A10945:1472
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.
and that I may be willing to see where I have failed, that I may the better know what badness doth still remain in me;1 that so I may have just occasion to humble my self and confess my sin to thee, and may make an end of all breaches, not lying down in any of them unrepented. Let me count this no burden nor toil to do it, (as the most of the world do, who thereby provide so many after-reckonings for themselves, that they cannot answer one among a thousand of them.) And by all my weaknesses, neglects of duty and out-strayings let me not be discouraged to leave off this daily looking to my ways, but to increase my care rather. §EAnd wherein so ever I shall see and find, that I have obtained grace in any good sort to be guided by the direction which thy word setteth before me, there I may be joyful and thankful that thou makest any part of my duty easy to me, which I know to have been far otherwise. And thus let me have good proof, that in all the carriage of my self and in every part of my life I am a stranger on earth, as my forefathers were; and lie down in peace at night, even as this morning, through thy goodness, I appear before thy ⟨p. 410⟩Majesty. And for the nourishing and preserving of this Christian liberty in §Fme, and that I may walk after this direction carefully, let my prayers be oft (as I may be able to offer them) and earnestly continued this day, and watchfulness adjoined thereto, as thou hast taught me: that although this manner of living be not regarded in the world, yet I having obtained of thy Majesty to make it my delight, and knowing the incredible gain that cometh by it, I may be resolute and throughly persuaded to make it my practise, not only this day, but every day hereafter wheresoever I shall become, or in what estate and condition soever I shall be. That by the faithful continuance of this Christian course, I may see my profiting daily in the denying of my self and little esteeming of this world, and so have good testimony that I §Glive by faith: and that when I shall be grey-headed, and wax old, I may have mine old age blessed unto me, and not full of tediousness and weariness, idleness and unprofitableness, waywardness, frowardness and such like annoyances, whiles I acquaint my self now with the renouncing and forsaking my will in these and such like: