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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.
Concerning those sins whereunto we are tempted; as when a man is moved to think blasphemously of God the father, o• to doubt whether there be a Christ or no, or to imagine grossly of the holy Ghost, or to deny GOD, or to doubt of the Trinity; or to be moved to murder, adultery, ⟨p. 49⟩or such like: in which temptations he feeleth Gods spirit to cheek him for them, so as he knoweth not in this case what to do, for that on the one side he dares not listen willingly to these fearful and monstrous temptations; and on the other side, he feareth least in time by long, suit he might fall into them, or at the least for that he seeth not how to be delivered from them: I suppose these motions are not so much to be disputed with, as we by them are to be provoked to more instant and extraordinary zeal of prayer.
Concerning those sinnes whereunto we are tempted; as when a man is mooued to thinke blasphemously of God the father, o• to doubt wether there bee a Christ or no, or to imagine grosely of the holy Ghost, or to deny GOD, or to doubt of the Trinitie; or to be mooued to murther, aduouterie, ⟨p. 49⟩or such like: in which temptations hee feeleth Gods spirit to cheke him for them, so as he knoweth not in this case what to doe, for that on the one side he dares not listen willingly to these fearefull and monstrous temptations; and on the other side, he feareth least in time by long, sute he might fall into them, or at the least for that hee seeth not how to be deliuered from them: I suppose these motions are not so much to bee disputed with, as we by them are to be prouoked to more instant and extraordinary zeale of praier.
Surely these are dangerous temptations, and therefore are not to be kept close; which our nature will easily incline unto: but particularly are to be confessed of us. For the Devil will come sometime to thee, to keep thee still in a general acknowledging of sin, and urge thee on this manner; Surely thou must needs do this sin, thou seest thou canst have no ease, until thou hast consented, thou art ordained to it: the reason why thou art thus incessantly tempted, is because thou doest not thus take thy pleasure. Go too, deny God, believe not his word: it is but a policy to keep men in awe; Religion is no such matter as men make it. Thus for fear of yielding on the one hand, and for shame of disclosing the tentations on the