A10945:1626
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.
The second remedy is: not only that we hurt them not,1 but also that we do them good. Which is to be understood of all with whom we have to do. Even as that Scripture teacheth, confirming this rule: namely, That we should owe nothing to any, but this, That we love them.2 And this reacheth (and is of us to be performed) to four sorts of men: (1) to Princes: (2) to teachers: (3) our own families: and (4) to others, our poor neighbours and brethren: to all which, we owe a several duty not to be neglected. For brevity sake to our Christian Prince we owe tribute and other duty by our goods,3 as §Bwe see it to be required of us both in peace and war. About which I say no more but this, that as all drawing back and unwillingness to perform duties necessarily imposed, is evil: so this is not a small blemish, when such as go for good Christians, do commonly contend and raise strife about their payments, and do not rather proportionably discharge the same with willingness. The next is,4 to the upholding and maintaining of the Ministry and the Gospel preached: which due, they who being able, are not ready to discharge, but draw their necks out of the collar: besides that, they show they are neither friends nor favourers of that holy ordinance of God; so they prove, and that too truly, that they reap small benefit by the §Cpreaching of the glad tidings of it.5 So that even the poor who are able to give nothing, are in no better case, if they be not in affection and good example with the best and forwardest, in token, that if they had ability, they would not be behind others in that duty.
The second remedie is: not onely that we hurt them not,1 but also that we do them good. Which is to be vnderstood of all with whom we haue to do. Euen as that Scripture teacheth, confirming this rule: namely, That we should owe nothing to any, but this, That we loue them.