A09466:9
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.
To the right Worshipful and my Christian friend Master Valentine Knightly Esquire, one of her Majesties Justices of Peace in Northampton-shire.
To the right Worshipfull and my Christian friend Maister Valentine Knightlie Esquire, one of her Maiesties Iustices of Peace in Northampton-shire.
SIR, I pray you consider with me an especial point of Gods word carefully to be weighed: it is this. aMany professors of Christ, in the day of grace, persuade them selves that they are in the estate of grace; and ⟨image 3⟩so the true Church esteemeth of them too: yet when the day of grace is past, they contrariwise shall find themselves to be in the estate of damnation remediless. A doleful case, yet a most resolute trueth, and the reason is plain. Men that live in the Church are greatly annoyed with a fearful security and deadness of hart, by which it comes to pass that they think it enough to make a common protestation of the faith; not once in all their life times, examining themselves whether they be in the estate of grace before the eternal God or not. bAnd indeed it is a grace peculiar to the man Elect to try himself whether he be in the estate of grace or not.
SIR, I pray you consider with mee an especial point of Gods word carefullie to be waied: it is this. aManie professors of Christ, in the day of grace, perswade them selues that they are in the estate of grace; and ⟨image 3⟩so the true Church esteemeth of thē too: yet when the day of grace is past, they contrariwise shall find themselues to bee in the estate of damnation remedilesse. A dolefull case, yet a most resolute trueth, and the reason is playne. Men that liue in the Church are greatly annoyed with a fearefull securitie and deadnes of hart, by which it comes to passe that they thinke it inough to make a common protestatiō of the faith; not once in al their life times, examining themselues whether they be in the estate of grace before the eternall God or not.