A10945:408
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.
As for examples, they are many and clear,1 which set this truth plainly before our eyes. When Joseph saw that he could no otherwise keep favour with his mistress, & hold still many other liberties, which in his place he did enjoy, unless he would defile his body, & give over himself to her whorish demand: because he was a godly man, he would never consent;2 although he brought upon himself thereby, utter displeasure, and for ought he could see, perpetual misery: How can I (said he) do this great wickedness, and sin against God? Moses being a very man of God, refused, when he might have enjoyed it, to be called and counted the son of Pharaohs daughter an idolater,3 and chose rather to lead an hard life with the people of God in the wilderness, §Bthen to live in sinful pleasures for a season.4 Zaccheus one of the chief toll-gatherers, an infamous man counted by the very multitude (in so much that they thought hardly of it, that our Saviour Christ would go into the house of so bad a man) yet when Christ had converted him, whilst he abode that day with him, and for proof thereof, had pronounced of him openly, that he was that same day made the son of Abraham, who at his entering in unto him, was a manifest oppressor, and poller of the people, what did he? A thing seldom seen in such as have their hearts nailed to their goods, and have their whole delight taken up in them: He revenged himself upon his covetous, and miser like mind, and his greedy devouring of other mens §Cgoods: and as sweet as they had been to him in times past, yet to show how this sin was in account with him, he giveth half of them to the poor: and made restitution with the rest fourfold, to such as he had wronged.
As for examples, they are many and cleere,1 which set this truth plainely before our eyes. When Ioseph saw that he could no otherwise keepe fauour with his mistresse, & hold still many other liberties, which in his place he did inioy, vnles he would defile his body, & giue ouer himselfe to her whoorish demaund: because he was a godly man, he would neuer consent;