A10945:1684
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.
Another proof, that this our complaint is just, is:1 that we have not so grown in grace and in the fruits of godliness, that we have been hereby amiable in the eyes of God and of his good servants, neither have we taken up §Cour delight in labouring after them: as for example, In our afflictions and trials we have not felt our selves contented, that the Lord should exercise us as it hath been seen good to him: we have not overcome impatience in them, much less rejoiced in bearing them, Act. 5.41. We have not taken occasion by Gods blessings, of liberty, peace, health, fellowship one with another, prosperity & such like, to be more fruitful and cheerful in doing all good duties, as occasion hath been offered: lowliness, meekness, kind-hartednesse, faithfulness to men, sincerity to God in the good things which we have done, have oft and much been wanting: very sparie and niggardly we are in prayer, meditation, trial of our selves, and labouring to know sin §Dbetter, and confessing against our selves that which we know: soon weary of well doing, yet not grieved at it; unwearied in things needless. We so hardly and slightly see the necessity of practise of many duties and precepts, which by doctrine are commended unto us, that we rest in that which hath been, and coldly arise up to any new or further proceeding. Our crucifying of our selves to the world, that we might be content to be despised and of little account in it; or our crucifying of the world unto our selves, that it might not blear our eyes with the vanity and deceivable enticements and baits of it, hath been very faintly gone about of us: our experience in marking the course of Gods dealings towards us, in comforting us after well doing, in letting us §Efeel that an hundred fold for the forsaking of any part of our will: also in this chastising of us for our security or other defaults, alas it is very small. So that neither may it be sufficient for us to encourage others to a godly life upon our own trial (it is so weak;) neither is it such, as ministereth any great wisdom or direction to our selves to hold on in a good course: and yet how frozen and faint our persuading and encouraging of others is, when we are not well settled our selves; it may be considered with grief enough to him