A10945:462
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.
And yet for all that hath been said, I deny not, but that the dearest children of God may possibly, nay easily, as we have seen, and are at sometime holden under this bondage by Satan's subtlety, some more then others:1 so that for a time they shall be more drowned in the love of earthly things, or be carried away by those which are sinful, then obtain a delight in heavenly. But by the spiritual armour of Christians, if they be once well exercised in it, they may and do thus far prevail, that they recover themselves again, and get superiority over their hearts, and find and feel that God is chief, and all in all with them, to delight and joy in him (as I do not see §Dwhy it should be otherwise with any such as have truly tasted how good the Lord is) and then they shall cut off numbers of such earthly and noisome pleasures, as they were wont to solace themselves with amiss, before they considered more advisedly of it. But will any gather, that I do make so light a matter of sin (whiles I thus speak) as though I thought, it might be shaken off as a burr hanging on our garment; which the holy Ghost saith,2 cleaveth fast to us, and is ever about us? For I know sin is raging, and the devil is strong as a lion in his suggestions and assaults, and hardly gainsaid, showing himself as an Angel of light, and we silly to discern, and weak to resist: yet this I must say, that the mighty Lion of the tribe of Judah is stronger, and §EChrist giveth wisdom to find out his subtleties:3 and greater is the spirit of God which is in us, if we confidently believe and trust thereto, then the sin which deceiveth and enticeth us to the same.
And yet for all that hath been said, I denie not, but that the dearest children of God may possiblie, nay easilie, as we haue seene, and are at sometime holden vnder this bondage by Sathans subtiltie, some more then others:1 so that for a time they shall be more drowned in the loue of earthly things, or be caried away by those which are sinfull, then obtaine a delight in heauenly. But by the spirituall armour of Christians, if they be once well exercised in it, they may and doe thus farre preuaile, that they recouer themselues againe, and get superioritie ouer their hearts, and finde and feele that God is chiefe, and all in all with them, to delight and ioy in him (as I doe not see