A10945:579
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.
But I lament the estate of the poor,1 even as I do many thousands of others, to think how few of them are fit to hear this their duty with any hope to be the better for it: and what an universal blindness and security is §Bamongst them; seeing they are as far from the desire of true knowledge, as they are from possibility of obtaining it, yea though there be offered unto them a plain and easy manner of teaching them: which as it is at this day for the most part, in that estate to be seen, so it seemeth to have been usual among such long ago; that the poor lived for the most part without care of religion, as by Jeremiah his words doth appear. Who when he had, after inquiry, found, that there were few that sought the truth, he said:2 Surely they are poor; for they know not the law of the Lord: I will get me to the great men, for they have known the way of the Lord: but these have altogether broke the yoke, and burst the bonds. God move the hearts of them (in whom it lieth to redress §Cit) to pity the one and the other: and to have a greater care of their good (by providing that they may be taught the salvation, and happiness of Christians) then they (being yet ignorant) have care of themselves: Even to be means to bring light to some of them, who have long sate in darkness,3 and especially for the obtaining of the forgiveness of their sins, and the change of their lives.
But I lament the estate of the poore,1 euen as I doe many thousands of others, to thinke how few of them are fit to heare this their dutie with any hope to be the better for it: and what an vniuersall blindnes and securitie is §Bamongst them; seeing they are as farre from the desire of true knowledge, as they are from possibilitie of obtaining it, yea though there bee offered vnto them a plaine and easie manner of teaching them: which as it is at this day for the most part, in that estate to be seene, so it seemeth to haue been vsuall among such long agoe; that the poore liued for the most part without care of religion, as by Ieremy his words doth appeare. Who when he had, after inquirie, found, that there were few that sought the truth, he said: