A10945:340
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 I have not yet spoken of the worst sort of all, who hear this doctrine:1 For they hate them who teach it, most deadly: they rail on them and disgrace both them and it; and if they can, bring them into danger for teaching of it: although their pretence shall be another thing. Yea doubtless (I say more) if by her Majesties gracious authority and protection we did it not, (which more prevaileth with them then the authority of God, from whom and in whose name we teach it) their poisoned and malicious stomachs would suffer none to walk peaceably, who plainly and soundly publish it. These therefore are far from overcoming themselves: and yet whiles many sorts in the world are thus far off (as I have showed) from victory §Bgetting over their wicked hearts, and consequently their lives;2 in the mean while the servants of God, who know what the Lord hath done for their souls, renounce all inordinate desires, and wicked actions: that they have afterward no more fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, howsoever they were sometime chief doers in committing of them. So that as the true repentant people of Judah, who had before offended God by Idolatry, when they were brought captives into Babylon, loathed the sight of false gods: and as the good people, who repented by Ezra his preaching,3 did put away their strange wives, how dear soever they had been unto them: and as Ephraim was heard complaining thus; I am ashamed and blush, 4that now I bear the reproaches §Cof my youth; so loathsome and wearisome it was unto her: So are they who have felt the salvation of God, at utter defiance with the corruption of the world. And yet if this were done but for a time, or for company,5 or by constraint, and for fear, or any such like corrupt end, it were not worth the speaking of: for it is to be seen that after these sorts, iniquity is left of many: which kind of renouncing evil is little to their rejoicing, and shall be to their reproach, when it shall appear in how evil manner they have gone about it. I will not digress, but this I must say: we have had too much experience in our parts, and (I doubt not) so have others, of sundry persons, who once accounted their teachers burning lights, and for a season they received and rejoiced in