A09466:89
A treatise tending unto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of…A treatise tending vnto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of…
A treatise tending unto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of damnation or in the estate of grace and if he be in the first, how he may in time come out of it: if in the second, how he may discern it, and persevere in the same to the end. The points that are handled are set down in the page following.A treatise tending vnto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of damnation or in the estate of grace and if he be in the first, how he may in time come out of it: if in the second, how he maie discerne it, and perseuere in the same to the end. The points that are handled are set downe in the page following.
London: printed by R. Robinson for T. Gubbin, 1590
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.
The reason of this Apostasy is evident. oSeed, that is not deeply rooted in the earth, at the beginning of the year, springeth up; it is green and bringeth forth leaves and flowers, and (it may be) some kind of fruit too: when the heat of summer cometh, it parcheth the earth, and the corn wanting deep rooting, and therefore wanting moisture, withereth away. Gods word is like seed; which that it may bring forth fruit unto everlasting life, it must be first received of the ground: secondly, it must be rooted: the receiving of it, is when it pierceth to the heart, and the affections take hold of it. This rooting is of two sorts: the first is, when the word rooteth, but not with the residue of the affections. The second, is a deep and a lively kind of rooting of the word, when the word is received into ⟨p. 24⟩the mind and into the heart. The first kind of rooting of the word, befalleth to a reprobate, who understandeth, and rejoiceth in the promises of salvation, yet he doth not put any confidence in them: he cannot rest in them, he doth not rejoice that his name is written in the book of life, he doth not work out his salvation with fear & trembling. In a word, his heart is in part softened to rejoice at the preaching of the word of God: pyet his heart is not opened, as Lydias was: nor enlarged (as David saith) to embrace the trueth: but the elect, he receiveth the word. not only into his mind, least it should be only an imagination, but also it is deeply rooted in his heart. For
The reason of this Apostasie is euident. oSeede, that is not deepely rooted in the earth, at the beginning of the yeare, springeth vp; it is green and bringeth forth leaues and flowers, and (it may bee) some kinde of fruit too: when the heate of sommer commeth, it parcheth the earth, and the corne wanting deepe rooting, and therefore wanting moisture, withereth away. Gods word is like seede; which that it may bring forth fruit vnto euerlasting life, it must bee first receiued of the ground: secondly, it must be rooted: the receiuing of it, is when it pearceth to the heart, and the affections take holde of it. This rooting is of two sorts: the first is, when the word rooteth, but not with the residue of the affections. The second, is a deepe and a liuely kind of rooting of the word, when the word is receiued into