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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
A MOST SWEET Comfort for an afflicted Conscience.A MOST SVVEET Comfort for an afflicted Conscience.
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.
To prosecute our comparisons; where all other evils are the more tolerable, because they be temporal, & pursue us but to death: this not being cured endeth not in death, but becometh eternal. For even the heathen men thought that death was the end of all misery: the persuasion whereof made them (being in some misery) to make an end of themselves, and hasten their ⟨p. 12⟩own death; as Satan doth make many now a days to do, who are ignorant of the hell, which is a place of far greater pains than any they can suffer in this world whatsoever. Howbeit a tormented conscience, if before it was begun, is now continued; or if it was not before, now beginneth and never endeth world without end. For though true it is, that sickness, poverty, imprisonment or banishment have ended their term in death; yet a wounded hart which was temporal in this life, is now eternal after this life: that which before death was in hope recoverable, is after death made uncurable & unrecoverable. It is good therefore to consider, if even in this life the torment of conscience be so fearful; how much more grievous it is to sustain it in hell, where that is infinite, which here is finite; where that is unmeasurable, which here is measurable: where is the sea of sorrow, whereof this is but a drop, where is the flame of that fire, whereof this is less then a spark.
To prosecute our comparisons; where al other euils are the more tolerable, because they be temporal, & pursue vs but to death: this not being cured endeth not in death, but becommeth eternall. For euen the heathen men thought that death was the end of all misery: the perswasion whereof made them (beeing in some misery) to make an ende of themselues, and hasten their ⟨p. 12⟩owne death; as Sathan doth make many now a daies to doe, who are ignorant of the hell, which is a place of farre greater paines than any they can suffer in this worlde whatsoeuer. Howebeit a tormented conscience, if before it was begun, is now continued; or if it was not before, now beginneth and neuer endeth world without ende. For though true it is, that sicknes, pouerty, imprisonmēt or banishmēt haue ended their term in death; yet a woūded hart which was tēporal in this life, is nowe eternall after this life: that which before death was in hope recouerable, is after death made vncurable & vnrecouerable. It is good therefore to consider, if euen in this life the torment of conscience be so fearefull; how much more grieuous it is to susteine it in hell, where that is infinite, which here is finit; where that is vnmesurable, which here is mesurable: where is the sea of sorow, wherof this is but a drop, where is the flame of that fire, wherof this is lesse then a sparke.