A02180:52
A most sweet and assured comfort for all those that are afflicted in conscience…A most sweete and assured comfort for all those that are afflicted in consciscience…
A most sweet and assured comfort for all those that are afflicted in conscience [sic], or troubled in mind. Written by that godly & zealous preacher, M. Richard Greenham. With two comfortable letters to his especial friends that way grieved.A most sweete and assured comfort for all those that are afflicted in consciscience [sic], or troubled in minde. Written by that godly & zealous preacher, M. Richard Greenham. With two comfortable letters to his especiall friends that way greeued.
London: printed by John Danter for William Jones, 1595London: printed by Iohn Danter for William Iones, 1595
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
But because we forgot to speak of them, that in the examining of their lives past, are much grieved for the want of sincerity, and privy vainglory in themselves; let us beware we go to the searching of our hearts in sin.
But because we forgate to speak of them, that in the examining of their liues past, are much grieued for the want of sinceritie, and priuie vainglorie in themselues; let vs beware we go to the searching of our hearts in sinne.
To come to speak somewhat ⟨image 37⟩of those men troubled for this privy pride, they are touched or not touched. If the veil of sin was great in them, that it hid Christ from them; it is the good will of god, that by this sight of their most secret sins they should come to see the righteousness that is in Christ Jesus; and so they shall be kept the better from being Justiciary Pharisees: for when being a long time well brought up, & leading a civill life, the Devil would persuade us of some inherent righteousness in us; It is the wisdom of God to touch us with the conscience of most hidden corruptions, ⟨image 38⟩as also to make known unto us, that even from our birth there was a secret feed of sin in us, which (without the Lord watching over us) would surely have broken forth to his dishonour.
To come to speake somewhat ⟨image 37⟩of those men troubled for this priuie pride, they are touched or not touched. If the veyle of sinne was great in them, that it hid Christ frō them; it is the good will of god, that by this sight of their most secret sinnes they shuld come to see the righteousnes that is in Christ Iesus; and so they shall be kept the better from being Iusticiarie Pharisies: for when beeing a long time well brought vp, & leading a ciuill life, the Diuell would perswade vs of some inherent righteousnes in vs; It is the wisedome of God to touch vs with the conscience of most hidden corruptions,