A10945:229
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 to end this in few words, let such as have true hope in God, though weakly, moderate their heaviness, that they may offend as few as they may: and they that find fault with them for that, let them know, that they ought rather to pity and pray for them, and interpret all in the best manner, and look that their own mirth and cheerfulness be well warranted them, or else it were far better for them to have §Ipart in the others heaviness. And for answer to this, thus much.
But to end this in few words, let such as haue true hope in God, though weakely, moderate their heauines, that they may offend as few as they may: and they that finde fault with them for that, let them know, that they ought rather to pitie and pray for them, and interpret all in the best manner, and looke that their owne mirth and cheerefulnes be well warranted them, or else it were farre better for them to haue §Ipart in the others heauines. And for answere to this, thus much.
1But to go forward; as the due consideration of the greatness, and persuasion of the certainty of his benefits, will raise this joy in the heart of him that possesseth it: so likewise it will cause him to marvel with reverence, to see his state so changed; himself to be brought from so low a depth of extreme misery, to so high a degree of honour and glory: and so to be enriched by this favour of God, that he shall oft fear on the sudden, least it should not be so, wondering at the greatness of the same: as Judas the good Apostle did, who considering the great kindness of Christ, brake forth into these words:2 Lord, what is the cause, that thou wilt reveal thy self to us, and not §Kto the world? Yea, and the woman of Samaria, which had long lien in blindness and superstition, and in the fruits of both, that is, in cavilling and mocking; yet when our Saviour had overcome her evil with good, and converted her, her heart was so set on the benefit which she received by him, that she forgot her water-pot (which in her, who savoured before only of the earth, was a great matter) and went, admiring at her own change, to tell her