A10945:367
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.
1Again, they are so unruly, that if God giveth them the bridle, and follow them with abundance of his outward benefits, they have no delight in them, except they abuse them most excessively in eating, and drinking, not to live thereby, but to surfeit, to be pampered so as they be fit for no good thing: in play from one kind to another,2 counting it pleasure to live deliciously for a season: in costliness of apparel, and curious trimming up of their carcasses, not mindful of the necessities of others, howsoever their superfluity would help to apparel many which go naked. How do they please themselves, and imagine that others do admire them for the same? yea and for all this, oftentimes §K(that I say nothing of them which run in debt for it) wringing and polling others, for the maintenance of it; joying beyond measure in their children, though little caring for their good education: which is the very pride of life so manifestly condemned.3 Upon these, and such like, their hearts are set in their plenty,4 and contrarily fretting, murmuring, and vexing their hearts, when they fall into necessity: although they hear that a good name is ⟨p. 109⟩§Abetter than gold; yet they will follow their appetite so grossly, until the fruit of it causeth them to lose credit, and good name, as if it were nothing worth. What should I say of their priding in their wit, wealth, beauty, strength, wisdom, and other gifts? when they are, who knoweth not what, if it were but by this description, and when as also they know not how long they shall enjoy them: they account of to morrow what they will do, 5and cannot tell what may fall out to day. Their lightness, unsettledness,6 and wilful frowardness for every thing that doth displease them; their vain, idle, and deceitful desires of things, which become not the gravity of such as are borne to a better life; their deadly pangs of sullenness, when nothing will please them; with