A17410:504
The rules of a holy life. Or A treatise containing the holy order of…
The rules of a holy life. Or A treatise containing the holy order of our lives, prescribed in the Scripture concerning our carriage: towards God, towards men, towards our selves. With general rules of preparation, that concern either the helps, or the manner of a holy conversation. By N. Bifield preacher of Gods Word at Isleworth in Middlesex.The rules of a holy life. Or A treatise containing the holy order of our liues, prescribed in the Scripture concerning our carriage: towards God, towards men, towards our selues. With generall rules of preparation, that concerne either the helps, or the maner of a holy conuersation. By N. Bifield preacher of Gods Word at Isleworth in Middlesex.
London: printed by George for Ralph Rounthwaite, 1619
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
5. Mercy1 is amiable even in the eyes of wicked men: and merciful Christians, that are full of good works, do bring a great deal of honour to Religion: It is true Religion, and undefiled, to visit the fatherless, and widows, and to be unspotted of the world: A conversation, that is unrebukeable, and full of ⟨p. 256⟩mercy also, cannot but be very honourable: whereas Religion it self, when it is seated in the breasts of such Christians, as have forgotten to show mercy, and do not study how to be doing good to others, is exceedingly darkened in the glory of it, and many times extremely ill spoken of: A true Christian should hold it a great disparagement, that any Papist, or carnal man in the world (in equal comparison) should put them down, for either the tenderness, or the abundance of works of mercy, ⟨p. 257⟩1. Pet. 2. 12. Math. 15. Jam. 3. 25.
5. Mercy1 is amiable euen in the eies of wicked men: and mercifull Christians, that are full of good workes, doe bring a great deale of honour to Religion: It is true Religion, and vndefiled, to visite the fatherlesse, and widowes, and to be vnspotted of the world: A conuersation, that is vnrebukeable, and full of ⟨p. 256⟩mercy also, cannot but be very honorable: whereas Religion it selfe, when it is seated in the brests of such Christians, as haue forgotten to shew mercy, and do not study how to be doing good to others, is exceedingly darkened in the glory of it, and many times extremely ill spoken of: A true Christian should hold it a great disparagement, that any Papist, or carnall man in the world (in equall comparison) should put them downe, for either the tendernesse, or the aboundance of workes of mercy, ⟨p. 257⟩