Works, Title page – Dedication 2
THE WORKES OF THE REVEREND AND FAITHFVLL SERVANT OF IESVS CHRIST M. RICHARD GREENHAM, MINISTER AND PREACHER OF THE WORD of God, collected into one Volume: REVISED, CORRECTED, AND PVBLISHED, FOR THE FVRTHER BVILDING OF ALL SVCH AS LOVE the truth, and desire to know the power of godlinesse.
By H. H.
THE FIFT AND LAST EDITION: IN WHICH, MATTERS DISPERSED BEFORE THROVGH the whole booke, are methodically drawne to their seuerall places, and the hundred and nineteenth Psalme perfected: with a more exact Table annexed.
ECCLESIASTES 12. 21.
The words of the wise are like goades, and like nailes fastened by the Masters of the assemblies, which are giuen by one Pastor.
GOD IS MY HELPER
LONDON: Printed for VVILLIAM VVELBY, and are to be solde at his shop in Paules Church-yard, at the signe of the Swanne. 1612.
TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTIE MONARCH, IAMES BY THE GRACE OF GOD KING OF Great Britaine, France, and Ireland, defender of the Faith, &c.
RIght gracious Soueraigne, I doe here humbly present vntounto your Highnesse, the holy Labours of that worthy Seruant of Christ Mr. RICHARD GREENHAM, painfullie collected, corrected, and published for the good of Gods Church, by my late deere Husband Mr. HENRY HOLLAND, a Preacher of the Gospell in your Highnesse Cittie of London. VVhichWhich I am bold to offer vntounto your excellent Maiestie, partly in respect of the Author, a man renowned for his rare pietie and paines, and for his singular dexteritie in comforting afflicted Consciences: partly in regard of the worke it selfe, so well accepted and approued in the Church, that this is now the fift time it hath ben published. But chiefly because my husband hauing a little before his death bestowed great care and paines in collecting and preparing for the presse, the fourth and last part of these workes (which in this edition is added to the rest) straightly and many times charged mee vponupon his death bed to present and dedicate the whole vntounto your Highnesse, as a pledge which he desired to leaue vntounto the world, of his most dutifull affection, and earnest desire to doe your Maiestie all the honour, and the Churches within your Highnesse dominions all the seruice that hee could VVherefore humbly praying that your excellent Maiestie would be pleased to accept the same at the hands of a poore widow, from him that is now at rest in the Lord, and hath (in part receiued the crowne of his labours: I doe earnestly beseech the God of heauen abundantly to heape all graces and blessings vponupon your Highnesse and your royall posteritie in this life, and finally to set vponupon your heads the crowne of euerlasting life and glory in the world to come.
Your Maiesties most humble and dutifull subiect Elizabeth Holland widow.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND VERTVOVS LADIES THE LADIE MARGARET COVNTESSE OF CVMBERLAND, AND THE LADIE KATHERINE Countesse Dowager of Huntington: H. H. wisheth the increase of all true honour and comforts in this life, and after death a crowne of glory with Iesus Christ.
I May seeme to passe the boundes of Christian modeslie, so to presse into your presence (Right Honorable and vertuous Ladies) without due regard of your persons and places. But such is your wisedome, that you can, and your honorable affection, that you will heare with patience the meanest seruant of Iesus Christ. I come (Right Honorable) as in the name of the faithfull seruant of Christ, M. R. Greenham, a man well knowne vntounto your honours, and to those most religious patrons of all pietie and good learning, the right Honourable Earles (of blessed memorie) of Huntington, VVarwicke, and of Bedford, which now sleepe in the Lord. Of them much was hee reuerenced in his life time; of your Honours much lamented after death, for that you know the losse of such, to be no small wracke vntounto the Church and people of God. Now so it is (right Honorable and vertuous Ladies) that pietie in this declining age waxeth daily very faint, & impiety doth much abound: and God hath not only set before you those noble examples for imitation, but also hath enriched your harts with his faith, feare and louelove, (as it well appeares (to embrace his blessed truth, and to be as nursing mothers to the holy religion of Christ. Now then this good seruant of the Lord, God gaue him (to recompence his want of naturall children) many sonnes and daughters begotten by the Gospell to the faith of Christ, and some *Or Posthumes.orphanes hee left after him, which being cherished and accepted with grace among men, shall truely resemble the Fathers heart which begat them, and stand vp for him to speake and preach pietie, and the true faith of Christ to posteritie. One of which after a yeeres trauell in the nurcing and education, coated and attired (in the best manner that I can) and now able to speake distinctly and comfortably the fathers minde and meaning to all the spirituall Sonnes and Daughters of God in our Church; here I doe in louelove vnfained vntounto him, and in dutie to your Honours, humbly present vntounto your Honourable protection.
If the holy Ghost thought good to commend his great and most diuine Oracles (which hauehave a singular kinde of spirit, life, and power in them, knowne to all true beleeuers) to the Church and people of God vnderunder theLuk. 1 3. 2 Ioh. 1. patronage (as it were) of honourable and vertuous Nobilitie, (for that Inferiours neglect euen the best things, which their Superiours seeme lesse to account of, and examples doe best preuaile with vnbeleeuers:) No maruell (right Honourable Ladies) if the seruants of God desire the like fauour and patronage for their labors, euen of those whom the Lord hath set as bright shining starres among men.
Your Honours shall finde in this first portion of this worke, a delectable and comfortable varietie of graue experienced counsels, which may serue as precious remedyes (wisely applyed) for many euils, and holy directions for the good gouernment of a Christian life, and most diuine rules grounded vponupon Scriptures, and well approued by his long practise, seruing well to appease the rage, and to quench the scorching flame and fierie darts of the diuell, which so torment all poore distressed consciences in this life.
Such experience and good liking hauehave your Honours had of this man of God, of his godlines and grauitie, and of the manifold gifts of God in him, that I neede say no more, as any way doubting of your Honourable acceptation. I hauehave beene bould thus to knit your Honours together in this one Epistle, because I am well assured the spirit of Grace hath knit your hearts together, in his faith and feare: and for that you were so knit together in louelove vnfained to this holy seruant of Christ: This worke then I commend vntounto your Honours, and your Honours and it to the good blessing and holy protection of the Almightie.
Your HH. to commaund: Henry Holland.