A10945:16
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.
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.
What be the privileges and high favours of God Almighty, wherewith he hath preferred this age, and in special our nation above all before us, since the days of the holy Apostles, needeth more meditation to move our selves to thankfulness, than proof to convince our adversaries, who though they should gainsay it, shall gnash their teeth and pine away in grief to behold it. Among all (I may say with the Prophet and the Apostle) this is chief, that God hath so clearly showed his word to Jacob, his statutes and his judgements to Israel; and hath committed to us his holy oracles: Wherein I mean not only that we have the Gospel so publicly and plentifully preached, which (though great) is common to us with many: but withal, that in some admirable manner, God hath revealed his secrets unto us, such as we know no Church upon the earth, in which the true sense of the Scriptures and sound doctrine thereof, are more sincerely embraced and professed. Yea with what store of rare and excellent lights the Lord hath furnished this our Church, he is blind that seeth not, and malicious that will not acknowledge it: wherein though generally it falleth out by humane frailty and Satan's subtlety, that there is more light of judgement, then integrity of conscience; yet herein God hath not left himself without witness of many worthy Christians both Preachers and professors of the truth, who lively express the form of holy doctrine into which they are cast, such as upon my uttermost peril I dare profess, the devoutest Papist neither hath nor possibly (in that profession) can attain unto, lacking true faith the right mother and nurse of a godly life. And herein to give one instance in steed of many, take and examine strictly this one work, and if it breathe not out more sound godliness in one leaf, then all their artificial composed treatises of Resolution (which in their estimation are chief in this argument of a godly life) let me bear my deserved blame. I leave the life of the writer of that Popish book to such as seem upon better knowledge to have set out the same. And for the Author of this Treatise, I may not in modesty say what I know, but could and do desire that his life were so known to all, to whom his writing shall come, as it is to such, who have heard the doctrine and seen the practise hereof in himself these well near thirty years.