A10945:202
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.
Of the which argument, because much is written, and where the Gospel hath been preached (of some places I may speak of mine own knowledge) it hath been often handled, and largely, I think; I may say the less. Neither do I speak that, which I have said, about this matter, to discourage any: but partly to drive them from deceiving themselves, which love to stay themselves, they care not upon what rotten hold, and broken staff; partly to make the true testimonies of eternal life to be more preciously esteemed of those which have them: and such as are without them, to bestow more diligence in seeking of them. For the weakest faith findeth Christ Jesus no more to lose him, seeing he hath said, that he will not break a bruised reed, 1nor quench §Ethe smoking flax; and the most glorious shows of godliness, and boldest cracks, and most loud boasts of faith, where yet it is not indeed,2 shall all vanish away in the air, and come to nothing, not having any part in him: even as Sauls brags, that God had delivered David into his hands, when he was shut in the city, were frustrated to his own shame, 1. Sam. 23.14. & 24.5. The which, how true it is, may appear not only by some examples mentioned out of the Scripture, but also by the lives of sundry in the Country, ⟨p. 34⟩who have received the Gospel with joy, and been much cast down by the force §Fof the law: But as their humbling hath been a bowing of themselves for a short time, like a bulrush with the wind; so their joy hath been a sudden flash of fleeting mirth, not well grounded in them, and an enlightening of them with the general knowledge of salvation, rather then a sealing of the assurance of their own in their hearts for continuance.
Of the which argument, because much is written, and where the Gospell hath been preached (of some places I may speake of mine owne knowledge) it hath been often handled, and largely, I thinke; I may say the lesse. Neither doe I speake that, which I haue said, about this matter, to discourage any: but partly to driue them from deceiuing themselues, which loue to stay themselues, they care not vpon what rotten hold, and broken staffe; partly to make the true testimonies of eternall life to be more pretiously esteemed of those which haue them: and such as are without them, to bestowe more diligence in seeking of them. For the weakest faith findeth Christ Iesus no more to lose him, seeing he hath said, that he will not breake a brused reede,