A10945:1514
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
Treatise 5 › Chapter 4: Of Sathans hindering the continuance of faith.
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.
CHAP. 4.§G Of Satan's hindering the continuance of faith.
CHAP. 4.§G Of Sathans hindering the continuance of faith.
AND thus I pass to another of his sly and malicious practises, beside tempting of us to utter unbelief and presumption. For if he prevail against us neither of both these ways, but that we set our selves as we have been taught, to uphold and prop up our weak faith daily; yet he doth most strongly assault us, watching all opportunities thereto, that we may not be rooted and stablished therein;1 that after much labour and many prayers we shall be doubting from §Htime to time, and held back from daily nourishing and preserving the continuance of that heavenly gift, that we should not live by it, nor grow more sound and experienced in it, after we have once obtained it of God: which caused the Apostles to pray thus, though Christ was conversant with them: Lord increase our faith. And although we be commanded never to cast away our confidence, nor to come to prayer or any other duty at any time without this our faith; but as oft as we pray in the day to be able to call God Father, and not to be unarmed of that whiles we be in this warfare:2 yet because it is the preserver of our life and peace, and that whereby all the benefits of Christ are conveyed unto us throughout our life, therefore doth he hold the most §Iof them which have enjoyed it and felt the sweetness of it, from possessing it daily.3 And he maketh that as harsh and strange to many even of Gods servants to hear, That the righteous live by faith; and when they have buried and lost the power and operation of it, that their life is no life to be accounted of: even as it is strange to the most of the unbelievers, to hear, That we must draw near to God with the assurance of faith at any time or at all.