A10945:1814
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.
But when all this is said, me thinks I hear divers to object thus: We doubt nothing of the trueth of all this, but that there have been such mentioned in the Scriptures: but what is that to us? where are they in this our age who may be brought forth for such examples? I say, if the men could not easily be found, yet that hindereth not the doctrine to be true: but further I say as the trueth saith, Jos. 1.5. As God hath done to others, so he will do to us; and his goodness is not abated towards us, more then it was in the ages past: yea rather,1 we have more near acquaintance with the will and mind of God, then §Hmany of them who are highly commended in the Scriptures; and in this latter age,2 God hath visited his people in a most gracious manner, bestowing his gifts and pouring out the graces of his spirit upon them abundantly. All which laid together, what can be gathered less then this, that when his children hear by the preaching of his word,3 all things under the sun to be transitory, vain and soon flitting away, and themselves also with them daily drawing unto an end, riches uncertain, beauty deceitful, health ever changing, friends always dying, &c. but that he causeth them to believe it, and therefore not to rest upon them?4 So when they hear, that they may not use them as they list, (no not the lawfullest of their liberties, as possessions, recreations,§I friends, time, &c.) that is, to pride, wantonness, idleness, excess, the wronging and hurting of others, but as helps to themselves and many others unto godliness; they are glad to hear their shepherds voice, and they know it and believe it and follow it, using these lawful benefits of God accordingly: I say, when they know by Gods word, how they may use them which sometime they did not know, and that God giveth such grace to his, (and causeth the same to be published and preached) whereby they may be able to use all these outward blessings of God to their right ends, and so, as they become not baits and snares unto them; they rejoice and believe the same with thankful hearts, and so are made able to do the same, using their