A10945:1027
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.
1I Have showed how the forementioned three private helps, (watchfulness, meditation, and the Christian armour) are §Isingular furtherances of us to a godly life: Now I should pass to the next, that is, to the use of company by conference. But I must here stay a while, to lay forth the benefit of experience, which I had done in handling the doctrine of the Christian armour, seeing it belongeth to one part of it: but I could not conveniently speak of it there, but as I have done, briefly, least among all the parts of the armour, which I have described in a short manner, this which is but a branch of one of them, should have been discoursed of more largely, then all they together, which I did not think expedient. Now therefore of this our experience, as it shall be fit for the present purpose; namely,§K what an help it is, to confirm us in faith and obedience: which shall be proved, after that I have showed what it is, and how far it reacheth. Now it is a branch of that part of the armour,2 which is called the sword of the spirit, that is, the word of God: and that knowledge which we learn by proof and trial for the bettering of us. I call it a branch of it, seeing there is another besides it: and I say, it is the knowledge which we gather by proof, seeing ⟨p. 279⟩§Athe other is that which men get out of the letter of the Scripture only, and so have it but by rule. For by the word of God we learn both: and that such knowledge doth better us, shall appear afterwards.
1I Haue shewed how the forementioned three priuate helps, (watchfulnes, meditation, and the Christian armour) are §Isingular furtherances of vs to a godly life: Now I should passe to the next, that is, to the vse of companie by conference. But I must here stay a while, to lay foorth the benefit of experience, which I had done in handling the doctrine of the Christian armour, seeing it belongeth to one part of it: but I could not conueniently speake of it there, but as I haue done, briefly, least among all the parts of the armour, which I haue described in a short manner, this which is but a branch of one of them, should haue been discoursed of more largely, then all they together, which I did not thinke expedient. Now therfore of this our experience, as it shall be fit for the present purpose; namely,