A10945:213
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 here I must further require, that such as, to whom God giveth any work of his spirit, and whose hearts he seasoneth with good affections and desires through the Gospel, so as they sensibly feel themselves to look after eternal life, that they would cherish, and make much of these holy sparks of grace kindled within them: and whiles they be warm in them, to blow them up every while, with the bellows of fervent prayer, and to inflame them by acquaintance, company, and conference with such, as in §Hwhom they see God hath wrought the same things before them; and in greater measure, then in themselves: always highly reverencing Gods gifts in them,1 that they may the sooner come by them: and that the things which they see but dimly, they may behold more clearly, and their doubts may be resolved to them, and they may find comfortable encouragement to go forward.2 But especially, they must give attendance daily and diligently to the doctrine of faith and godliness, where they may enjoy that soundly preached unto them: assuring themselves that if they find not that the one thing above all things, chief and necessary, they love it not, as Mary did, Luk. 10.42. and then they shall not have their part in it. But otherwise they may know,§I that God, who doth show himself kind and loving to such as seek him not, (as it is written,3 I was found of them that sought me not) will not hide himself from them which do seek him; seeing he findeth all in their filth, when he calleth them to repentance, even the best. And finally, they must wait upon him, desiring him in his good time (notwithstanding their unworthiness) to draw them by his secret grace unto him. But this shall suffice to have bin said of them who think themselves Christians and are not, but do lie: and of them who have left their first love of the Gospel and of their brethren, which sometime (as it seemed) they had. Which two being of the forwardest sorts of professors, who go for true believers, and yet being none indeed, do §K