A10945:327
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 for this purpose, to make more full this matter, which I have entered into, which of the simple (I know) is hardly conceived; that no exception may be taken against it, consider what our Saviour saith: he compareth himself to a vine, and his beloved to branches of the same. To teach us,1 that as the branch beareth no fruit if it grow not in the vine, but being cut off, withereth: so if we be not knit to him by faith, we can bear no fruit. But as the branch abiding in the vine sucketh sap, and draweth juice from it, and is ⟨p. 94⟩fruitful: so all faithful, and true believers receive strength from him, and §Fgrace,2 by the which they crucify their own lusts, resist their corrupt will; and so bring forth fruit according to the will of God. For from him the whole body gathereth increase fit for it: who in manner of the soul, quickeneth all the members.3 And to this end, Christ wrought our salvation, and gave himself for our sins, to deliver us from this present evil world. And from him we have received a mind to know God: 4an heart to love him: a will to please him; and strength also in some sensible measure to obey him, as he saith: Know ye, that ye are dead to sin, that is, so made partakers of the virtue and power of Christ, that natural corruption hath lost her vigour, and force, to bring forth most bitter fruits:5 and also, that ye are alive to God, that is, have §Gstrength to live holily through Jesus Christ: which grace although it be not perfect, yet it is such, and that in the weakest believer, that there is apparent difference by it, from his former estate; and such as whereby a godly life is not irksome to us, as before, but sweet and pleasant.