A10945:394
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.
So that they having thorough custom long lien in them, they cannot so easily and readily cast them off, though they see the shame and vanity of them. Their labour therefore (of their minds, I mean) is in great part, this: to keep themselves from being taken up of them, seeing good meditations §Eare hindered, yea, and estranged hereby; sometime prevailing, sometime prevailed against, whereby their sorrow is the more: but they do not all this while, see the happiness of this their combat, which seemeth their greatest misery. Because it is certain,1 that for their great good they are holden under of their infirmities, even that they may be the more humble, when they see themselves so unperfect, and corrupt, who yet had dreamed sometime before, that they were void of that corruption (though the more was their ignorance) ⟨p. 120⟩a long time before: and their short mourning shall bring after deliverance §Ffrom that bondage, great measure and continuance of rejoicing: whereas if they were not held down after this manner, they should forget what they were in times past, when they lived under the power of darkness and the bondage of sin. By this which I have said, it may appear how the minds of these are occupied, and that this second age and growth in Christianity, is a striving rather, betwixt fear and hope, sorrow and joy, then a superiority over the unruly affections: and an estate standing in need of counsel and help, rather then fitted and experienced to counsel, direct and settle others. But the more sure they be of their salvation, the more expert they shall be in the battle.
So that they hauing thorough custome long lien in them, they cannot so easilie and readilie cast them off, though they see the shame and vanitie of them. Their labour therefore (of their mindes, I meane) is in great part, this: to keepe themselues from being taken vp of them, seeing good meditations §Eare hindered, yea, and estranged hereby; sometime preuailing, sometime preuailed against, whereby their sorrow is the more: but they doe not all this while, see the happines of this their combate, which seemeth their greatest miserie. Because it is certaine,