A10945:1786
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.
Both which respects because they are worthy to be regarded always in this case, and for that an example very fit for this purpose cometh to my remembrance, I will in as few words as I can, lay forth the same. In the book of Ezra the priest,1 we read, that he and many of the people of the captivity after their return home, cast themselves down before the house of the §ILord, praying and confessing their sins with tears in abundance, and chiefly this sin, in that they had taken to themselves wives of strangers; which was a grievous breach of the Lords commandment. Zechania the son of Jehiel a godly man, answered and said unto Ezra: It is true; we have committed a most heinous and wilful offence, in joining our selves to strangers, and marrying wives out of them: but yet, that we cast not our selves into deadly despair,2 (as such a transgression of Gods law might easily carry us unto) let us know, that there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. Wherein, these two points I observe principally among many others:3 that as neither Ezra who had great knowledge in the law of God, nor Zechania, nor the people which §Kfeared God, durst in such an offence lightly and in a loose manner, heal up their breach of Gods commandment,4 although they knew that there was hope to be conceived of pardon; but saw cause to humble themselves before God in the confession of their sin, and prayed for the remission of it with tears, and made a firm covenant to put away their strange wives: so yet, when they sought unto God after this holy and hearty manner, then did they ⟨p. 517⟩§Aencourage one another to look for mercy and forgiveness, saying: There is hope?
Both which respects because they are woorthy to be regarded alwaies in this case, and for that an example very fit for this purpose commeth to my remembrance, I will in as few words as I can, lay foorth the same. In the booke of Ezra the priest,