A10945:608
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.
1The last part of duty to our neighbour, is to acquaint our hearts with the thoughts and desires of his good: and to bring our selves to this custom and practise,2 that whatsoever in these five former precepts and fountains of neighbourly duty, we are commanded to perform to him, the same §Kby virtue of this, we oft wish, desire, and delight in, seeing our God will have it so, that thus the contrary lustings after that which is his, may (as the most unsavoury vomit) be cast up, and avoided of us. But this duty of desiring that our neighbour may prosper, which should be felt to dwell in us, as a daily guest,3 and which should rise up and lie down with us, and throughout our course accompany us, behold it is at this day, such a stranger to the ⟨p. 187⟩§Amost, even who go for good Christians,4 that it is almost buried amongst men, save that God of his goodness hath some few, who keep it in remembrance, that the rest may know,5 that such practise he looketh for of all his servants. For though it be written in the book of God, never to be raced out by the Serpents subtlety, yet except some lively pattern of it may be seen in mens lives, the practise of it, as of many other excellent truths beside, do grow into unaccustomedness, even as the manifest and clear path, being not usually trodden, is soon covered with weeds and grass.
1The last part of dutie to our neighbour, is to acquaint our hearts with the thoughts and desires of his good: and to bring our selues to this custome and practise,2 that whatsoeuer in these fiue former precepts and fountaines of neighbourly dutie, we are commaunded to performe to him, the same