A10945:175
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 1 › Chapter 7: What desire breeds faith.Treatise 1 › Chapter 7: What desire breedes 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.
And so must faith and assurance of eternal life be valued indeed,1 of him who shall find the blessing of it: for which cause S. Peter calleth it precious faith. Now who can esteem thus of it, as that it is better then all profit, pleasure and preferment, but he must needs think, all his praying for it, hearing the word which worketh it, his questioning about it, and his travail and labour in meditating of the promises, whereby the spirit of God writeth it in §Dthe heart: but he (I say) must needs think all his pains well bestowed in seeking it, yea and infinitely recompensed, though he hath long waited the Lords leisure for the enjoying of it? Al which means another man thinketh very needless, and that it is mere folly to make all this ado to come by it; and yet he will say it is better then the world also: but he can content himself (when he hath heard the promise) without any setting of his desire in it, to wash away all with a word of course, that he hopeth to be saved by Jesus Christ, as well as other: Which slight esteeming of it, is too clear a token,2 how far he is from it. Now who seeth not the difference betwixt these two, to be this, that the one is led by the spirit of God, whereby the father of heaven §Edoth reveal this secret mystery of faith to him, and doth wonderfully draw his heart unto it: the other is led by fleshly reason, as his guide: which is the greatest enemy to this work? For our reason thinketh it unnecessary to set more by that which we cannot see with carnal eyes, then by that which we have in present possession, and see it, handle it, enjoy, and use it: therefore no man doing thus, is led by the spirit of God, which assureth him, who is led by it, that God having promised glory greater then the world (though he ⟨p. 36⟩seeth it not) he shall find no less, then is promised: therefore he setteth more §Fby it, then by all things here before his eyes.
And so must faith and assurance of eternall life be valued indeed,