A02180:77
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.
Herein we must labour to put away all confusion and blindness of sorrow, ⟨image 55⟩endeavouring by wisdom to bring the parts wounded to some certain object & matter of their trouble; and so draw out of them the confession of some especial, secrete and several sin; I say secrete and several sins, because I know, how many (through a palpable blindness or disordered discerning of sin) talk nothing so much as of sin; and yet they either descry several sins, or they will not be brought to acknowledge their secrete sins: whereof the one proceedeth of the ignorance of the Law of God, the other of self love, which maketh ⟨image 55⟩us loath in our travel of mind to shame our selves.
Heerein wee must labour to put awaye all confusion and blindnesse of sorrowe, ⟨image 55⟩endeuoring by wisedome to bring the parts wounded to some certaine obiect & matter of their trouble; and so drawe out of them the confession of some especiall, secrete and seuerall sinne; I say secrete and seuerall sinnes, because I know, how manie (through a palpable blindnes or disordered discerning of sinne) talke nothing so much as of sinne; and yet they eyther discrie seuerall sinnes, or they will not bee brought to acknowledge theyr secrete sinnes: whereof the one proceedeth of the ignorance of the Lawe of God, the other of selfe loue, which maketh ⟨image 55⟩vs loath in our trauel of mind to shame our selues.
Now that the confession of particular sins is requisite, it may appear by the two and thirtieth Psalm, wherein (being a Psalm of instruction, concerning the forgiveness of sins) the Prophet (by his own experience) teacheth us, that he could find no relief of his sickness, until he had remembered, and made confession of his sins.