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…

And if they do desire to keep and hold their faith from day to day, till ⟨p. 65⟩§Athey see that it is past the danger of losing, let them daily account it their chiefest happiness, which they have in this life, even their preciousest treasure and best portion: which if they do, their heart will be ever upon it;¹ their fear will be usually, least they should lose it; they will think it most necessary to regard, and look to it, whatsoever they have besides it, worth the looking after: Even as the husbandman will more especially regard his cattle, and corn, being his chief substance,^{2 3}then his pullen which is smaller and of lesser value. And otherwise every small occasion will hinder them from nourishing and looking to it: and every trifle and fond desire of their own, will carry them after it, and cause their hearts to be taken up with it: §Band much more, their earnest business, and weighty affairs, for the which they think, that any exercises of religion ought by good right to be neglected, and to give place to them: for we are not ignorant of the devils enterprises;⁴ what swarms of evil lusts, and noisome delights, and other matters of like sort, he filleth mens heads withal, even such as he knoweth do like them best, that they may mind no better things: and even such especially as are in the way to know Gods great kindness towards them, that they may be,⁵ after some sort, put out of the way again. Therefore not only these, which are evil of themselves, must grow loathsome to them; but they must also be sober, and moderate themselves, even in their lawful liberties and dealings so, §Cas that one thing be thought needful of them, whatsoever they go about,⁶