A10945:747
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.
1But they must go about it, to purpose and set their mind and delight upon it, if they desire to be the better by it. They must be content in this behalf, to be dealt with as children, whom we will not suffer to handle, much less to play with knives: and as people distracted are kept in from water for fear of hurting themselves; so must Christians abstain, as the Apostle saith, and by all means wean themselves from that which their hearts would naturally most desire,2 even their evil lusts which fight against their souls to destroy §Ithem. They may not be so bold as to venture into any company, without respect, nor to fall into any talk which liketh them, nor to give themselves any liberty in their desires; the prophet saith, he behaved himself as one weaned from his mothers breast. And as experienced Christians cannot but remember how they lay open to danger and offences by all occasions, before they became watchful, and since do see, what a benefit it is to them, and keepeth them in safety on every side: so they may easily know and be able to discern, how ill it goeth with all such as walk not accompanied with it: which by little and little must be gotten, especially, because it is one of the helps, yea and that of greatest use (as I further will show in the next treatise)§K which God hath commanded us to use for our daily benefit.
1But they must goe about it, to purpose and set their minde and delight vpon it, if they desire to be the better by it. They must be content in this behalfe, to be dealt with as children, whom we will not suffer to handle, much lesse to play with kniues: and as people distracted are kept in from water for feare of hurting themselues; so must Christians abstaine, as the Apostle saith, and by all meanes weane themselues from that which their hearts would naturally most desire,2 euen their euill lusts which fight against their soules to destroy §Ithem. They may not be so bold as to venture into any companie, without respect, nor to fall into any talke which liketh them, nor to giue themselues any libertie in their desires; the prophet saith, he behaued himselfe as one weaned from his mothers breast. And as experienced Christians cannot but remember how they lay open to danger and offences by all occasions, before they became watchfull, and since doe see, what a benefit it is to them, and keepeth them in safetie on euery side: so they may easily know and bee able to discerne, how ill it goeth with all such as walke not accompanied with it: which by little and little must be gotten, especially, because it is one of the helps, yea and that of greatest vse (as I further will shew in the next treatise)