A10945:561
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.
And this of the duties which we owe to the person of our neighbour:1 to the which, if we add this, that we be careful to maintain our own reverence and credit among men, by a course beseeming our holy profession, we shall do well. Now we are to see what God enjoineth us towards their life. To name the duties only, and barely to mention them, doth little good to the most that shall read them, either for understanding or practising of them: and to stand long I may not, the least that can be said of the particular duties §Cin every commandment (though brevity be studied for) is more then I meant to be occupied about: the wise reader must have consideration thereof. The duties to their lives are many:2 and those both to the bodily life, and the spiritual. From whence we must fetch for our daily practise, all that we are bound to perform, about this part of duty. And to the preserving of bodily life, health and welfare in our neighbour, as much as lieth in us, it is required at our hands: first, that he sustain no hurt by us,3 or any of ours, as far as we can hinder it, in stripe, wound, bitter taunt, or hard handling any other way, either he or his, whereby his life might be made unpleasant, while he liveth harmless amongst us: nay though he should overshoot §Dhimself towards us, and provoke us; yet God will have us armed against such offences, by that mildness of spirit, which changeth our boisterous nature into sweet amiableness (verifying that which is written by the Prophet, the lamb and the lion shall feed together, Isaiah. 11.6.) whereby we are made able, and fit to live even with bad persons: Which mildness teacheth us, to bear much and suffer far, rather then to be angry in our own cause;4 which how weighty soever it seemeth to us, is no better then folly and madness: therefore not to desire revenge at their hands, but to wish still their good.