A10945:424
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.
A fourth sort, and those divers from these now mentioned may be added,1 §Ewho, being sore stumbling blocks, and offences to many, deserve to be reproved with the former: ye shall know them by the description which I set down of them, by rehearsing their particular properties: who if they repent not, will in the end (though I hope better of some of them) prove no better then the rest. Among whom they are to be counted, who seeming to be of the forwarder sort, do yet offend dangerously, and suffer the same blemishes before men, to break forth in countenance, speech, behaviour (against ⟨p. 130⟩such as they mislike, though far better then themselves) which testify §Fthat their hearts are inwardly poisoned in the sight of God: who for their zeal that they have towards the worship of God, do think so well of themselves, that they cannot brook nor abide any other, who differ from them in judgement, about some things; though they have no clear ground in the word of God. And if they be at variance with any (how honest and godly soever) yet cannot afford them a Christian and friendly countenance, nor speak a word to them,2 without taunting, girding, rating or wounding them, and in their absence deface and defame them very uncharitably, for somewhat which they mislike in them: and yet oft times without any just cause at all. Yea, and some of them being themselves but private men (but put the §Gcase some of them be in the Ministry) and men unlearned, do make it a great piece of their religion,3 to censure sharply, and descant arrogantly of their betters and superiors: so that it is well known that many of them have turned utterly to become Schismatics, and others have not been far from them. Which kind of zealous professors, I do the more boldly reprove, because some have thought me a favourer of such: their readiness in receiving the Gospel I have well liked, and as I have been able, furthered it: but this arrogant, bold, and uncharitable spirit of theirs bringing forth such fruit, as I have mentioned (never taught them in any sound Ministry) I utterly mislike, and have done from time to time, since I had any judgement.