A10945:774
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.
By this understand, what manner of exercise meditation is: Even such an exercise it is, which is required of thee from time to time (as may be convenient) through thy life, that by recording holy and divine things, especially those which may make thee sound in the matter of thy salvation, a little time (when thou mayest best) may be bestowed of thee to dry up thy fleshly and §Kbad humours of earthly mindedness and worldliness, &c. or to quicken thy dull heart, least after thy sleep in sin, the devil maketh thee forget thy former well ordrednes. And because I am too sure that few are acquainted with it, though it be an help most profitable to godliness, I will somewhat more at large speak of it, that the practise of it may be more common: and that they which use it with the other helps, may much more cheerfully go ⟨p. 237⟩§Athrough their course.1 How necessary this heavenly exercise and recourse to God is, may easily be conceived, for that the hearts even of good Christians are so seasoned with unsavoury thoughts, desires, and delights of folly, vanity, and much other naughtiness (seeing the best are changed and reformed but in part) that they think it utterly impossible to bring them to any better point; and therefore many by this error do not greatly go about it: yet if such noisome poisons be suffered to lurk and remain in them, we know, they do not only, as sour weeds choke the plants of grace in them, but also grow up, and bring forth most noisome and dangerous fruits, as by woeful experience men feel and try.
By this vnderstand, what manner of exercise meditation is: Euen such an exercise it is, which is required of thee from time to time (as may be conuenient) through thy life, that by recording holie and diuine things, especially those which may make thee sound in the matter of thy saluation, a little time (when thou maist best) may bee bestowed of thee to drie vp thy fleshly and §Kbad humours of earthly mindednes and worldlines, &c. or to quicken thy dull heart, least after thy sleepe in sinne, the diuell maketh thee forget thy former well ordrednes. And because I am too sure that few are acquainted with it, though it bee an helpe most profitable to godlines, I will somewhat more at large speake of it, that the practise of it may be more common: and that they which vse it with the other helps, may much more cheerefully go