John Shower on lamenting the sensual lives of Reformed Christians

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Reformed Covenanter

Cancelled Commissioner
... The distressed case of our Brethren cannot but move our Bowels of Compassion, when we read or hear from time to time the Relation of the barbarous Proceedings of their Persecutors. But the sensual wicked Lives of professedly Reformed Christians, is certainly a more dreadful object to be considered, and ought so to be regarded by us, as the Consequences of it are much more to be feared, than of the fiercest Persecution by open and avowed Enemies. For the Church of Christ never lost either Truth or Holiness that way; it hath rather been a considerable outward Means, for the preservation and increase of Both. Though this cannot be said, but the direct Contrary, concerning Protestants persecuting one another for lesser Differences.

The sad Effects of it have been seen and felt to that degree, in weakening the common truly Christian Interest among us, that now, if ever, there is a louder Call than ordinary to Forbearance, and Forgiveness, and Unity of Affection; that our Divisions, with a revengeful, persecuting Spirit, may not prove our Ruin. ...

For more, see John Shower on lamenting the sensual lives of Reformed Christians.
 
In reading the Puritans as above I wonder about the italics. Did the authors write those words or phrases in italics, or underline them or emphasize them in some way? It seems common in Puritan literature and I have always wondered.
 
In reading the Puritans as above I wonder about the italics. Did the authors write those words or phrases in italics, or underline them or emphasize them in some way? It seems common in Puritan literature and I have always wondered.

Maybe it was their equivalent of being like THE ANGRY PEOPLE ON TWITTER WHO WRITE EVERYTHING IN CAPITAL LETTERS!!!!!!!!!!
 
In my experience in a period MS the words are underlined to indicate an author wanted to emphasis a word in the italic face. Quotes, words here and there, but not heavy usage. However, an awful lot of discretion was in the hands of the printer on formatting, and in the seventeenth century the italic face is heavily used for a lot more than we do now such as proper names (Adam, Moses, etc.). Most of this has to be stripped out of new modern editions of the puritans (speaking from experience).
In reading the Puritans as above I wonder about the italics. Did the authors write those words or phrases in italics, or underline them or emphasize them in some way? It seems common in Puritan literature and I have always wondered.
 
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