne of the doctrine of the seruice of loue In like manner they will graunt the resurrection of Christ his death and his buriall but in this sense that Christ suffereth in our suffocated nature and is crucified when sinne dieth in vs and when they suffer for the doctrine of loue and that after they haue suffered and begin to be illuminated then Christ riseth againe in them and lastly when the light of nature getteth some clearer light of iudgement then Christ is readie to come to iudgement Thus a number hauing refused the Antichristian Pope are fallen into the hands of Antichristian Atheists and hauing eschued the dregs of poperie they haue wallowed most filthily in the mire of here sie And thus much of the professed enemies Now of the not hearted friends whereof the one sort is not well aduised the other are not very faithfull friends The vnaduised friends vnder a pretence of knowing nothing but Christ condemne all humane learning arts and sciences all manuall professions and these men though as yet they are not plunged in heresie yet without the speciall grace of God preuenting them are in the high way as readie to be trained vp to heresie and thus being ouer wise and ouer iust they cannot in truth reioyce in the crosse of Christ. The vnfaithfull friends being both protestants and professors though they be no plaine atheists but giue some countenance to the Gospell do neither chiefely reioyce in Christ nor truly sorrow for their sinnes which notwithstanding are so great as neither the vertue of Christ his death nor the power of his resurrection appeareth in their liues or in their deaths and these men be either by degrees tending to prophane atheisme or they are brought vp to be superstitious Papists and grosse heretiques Contrary to all these professed enemies and not heartie friends are they who so truly meditate on Christ his birth death and resurrection as they chiefely mourning for their sinnes thinke this the greatest knowledge to know Christ crucified and count this their highest ioy to reioyce in the crosse of Christ by which knowledge not of any spirituall and imagined Christ by which ioy not in ceremonie or superstition they labour to crucifie the world not to forsake or vtterly to neglect the necessarie things of this life they endeuour to restraine not to destroy their flesh finally to become new creatures and yet not here to liue lik◠Angels Thus we see how requisite this treatise will be both that we may be deliuered from the Papists superstitiōs from the monstrous conceits of Heretikes from the sinister meditation of vnaduised persons and the carnall consideration of worldly professors as also by it to come to some sound fruite of Christ his death and from the fruite feeling to engender faith that from true faith may spring true loue and from our loue may grow true practise Now to come to the words of our Apostle Be it farre from me He here sheweth how his choise came of a setled purpose and that in respect of this whereof he had made a sound and speciall choise aboue the rest he abhorred and vily esteemed all other things And this vehement phrase of speech is vsed of the Apostle in things which rather are to be detested than to be disputed against as Rom. 3. 4. when Paul abhorreth the blasphemie against the grace of God in that the vnbeliefe of a few should disanull the beliefe of many he crieth out God forbid And when he would shew his heartie hatred to the accusers of the righteousnes of God Rom. 3. he saith God forbid As also in the end of the same chapter the Apostle more vehemently meeting with the obiection of thē who say in that iustification came of faith would liue as they listed and would make the law of God of no purpose saith Be it farre from me Likewise Rom. 2. abhorring them that would willingly diuorce holinesse of life from iustification and remaine in sinne that Christ his grace may abound he breaketh out God forbid Thus then the holy Ghost vseth this phrase when either he sheweth some thing thoroughly to be hated or speaketh of some thing principally to be chosen and preferred And the Apostles meaning in chusing aboue all to reioyce in Christ crucified and in mourning for nothing more than for that which hindreth the crosse of Christ is nothing else but to declare that whosoeuer doth reioyce in any thing more than in Christ crucified he freeth himselfe from all the things that are in Christ and as yet he cannot assure himselfe to belong to Christ as also he sheweth what a necessarie reioycing this is in that there is no comfort in saluation no marke of Gods childe in him who either reioyceth not in this or at the least longeth for it That I should reioyce Marke he saith not Be it farre from me that I should vse thinke speake or doe any thing but the crosse of Christ but he wisheth that his affection should not principally be tied to any thing but to Christ. Neither must we from hence vnfitly gather that we should not eate drinke apparell ourselues marrie or walke in some honest trade of life but this
whilest they are contented and well pleased and whilest things haue that successe which they looke for who when they suffer discredit are vtterly cast downe We see here the man of God is content to lose his credit so God be not dishonored and is readie to buy glorie to the name of God with the losse of his own name For he resteth in this that though he may be misdeemed of the world ill iudged of yet he hath a warrant in his coÌ„science from the Lord that he wil depose for him and howsoeuer for a time he beareth the reproch as an euill doer yet the Lord will one day drawe out his righteous dealing and make it knowne to all men Wherefore the Prophet saith Psalm 37. Frâ—t not thy selfe because of the wicked men neither bee enuious for the euill doers c. And then hee addeth vers 5. Commit thy way vnto the Lord and trust in him and he shall bring it to passe 6. And he shall bring forth thy righteousnes as a light and thy iudgement as the noone daâ— As if he should say waite still on the Lord and possesse thy soule in patience the Lord in time will put away the clowdie mists of ill reports and will cause thy righteousnes one day to shine as brightly as the Sunne in the midday If we should consider the discredit of Noah how he was accounted as a gazing stocke to the old world if wee should thinke how Enoch was despised in his time or how Lot was discredited among the Sodomites or what contempt Eliah suffered among the Idolaters in the age wherein hee liued with many other holy men wee would thinke it wonderfull Nay if wee would but consider but how this man of God Dauid suffered reproach contempt and discredit wee should much marueile First when hee had the rarest gifts of all his brethren and excelled them in the gifts of God he was set to keepe sheepe in the field when the rest were sent to aduance themselues in the warres Then when he had slaine the Beare and was come among his brethren where he saw the vncircumcised Philistin breathing out blasphemie against the Lord and his people and through Faith in Gods promises and zeale of the spirit could not abide him so to blaspheme the liuing God marueiling that his brethren without great indignation should sustaine it hee setteth vpon the great Goliah which when his brethrer saw in contempt they asked what that princocke could doe and tell him that it were more fitte for him to deale with his sheep-hooke then to attempt to fight for so noble a victorie Besides when as afterwards by his singular dexteritie which he had by playing on the Harpe he had appeased Sauls furious spirit they could not cease to despise him and opprobriously sayd of him Is not this the sonne of Ishai Then being offered one of Sauls daughters in mariage they mocked him by disappointing her of her dowrie afterwards when hee should haue had the second daughter who had her dowrie appoynted and allotted euery clawbacke scorned him yea Doeg that was the heardsman was suffered to slay the children of God So Dauid was faine to â—lie for succour to the Heathen kings his owne men contemning and forsaking him And yet stil he saith I am small and despised yet doe I not forget thy word Well let vs see did not the Lord promote him after he had thus continued in patience we know the Lord made his righteousnes glorious and his good name to shine abroad and his innocency to appeare to all men after the death of Saul By faith saith the Apostle Hebr. 11. 2. our Elders were well reported of whereof some are there said to be tried by mockings and scourgings vers 36. We suppose saith Paul we are made a gazing stocke and the off-scouring of the world yet he fainted not because he knew that howsoeuer vile he was in the eyes of the world yet the Lord delighted in him the Angels of God in heaueÌ„ the Church of Gods Saints on earth reioyced in him his owne conscience felt ioy peace through that patience wherein he possessed his soule Wherefore our Sauiour Christ said to his Disciples Matth 5. Blessed are yee when men reuile you persccute you and say all manner of euill against you for my sake falsely c. Wherefore let vs learne that we are to fight daily against selfe-loue and loue of our credit and let vs be as contented to giue our names to the Lord as we are to giue him our goods our liues and our countries Let vs offer all that we haue to the Lord of whom we haue receiued it and of whom in his good time we shall receiue it againe Abraham gaue Isaac his sonne to the Lord in sacrifice and yet he receiued him again So let vs giue our names to the Lord by what meanes soeuer he pleaseth to receiue them For many would be content to do so if they might leese their name because they haue been famous in warre or haue come by it by some noble sufferings but to suffer discredit wrongfully and as traytors or rebels and to haue most false inditements in the face of the world proceed against vs so that people clap their hands at vs as notable malefactors or heretikes is a thing very difficult But if our Sauiour Christ be contemned as a destroyer of the Temple and Sâ—euen bee accused to speake blasphemie against Moses let vs bee content to leese our name as weldoers also knowing that the Lord in time will take away the clowde which Sathan as a vatle doth put before vs who would perswade vs that when our name is gone God seeth not nor regardeth our righteousnes But hee that draweth the light to shine out of darknes he can also in time deliuer our names out of discredit Doe the wicked then thinke to obscure the glorie of Gods Martyrs Noah Lot Eliah and all the Saints and Martyrs of the Lorde are most glorious the Lord hath glorified them wee still praise them and daily they are commended in the Church of God Alexander the great in all his royaltie nor Pompâ—y nor Caesar nor Tullie haue euer receiued such commendarions in their greatest pomps as haue the deare Martyrs of God And although with the Papists we make them not as halfe Gods to pray vnto them or as Angels to praise them yet we praise God for them Let vs learne therefore to giue our names freely to the Lord. Some mens sinnes saith the Apost go before to iudgement some mens follow after Some mens sinnes goe before and the godly Magistrate seeth them and punisheth them Some mens sinnes come after and shall be in time remembred and reuenged if they be not pardoned in the death of Iesus Christ. Trueth is the daughter of time and in time all shall bee reuealed whether it be good or ill and all ill either in this world or in the world to come shall be remembred and
sinnes this is a tempting of God and this shall be laid to our charge as wee see that the Lord saith to Dauid that he was in all things vpright before him but in the case of Vriah because his other sinnes which he committed both often and grieuously were but of humane infirmitie and this was contrarie to knowledge and againe he sought meanes to hide his sin and was not easily brought from it yet did hee obtaine pardon because this was but once and he was much humbled for it But Saul often doing the same at last asked counsaile of a familiar spirit by a Witch which he before had punished wherein he did cleane contrary to his knowledge euen for this it was said that the Lord did cut him off Wherefore we haue to pray with Dauid Psal. 19. Lord who doth vnderstand the errors of his life then purge vs from our secret sinnes and keepe vs that no presumptuous sinnes doe beare rule ouer vs. so shall we be free c. For if a man sinne against man there may be an arbiter but if a man sinne against the Lord who shall deale for him As Eli saith to his Sonnes q d. If you had done this being ignorant it had beene a small matter but now you that haue beene taught of me the contrary haue now made the sacrifice of the Lord to stincke and so haue tempted the Lord. 9 As it is a great comfort that no temptation doth inuade vs but that which hath taken hold of the nature of man so this ought to make vs with profit to humble ourselues that there is no temptation vppon any man but the same may take hold on vs in time also 10 Wee are neuer the further from temptation for misliking it but the nearer vnlesse as in iudgement we mislike it so in affection we humble our selues in feare and prayer before the Lord as knowing the same in time may inuade vs. 11 Wee must not keepe our hearts too close in dangerous temptation nor denie mercie to others least God denie mercie to vs. 12 If wee be tempted let vs examine it by prayer whether it be contrarie to the word for sinne by the law is reuealed and rebuked if it be sin then it bringeth the curse for the Lawe accurseth the sinner if it bring a curse then must we tremble if we tremble not let vs suspect that our nature liketh the temptation and let vs apply prayer if we tremble in truth we will neuer doe the thing whereunto we are tempted 13 When Satan cannot get vs to omit grosse sinnes hee will assaile vs with spirituall temptations 14 Those temptations are most dangerous which haue most holy ends 15 If wee conceale our temptations long it is the policie of Sathan to make vs keepe his counsell 16 The Lord through grace doth quench in vs those temptations which would quench in vs his spirit 17 Temptations being resisted to bring a proofe of that grace that is in vs temptation being receiued argueth corruption in vs. Adam should not haue been worse for his temptation no more than Christ but that the one yeelded the other did not 18 They that tremble in the temptation shal triumph after the temptation our faith is as a pots mouth which being large receiued much and being narrowe receiueth but little 19 The godly see their temptations oft much and with profit the vngodly see them seldome scant and without profit 20 Being both feeble in body and sicke in minde when hee felt the Lords strength in his sicknesse nourishing him as also that he did cleere his iudgement and more and more giue him a misliking of euill and a liking of good hee knewe his temptation should goe away in the end CHAP. LXXI Of truth and errors sinceritie and contempt of the word THere is no profit in teaching or hearing without application Ephes. 6. Paul speaking of the trueth calleth it a girdle of truth it must not bee a loose truth out of which a man may easily bee shaken it must be a tied truth not a ranging truth if it bee loose about vs it will fall away with the least flaw of winde Rom. 15. The Apostle speaketh of this putting on of Christ wee must not make a broad cloath of him to make him apparel to warme vs at the houre of death or in some time of trouble but wee must presently make him a garment that it may sit as close to vs as our coates Iames saith in his first chapter that the word must be ingrafted in vs it must not hang by vs but as there is no true grafting without the renting of the old stocke that the newe graft may hee fastned and closed vp in the rent so there is no true receiuing of the word vntill our corrupt wisedome bee rent asunder and the word of God closed vp in stead of it So that as there is truth required so a girdle of truth As Christ is our comfort so he must be put on As the word is receiued so it must bee ingrafted in vs. In more sensible things we are familiarly acquainted with this matter What profit is there in a plaister be it neuer so skilfully made vnlesse it be applied Well nothing indeed is good without applying The Sunne is comfortable but what doth it if wee bee shut vp and it neuer come to vs What nourishment is in meate what vse in apparell if we vse and apply them not So Christ and the word not applied are nothing to vs though most profitable in themselues 2 Truth is a thing specially esteemed of the Lord and it is a seruice so acceptable vnto him that he will not be without it and therefore a rent or pension due vnto the Lord. But why doth the Lord so require truth at our hands the Prophet saith The Lord hath magnified his truth and his name aboue all things and he hath put on himselfe as his name to bee called the God of truth And Christ the second person in Trinitie witnesseth his death to this in calling himselfe not the God of truth but truth itselfe and he bare witnesse before Pilate that he especially came into the world to beare witnesse to the truth so greatly he loued it For the holy Ghost we read Ioh. 14 He is said to be the spirit of truth So we see how great a thing this truth is with God for he makes himselfe glorious in this title and makes it the Crowne of his head his Sonne his Spirit his Ministers are glorified by it In a second respect truth is deare for that Adam being charged to beware of the forbidden fruite had his first assault of Sathan against the Lords truth back-sliding from it he lost all his posfession in Paradise Because of this dealing of the Diuell in Paradise euer since the Lord hath beene very iealous of his truth and wils men should whatsoeuer they doe remember to
our present trouble and torment of minde seeketh to driue vs vnto despayre we are to vse against him his owne weapons for among many testimonies of our estate in grace fauour with God there is none more euident and sensible than is that conflict which we find and feele in our selues of the spirit against the flesh of faith against vnbeliefe of a sanctified minde against that part that is vnregenerated and finally of the new creature against the old man and of Christ himselfe in vs against the power of Sathan If he replie that this is not so but the contrarie we may answere that albeit there haue been many times wherein we had a more present and mightie hand of the Lord vpon vs yet euen now Satan himselfe cannot denie but we hate sinne and loue righteousnes that we loue God and to our power obey his will and flye the baites and occasions of euill whereof if there were for the present no manifest and apparant effects as yet by the grace of God there are notwithstanding the onely affection and desire of the heart thirsting and longing after Gods kingdome and his righteousnes are sufficient arguments of the worke of grace begun in vs which shall so long bee continued by the good hand of our heauenly father vntill it be consummated and perfected in the life to come For if it be God as the Apostle saith that giueth both the will and the deed he that hath giuen vs to desire to obey his will will also enable vs vnto the doing of the same And seeing the worke of sanctification beginneth in the heart and thence floweth into our whole life wee nothing doubt but God who hath giuen vs ioy in the holy Ghost and therby a loue vnto him vnto his law wil further confirme strengthen vs that we may be vessels of honour vnto his name and glorifie the Gospel of our profession with fruites agreeable and according thereunto Yea the thoughts meditations and desires of the heart are deeds before God and principall parts of that obedience which he requireth at our hands And therefore if the faithfull man should bee taken away by death before he hath done any of the outward works of the law yet should not his faith be without fruites in that being sanctified in the inward man hee doth now in soule spirit serue the Lord and desireth abilitie and oportunitie in act to doe his will and to honour his name as appeared in that penitent malefactor that died with our Sauiour Christ. Another thing I am to admonish you of that you bee not as the couetous men of the world who so gape vpon that they further desire as they consider not but rather forget that which they alreadie haue and hauing much indeede in their opinion haue nothing and to all purposes and vses do as well want that which they haue as that which they haue not So it oftentimes happeneth to the deare children of God that whilest they looke and breath after that which they haue not yet attained vnto they forget and neglect that which they haue receiued and vse it not to their comfort and reioycing as otherwise they should This ouerreaching importunitie of theirs Sathan abuseth against them from the opinion of hauing nothing to blind their eyes not to see the present grace and goodnes of God towards them It is true that the Apostle saith that in the course of godlines and religion we may not thinke we haue attained the goale or are come vnto the ende of our race but forgetting that which is behind vs and endeuouring vnto that which is before must contend as to a marke vnto the reward of the most high calling of God in Christ Iesus But he speaketh it not to this end that wee should not in thankfulnes acknowledge the former mercies of God bestowed vpon vs or not vse them vnto our comfort as testimonies of his loue fauour towards vs but that we may not stay in our present profiting but adde daily a new and fresh increase that as from a larger and greater heape oâ— benefits we may more and more assure our selues that we are beloued of God and shall enioy the inheritance of his kingdome When the Apostle saith Worke your saluation c. and labour to make your calling and election sure though the meaning be not that we should put confidence of saluation in workes yet it telleth vs that the works fruits of our faith are testifications of Gods spirit dwelling in our hearts more euident and pregnant than that Satan himselfe can or dare deny them We may not suffer our selues to be so ouerborne of the enemie vnder the colour of zeale and desire to doe well as not to remember wherein the Lord hath already giuen vs some part of wel-doing not so to striue vnto that we haue not as to forget that which by his grace we already haue but rather with all thankfulnesse acknowledging the goodnes of God from thence assure our selues of the continuance finishing of the worke begun In the courses of the world as slownesse getteth nothing so preposterous haste looseth all It is the subtiltie and malice of the enemie when he cannot hold vs with himselfe to hasten and push vs on so fast and so headlong as by rashnesse we may fall into that which by forwardnesse we had escaped Good things to come therefore we must hold them in hope and pursue them in peace but the good we haue alreadie attained vnto we must so farre reioyce and comfort our selues in as from thence we may be able to sustaine and support our cause against the enemie and from that we haue to let him vnderstand that we doubt not of that which remaineth that the Lord will both continue and confirme the worke of his owne hands and not forsake the same vntil it be accomplished in his kingdome of glory Thus I haue in great hast and confusedly set down so much as presently came vnto minde of those things which often heretofore I haue written vnto you humbly beseeching the Father of all mercy and God of all consolation who hath annointed you with the oyle of his grace sealed you with the spirit of adoption and giuen you a sure earnest and pledge of euerlasting saluation to encrease vpon you and in your heart the measure of faith and multiply your fruits in all manner of well doing make you strong against the face of your enemie crowne you with victorie in the day of battaile that you may praise his name in the day of your deliuerance glorifie him in the whole course of your life and finally enioy with the rest of his Saints that eternall kingdome of glory prepared for all those that loue and feare him Amen FINIS MAISTER GREENEHAMS PRAYER O God most mightie glorious and righteous O father most louing gracious and merciful which keepest couenant and mercy in Iesus Christ
Seâ— Psal. 119 vers 116. 1 Reasons to labour for increase of iudgement 2 3 Triall of our ioy Iests A generall knowledge Simile How the Gospell may be said to kill Loue the Saints 1 Notes of an holy mariage 2 3 4 5 6 If our owne heart condemne vs no man can acquite vs. Simile See before title of concupiscence The father to giue his daughter in marriage Consent of parents Second mariages not to be hastened Est mulâ—er inâ—amis propter nuptiarum festinationem si ante annum nubit In authenticis Iustiniani collatione quarta de nuptiiâ— What meditation is Godly meditation painfull False feares of mâ—lancholie Psal. 119. I am wiser than my teachers Horat. lib. 1. Eâ—ist 2 In vâ—â—ba juraâ—â— mag iâ—â— Meditation helps memorie Iosh â— 8. 1 Tim 4. 13. 15. How to helpe our sudden failing of our memorie in preaching the word The haste of young men to the ministery Mirth Temptation 1 How to discerne and discouer the 2 waies of men 3 Triall of our patience Some eate vp their hearts with griefe Cause of outward wants Murmuring CoÌ„tentation The simple preaching of Christ. 1. Cor. 2. 2. 3. 2. Cor. 4. 5. 6. 7. Hypocrisie Preachers must be farre from wrath 1. Tim. 2. 22. The corrupt actions of the body proceed from the corrupt affections of the soule To attend the holy ministerie and Preaching of the word Prayer in the night Prayer in the day To see our infirmities and waÌ„ts in prayer and to be grieued for them Iames 5. Secret corruptions may hinder successe in good actions Immoderate loue of parents Feelings most vnder the crosse 2. Cor. 12. 9. Meanes The long prosperitie of the Church Rules for admonition 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A louing admonition What to consider in reprouing both little and great sinnes How vnwilling wee be to accept an admonition Motiues to practise admonition Simile Neuer trust him that will conceale a sin in vs. Simile Good euil natures Extreame sadnes To deferre sorrowing for some one sinne vnto the more generall accounting time who dangerous Triall of our hearts in reproches A mediocritie A triall of the rich mans faith Delayes Triall of our dulnes 1 2 3 4 5 Change of place and calling 6 7 8 9 Affection and feeling in singing Psalmes Cause of sin within vs occasions without vs. Sins be linked and chained one in another Heb. 3. 12. 13. Simile The triall of our state against any one speciall sinne often assailing vs. To know our speciall sinne How the godly feare sinne more theÌ„ externall crosses How the godly godlesse differ in their ioyes and feares Note True remedies against deadnes and auâ—es Christ is our wisedome Christ is our holines Esa. 11. 3. 4. 5. Christ is our redemption Note Spirituall pride How hard it is to confesse our sinnes to God Sundrie euasions of sinners 1 2 3 Admonition 4 5 6 7 8 9. 10. Discouer confesse the mother sinne 1 Consolations against diuers kindes of griefeâ— 2 3 4 5 6 Consolation against the feare of our owne vnworthines Sinne is wounded by prayer and temptation by resistance Rules for the sicke 1 2 3 4 Publike prayers for the sicke How the Lord corrects the pride of our prosperitie 1 2 Note Sathan buffeteth vs two waies 1 2 Possession 1. Cor. 6. Ye are not your owne Prophanenes Causes of great afflictions 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 The golden chaine of our free election 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 * Or as another copie is taken of them that vse violence to come to it Sermon-sicke Schismes Singularitie of spirit Checke of conscience Sathan feared in superstition too much and now in the light too little The crosses of the faithfull euer take away some drosse from them To resist our corruption in temptation Outward temptations Strange teÌ„ptations Against great temptations When to manifest our temptations to our brethren Sathanicall temptations To be tempted with vnbeliefe and the remedies 1 Prayer 2 Reading of the word 3 Confession 4 Attend on your calling with patieÌ„ce 5 Nâ—t to reason with our temptations or the diuel 6 To waite the temptation and so to offer it vp to God in prayer 7 Remedie To be teÌ„pted with worldly shame and the remedies 1 2 When and how temptations breed How Satans temptations follow our affections One fearing he had sinned against the holy Ghost Toresist teÌ„ptation Note Against presumption and dispaire Faith and feeling The growth of faith by two meanes 1 Not to be present at the Masse or any such superstitious seruice 2 3 Visions and preaching Lucrum ex â—â—â—â—o Lâ—â—oâ—â—s puluinarii PreparatioÌ„ to the hearing of the word 1 2 3 4 Simile Meanes of saluation Aduertisements against witchcraft 1 2 3 4 * Not for that they are good or lawfull but of blind people so called and reputed The morning how fit for Gods worship 1 2 3 4 Note Simile 1 2 3 4 5 Preperation to the word and Sacraments Of profiting in holy exercises All our power in prayer commeth from the word Simile Simile Hearing the word profitablie 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Meditation and Prayer Our obedience must be free not constrained Triall of Hypocrites Ceremonies Pride Church Against deâ—â—â—â—s of repentance Repentance Afflictions of the reprobate Afflictions of the elect before grace in grace Note Heb. 3. 13. A sweete consolation Regeneration repeÌ„tance painfull but very gainfull Against spirituall pride Simile The fountain of the heart Simile Death To loue Christ more then his benefites Hearing of the word The loue of the world Word and Sacraments Hearing the Word Carnall Protestants Loue. Zeale Triall of our loue to God Regeneration Regeneration Ioy. Ioy. Loue of the world Ioy. True ioyes Gods presence Repentance Sinne. Repentance Affliction Prayer Word To respect future ioyes and griefes See Psal. 119. Ministerie Temptation Conference Regeneration Meditation of Death Obedience Vaine-glory Gods worship A good name Desires Prayer Offences Humiliation Prouidence Familie Repentance Mercie Regeneration Creatures Merit Temptation Temptation Sathanicall suggestions Mâ—anes Consession Hypocrisie Good things Prophets Familiarity Sinne. Perseuerance Affection Repentance Humilitie Heresie Repentance Persecution Sudden terrors of mind Vnthankfulnes Temptations Humilitie Conscience Securitie Feeling Death Regeneration Regeneration Youth Youth Temptation Sanctification Repentance Mortification Hypocrisie Infirmities Our spiritual vinion with Christ. Affections Admonition Spirits Goodworks Obedience Fauour Report Temptation Mirth Deceit Gods hand Word Vocation Affliction Zeale Temptation Godlinesse Grace Mercie Simile The securitie of the faithfull wandring through all the tribulations of this life Hebr. 12. 15. Custome Eye A coÌ„parison betweene the children of light and darknes How to examine our selues Note well Iudgements Feare ioy Ioy in afflictions The minde The pure vse of all blessings Foolish iesting Late repentance Ministerie The right vse of the creatures Tit. 1. 15. Rom. 4. ExaminatioÌ„ Sinners The â—â—â—re of the godly and godlesse how