A10945:189
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.
And first they must be persuaded, that they are not under the wrath of ⟨p. 41⟩§AGod; neither is his anger kindled against them, for all their fear that oppresseth them, when their estate is to their own feeling, even at the worst: because they have not sinned against the holy Ghost: which sin only is able to shut them out from hope of salvation; and yet many of them in their temptation do think that they have. And to prove that they have not committed that sin, it may appear by this: that they have not maliciously set themselves against the truth and Gospel of God: nor wilfully persecuted it against their conscience, but do embrace it heartily, and love the same, which they are not able to deny. But it is a mere delusion and temptation of the devil, which holdeth them in this terror and bondage: which time will discover, §Band lay open, as they themselves shall hereafter most plainly see and discern: which, many such as they are, in the like case have found in the end. And though it be a temptation of the enemy purposed of him to their confusion: yet from their loving and merciful father a trial of their faith, and patience, and other virtues. Indeed the ground hereof, is their own weakness (as I said before of the former sort of Gods Children) upon the which the devil worketh, although not to wring from them their hope (which he shall never be able to do:) yet to weary their lives with heaviness and discomfort.1 And this our infirmity Satan doth sometime assay without means, that is, only by spiritual suggestion: sometime by means and outward §Coccasions of evil, and forcible persuasions to sin and rebellion against God. For the first of these two, it is certain, that he after a personal manner to the soul, though not in bodily shape to the eye, without means of outward things, tempteth us, in the very secret thoughts of our hearts. For he, being a spirit (and by creation most excellent) hath access unto our spirits, to trouble them, and disorder all their actions: as we see corporal creatures with corporal and bodily force to annoy one another. And as he is a spirit, so the long experience (which he hath of our corruption, and misery from age to age) giveth him knowledge of our minds more perfectly, who gathereth it by the least sign of our inclination and will: