A10945:301
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.
1And for the benefit of many good souls, I will say that which hath been acknowledged unto me, by sundry well approved christians, when I have in conference set down plainly to them the point which now I write of: ⟨p. 83⟩§Anamely, how necessary it is to believe in general, whatsoever other promises or precepts in the word of God, as well as the promises of salvation by Christ. Oh, have many said, if we could have helped up our selves, out of distrust, fear, and uncomfortable dumps, by applying the promises of God concerning grace necessary for us, outward deliverance from dangers, and good success in our lawful dealings of this life; we might with much ease and peace have stayed up our selves, when for want thereof, we were sore plunged, and almost fainted: and with half the toil which we used for it, we might have upholden our selves in hope & with comfort. For many hours, yea and sometime days, we have beat our brains and reasoned to and fro §Bwith heavy hearts, how to wade thorough some afflictions, and how to be contented with some accidents which were like to fall out and come to pass: and this we did, because we missed of the right way of trusting to Gods providence, that he would turn all to the best: without which resolution, who can quietly rest in any uncertainties here below? So effectual and good a mean it is, to be led by faith, and to have it as a daily companion with us. By which we having persuasion of the greatest benefit of all other, namely Christ: we might the more easily have assured our selves (we see now) of any smaller, whether any trouble, to have a good issue out of it; or any good thing (as it should have been expedient for us) to enjoy it. And we may say §Ctruly, we know nothing to have been the cause of so much and so long unprofitableness and heaviness these many years, as this: that we have not been rooted and grounded in faith, as we have had a care to please God. For we being subtly undermined by Satan to hold in this error of unbelief (although we see manifestly that the seed of faith was in us) it was the cause why in all other good things we went forward the more slightly. So that we see great cause to season our hearts with believing throughout our whole life, whatsoever labour it cost us. To this purpose was the speech of those Christians.