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.

[ A]

CHAP. 7. Of a third let in this first kind, namely: The want of the ordina∣rie preaching of the word of God.

AND now to make an end of this first kind of lets, we are to know, that there is another want which Sathan laboureth to hold vs in, and the fittest of all other to [ B] bring on the two former: and that is, The want of an or∣dinarie and sound ministerie of the word of God, wher∣by the way to saluation and godlinesse is plainely and in good order, with loue and diligence taught so oft in the weeke, as the people can conueniently attend vpon the same. Which be∣ing the light of the world, and (as it were) the Sun that warmeth all the crea∣tures of the earth with his influence: so it can but warme and inlighten them who are within the sound of it, as the Sunne doth that part of the earth to the which he can spread his beames. And although many vpon whom this hea∣uenly light shineth, are not made fruitfull like a garden by the heate of the [ C] Sunne; but rather as a dunghill, to sauour worse: yet such as enioy not this grace of the Gospell at all, can be but as the shadowed places where no Sunne commeth, which bring foorth nothing, or else that which is soure and vnsa∣uourie.

God be blessed for those which are painefull labourers, but yet for the in∣finite thousands who know nothing, neither can know, I would that all which will be called the Lords Ministers, did diligently and faithfully pro∣phecie, and that the Lord would poure his spirit vpon them plentifully for that purpose. If Peter could say no lesse, but that it was meete, whiles he conti∣nued in this tabernacle, to put the people in remembrance of heauen and the way to it, yea though they were stablished in it alreadie no more to be remoued: [ D] who doubteth, but that it must needs be a sore want to be without that help? For ignorance is a great and vsuall impediment of sinceritie and good con∣science: for when the mind erreth or misconceiueth, it doth misleade the conscience and deceiueth the whole man. For where that is not, besides the thousands which perish for want of it, euen the godly (if any be there) can∣not see their wants in grace, their corruptions of heart, and the many occasi∣ons by which they offend in their life; neither the depth of Gods loue, how he hath taken order to draw them out of all these; nor be refreshed with the oft remembrance of these things, as their need requireth.

But this is a large field to walke in, and not of me in this place to be long [ E] taryed in: but yet I will not cease to pray and hope for that which is wanting, as to be highly thankefull for that which we haue, namely: that the Lord of the haruest would thrust foorth labourers into the haruest, and establish the libertie of the Gospell preached by authoritie, and continue to vs the glori∣ous light and sweet and deepe insight into the will of God thereby, which we haue attained, and many moe might also haue done the same, vnder her Highnes most prosperous raigne and long peace: for whome many thankes

be giuen to God amongst vs. [ F]

Now seeing by the wanting of this sound ministerie ordinarily inioyed, euen the most of Gods beloued do want the greatest part of their best priui∣ledges, or full weakly inioy them, let all welwillers to Sion procure this as much as in them lieth, both by their feruent prayers and other Christian endeuours; and let such as desire to be more free from Sathans snares, prouide whiles they may, to be partakers of this benefit. As for such as inioy it, and price it not aboue all that they haue, or euer can inioy in this world, but esteeme it as a thing which they set litle by, yea and could want it well enough, I will say no more to them but this: Many shall come from other pla∣ces to seeke comfort there, both from East, West, North and South, and shall sit [ G] downe with Abraham, Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen, and they them∣selues shall be cast out into vtter darknesse, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth: and that of Amos: Behold, the dayes come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst of water, but for hea∣ring of the word of the Lord. And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the North euen vnto the East shall they runne to and fro to seeke the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.

They who should weigh, how the Diuell hath laboured in all nations and throughout all generatiōs to hinder the passage of the Gospell, (as, if that one booke of the Acts of the Apostles onely were perused, doth appeare in [ H] that time) might easily be perswaded, that the preaching and establishing of it, is a singular and rare treasure (howsoeuer blind men can iudge of no co∣lours:) and therefore that the want of it is none of the small lets, whereby Christians are hindered, if possibly many might be perswaded of it.

For how should a poore Christian rise vp when he is fallen by any occa∣sion, or come into the way againe when he is strayed out: or how shall he be strengthened being weake, or be comforted in his heauinesse; if he haue not this at hand ordinarily, to bring tidings of Gods will to him, and euery way to supplie his many wants: euen as if the trumpet sound not, who can pre∣pare himselfe to the battell? Therefore it is, that there are such maine blockes [ I] layd in the way of Gods seruants, that either they cannot inioy this blessing any long time, or in any good sort and manner, to build them vp and direct them euerie way as is meete; or if they haue all this, yet they shall hinder themselues and one another.

For it is to be lamented, to see how few can rightly vse such liberties and make their profite of them while they inioy them: as to draw out of their teachers, vnderstanding, and humbly pray and labour for spiri∣tuall wisedome whereby they may haue the right vse of their knowledge in euerie particular action: and in the spirit of meeknesse to helpe build vp one another, and to be lights to the ignorant by giuing good example; [ K] but worldly minded, or contentious, or passing their time vainely and pro∣phanely. And if this complaint may iustly be made where the Gospell is pure∣ly and plainely preached (as who doth not see that it may?) then what need many words to proue what hauocke there is of goodnesse, where the word of God is not in place to rebuke the euill and vphold the contrarie? no lesse, (doubtlesse) then as if haile-stones in the haruest season, which battereth and

[ A] and beateth downe the corne: no lesse (I say) doth the Diuell with his bad instruments make a spoile of religious and christian life. So that it is apparent how sore an impediment the want of sound, familiar and diligent preaching of Gods word is; Salomon including many hurts and dangers in one word, saying: Where that is wanting, the people perish.

The same I say of other helpes to the building vp of a godly life, which I haue spoken of in another place, that if we suffer our selues to be hindred by the Diuell from the daily & reuerent vse of them, he shall sufficiently preuaile in holding vs backe, that we shall not flourish as plants in the Lords orchard: I meane if we do not consecrate our selues to God, pray and meditate daily as [ B] I haue directed before to do, if we delight not in reading, or take not the be∣nefit of christian exhortation and conference, watching ouer one another, and prouoking to loue and good workes, and to take good by examples of one another: and if we be not more humbled by our chastisements, and our hearts more inlarged to serue God by his daily benefits: but trifle out our pretious time after the manner of men of the world, finding no such sa∣uour in any of these as we do in earthly delights, namely, eating, drinking, sleeping, playing and dealings about our profits; the Diuell hath what he seeketh at our hands, and keepeth vs farre enough off from our best portion. Finally, the want of our whole armour, or any part of it, whereby we defend [ C] our selues from euill on euerie side, this (though all the other were present) should sensibly appeare to be wanting, for the daungers and fals which we shold sustaine for want of the same. The remedy against the wāt of the word preached, is to relieue our selues with it, where we may with most cōueniēcy inioy it: but rather that we sue eanestly to liue vnder it: which would be more generally granted of God, if it were (as a benefit which cannot be wan∣ted) sought for & desired. But whether of both so euer be, let vs so partake it, that we may feel our selues sēsibly (as by good diet) refreshed, & grow in grace & in the knowledge of our sauiour Iesus Christ: for which end it is among vs.

The remedy of all the other wants, seeing it is a faithfull practising of the [ D] daily direction, of the which I haue spoken largely alreadie, or any other such: therfore it is sufficient to shew the Reader; that all these wants the Diuell will hinder him by, to the end that he may hold him back from the practise of the godly life, and consequently from the sweete fruite which he might inioy thereby. The which I speake to this end, that he may be on the other side more incouraged resolutely to giue ouer himselfe thereunto daily: seeing thereby all these euils and perils of this life so vnwelcome and so much fea∣red, may be in great part auoided.

If any obiect, that these first kinds of lets (though not so particularly) are set downe before, and the remedies, as here they are, and therefore that this is [ E] superfluous: let such know, that I therfore set these downe particularly, to let thē see that a well ordered course is a remedie for and against all diseases: and therefore I mention the manifold lets in this Treatise, which come in the way to hinder it, that they may see the better to set themselues against them, and not to thinke their labour lost, which they are moued to bestow in ac∣quainting and exercising themselues throughly in the practise of Christian direction from day to day, as it is drawne from Gods word. And thus much

of the first kind of lets, whereby the Diuell hindreth vs through wants in [ F] good things; he taking occasion from the corruption of our nature, whereby we are prone to euill and vnapt to good, to strengthen sinne in vs.

Now I haue shewed how the Diuell troubleth many weake Christians by the wants before mentioned, here I thinke not amisse, to shew how some are troubled by feare of their owne wants without cause. For experience tea∣cheth, what deadly heauinesse he raiseth vp in the hearts of many of Gods deare children by occasion of their wants in grace. And among the manifold hurts which he bringeth by meanes thereof to many weake Christians, this one is not to be omitted: what grieuous and sore discouragements he op∣presseth many tender consciences with, while they espie some gfts of God [ G] in other, which they thinke be not in themselues; though they seeke aboue all things to please God, as hauing had some sweet feeling of his fauour through faith. These (I say) when they consider and deeply weigh their owne empti∣nesse of grace and barrennesse, their manifold infirmities also which they beare about them; the Diuell abuseth their weaknesse to an heauie and vn∣comfortable sorow, which is also as vnprofitable to them.

In which state he driueth them to find out in themselues many disorders and fals, sundrie out-strayings from their Christian course, and how they cannot preuaile ouer their corruptions; and so maketh the innocent soules, not onely to thinke that they be farre worse then they are, but also troubleth [ H] and disquieteth them beyond measure: insomuch that they haue bitter sobs, and make sore complaints against themselues; in the meane while forgetting (through vnthankfulnesse) Gods manifold kindnesses towards them, and what cause of reioycing rather, and thanksgiuing they haue offered vnto them. And in this case he keepeth some of them many yeares together, per∣swading themselues that none are so bad as they, nor such hypocrites, &c. when yet the things whereof they do most accuse themselues, are meere in∣firmities, and not any grosse or palpable trespasses. This description of them (that I say no more of them) who seeth not how apparently it bewraieth the Diuels malice and subtiltie in hindring, yea snaring them (as I may say) in [ I] such sort, as they cannot wind out any way? when yet (as hath bene sayd) there are no sincerer-hearted Christians then they, nor who seeke the Lord more hartily, for that measure of knowledge & experience which they haue.

Now if they are blessed who feare and who are troubled for some wants in grace, who is so blind that he seeth not, that euen by this which is their sorow, and in their owne account euen their miserie: yet by this (I say) they proue themselues to be blessed and happie? The speciall remedie for these is godly boldnesse, to consider what God hath done for them in giuing them such hungring hearts after good things: which could not be, except they had tasted of those sweete graces alreadie, and had some part or portion of [ K] the same. They must be perswaded to more heartie thankfulnesse to God, and see this their humilitie, meeknesse, loue of God and desire of heauenly things, to be iust causes hereof. Their vnkindnesse to God they do well to ac∣knowledge, and that is an especiall grace of God in them; and that they find in their nature, rebellion against goodnesse: but yet, not so, that they shew themselues more vnkind by not confessing that they haue much cause to

[ A] reioyce, from him.

And therefore let them beleeue, that their estate is rather to be highly ac∣counted of, (euen as it is) seeing the thirstie (as dry sponges) drinke vp much grace, and the humble shall find rest to their soules; then that for some wants of grace they should cast downe themselues halfe desperately, as though God regarded them not, when yet their estate is the estate of all Gods chil∣dren: among whom, euen the best haue many wants of grace, and know but in part, nor beleeue but in part, although they haue through experience lear∣ned better then the other to sustaine the same. For where faith is in Gods promises (without which they cannot heartily loue heauenly things) they [ B] must know that they haue a liberall portion, and therefore ought to lift vp their hearts out of their deadly dumps: and as these and such like directions do counsell them, let them grow forward, but without discouragement; yea though their measure be small, and they in their owne iudgement be the backwardest of others.

Of small beginnings come great proceedings; of one little sparckle, a mightie flame; and the talle Okes were sometime but small akornes: he hath well begun, who hath in truth begun; and he hath much, who feeleth that he wanteth much: and he who in an humble and a meeke spirite hun∣greth after knowledge and grace, hath made good proceeding towards the [ C] attaining of both, and shall in time be satisfied therewith. This I speake to incourage those, whom Sathan abuseth by occasion of some wants of good things in them: when in the meane while (if they knew so much) there is no cause; but contrariwise, of reioycing. Thus much of the first kind of lets.

Notes

• The third speci∣all let, arising from vvant.
• 2. Tim. 4.1.2
• Note.
• Num. 11.29. 2. Pet. 1.12.13 Beleeuers must be daily put in mind of hea∣uenly things.
• Mat. 9.38.
• VVhat they want, who vvant that.
• Mat. 8.11. & 12.
• Amos 8.11. & 12.
• Prou. 29.18.
• The not vsing the daily helpes to godlinesse, is a great want that much hin∣d••reth a Chri∣stian.
• Heb. 10.24.
• Mat. 24.38.
• The vvant of daily keeping on the armor, is a great want.
• 1▪ Pet 2.2. & 2. Pet 3.17.
• Prou 23.23.
• Obiection.
• Ansvver.
• Many vveake ones troubled with feare of their owne vvants, vvith∣out cause.
• Some are long troubled in this manner.
• Prou. 28.14. Mat. 5.3.
• Remedies: Godly boldnes.
• Thankfulnesse.
• There is great cause of reioy∣cing in that, for which they are heauy.
• VVeake begin∣nings in grace being sound, promise great increase.