A10945:1382
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.
To this end remember, how Judah going forth about a lawful and honest thing, namely: to see his sheepshearers, intending no evil;1 yet because he went not armed, he defiled himself by the way with an harlot. To the like end many more examples may be brought. And hereof it is (to illustrate that which I say, by an instance or example) that sometime such as have lived in malice with their adversary, do (upon better consideration) purpose §Eto agree with him, and pray, that they may no longer bear hatred: but even then (a thing worthy to be marked) the manifold injuries, unkindnesses and indignities are so amplified by the devil, which their corrupt heart also liketh full well to aggravate, that they rather depart after their prayer with triumphing over their adversary, then over their sin; and being strongly incensed against him, they be very slaves to their sin. So have many Christians of good hope, oft times by themselves reasoned & debated in their harts, ⟨p. 382⟩how they have been haled and drawn to unclean desires, till they have §Fbeen checked for their sin, misliked it, and accused themselves for it, &c. and yet at the same time, (so covertly Satan worketh) or at the least soon after, have either set forward and revived such unruly desires, or (which is worse) have nourished them and so run further. So I may say of all other iniquities that which I have said of these, that while they purpose alone by themselves to think how shameful and odious their sin is: yet for want of good experience and due consideration, they suspecting no such danger as the devil intendeth against them, he sendeth them away many times either as ill armed to resist it as they were before; or else so handleth the matter, that they grow to a further liking and entertaining of it.
To this end remember, how Iuda going foorth about a lawfull and honest thing, namely: to see his sheepeshearers, intending no euill;1 yet because he went not armed, he defiled himselfe by the way with an harlot. To the like end many more examples may be brought. And hereof it is (to illustrate that which I say, by an instance or example) that sometime such as haue liued in malice with their aduersarie, do (vpon better consideration) purpose