Paramythion two treatises of the comforting of an afflicted conscience, writtenParamythion tvvo treatises of the comforting of an afflicted conscience, written

14 There are two workings of Gods Spirit in us: the one inferior, which bringgeth but certain fruits of the Spirit, without any special fruit of grace: the other superior, and more certain, when the spirit worketh an infallible sanctification. The first, may totally be darkened, and fully quenched; the other hath but particular Eclipse, and in measure may be dimmed, as it was in David psal. 51, but is not finally quenched. As God made man so that he might fall, though afterwards he had mercy ⟨p. 205⟩upon him: so he regenerateth us so, that we may fall, though afterwards he may raise us up again, and will. And it is fearful enough, that there may be such particular decays of it in us, as to feel less comfort in the word, less fear of sin, less care of well doing, less zeal in praying, less fruits in the means; so that all our actions are turned to be bitter, which were sweeter unto us than any worldly increase to the worldly man, or honey can be to them that love it. These are evident tokens of the sanctifying spirit, to love good, because it is good; and to hate sin: the more we grow in gifts, the more to hunger, the more to complain of our unworthiness, the more to be humbled in our selves, the more meekly to judge of others: when we are most quiet with all things, then to think our selves least quiet, and then most to fear our selves; so to feel the grace of God in us, and yet our sense and feeling of sin is not lessened; and to fear and quake at the first degrees and motions of sin; not lest they fully quench, but lest they cool the heat of the spirit in us.

14 There are two workings of Gods Spirite in vs: the one inferiour, which bringgeth but certaine fruites of the Spirite, without any speciall fruite of grace: the other superiour, and more certaine, when the spirite worketh an infallable sanctification. The first, may totally be darkened, and fully quenched; the other hath but particular Eclipse, and in measure may be dimmed, as it was in Dauid psal. 51, but is not finally quenched. As God made man so that he might fall, though afterwardes he had mercie ⟨p. 205⟩vpon him: so he regenerateth vs so, that wee may fall, though afterwardes he may raise vs vp againe, and will. And it is fearefull inough, that there may be such particular decaies of it in vs, as to feele lesse comfort in the word, lesse feare of sinne, lesse care of well doing, lesse zeale in praying, lesse fruites in the meanes; so that all our actions are turned to be bitter, which were sweter vnto vs than any worldly increase to the worldly man, or honie can be to them that loue it. These are euident tokens of the sanctifying spirite, to loue good, because it is good; and to hate sinne: the more wee growe in giftes, the more to hunger, the more to complaine of our vnworthines, the more to be humbled in our selues, the more meekely to iudge of others: when we are most quiet with all things, then to think our selues least quiet, and then most to feare our selues; so to feele the grace of God in vs, and yet our sence and feeling of sin is not lessened; and to feare and quake at the first degrees and motions of sinne; not lest they fully quench, but lest they coole the heat of the spirit in vs.