A10945:461
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
Treatise 2 › Chapter 12: Of the keeping of the heart once purged, in it good plight afterward.
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 these and such like, will any say, outstrayings in them, till God by chastisements call them back again, that they be not the fruits of an ill ordered heart? even as I said before, it is the ill governing of the heart, that causeth such excrements to come from it, and such disguising of the person, in whom it breaketh out so offensively; the which therefore had need to be looked unto with all holy and religious care: which is the point now in hand. And although it be the exceeding favour of God,1 to correct such §Bfaults in his children, and to purge them out and amend them by some fatherly afflictions, rather then they should remain to the utter ruin of the persons: yet had it not been much better, that they should never have given occasion thereof? and that they had been careful to keep themselves within compass, as some other of their brethren do? Who though they be not (no not the best of others) exempt from the common frailties of Gods elect, yet do they so labour to espy, hinder, and hold their corruptions under, in secret sifting them, and suing unto God with groans and requests; that they break not forth openly to the just offence of others, at least rarely: so that it may be seen, they keep their hearts with all observation and diligence, more §Cthen the other do.
Now these and such like, will any say, outstrayings in them, till God by chastisements call them backe againe, that they be not the fruites of an ill ordered heart? euen as I said before, it is the ill gouerning of the heart, that causeth such excrements to come from it, and such disguising of the person, in whom it breaketh out so offensiuely; the which therefore had need to bee looked vnto with all holie and religious care: which is the point now in hand. And although it bee the exceeding fauour of God,1 to correct such §Bfaults in his children, and to purge them out and amend them by some fatherly afflictions, rather then they should remaine to the vtter ruine of the persons: yet had it not been much better, that they should neuer haue giuen occasion thereof? and that they had been carefull to keepe themselues within compasse, as some other of their brethren doe? Who though they be not (no not the best of others) exempt from the common frailties of Gods elect, yet doe they so labour to espie, hinder, and hold their corruptions vnder, in secret sifting them, and suing vnto God with groanes and requests; that they breake not foorth openly to the iust offence of others, at least rarely: so that it may bee seene, they keepe their hearts with all obseruation and diligence, more