A10945:415
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.
To the forementioned sort,1 if we shall adjoin three other kinds of bad ones, it shall easily appear that there are infinite persons living among good Christians, and of some so accounted of also, at least of themselves; who yet have not renounced open and apparent sins. The first of these three kinds, are the rude & common sort of people: and as ignorant for the most part, as they §Bare rude & barbarous. They fear no danger, and their own speeches do best bewray them: when they be reproved, their shift & answer is, that their hearts are as good as the best mens, though they cannot talk greatly of religion, nor make no such shows as many can: and as for their lives, they hope they serve God, as Christian people ought; and keep their Church, and have no acquaintance with any which hold false opinions, but have the good will of their neighbours, and if need were, could get the hands of many, for their honesty. Indeed, (they must needs say) they have such evil nature, that they cannot but be angry, when they have occasion offered them; and revile, and revenge when men provoke them: and that some are so evil, that §Cthey can never be in charity with them: and though there be hard agreeing betwixt them and their wives, yet it lasteth not long, though it be often: neither have they many times had their neighbours to set them together, they thank God: and they think the best couples jar sometimes. They give their servants and children liberty to do what they will, and to go where they list, on Sabbaths, and at some other days, as long as they will do their business: and if they hap to curse and ban, or swear,2 (they say) they were greatly urged to it: and though they do not like this singing of Psalms, and Prayers, and reading in their houses (for they think there is reason in all things) yet they love as well to hear their own man say service, (I speak in §Dtheir own phrase) and sometime to hear a good pulpit man too, as the best: They are no common gamesters, they say, but after they leave work, when they have any good company, such as they themselves be, and on the Sunday out of service time. The world being so hard as it is, they are fain (they say) to put away their bad ware for good, and to mix dross with corn, and to make a lie in commending of that which is evil, or else they cannot live: