A10945:1799
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.
For as he hath promised to bless the using of these helps, so he draweth our hearts to believe it that he will do so indeed,1 and thereby to look for the accomplishing of his promise even as certainly, as if it were already performed; as Joshua did in all the Lords battles which he fought for the people of Israel, when God had said of the whole land of Canaan: I have, or (which is all one in God) I will give it into thy hand; he believing that he would do so ⟨p. 521⟩§Aindeed, was encouraged thereby to fight for it, and to go against their enemies and make war with them, in an other manner of proceeding, either in cheerfulness or confidence, then they which came against him. And so (to say the same of the particulars) when the Lord said: I have given Jericho and Ai into thy hands, the king of Jerusalem with his band of other kings and their men of war, the king of Haser with all the kings and people that came with him, 2whose multitude was as the sand of the sea shore; what was his munition or armour, but his faith? wherein lay his strength but in this, that he believed, that the God of heaven and earth was stronger then all they; and that he which §Bhad promised, would also do the same although he was invisible? For the which cause, it is written in the scriptures,3 that by faith the walls of Jericho (a thing in reason most absurd) yet by faith, and not by battery or strength or policy, they fell down. The same I might (but for avoiding tediousness) say of many other; who believing, that God would bless the same means, which he commanded them to use, have with great courage interprised them:4 as Noah in making the ark, Abraham in offering to kill his son; who if they had not believed, that God would bless their endeavours and turn them to their great good, would never have attempted the same.
For as he hath promised to blesse the vsing of these helpes, so he draweth our hearts to beleeue it that he will doe so indeed,