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.

Conscience afflicted.

1 A Certaine man some yeares afflicted in conscience, said, his continuall agonies were as great as the paines of a man readie to die, and that he felt so small comfort in Gods countenance, that he would willingly haue suffered his body to haue li∣ued in burning fire vntill the appearing of Christ, so he might then be assured of Gods fauour towards him, yea his greatest comfort was this, that though he should be in hell, yet he hoped therin of Gods fauour to haue his torments mitigated with them that suffer* 1.1 least. In all which troubles notwithstanding no world of reward, no terror of tyrannie, could cause him willingly to doe the least thing displeasing to God: whom when the Lord released, he would comfort himselfe in Christ, saying, that the diuell would take the ad∣uantage of his sorrow, to make him vnthankefull in good things.

2 We are either as a Prince or as a peasant, either most mightie aboue all Princes, or* 1.2 most vile among the sonnes of men. If all the Monarches in the world withstood vs, our owne consciences comforting vs, we ruled aboue all. If the vilest vassall in the world rise against vs, our owne heart condemning vs, we seeme to be most miserable of all.

3 He said, howsoeuer men might deale with outward matters, yet when griefes and fancies grew in the minde and grieued it, nothing could surely cure them, but onely the* 1.3 word of God.

4 Hauing to deale with diuers humbled consciences, he would mislike them that would not abide to tarry the Lords leisure, but they must needs be helped at once, euen by and by, as soone as they heard him speake, or else they would then thinke farre worse of him than euer before, notwithstanding the good report had, and the good opinion conceiued of him: for besides that, hee that beleeueth maketh not hast, this is a comming rather as it* 1.4 were to a Magitian (who, by an incantation of words, makes sillie soules looke for health) than to the minister of God, whose words being most Angelicall comfort not vntill, and so much as it pleaseth the Lord to giue a blessing vnto them, which sometime he doth de∣nie, because we come to them with too great an opinion of them; as though they were wise men, not vnto such as vsing their meanes, yet doe looke and stay for our comfort wholy from God himselfe.

5 Being asked how in the examining of our consciences for sinne, we should find out the speciall sinne, he said, that could not easily be done (for who doth vnderstand the er∣rors of his life) but by oft examining of our selues, by acquainting of our selues with our* 1.5 owne estate, by earnest prayer that God would reueale vs the sinne, by oft hearing and rea∣ding the word, by marking the most checkes of our consciences, and reproches of our enemies, we might be led to the neerest sight of them.* 1.6

6 Vnto one afflicted in minde he gaue this comfort: first, if you haue knowledge, be* 1.7 * 1.8

thankfull for it, and desire the Lord to giue you faith: if you haue faith, which vndoub∣tedly you may haue, though not rightly discerning your selfe, you presently perceiue it* 1.9 not: you must waite on the Lord for feeling of it: for many times he exerciseth faith with temptations, before he sends feeling. And though it may be you shall ••arrie the Lords leisure long, yet surely he will giue it you in time. In the meane time assure your selfe, that the greatest faith is when there is least feeling. It is easie for euery one in glorious feelings, and ioyes vnspeakable to beleeue: but when a man feeling no sensible comfort in the Lord, can notwithstanding beleeue in the Lord, and by faith waite on him; this mans faith is most great.

7 After some effectuall working of Gods spirit in vs, most commonly (in many) not* 1.10 long after comes deadnes and dulnes: against this euill we must first search the cause, whe∣ther it be for some euill thing done, or for some good thing not done, for leauing some meane of saluation vnused: whether for some sinne seene, but nor repented of, or some sin* 1.11 repented of, but not soundly, or for vnthankfulnes. Secondly, vse the remedie, please not* 1.12 your selfe in it, but rouse vp your selfe as from a slumber, which willingly you would shake* 1.13 off from you: call to minde the speciall and greatest mercy of God, vse the meanes. Third∣ly, in the meanes offer thy selfe vnto God, wayting humbly, and patiently for the time of deliuerance, neither esteeming too much nor too little of the affliction.

8 When one was troubled in minde, he gaue him this comfortable note: That al∣though* 1.14 it came to passe, that after some trauaile in the new birth, Gods graces were not so sweete, and our sinnes not so sower and grieuous vnto vs, as they were at our first entrance into regeneration, but we are now weaker in lesse assaults, hauing afore beene stronger in greater temptations: we are not to despayre: but to consider from whence this gracious progresse did come, namely of God, and not of our selues, who shewed himselfe more fa∣uourable in the beginning, both because he would not discourage vs newly comming vn∣to him, and for that we forsaking our selues, with a godly suspecting of our weaknes in the least temptations, did flie vnto Gods helpe by prayer: who in wisedome can hide himselfe vnder a clowde, partly for that he will looke to see some triall of strength at our hands, comming to some age in new birth; partly for that now we lesse forsake or suspect our selues, no not in greater temptations, and so presumptuously trusting to our strength, and staying our selues with our owne staffe, we doe not call to God for helpe; and not calling, doe not obtaine; and not obtaining helpe, we take the foyle in the conflict, that the Lord may make knowne vnto vs, that notwithstanding our proceeding in Christianitie, we are still but men, and God alone is God.

9 He said to one troubled in minde for a secret and small sinne, I doe not so much feare* 1.15 this sinne in you, as the policie of Sathan by it, either in that he will not sticke to shew you the lesse sinnes, & hide from you the greater; or else by the quicke sight of your secret and small sinnes, to cast vpon you an open and grosse sinne of vaine glorie and priuie pride.

10 Afflicted consciences must not dispute too much against themselues, for their own actions, for that being displeased with their owne persons, they cannot be pleased with their owne doings.

11 He tolde in loue, this obseruation and experience; when any came with a troubled* 1.16 conscience for sinne, wisely to discerne, whether they be meanely grieued with a generall sight of their sinne, or whether they be extreamely throwne downe, with the burthen of particular sinnes; if so they be, then it is good at the first to shew that no sinne is so great, but in Christ it is pardonable, and that there is mercy with God that he might be feared: so* 1.17 on the other side shewiug the mercy to come from God, but so as they are nothing fit to* 1.18 receiue mercie, vnlesse they feele their particular and pricking sinnes. But if their sorrow be more confessed in generall things, then it is good to humble them more and more, to* 1.19 giue them a terror of Gods iustice for particular sinnes: for experience doth teach, that this is the best way to obtaine sound comfort, both to see our sinne, and to be humbled to see our sinne, because often, men will more readily acknowledge greater sinne they haue beene in, than that lesse sinne they presently lie in to be humbled, that being throughly throwne downe, we may directly seeke Christ, and keepe no stay, vntill we haue found

comfort in him, who then is most readie to free vs from our sinne, and to comfort vs with his spirit, when we are most cast downe with our sinnes, and most feare them.

12 If the health of body be such a thing, as is rather with comfort enioyed, than in* 1.20 words to be expressed, how great is the peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost, which may be tasted, but cannot be vttered.

13 There are some which haue peace neither with God, nor with themselues, as despe∣rate heretikes: some haue peace with themselues, but not with God, as secure sinners: some haue peace with God and with themselues, as repentant Christians.

14 We must learne to pitie them that are cast downe in griefe of spirit, though they be* 1.21 also pettish; for it is an easie matter when one seemeth much to be quiet with God, to be in peace with men, who often hinder our quietnes with God. Againe, we little know how great their desire is to feele peace, which when they cannot feele, presently they are made* 1.22 impatient: and yet see this was in Dauid the man of God, who found in himselfe, this di∣uersitie of affections, which we so much wonder at, and speake of in the children of God in our daies: he diuides himself as it were into two parts, Psal 43. 5. he thought himself some∣time very strong in God, againe at another time so cast downe, that he would on no side lay hold on any comfort in the world: yet more then that, he was tumultuous and fretting within himselfe. And therefore learne this, thou that art vnmercifull, to stay thy impatien∣cie, behold this thou that art afflicted, to stay thy griefe, and say not, oh, Dauid indeed was humbled, but I finde another qualitie in my self; besides, I am pettish, I am vncomfortable and vnquiet with them, with whom I liue; for Dauid was both impatient and pettish. Here also learne of Dauid for thy minde to waite on God, for faith deliuereth both from griefe and anger, and causeth comfortable waiting, and not to make too much haste, but to possesse our soules in patience, vntill God performe his promises vnto vs.

15 It is an vsuall temptation to afflicted consciences, to perswade them, after some free* 1.23 deliuerance, that they are not to looke to be deliuered again, because as the Lord hath beene very liberall, so we must not wearie and make tedious his bountifull dealings with vs: but we must know that the gifts of God are without repentance, and the Lord hath mani∣fold deliuerances in store, which is as impossible by vse and often receiuing to waste, as it is the Lord himselfe should be deceiued: he will surely make an end of his owne worke in vs, and that for his owne glorie, which as he hath appoynted to be endlesse in our deliue∣rance, so the meanes thereunto are also endlesse: and therefore yet and againe, we are to learne against our vnbeleefe the vnmeasurable treasure of Gods goodnesse in our salua∣tion, yea, when wee seeme as it were to be in a whirlepit, and to be carried with a violent griefe and gulfe of troubles, wee know not whither, and are constrained oft to diue and plunge downe (the waters of affliction running ouer our head) yet the Lord will recouer vs, and set our feete in steady places if we be cast downe, so we can but scraule vp againe: if we be resisted of Sathan, so we can but kicke against him, if we can but open our lips and accuse his malice before the Lord, there is sound hope of comfort to be found of him.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The godly afflicted con∣sciences feare to displease God.
• * 1.2

  A good con∣science, how sweet and comfortable Prou. 15. 15.
• * 1.3

  The word cures the conscience.
• * 1.4

  Esay. 28. 16. The true Ministers of Christ neuer cure nor comfort the sicke hastely, as wizards doe.
• * 1.5

  To find out our speciall sinnes.
• * 1.6

  1. 2.
• * 1.7

  3. 4.
• * 1.8

  5. 6.
• * 1.9

  Faith with∣out feeling.
• * 1.10

  Causes of deadnes of minde.
• * 1.11

  1. 2.
• * 1.12

  3. 4.
• * 1.13

  5.
• * 1.14

  How it comes to passe▪ that Gods graces are more sweete vnto vs at our first entrance into regene∣ration, than after.
• * 1.15

  A conscience touched for small sinnes.
• * 1.16

  How to pro∣ceed in com∣forting the afflicted.
• * 1.17

  1
• * 1.18

  2
• * 1.19

  3
• * 1.20

  Our ioy in the holy Ghost we cannot ex∣presse. Philip. 4. Rom. 14. 17.
• * 1.21

  A threefolde pealce. Psa. 41. 1.
• * 1.22

  To beare with impa∣tiencie of the sicke.
• * 1.23

  A sweet con∣solation for weake consci∣ences, after their often fals. Rom. 11.