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Paramythion two treatises of the comforting of an afflicted conscience, writtenParamythion tvvo treatises of the comforting of an afflicted conscience, written
Paramythion two treatises of the comforting of an afflicted conscience, written by M. Richard Greenham, with certain epistles of the same argument. Hereunto are added two sermons, with certain grave and wise counsels and answers of the same author and argument.Paramythion tvvo treatises of the comforting of an afflicted conscience, written by M. Richard Greenham, with certaine epistles of the same argument. Heereunto are added two sermons, with certaine graue and wise counsells and answeres of the same author and argument.
London: printed by Richard Bradocke for Robert Dexter, 1598
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.
And then by such conference as you may have ⟨p. 90⟩from hence by letters, wherein if I may stand you in any stead, rather for the good opinion you have of me, then for any great matter I am able to perform, I shall be ready to offer any office of love unto you as God shall enable me, and so far forth as I shall be at any time instructed in your particular estate in some letters sent from you by convenient messengers. That which I perceive presently by M. S. letter is, that you are afflicted with the blindness of your mind; and hardness of your heart, which cannot be moved either with the promises of Gods mercies, or fear of his judgements; nor affected with the love & delight of the things which be good, nor with the hatred and loathing of the evil. Great cause you have of grief I confess, but no cause of despair dare I grant, because I am persuaded that your persuasion is somewhat false, partly for want of a sound judgement of your estate, and partly for some defect of faith, somewhat through your own default. First therefore know you for a certainty, that this is no other tentation, than such as divers of Gods children have been humbled with, and afterward have had a good issue out of it: and if it please God to move ye to credit me, I my self have known others, as deeply this way plunged, as you can be. Remember therefore, ⟨p. 91⟩that God is faithful, and will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you shall be able to bear. And yet farther to confirm you herein,1 the holy scriptures do record, that this way God heretofore hath humbled his own people: in whose person the Prophet Isaiah lamentably complaineth.2 O Lord look down from heaven, behold from thy dwelling place of thy holiness, and of thy glory. Where is thy zeal and thy strength, the multitude of thy mercies, and of thy compassions? They are restrained from me. And afterwards; O Lord why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our hearts from thy fear? And in the next chapt.3 We have been alas an unclean thing, and all our righteousness is as filthy clouts: and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities as the wind doth take us away: and there is none that calleth upon thy name, neither that stirreth up himself to take hold on thee, for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities. And before.