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A10945 Seuen treatises containing such direction as is gathered out of the Holie Scriptures, leading and guiding to true happines, both in this life, and in the life to come: and may be called the practise of Christianitie. Profitable for all such as heartily desire the same: in the which, more particularly true Christians may learne how to leade a godly and comfortable life euery day. Penned by Richard Rogers, preacher of the word of God at Wethersfield in Essex. Rogers, Richard, 1550?-1618. 1603 (1603) STC 21215; ESTC S116354 833,684 644

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be abhominable And Dauid agreeth with him saying euen as he powred out his requests vnto God if there be any wickednes in my hands for all my prayer shall that excuse me shalt not thou O Lord finde it not But when our requests shall be made to God with these properties for in such manner doth God require them to be offered vnto him the Christian who obserueth them shall reape no small fruite thereby whether he intreate for remission of his sinnes or for any good thing whereof he standeth in neede or against any calamitie or burthen wherewith he shall be distressed yea he shall thereby preuaile with God for others as for himselfe and what incouragement thinke we doth this adde to a godly life But when all these three parts of Gods worship now spoken of shall reuerently and humbly be adioyned together I meane thanksgiuing confession of sinnes and request which ordinarily in our prayers ought to goe one with the other how much more gainefull thinke we are they to the poore Christian soule especially seeing by confession of sinnes hee acknowledgeth himselfe a guiltie person and debter to God that so he may be the slower to runne further in debt with him By making his suites he declareth that he is a begger and standeth in neede of all things as hauing nothing of his owne if he know himselfe well but sinne and filthines Reuel 3.17 and by giuing thankes he confesseth that whatsoeuer he hath or inioyeth he receiueth it of God All of them make him to see himselfe infinitly indebted vnto the Lord his pride to be abated his heart stirred vp to seeke vnto him and inlarged to loue and obey him And if he be fallen this prayer of faith will raise him vp if he be heauie this will comfort him if he be dull this will quicken him Oh who can reckon vp the infinit and maruellous commodities that come of prayer if it be accompanied of the forementioned properties Therefore I conclude that seeing it is a present remedie to the oppressed heart a preseruer of the godly minde a giuer of strength to the weake an especiall meanes to make a man fit to liue in euery estate wherein God hath set him c. I conclude I say that it is a strong and mightie helpe to the godly life For pray well and liue well and keepe thy selfe in case fit to performe this dutie as thou hast been directed and thou shalt not neede to feare in thy life any great annoyance But how this with some other of the helps are to be brought into vse euery day that the fruite of it may be more certaine shall be set downe in the next treatise of the daily direction which is the place fit for it CHAP. 11. Of reading THe next helpe to godlines is reading as oft as may be the Scriptures and approoued good authors The which exercise and dutie that the Christian whom I goe about to informe may finde it an helpe to the furthering of him in godlines together with the other some direction I will giue him about the same And first seeing it is to be vsed and that as oft of euery one as conueniently maybe this is one caution that it be not neglected and the booke of God laid aside and couered with cobwebbes or not so much as in our houses at all For let the best know this that if they vse not reading they shall finde much more incumbrance in their life vnsauourines vnquietnes vnfruitfulnes and vncheerefulnes with other such yea though they vse other helps And secondly the same in effect I say of them which reade seldome euen when they must needes for feare or shame Both these faults are too commonly committed euen of Christians and that because some of them for following the world one way or other can finde no leasure thereunto othersome taking their full scope in play and pleasures cannot attend to such sad matters whiles the other are so welcome to them Others through idlenes slouth and swarmes of vaine cogitations or dangerous lusts carrying them or through grosse ignorance needles and idle talke neglect so good a worke and necessarie dutie whereas if they had learned to make conscience of this duty they might shake off much of noysomnes by watching their opportunities whereby they should not neede to feare but that their labour therein should be plentifully rewarded Thirdly seeing bookes which are fit for the building of them vp in godlines must be read of them therefore they must not bestow their time in reading filthie lewd and wanton bookes no nor needles and vnprofitable bookes the reading of many such being but wearisome to the flesh and vanitie much lesse superstitious pamphlets and Machiuels blasphemies which it is a shame should be suffered to come into mens hands nor the subtill deuises and deceitfull dreames and errours of the Church of Rome except they be able for their sound iudgement to discerne them that so they may be the better able to detest and giue others warning of them But the bookes which are to be read are the holy canonicall scriptures and other sound and godly authors as I haue said Wherein this as a fourth rule is to bee obserued that in the reading of the Scriptures they reade not here and there a chapter except vpon some good occasion but the bible in order throughout and so as oft as they can that so by little and little they may be acquainted with the histories and the whole course of the scriptures hauing before the grounds of Christian religion layd and so may haue the more comfortable and liberall vse of them And in reading of other good bookes they are to be counselled rather to reade some one or two well penned either of the whole Christian religion or any particular argument matter and them often rather then a leafe of one and a chapter of another as idle readers vse to doe for nouelties sake Often I say because a good book is of the most part of Christians little seene into at once or twice reading ouer much lesse the vse of the doctrine of it reaped and inioyed of dull heads slipperie memories and weake practisers such as it is too well knowne that the most Christians are And therefore the most not hauing leasure to reade many bookes shall finde most profit by diligent going ouer of the same often making their choice of the best and necessariest by the helpe of their faithfull teachers Now as concerning the manner of reading it must bee with an heartie good will to learne and profit thereby desiring God to prepare vs with reuerence to lighten our vnderstandings that we may conceiue that which we reade and setling our selues for the time of our reading to be attentiue and so to abandon the wandring of the heart as much as may be the which will be the easilier done in reading if it be well watched ouer as hath been said
alreadie and partly hope for and expect afterwards shall make thē vanish away as smoke although otherwise they are able to hurt and sting as fier And then when in the due consideration of the whole he shall see what the blessednes and manifold good things are which he in part hath alreadie and shall afterwards inioy both here and in the life to come he shall see what infinit cause he hath to praise God for his portion that he hath rather beautified and blessed him with his fauour and graces then many other whereby he may walke so comfortably and that in this vale of miseries to Gods kingdome And thus I aduise thee good reader as I know it shall be best for thee to bestow thy trauel about this booke wherein I appoint thee no certaine time nor houres seeing all which would profit by it cannot spend their time alike about this or any other such exercise But this know that this booke tendeth to teach thee the practise of thy knowledge and not to know onely and that I haue gathered together into this one the things which are dispersedly contained in many other And therefore in that respect ouer and besides the ordinarie reading of the holy Scriptures thou maiest bestow the more time about it as thy leasure will permit considering that once or twice reading a booke for practise is not enough Lastly seeing the whole matter herein contained is to serue thee and stand thee in steed as setting before thee a direction to gouerne thy whole life thou must not thinke thy labour and time much though thou beest occupied in it for many yeares together for as much as the fruite shall be greater the longer that thou hast been exercised in it and yet thy labour lesse yea easie and pleasant for so shalt thou grow better acquainted with the vse of it which in one word is to make thy life more sweet and sauorie then thou couldest looke for that is happie here and hereafter for euer Reade therefore not onely to be able to report what thou hast found here but especially to finde it thine owne which I doe teach and to be setled daily in the gouernment which this doctrine drawne out of his word offereth thee so as thou maiest see that God in the setting forth of it hath directed me Reade with a quiet teachable and a meeke spirit desirous of that which I labour to bring thee to rather then with a curious head to carpe and cauill or censure that which thou dost not practise nor follow A dramme of grace is better then a pound of censorious wittines remember that all our naturall gifts and faculties of our soules should be sanctified I goe about to make thee see thy selfe inwardly and outwardly to be trained vp in Gods family where the heart must be well seasoned as well as thy whole life well ordered till thou findest that which many a thriftie person doth in his outward estate namely that diet to be ordinarie with him which sometime had been feasting cheere for when a poore man by his trauell and paine hath brought this to passe hee thinkes his estate good and that which pleaseth him exceedingly well So labour thou in thy spirituall worke and seruing of God to finde that gaine and thriuing therein that thou maiest make thy soule as ioyfull euery day and at as great peace with God as sometime thou scarcely haddest obtained once in the weeke or month Which grace and prerogatiue that thou mayest make much of when thou hast it looke backe and remember with thankes vnfained how farre thou hast been off from it and how little hope thou once haddest of obtaining it when thou wert easily mastered of thy sinnes and passions and know that it must cost him many a prayer and grone for it who is yet without it before he shall be partaker of it RICHARD ROGERS THE SVMME OF ALL THE SEAVEN TREATISES AND THE CONTENTS OF euery Chapter in them The first Treatise sheweth who be the true children of God Chap. 1. OF the summe and order of this first Treatise pag. 1 Chap. 2. Of mans miserie pag. 3 Chap. 3. Of the knowledge of redemption and deliuerance pag. 7 Chap. 4. How this knowledge worketh and namely first that God maketh them beleeue their miserie and be troubled in minde for it pag. 9 Secondly they consult in this case what to doe pag. 13 Thirdly they are broken hearted and humbled pag. 15 Fourthly a secret desire of forgiuenes pag. 15 Fiftly they confesse and aske pardon pag. 18 Sixtly they forsake all for it and highly prize it pag. 19 Seuenthly they applie Christ and his promise pag. 20 Chap. 5. Of the lets of faith and namely in the behalfe of the Minister pag. 24 Chap. 6. Of the lets that hinder faith on the behalfe of the people pag. 28 Chap. 7. What desire breeds faith pag. 34 Chap. 8. How the weake in faith should be established pag. 37 Chap. 9. The difference of beleeuers from them that are none pag. 44 Chap. 10. Of the eight cōpanions of faith pag. 54 Chap. 11. How weake faith is confirmed pag. 64 Chap. 12. The sweete fruit and benefit of the preseruing and confirming of our faith pag. 68 The second Treatise declareth at large what the life of the true beleeuer is and the conuersation of such as haue assured hope of saluation Chap. 1. THe summe and order of this second Treatise pag. 72 Chap. 2. That a godlie life cannot be without vnfained faith nor this faith without it which is the first point in the first generall head to bee handled pag. 74 Chap. 3. That for the leading of a godlie life is required faith in the temporall promises of God and hartie assent and credit to the commandements also and threatnings in the word of God as well as faith to be saued pag. 79 Chap. 4. Of the heart and how it should be clensed and chaunged and so the whole man which is sanctification tending to repentance and a godly life pag. 86 Chap. 5. Of the renouncing of all sin which is the first effect of a renued heart in the true beleeuer pag. 96 Chap. 6. Of the diuers kindes of euill to be renounced and namely of inward against God and men pag. 102 Chap. 7. Of other euils and sinnes most properly concerning our selues pag. 108 Chap. 8. How the minds and hearts of the beleeuers are taken vp vsuallie seeing they renounce inward lusts pag. 114 Chap. 9. Of the second kinde of euils or sins to be renounced namely outward pag. 124 Chap. 10. Of foure sorts of such as hope for saluation and yet renounce not open sinnes and outward offences pag. 126 Chap. 11. Of certain obiections raised from the former doctrine and answers thereto as why we should put difference betwixt men whether the godly may fall reprochfully and what infirmities they may haue pag. 134 Chap. 12. Of the keeping of the heart once purged in that good plight afterward
delight not in the matters which were wont to be of greatest account and reckoning with them With what ioy may it be thought did Dauid performe the duties of religion after his hainous sinne in the matter of Bethshabe and Vriah when it is cleere that he slept in it as it were all the time before Nathan the Prophet was sent to awake him and bring him to repentance Or what comfort is it to be thought had Ionas in thinking of his happines or vpon any part of the true worship of God which yet had vsually been his whole delight after he fled away from the presence of the Lord who labouring to forget his sinne as may be gathered by his hastie paying the hire of the Ship-master before hand that he might be sure to be caried away frō the fulfilling of the Lords commaundement such a palpable blockishnes was cast vpon him that hee laid himselfe downe to sleepe in most great daunger in which the Heathen marriners fell to prayer and came to him to awake him and after being vrged to examine himselfe by them did not very hastily come to the confessing of it To omit others the daily experience that Gods children haue of their many complainings vnquietnesses discomforts such like tediousnes which neede not to presse them but for the conscience and remembrance of some treacherie against God and too vnkind and vndutifull dealing with him do sufficiently prooue that God taketh away euen the heart and life as I may say of prayer knowledge and other meanes of religion and leaueth his children without comfort in the vse of them when they waxe wanton against his maiestie and keep not holie compasse as they haue experience that both they may and haue done and as he in his word hath taught them to doe By all which it may appeare that much more they who worship him with vncleane hearts neuer washed nor purged cannot receiue into them the sweet and holesome liquour of his grace by what outward exercise soeuer they present themselues before him Thus much of the reasons why the beleeuer should labour with all diligence to practise this godly life CHAP. 19. Of answers to certaine obiections brought against the necessitie of practising this godly life ANd now that I haue added these reasons to the description of the Christian which beleeueth in God I would cease to say any more of this matter if I did think that men who haue receiued the Gospell among them were perswaded and resolued to yeeld to this doctrine and to cast away all clogges and cloakes of shame feare and other lets and heartily goe about to practise the same willingly when they haue heard it But I know there are few such For they who doe thus doe not onely themselues walke after the rule which I haue set downe aiming thereat as at a marke but also desire that many other were as they be But the multitude of such as haue either no faith nor grace but onely heare our doctrine who yet professe that they looke for saluation by Christ doe thinke that this which I haue drawne out of Gods word and set down for their edifying is more then they neede to looke after or trouble themselues with which kinde of persons seeing they swarme euery where I doe oft say and professe that I oppose my selfe throughout this my booke against that their damnable opinion and practise and doe bend the force of Scripture and sound reason against them For while these thoughts preuaile with them and possesse them they do but reason against their owne benefit comfort and happines yea and euen many of those who haue further tasted of the Gospell of whom it becommeth vs to hope well yet are for the most part ignorant of the course which I haue described and content themselues with this that they haue some good affections at some times and flitting desires to liue honestly And therefore I would meete with some of the obiections which they alleage why they should be no further dealt withall but suffered to goe on as they doe in a fruitles dead and dull manner Some of these say they hope their desire is to please God although they cannot doe it as some doe and namely such as endeuour to follow this doctrine which in this booke I propound For my part I doe not marueile that they should as it were shrinke and hold backe from such a course though they would seeme religious as hauing not yet seene how great incouragement God hath giuen them to walk in it neither what great cause they haue to lay hold of such incouragements hauing many things to hinder them These persons therefore so many of them as will be teachable and not resist the truth wilfully I will answere and giue them some worthie examples of such as haue gone before them herein that they may not thinke they are pressed too farre and to do more then they need if possibly they may see their error and so finde greater libertie and delight in well doing The which being done they shall see what difference is betwixt the estate they are in and that which they are stirred vp and called vnto And that which hath perswaded and moued me to this is as I partly said in the first entrance for that I see many of good hope and some not without a right and true beginning in this holie course to bee kept at a stay or driuen backe and seeme not to know what the Christian life is nor in many yeeres to come thus farre as to be perswaded how pleasant and profitable it is and by how many degrees to bee preferred without all comparison before any other course For many of the forwarder sort though they would not willingly forsake it yet complaine that they find much tedious heauines strong discouragements and many relapses which breed doubtfulnes and feare Some which are weaker are vnder deadly dumpes strange questionings whether they shall goe forward or no and such small comfort they finde in their profession that they declare plainly that they are farre from the staiednes which I speake of and this not at the first onely but many yeeres after they haue liked well of the Gospell Diuers others account the Christian life mopish solitarie and such an estate the which they hold great wisedome to auoyde that I say nothing of the Atheists whom I vouchsafe no answere Now therefore except these can be otherwise perswaded that the godly life is neither irkesome in it selfe nor full of deadly discouragements except to the flesh whereto they are not debters neither without great comfort yea euen in tribulation through hope which deceiueth not but such an estate as hath caused many for the delight they haue found in it to refuse all other which could not stand with it except I say they can be thus perswaded what likelyhoode is there that they shall euer be brought to be
before in our course of liuing Also it is duly to bee regarded that wee applie that which we reade wisely to our selues seeing all that is contained in the Scriptures is written for our instruction and comfort as perswading our selues that all precepts of dutie and good life are set downe to direct vs not others onely to the practise of the same that all sinne is forbidden vs and that all the generall promises which we reade to be made to the Church are to bee beleeued of vs whether they appertaine to this present life or to the life to come and the comforts that accompanie them Likewise that all exhortations and admonitions quicken and stirre vs vp from coldnes deadnes and drousines and all reprehensions to checke vs for faults escaped and all threats to feare our boldnes and appale our securitie which is too easily and readily kindled in vs that so wee may make that vse of them which the Apostle requireth when he saith that all Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach conuince to correct and instruct in righteousnes and thereof in matters as well concerning God as men and amongst men all particular kinds and therefore Prince and subiect noble and base men and women and more particularly in families husbands and wiues parents and children masters and seruants Thus to reade that thereby wee may be made fit vnto euery good worke and to glorifie God thereby is vndoubtedly to make our reading as it is appointed of God an especial helpe and meanes to grow forward in a godly life and therefore wee are commaunded to search the Scriptures and with the godly people of Berea to compare our hearings and our readings of them together For reading is much commended to be one of the three duties that make vs happie the Apostle saying thus Blessed is he that heareth and readeth and keepeth the contents of this booke But this one thing I cannot omit that the benefit and comfort of this exercise of reading being so great and the substance of the Scriptures being so brought to light as it is and such varietie of good bookes being granted vs of God that yet euen such as looke after eternall life delight so little in them I speake not of the prophane and vnruly whom nothing will moue to reade no nor so much as to heare Sermons till God make them see how they haue deceiued themselues But I am sure it is one speciall cause why heart is taken from many learned and godly men to set out any new workes in print seeing the professors of the Gospell doe bestow so little labour and time in reading of those which are extant alreadie And herein these two things I thinke meete to adde in regard of some Christians that such as haue not the gift of reading may endeuour to follow the foresaid rules by vsing the helpe of others exhorting all by their losse and discommoditie to haue reading in greater reckoning then it is with most at this day The second is that besides the former rules such as haue better helpes of vnderstanding memorie and leasure doe besides their publike hearing note their doubts and as they shall haue opportunitie seeke resolution of them at their learned pastors hands or of some others and mark the coherence of the Scripture how it hangeth together and the agreement that one place hath with another that thereby that which seemeth darke in one is made easie in another This shall suffice to haue said for making some better vse of reading then commonly men doe And though there are other things besides these which the learneder may take profit by yet they being more out of the reach of the greatest number of Christians they doe not so neerely nor necessarily concerne them And it must bee remembred that I propround not to say as much as may bee gathered together about reading but how it may bee profitably vsed to helpe the Christian to be fruitfull in a godly life And that which I haue said is auaileable thereunto For hee that shall consider how many waies the conscience is appeased the iudgement inlightened and inlarged the heart perswaded the memorie relieued the affections moued and in a word the whole man drawne by that which he may reade shall not neede to doubt how great the benefit of reading together with the other helpes is And that it being vsed as oft as possibly it may in such manner as hath bin prescribed and so many good things drunke in and receiued of vs as wee shall meete with in our reading who doubteth but it shall be a singular helpe and furtherance with the rest to a godly and Christian life For a mind well seasoned before shall be vndoubtedly better seasoned and refreshed when it shall vsually and oft drinke of the water of life out of the sweete fountaine of Gods word by reading And of the helpe of reading and so of al the ordinarie meanes both publike and priuate whereby a true Christian continueth a godly life and groweth to further ripenes and perfection therein thus much be said CHAP. 12. Of the extraordinarie helpes NOw follow the extraordinarie helpes which are not commonly nor daily in vse but sometime and that according to the extraordinarie occasions which the Lord offereth And these are especially two first solemne thanksgiuing and secondly fasting with prayer more then vsuall adioyned The first is when in some rare and vnlooked for deliuerance out of desperate danger wee doe by the commaundement of God and examples of the godly before vs in a most feruent manner yeeld praise to God for the same and reioyce heartily in the remembrance and consideration of it tying our selues as it were in a renuing of our holy couenant more firmely to the Lord and testifie both these by signes of vnfained good will to our brethren All which are to be seene most cleerely and liuely in that famous example of Hester and Mardocheus that I mention no other for breuitie sake who being with the rest of Gods people in those countries marked out and as sheepe appointed by Hamans subtiltie and cruell malice to be slaine did yet by prayer and fasting obtaine deliuerance when to mans iudgement all hope was past and not that onely but also their hearts desire against their aduersaries with great fauour of the King whom God had made of an heauie enemie a mightie friend and much wealth and prosperitie whereupon they caused a day and time to be appointed in the which the Lord might be praised and they might expresse their reioycing and send portions one to another to testifie their loue vnto them And this is that solemne thanksgiuing which I call one of the extraordinarie helpes to set vs forward in godlines which of all Gods people by the like occasion is to be offered vp to God differing as ye see apparantly from this dutie daily performed as in
Our exhorting one another is commaunded to be daily as we shall haue occasion howsoeuer the practise of it be straunge and out of vse with many Christians who yet are they which ought to vse it if any bee and this when wee haue opportunitie is to be vsed to supplie the roome of other helps which cannot then be well inioyed As for reading the booke of his law and speaking of the infinit wisedome of God reuealed in the same howsoeuer that place of Iosua doth not so precisely and strictly tie them to euerie daie as other scriptures doe to prayer thanksgiuing c. because the daie may possiblie be passed in the seruice and worshipping of God aright without that but not without these and a good Christian may necessarilie bee hindred from that by other duties for a time more necessarie yet who doubteth that euen that was commaunded by the Lord to be vsuall and oft that is so farre daily vsed as when more necessarie things in the way doe not occupie vs The same I say of publike hearing the word of God as may be gathered by that in the Prouerbs in these words Blessed is the man that watcheth daily at my gates and giueth attendance at the postes of my doores And the like is the saying of Saint Luke of the godly who were in Ierusalem that they continued daily in the temple hearing the Apostles doctrine I goe not about to tie any as I said to the vse of the same particulars euery daie which cannot possiblie be vsed euery daie but onely of those that may and of the rest but one or other that we may be well able to answere for the Christian passing of euery daie The summe therefore is this that God hath commaunded and in his word set downe so many parts of a daily direction for a Christian as by the which hee may bee guided holily and safelie through euery daie and therefore that one daie as well as another is to be consecrated vnto God and not left free to our selues to passe it as we thinke good and as too many in a very vnprofitable manner doe and yet such as professe the Gospell CHAP. 5. Of the fourth reason ANother reason for the perswading of vs to looke to the daily guiding of our selues in some certaine manner is for that hee who will let loose his heart any day or time of the day to any intemperance or vnlawfull libertie doth fall into some of Sathans snares and is caught with the deceitfulnes of sinne immediatly some way or other if he be not hardened also yea though he be the best of many hee shall finde to his cost how needfull the counsell of the Apostle is watch in all things and therefore at all times so that there shal be no time wherein he may cast off feare of euill that so he may be the man which is spoken of Blessed is he that feareth alwaies Yea he shall find that he is more weakened and indaungered by one daies negligence in little regarding his soule and his actions whiles other things of lesse value are carefully looked to then in an hundred wherein his care and conscience were continued besides that he shall not easily recouer himselfe againe For although God keepe his children from many euils while they desire it yet if they be secure hee leaueth them to themselues and doth punish their sinnes as he doth other mens And who would bee willing to haue his life filled with many feares disquiets reproches and such other crossings when he might be free and merrie But besides nothing is better prooued to vs then this that the enuious man watcheth all opportunities yea when men least suspect it to sow tares with the good seede to vnsettle them to steale away their heart and loue from God to giue it vnto creatures And therefore much more when we haue remitted our care and left off our watch whereby hee knoweth and seeth that we are now as an house swept and trimmed vp readie to receiue such a guest much more I say doth he then take his opportunitie to enter and keepe possession in vs more strongly and so depriueth vs of our former liberties And euen as Sampson when his lockes were clipped off was afraid and troubled at the voyce of his wife saying The Philistims be vpon thee Sampson but yet thought with himselfe I will arise and escape their hands as in times past but could not so when the diuell hath secretly stolne our hearts from our true treasure euen from attending vpon God and hath fixed them vpon some other thing as pleasure profit aduauncement or such like wee thinking to doe as in times past when we had our hearts at commandement doe goe about it in vaine For our strength which we had sometime is gone and we by seeking libertie amisse and shaking off the Lords yoke doe finde by experience the fruite of such follie I may more fitly call it madnes It is not therefore without cause that wee are so earnestly warned by the holie Ghost that we keepe our hearts with all diligence And againe Let thy heart be in the feare of the Lord continually which a man would thinke should be vnderstood by vs of one day as wel as another that it be not neglected at any time For although God will direct and guide vs in the way wherein he hath set vs as I haue said yet out of this way if we will needes waxe wearie of it we shall finde nothing but awknes and crossing of vs wandring and vncomfortablenes because that in no such state hath God promised to gouerne vs. But stirre vp the gifts of God which are in thee and that powerfull grace which thou hast receiued daily pray to haue renued in thee by such direction as may be giuen thee and thou shalt finde thy selfe to bee set forward with such ease as thou wilt beware that thou forgoe it not againe Moreouer if any would shake off this doctrine as sifting him more narrowly then he can well like of and therefore would for the seeking of more libertie to the flesh cauill at these Scriptures as misalleaged such an one must needes maintaine that there is some time and some daies more libertie giuen to man then at other times and on other daies But hee is driuen from that hold by manifest Scripture as hee is tied to a daily direction by the former For to the stopping of such mouthes is that written by the holy Ghost Take heede that there be not at any time in any of you an euill heart and so a departing thereby from the liuing God If not at any time then much lesse any day wherein are many times seeing it is manifest that there are many times yea houres in the day wherein the heart may start aside from God that is from doing his will So that nothing shall be gained by resisting the truth but it