A10945:1464
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.
1O Lord God most mighty and merciful through Jesus Christ, let that §Kmind be in me which is in thy faithful people, and with the which thou delightest to be sought unto, sound and without hypocrisy, humble, meek, teachable to every good thing, fitly and readily disposed unto every good work: let me be framed this morning to the liking of the Christian course, as I have learned it out of thy word, and have tried that it is the only happy estate which here can be enjoyed. And with this mind let me ⟨p. 405⟩§Aenter into my meditation, thanksgiving, confession of sins and prayer. For whom have I in heaven (ô Lord) but thee? or whom do I desire on earth in comparison of thee? who doest whatsoever it pleaseth thee, and hast all creatures even the Devils subject to thee: who, as thou hast filled the whole earth with thy goodness; so particularly thy mercies are wonderful to me, and that my soul knoweth right well. And as in thy favour is life and happiness: so thou as one abounding in love and compassion, hast counselled, yea and commanded us for our own good to seek it, that we might be happy by it. And yet, lest we should be deceived with the delusions and baits of this world and set our delight on them, thou soundest this alarm in our ears §Bdaily, that all things in this world are transitory, vain and soon flitting away, and we our selves with them daily drawing unto our end. Thou hast caused this to be published in our hearing, that all flesh is grass, and the glory and beauty of it, as the flower of the field that fadeth: and that all things below the more they have been delighted in, the more deeply they shall sting and vex us when they forsake us. And lest we should judge and hope of our estate after the deceitful dreams of our own brain, as we are most easily inclined to do, thou hast lively set out our whole shape as in a glass, to be full of misery and cursedness, if we have not yet attained to know that we are thy sons and daughters, & that our names are written in the book of life. §CThese all and such like while I meditate upon, as also, that thou wouldest have us every day make our salvation more sure, & to be persuaded of thine unchangeable love; I wonder at them, and most of all to consider thine inestimable and unutterable kindness in them all.