A10945:118
Seven treatises containing such direction as is gathered out of the Holy Scriptures, leading…Seuen treatises containing such direction as is gathered out of the Holie Scriptures, leading…
Seven treatises containing such direction as is gathered out of the Holy Scriptures, leading and guiding to true happiness, both in this life, and in the life to come: and may be called the practise of Christianity. Profitable for all such as heartily desire the same: in the which, more particularly true Christians may learn how to lead a godly and comfortable life every day. Penned by Richard Rogers, preacher of the word of God at Wethersfield in Essex.Seuen treatises containing such direction as is gathered out of the Holie Scriptures, leading and guiding to true happines, both in this life, and in the life to come: and may be called the practise of Christianitie. Profitable for all such as heartily desire the same: in the which, more particularly true Christians may learne how to leade a godly and comfortable life euery day. Penned by Richard Rogers, preacher of the word of God at Wethersfield in Essex.
London: printed by Felix Kyngston for Thomas Man, 1603
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 sixth work: they forsake all for it, and highly prize it.
The sixt worke: they forsake all for it, and highly prize it.
But what then? (some perhaps will say) do you affirm that these things can do a man any good without faith? (for of this nothing hath yet bin said) and do you affirm a man to be justified (for such an one is he who is in favour with God) having no faith? or that any thing is accepted of God which he doth (as his desire to be forgiven, his hungering after it, his humiliation, access to God in prayer and confession of sins) all these being without faith? or if not so, do ye then say that we our selves must thus prepare our selves to receive faith? but that is to attribute free will unto man being yet in the estate of misery and bondage, and unrenewed, as being yet §Bwithout faith. To the first I say, that although none of these be faith, yet I say, that they are not without it, as I will more fully show afterward: neither that God is pleased with any man, neither he himself is justified, but only by it: but we cannot discern or set down the very moment when faith is wrought: but when the other forenamed graces of God are effectually wrought in the heart, then is this of faith wrought also by the same spirit: neither can he that hath received this faith into his heart, so certainly and easily judge of it, as of those other gifts which accompany it. To the latter objection, I answer, that I am far from ascribing to man unrenewed, any inherent goodness, whereby he may prepare himself to receive faith: he is, §CI say, destitute of all goodness in his will, and of power to do good: such graces are given him of God, as was said before. For God findeth all men in their filthiness and gore blood, as the Prophet Ezekiel speaketh:1 and she whom he vouchsafeth to make his beloved spouse (I mean his Church) he raiseth out of the dust, washeth and cleanseth her from her filthiness wherein he found her, and then taketh her to him to delight in, as his dear and only spouse. It is the Lord therefore which is the author,