A10945:75
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 1 › Chapter 2: Of mans misery.Treatise 1 › Chapter 2: Of mans miserie.
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 if this had been all the harm that mankind by the malice of the §Cdevil sustained, it had been little in respect of that which fell upon him. For behold, besides the loss of his felicity, he was plunged into extreme misery and desolation, which consisteth of these two branches,1 that he doth always, and in all things offend God, being able to do nothing but that which displeaseth him, as having his heart always and only evil. And secondly, that he in all this is odious to God, and most justly accursed of him.2 Mans sin is not only that transgression of Adam in most unnatural and treacherous rebellion, and disobedience, whereof he is most justly guilty with Adam, and hath his part (as being to stand or fall with him) but another which riseth out of this, even that infection of all the powers and members §Dboth of the soul and body. Which as poison put into a cup of wine doth make it deadly, dispersing it self into the same: in like manner this corruption or concupiscence, which by the first sin of Adam is spread over his posterity, doth poison his whole nature:3 so that no sound part is found in him from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot. And from hence it is that the understanding, even the excellentest power of the mind,4 is filled with blindness and darkness, and savoureth not the things which are of God. The conscience is wounded, seared, or defiled some other way,5 and never soundly peaceable. The memory forgetting good things wholly, or remembering neither good or evil aright, and as it ought, as experience forceth the §Ebest to complain. The will is captive and of no strength to do good,6 neither wanteth ability to that which is evil. And thereafter is he carried of his affections, as a chariot on her wheels, only to that which displeaseth God. What should I say more? For who can choose but bewail and lament such a distressed and woeful estate of the soul of man, which sometimes having been framed after the image of God, in true holiness and righteousness, is now both empty of that grace, and filled with all filthiness of sin and