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…

relapses, desertions, their discoveries, recoveries, with all the means and circumstances: In a word, by a punctual observing how God deals with it every day. Be, I say, thus blessedly busied at home in thine own heart, and thou shalt find thy self much more pregnant and plentiful in holy talk when thou comest abroad. We are most apt and readiest to pour out our selves in public, according to our private provisions, and the most predominant discourses and contemplations of the mind. The conferences of free and unreserved spirits are ordinarily nothing else, but the clothing of their ordinary mental conceptions, and heart-secrets with familiar forms of speech. Men for the most part, speak most and most willingly of those things they mind most. I advise thus in this point, that thou mayst be habituated and heartened with resolution and delight, in the art and exercise of putting forward good talk; or of diverting and drawing towards better in case of the contrary. Otherwise, thou shalt never be able to hold out with constancy and courage, to cross many times the general mirth of the company, to put worldly-wise men out of their element of all earthly talk, to draw worldlings, which goes most against the hair, to hear of heavenly things.

relapses, desertions, their discoueries, recoueries, with all the meanes and circumstances: In a word, by a punctuall obseruing how God deales with it euery day. Be, I say, thus blessedly busied at home in thine owne heart, and thou shalt finde thy selfe much more pregnant and plentifull in holy talke when thou commest abroad. Wee are most apt and readiest to powre out our selues in publike, according to our priuate prouisions, and the most predominant discourses and contemplations of the minde. The conferences of free and vnreserued spirits are ordinarily nothing else, but the cloathing of their ordinarie mentall conceptions, and heart-secrets with familiar formes of speech. Men for the most part, speake most and most willingly of those things they minde most. I aduise thus in this point, that thou mayst be habituated and heartened with resolution and delight, in the art and exercise of putting forward good talke; or of diuerting and drawing towards better in case of the contrarie. Otherwise, thou shalt neuer bee able to hold out with constancie and courage, to crosse many times the generall mirth of the company, to put worldly-wisemen out of their element of all earthly talke, to draw worldlings, which goes most against the haire, to heare of heauenly things.