A10945:1381
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.
Finally, for the use of solitariness in renouncing things unlawful,1 thou art to beware, if at any time when thou art alone thou enterest into the consideration of the manifold sins which reign in the world, and some of them such as do sometime much snare and take hold of thee, that thou be not secretly §Ballured and drawn to like of some of them, whiles thou goest about to refrain and wane thy self from them by musing on them.2 For the devil can change himself into an Angel of light, and cause that to seem the greatest pleasure unto thee, which is rank poison; nay, (which is more) when thou goest about to disgrace it to thy self, even then to be brought to like and be snared with it.3 And as Saint Paul hath given charge to Timothy, and in him to all true ministers of the Gospel, that when they should execute this one part of their ministry, namely, to exhort young women, (which was a good thing) they should beware they mixed it not with evil, by unchaste thoughts arising in their hearts; and therefore he saith, §CExhort the younger women with all pureness and chaste minds: so I say, in thy solitary musings of thy sins (which is also a good thing) let the like regard be had: that is to say, that whiles thou intendest to grow further out of love with them, the devil tickle thee not with new desire of them, or some other. For thou art blind through thine own self-love and corruption: but especially when the devil goeth about any such matter, he will blindfold thee more strongly, that thou shalt see that which liketh thee, in sin;4 but not that which will slay thee: and the strength of thine affections, being set on fire by a deep impression of that which they like, will more forcibly hale thee forward, then a bare weak desire to avoid the sin, shall be able to §Dhold thee back. And if thou believest not this, thou hast (I dare warrant thee) found it so already; and howsoever thou thinkest that thou hatest sin, thou shalt be drawn unto it again, until thou perceivest that thou art wounded, unless (which is worse) thou be hardened.