A02181:129
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.
unless they persevere I say, for that through the spiritual adversary, & his forcible power, whereby God suffereth him sometime for a season to winnow them as wheat, they are so be witched and intoxicated, that they are carried by violent force of temptation, to wax weary of, or to refuse all means of comfort by fits: yea, almost to have no desire at all unto them: yea, sometimes to speak very evil of them: But all this is but temptation, and therefore GOD will be merciful unto them for Christ his sake.
vnlesse they perseuere I say, for that through the spirituall aduersarie, & his forceable power, wherby God suffereth him sometime for a season to winnow them as wheate, they are so be witched and intoxicated, that they are carried by violent force of tēptation, to waxe wearie of, or to refuse all meanes of comfort by fittes: yea, almost to haue no desire at all vnto them: yea, sometimes to speake veie euill of them: But all this is but temptation, and therefore GOD will bee mercifull vnto them for Christ his sake.
Thus Job cursed the day of his birth, and wished to be strangled; Jeremiah almost repented that ever he preached in the name of the Lord: both scarcely abstain from blasphemy. David moved with the spirit of ambition (though dutifully admonished) wilfully w•nt on in numbering the people; Peter also vain gloriously presuming of his own strength, being most wisely and effectually preadmonished of his weakness even by our Lord Jesus, yet wittingly rusheth as a horse into the battle and then very cowardly yieldeth, yea doubly denieth, yea strengtheneth his sin with a threefold cord, and fasteneth it with banning and cursings: and yet all these obtained mercy most bountifully. For why? as Satan had desired to winnow them, so our Lord Jesus prayed for them, that their faith, though it was vehemently assaulted, yet should not be overcome; although it was battered, yet that it should not be destroyed▪ and though it was oppressed, yet that it should not be extinguished. And here be you fully persuaded, that albeit Luke. 22.31