A10945:32
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.
And partly also I was moved hereunto by this reason,1 that the Papists cast in our teeth, that we have nothing set out for the certain and daily direction of a Christian, when yet they have published (they say) many treatises of that argument. For answer to the first point of this objection, they cannot deny (but that they care not what they say, to bring the people out of love with our religion) they cannot (I say) deny, that both in catechisms, sermons, and other treatises, there is set forth by us that which may clearly direct Christians, and stir up godly devotion in them, though all be not gathered together into one volume: for the second part concerning their treatises, I grant there are two which I have seen, ⟨image 7⟩set forth by them in our English tongue, the one called a Christian Directory, the other the Exercise of a Christian life, wherein the author doth, though both superstitiously and nothing properly, go about to teach and give direction for every day in the week; (the one bearing the name of Robert Parsons the King of Spain's confessor: the other by an Italian a Jesuit Doctor in Divinity, 2and translated into English by some favourite of Popery) the first is nothing less then a direction for a Christian though it be called a Directory, tending rather to persuade men to resolve with themselves to leave some gross evils, then to show them soundly how to attain pardon, or teaching how to live christianly: the other is a ridiculous tying men to a daily task of reading some part of the story of Christs passion, and saying certain prayers throughout the week every day a task; but indeed nothing less then directing, after the will of God, him who desires to lead a Christian life. Both of them I dare boldly affirm, being deceived themselves, do deceive others, especially the simple, who is not able to discern and try the lying spirit in them. The one, that is to say, Parsons, hath under a pretence of a holiness and devotion, set down sundry impediments to resolution:
And partly also I was moued hereunto by this reason,1 that the Papists cast in our teeth, that we haue nothing set out for the certaine and daily direction of a Christian, when yet they haue published (they say) many treatises of that argument. For answere to the first poynt of this obiection, they cannot deny (but that they care not what they say, to bring the people out of loue with our religion) they cannot (I say) deny, that both in catechismes, sermons, and other treatises, there is set forth by vs that which may cleerely direct Christians, and stir vp godly deuotion in them, though all be not gathered together into one volume: for the second part concerning their treatises, I graunt there are two which I haue seene,