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…

5. In respect of the end. The ends why Pharisees and Good-fellows, as they call them, entertain many groundless disconceits, and thereupon exercise such censoriousness against holy men, are such as these:

5. In respect of the end. The ends why Pharises and Good-fellowes, as they call them, entertaine many groundlesse disconceits, and thereupon exercise such censoriousnesse against holy men, are such as these:

1. To bind up their bleeding souls in the mean time with a palliate cure, as they call it; to procure some temporary ease to their hearts, against the checks and bitings of their guilty consciences, For when consideration in cold blood of their impenitent courses, and of their certain walking in the broad way, by reason of their own sensual liberty, and much company, doth sting them with remorse, they have recourse to the ill opinions they have conceived of the best men; and thereupon think within themselves, and take occasion to say unto others; What need we take these things so much to heart, or trouble our thoughts with necessity of more strictness? Are not those, who go for the godliest, and are accounted the prime Professors, such and such men? Have not they also their infirmities and follies, though ⟨p. 136⟩they guild them over with goodly shows, and pretence of zeal? Hereupon they somewhat assuage the secret slavish smart of their now and then wounded consciences, and walk more merrily towards their eternal perdition. For a settled disconceite of a Christian harboured and applauded, is a strong nail to fasten an unregenerate man to his own ways, and a mighty bar to keep him out of a gracious state. Sensualists are so strangely bewitched by Satan, that he first causeth them to forge in their own brains, or take up from a spiteful tongue, some lying tale of a good man, and then after makes it his means to keep them with security and contentment in the kingdom of darkness, and to stand in everlasting opposition to the ways of sincerity, and salvation of their souls.

1. To binde vp their bleeding soules in the meane time with a palliate cure, as they call it; to procure some temporarie ease to their hearts, against the checks and bitings of their guilty consciences, For when consideration in cold blood of their impenitent courses, and of their certaine walking in the broad way, by reason of their own sensuall libertie, and much company, doth sting them with remorse, they haue recourse to the ill opinions they haue conceiued of the best men; and thereupon thinke within themselues, and take occasion to say vnto others; What need we take these things so much to heart, or trouble our thoughts with necessitie of more strictnesse? Are not those, who goe for the godliest, and are accounted the prime Professors, such and such men? Haue not they also their infirmities and follies, though