A10945:286
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.
1But to let these go, as too gross, I would wish such to weigh these Scriptures aright; who will take no nay but that they belong to Gods election, when yet their goodness is as the morning dew, soon vanishing and blown away; or as a cake half baken. Let them see how well this becometh them, to be sometime forward, sometime backward: in some things, zealous, and yielding to the will of God: in othersome, sinning against their own knowledge: and when they be straying from duty, to make no haste to it again; §Kneither to see that any thing is amiss in them: nay to be put in mind, and reproved, though never so justly, and kindly, they cannot bear it. It must in no ways be denied them, that they believe, and are sure to be saved: but where is the spirit which S. Paul speaketh of, in those which know themselves saved?2 which, as an husband, ruleth and beareth sway, which commandeth holy and heavenly motions and affections into the heart, not suffering poisoned, ⟨p. 77⟩§Aand earthly corruptions to defile the same? where is that authority and government over the members of the mind and body, as over a wife, that they may be well ordered? where are the trains and companies of all sorts of good fruits, as their children? and comely ornaments also, & beautiful to adorn and set out their lives? when a professor of the Gospel shall not be able to deny, that his heart is corrupt, by fretting, raging, and unquietness for every small trifle, and yet not once trembling for it, nor saying,3 what have I done? or else loose, vain, and foolish by other occasions, and all this without repentance. Where is his testimony, that his heart is a good treasury, and nursery of good things? when his tongue shall be walking, not only §Bunnecessarily, and idly, but in unsavoury and offensive speech, in foolish jesting, taunting, railing, mocking, lying, swearing, slandering, currish and churlish speaking; how are the powers and members of the body in subjection, as a wife unto the power of Christ, which ruleth as an husband, in the heart of Gods beloved ones? where is those mens religion, which S.