Some general directions for a comfortable walking with God delivered in the lecture at…Some generall directions for a comfortable walking with God deliuered in the lecture at…

1. They were never truly humbled with sight and sense of their own sinful and accursed state. They never trembled, nor were thoroughly frighted with the wrathful countenance of God, for their infinite pollutions and provocations of the eyes of his glory. Their consciences were never awaked out of their dead sensual sleep, by the Trumpet of the Law, nor received any special and particular illumination from the sanctifying Spirit. In a word, they have no terror, no trouble, no work or business at home about their own fins, in their own consciences, and therefore they have leisure enough to look about them, and are full enough of sinful curiosity, and unnecessary meddling, to pry and enquire into other mens courses and carriages; of malice and spitefulness, to mistake and misinterpret; of pride and peremptoriness, to proclaim many times with great noise, and self-applause, their own idle malignant forgeries and fancies, for faults of those, who are much more righteous than they. When they look forward, or any ways about them, they are very sharp-sighted into the fashions and failings of others; most exact in observing their neighbours ways; Eagle-eyed, to pierce beyond the Moon; to spy the least moat in the Sun, I mean, the smallest infirmity in the most glorious Saint: Nay, they are of such a refined and sublimated eye-sight, that they can discern some errors and exorbitancies, ⟨p. 127⟩especially in Professors of Religion, which never had any existence. But when they should reflect upon themselves, and turn their eyes to contemplate and consider their own corruptions, there lies a great beam of hypocrisy between them and themselves; so that they cannot possibly fee so much, as those huge mountains of many crying sins, which full heavily press down their own souls towards hell; those unnumbered swarms of beastly lusts, which rage remorselessly within their own bosoms. 2. It is a point of their hypocritical policy, cunningly, and confidently to impute those sins unto others, which are grossly predominant in themselves; that thereby they might purchase an opinion of a supposed innocency, and freedom from the like faults. For when they cry out with great noise and clamour upon other men, they think they still the cry, and stop the mouth of their own sins;

1. They were neuer truely humbled with sight and sence of their owne sinfull and accursed state. They neuer trembled, nor were thorowly frighted with the wrathfull countenance of God, for their infinite pollutions and prouocations of the eyes of his glory. Their consciences were neuer awaked out of their dead sensuall sleepe, by the Trumpet of the Law, nor receiued any speciall and particular illumination from the sanctifying Spirit. In a word, they haue no terrour, no trouble, no worke or businesse at home about their owne finnes, in their owne consciences, and therefore they haue leasure enough to looke about them, and are full enough of sinfull curiositie, and vnnecessarie medling, to pry and enquire into other mens courses and carriages; of malice and spitefulnesse, to mistake and misinterpret; of pride and peremptorinesse, to proclaime many times with great noise, and selfe-applause, their owne idle malignant forgeries and fancies, for faults of those, who are much more righteous thē they. When they looke forward, or any wayes about them, they are very sharpe-sighted into the fashions and failings of others; most exact in obseruing their neighbours wayes; Eagle-eyed, to pierce beyond the Moone; to spy the least moate in the Sun, I meane, the smallest infirmity in the most glorious Saint: Nay, they are of such a refined and sublimated eye-sight, that they can discerne some errours and exorbitancies,