A02181:174
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.
for whilst a man is frozen and starved for cold, he is numbed, and as it were without life▪ but being brought to the fire, he is h•tt, he is revived, he is cheered, and then becometh active & nimble. ⟨p. 154⟩These are the properties of fire, and these do in some manner sort, resemble and shadow out unto us the works and effects of the spirit: for first of all, when the spirit of God seizeth upon a man, and entereth into his soul, then it beginneth to burn to wast and consume in him, those things that will be wasted: after this sort evil affections, noisome lusts, & other stubble which is in man, by the spirit of God are consumed and burned. Secondly, it doth purge us from gross sins, and daily more and more doth purify us, that we may be a clean and holy vessel and Temple for him to rest and dwell in. Thirdly, it is a shining lamp, ever burning and continually giving light unto us, in that way which we have to walk. And lastly, it doth set us on heat, and inflameth us with a zeal of Gods glory, with a care of our duty, and with a love of all mankind: yea, withal it putteth life and lust into us, to walk in that good way which it doth lead us, and to do all those good works which may glorify God, or be commodious unto men. Thus we see what likelihood there is between the spirit and fire, for which cause the spirit in the scripture is compared unto fire: nay it is sometimes called fire: for John saith. That our Saviour Christ should baptise with the holy ghost, & with ⟨p. 155⟩fire: that is, with the holy ghost, which is like unto the fire: Therefore, as truly and as certainly as we may say that there is fire, where we see straw and such like things consumed, or gold and silver finely purged, or great light in dark places, or great heat in bodies that were numbed before; even so truly we may say, and so certainly we may persuade our selves, that the spirit of God is in us, when we see our corruption consumed, our souls purged from the dross of sin, our hearts enlightened and made hot in walking, and working according to that light. The second question to be considered is,1 whether that man which hath once tasted of the spirit, may loose it, and have it quenched in him. To this it may be said, that because the spirit of God cometh to, and worketh in divers men, diversely, in diverse measures: