A10945:1558
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.
If weariness of, at least wise, little pleasure taking in the public ministry,1 neglect of private conference and of exhorting and edifying one another, untowardness to good works and shaking off love to the brethren, embracing the world and the entertaining of ill companionship, with hart-burning against the Preachers for telling them the truth, whom sometime they loved and reverenced highly; and if the making of no conscience of open sins, where secret and small ones could not sometimes have been abidden: if (I say) these and such like in men, where the contrary have been, be signs that the first love is cooled and sore decayed; there are enough, who give just cause of complaining.
If wearinesse of, at least wise, litle pleasure taking in the publike ministerie,1 neglect of priuate conference and of exhorting and edifying one another, vntowardnesse to good workes and shaking off loue to the brethren, imbracing the world and the entertaining of ill companionship, with hart-burning against the Preachers for telling them the truth, whom sometime they loued and reuerenced highly; and if the making of no conscience of open sinnes, where secret and small ones could not sometimes haue bene abidden: if (I say) these and such like in men, where the contrarie haue bene, be signes that the first loue is cooled and sore decayed; there are enough, who giue iust cause of complaining.
- 1Signs, or effects thereof.Signes, or effects thereof.
Even these (I say) are sufficiently convicted, to have left their first love, who are thus eclipsed and darkened as I have said. For how can others be drawn by their examples, when they see them not to hold out the profession of their hope with joyfulness as they were wont? Nay, how can they choose but be more backward in religion and discouraged by the same? Indeed I confess, it requireth the whole man to be taken up and employed in this work, that God may be served of us with such cheerfulness and readiness as he was at the beginning: but what then? Can we for all that deny, that we ought to be employed with all possible care therein? And what day cometh over our heads, wherein God giveth us not encouragement hereunto? For