A10945:1402
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.
It was the last temptation that the Devil attempted our Saviour withal (The glory and wealth of the world, I mean:) to teach us this, among many other things; That if the other two be overcome, yet the Devil looketh to prevail by this. What should I say of the innumerable hurts which even good men sustain by these benefits and good blessings of God, as that they hate one another, contend with and deceive one another, and make themselves strangers one to the other thereby: and (which is none of the least evils among other) their harts are so knit to them, that they consider not how they take in hand their worldly business, nor how they vex & trouble their poor brethren (if any fall into their hands;) but go to work against them cruelly, §Eor at least in rashness, with which nothing is well done. If we should but consider how they beat their brains about them every way, who are yet wealthy already, bestowing all their wisdom in devising how to increase and bring them in, when it were to be looked for,1 that the great riches [godliness] should be much more sought after: If, I say, we should consider this, we should enter into a very maze. By which, and many such like, it may with bitter complaint be lamented (of the which we have bin long admonished:) ⟨p. 388⟩that Religion in these many years of our peace, hath brought forth much §Fwealth to the Church, but the daughter hath devoured and eat up the mother.
It was the last temptation that the Diuell attempted our Sauiour withall (The glory and wealth of the world, I meane:) to teach vs this, among many other things; That if the other two be ouercome, yet the Diuell looketh to preuaile by this. What should I say of the innumerable hurts which euen good men sustaine by these benefits and good blessings of God, as that they hate one another, contend with and deceiue one another, and make themselues strangers one to the other thereby: and (which is none of the least euils among other) their harts are so knit to them, that they consider not how they take in hand their worldly busines, nor how they vexe & trouble their poore brethren (if any fall into their hands;) but go to worke against them cruelly, §E