A10945:1300
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.
1But to say no more of this first point: the next and the nighest degree hereunto, that may be, is; that many walk loosely and carelessly in their calling, and are slothful and negligent in the performance of the duties thereof (whereas they should faithfully and diligently be taken up in their honest §Iand lawful vocation:) which coming either of the ignorance of their duty, or of a mind too much given to seek carnal liberty, or of both; cannot be without dangerous discommodities. For what should the multitude of Christians do through the whole year, if they should not every one walk and be daily occupied in some certain estate, some at home, some abroad, and therein have trial of their faith, patience, and obedience? not that they might thereby wax worldly minded and the further from God, but get encouragement to serve him better as shall be said afterwards. For God in appointing but one Sabbath of all the seven days,2 hath sufficiently declared, that they cannot attend only to spiritual actions, as prayer, meditation, reading,§K and such like: and therefore hath for the most part of the week appointed them to show forth their knowledge and religious keeping of a good conscience, in being occupied about things of this life in their honest calling, wherein they may have work enough to be employed and taken up. Of the which matter as the Scripture speaketh many things to great purpose, so the Apostle chargeth every man to abide in that same vocation, 3wherein he was called: ⟨p. 355⟩§Aand commandeth them in the name of our Lord Jesus, 4to withdraw themselves from every brother that walketh without labouring, that so he might be ashamed. And that one place of Solomon is worthy our consideration, to the persuading of us to faithfulness and diligence in our calling, and to loath sloth and idleness, where he saith: The sluggard lusteth, but his soul hath nothing: