A10945:325
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.
Now I having showed that the heart, and consequently the whole man must necessarily be changed and purged, before good life can come from it;1 and wherein this change consisteth; and how it is wrought: I will return to this last point, from which a little I digressed, that by faith in Christs promises, §Band by spiritual union with him this change is wrought. To this end (as I said) S. Peter doth plainly lay forth this truth unto us, that the heart is purged by faith, when he saith: By the precious promises which we have from God, 2(and they are made ours by faith) we are made partakers of the divine nature, or the graces of the holy Ghost, by whose heavenly power, we are able to fly the corruption, and naughtiness both of our hearts and lives, which is the principal let of our obeying God. And therefore that corruption being subdued in us by a stronger power then it self, we have liberty to goodness; whereas before we were in bondage: And not only so, but the nature and qualities of our harts being changed, we are no more they, who we were before; but are led contrary §Cto our former course. The which selfsame thing, though not in the same words, S. Paul by a most apt similitude setteth down, saying:3 When we were in the flesh, the affections of sin which were by the law, had force in our members, to bring forth fruit unto death: but now we are delivered from the law (he being dead of whom we were holden down) to serve in the newness of spirit, not in the oldness of the letter. Here he describing the first estate of life, wherein all live, devilish, and unrenewed, and setting as contrary to it the regenerate and happy estate of Gods children after they be changed, maketh this comparison: That as our corrupt hearts like an husband stirred up evil desires in us, having the powers both of mind and body as the wife at commandment, and both §Dthese together brought forth all sorts of evil works to our destruction: so the spirit, that is, the power of Christ being given us, stirring up holy affections in us, is as an husband, and hath the powers both of mind and body (as the wife) at commandment, and both these together bring forth all sorts of good works (as children) to our salvation. Whereby it is manifest, that although there be nothing in us, as of ourselves to do the will of God, and to bring forth fruits of amendment;