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…

All which, though I direct not this work to the unreformed, may be in stead of an exhortation unto all loose and careless persons, (though more briefly, seeing there is enough written of that argument) to move them to rouse up themselves, and to awake out of their deadly sleep, and not to cast away their souls for the love of their sins, (which they may be sure that God will find out howsoever they hide them) but to seek betimes, that they be unburdened of them, cast them up as a most filthy gorge, and avoid the vengeance of Gods wrath which will otherwise most surely come upon them for it: For though sin be sweet in the committing of it, yet it will be bitter, when it comes to be repented of: and most bitter, when without repentance, it must be accounted for.

All which, though I direct not this worke to the vnreformed, may be in stead of an exhortation vnto all loose and careles persons, (though more briefly, seeing there is enough written of that argument) to moue them to rouse vp themselues, and to awake out of their deadly sleepe, and not to cast away their soules for the loue of their sinnes, (which they may be sure that God will finde out howsoeuer they hide them) but to seeke betimes, that they be vnburthened of them, cast them vp as a most filthie gorge, and auoide the vengeance of Gods wrath which wil otherwise most surely come vpon them for it: For though sinne be sweete in the committing of it, yet it will be bitter, when it comes to be repented of: and most bitter, when without repentance, it must be accounted for.

¹Now it remaineth to direct the reader how to bestow his time profitably ⟨image 9⟩herein, and how he may read it to his benefit. For I doubt nothing, but he that shall be conversant in it, desiring to be directed in his course, shall think his time well spent, so as he be helped to understand the same. First therefore let him read the contents of it briefly set down in the table before the book, to help his memory; then the marginal notes of the chapters. And if he conceive and understand the short sum of it so set down; then let him read the book it self, till he be acquainted with and understand it: wherein if his capacity be the weaker and shallower, he must desire the help of some which are more skilful (and better able to see the drift, scope and meaning of it) then himself, especially in such points of it, as are more hard and difficult, either to understand, or to practise. For although many shall have no need of this directing of them to read it with profit, because they can easily direct themselves when they once know the general parts, and argument of it, as before is mentioned: yet because my desire herein is as well to help and benefit the plain, and simple, (such as many of them are, amongst whom I have preached the same) as well as to bring the wiser and more learned sort acquainted with the practise of it, therefore I know they shall have need thereof.