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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.
As we require these things to be the matter of our Ministry in such a perplexity; so we would wish the persons ministering to be men learned and of sound judgement, wise, and of Godly experience, meek and of most loving spirits. For when the troubled patient shall be well persuaded of our knowledge and discretion, & there with all shall perceive us to come in tender and loving affection, I think an entrance is made, and all prejudice is taken away, so as we may the more freely work upon the Conscience; first bringing them to the sight of sin, as to some cause of their trouble. Herein we must labour to put away all confusion and blindness of sorrow, endeavouring by wisdom to bring the parties wounded to some certain object & matter of their trouble; and so draw out of them the confession of some several especial, and secret, sin; I say several & ⟨p. 46⟩secret sin, because I know, how many (through a palpable blindness or disordered discerning of sin) talk nothing so much as of sin; and yet they either can not descry several sins, or they will not be brought to acknowledge their secrete sins: whereof the one proceedeth of the ignorance of the Law of God, and the other of self love, which maketh us loath even in our travel of mind▪ to shame our selves.
As we require these thinges to bee the matter of our Ministerie in such a perplexitie; so we woulde wishe the persons ministring to be men learned and of sounde iudgement, wise, and of Godly experience, meeke and of most louing spirites. For when the troubled patient shall be well perswaded of our knowledge and discretion, & there with all shall perceiue vs to come in tender and louing affection, I thinke an enterance is made, and all preiudice is taken avvay, so as wee may the more freely worke vppon the Conscience; first bringing them to the sight of sinne, as to some cause of their trouble. Heerein wee must labour to put awaye all confusion and blindenesse of sorrrowe, endeuoring by wisdome to bring the parties wounded to some certaine obiect & matter of their trouble; and so draw out of them the confession of some seuerall especiall, and secret, sinne; I say seuerall & ⟨p. 46⟩secret sinne, because I know, how many (through a palpable blindnes or disordered discerning of sinne) talke nothing so much as of sinne; and yet they eyther can not discry seuerall sinnes, or they will not be brought to acknowledge their secrete sinnes: wherof the one proceedeth of the ignorance of the Lawe of God, and the other of selfe loue, which maketh vs loath euen in our trauell of minde to shame our selues.