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…

Now if I should particularly declare how and after what manner, every part of the outward worshipping of God should be used, as I have showed in §Cgeneral; I should tarry too long in this matter:¹ but in some few of the principallest particulars I will show it, that thereby may be seen what is required in the rest. In the preaching of the word, being the way to enlighten us, first with faith; and after, to settle and establish us in the truth; we should come prepared to the hearing of it after this manner: laying aside all filthiness of heart and hands, which might hold out wisdom, we being ready and desirous to receive it with a hungry soul: and therefore not rashly, and little regarding what we go about; neither coming with a captious and malicious purpose to hear. In the action it self, we should be thus affected:² with our whole soul to mark and weigh the matter, that so we may be touched §Dwith it accordingly: that is to say, with hearing our faults, we should be pricked, and relent: with hearing promises, believe,³ and receive comfort by them: by doctrine of duty, to be fully resolved to practise it: and therefore not to have our heads full of other matters, running upon our profits and pleasures, or in hypocrisy: and though we take some delight in that which we hear, yet not to be contented to rest therein, without the feeling of the true work of it in us. After we have heard,⁴ we should give all diligence to muse and confer of the things which we have heard, examining them by the Scriptures, with the good men of Thessalonica:⁵ and finding agreement betwixt both, with more boldness to set our selves forward in every good §Eway by the help thereof.

Now if I should particularly declare how and after what manner, euery part of the outward worshipping of God should be vsed, as I haue shewed in