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…

Mistake me not: I purpose not in this passage to censure or disgrace any warrantable ceremony & solemnities of State; mutual intercourse of noble deportment amongst Compeers; civill exchange of fair & amiable behaviour one towards another; any charitable offices of humanity, or Christian passages of courtesy and love: but the idle, formal, flattering vanities, Hypocrisies, disguisements of those many needless, fruitless and endless salutations, complements, visitations, entertainments, affected and acted by such vain people, who are extremely troubled how to be rid of time. A commodity of high account with all those, who are sensible and mindful of their last account: Every moment whereof ought in the mean time to be crowned with fruitful improvement, by all those that truly fear God. I could wish that a gracious concurrence of goodness and greatness, true Nobleness indeed, where God himself is top of the kin, and Religion the root; (^a in respect whereof those other: by birth, by riches, by mere moral virtue, by valour, by learning, by favour of Princes, are but shadows and shapes of nobleness) were honoured with all due attributions, highest respect, and best observance. In such a case it is not uncomely for Paul, to travail from Arabia to Jerusalem to visit Peter, Galat. 1 18. Or the Queen of the South, from the uttermost parts of the earth, to see Solomon, 1. Kings 10. 1. But I would not have glistering folly, gilded rottenness, sacrificed unto with so much flattery and counterfeit crouching. For why should silken dung be so adored, and golden damnation deified? Now the reasons why such visitations, as well as recreations may many times prove snares to entangle us in sin, damps to dull our forwardness; or one way or other breed and bring upon us some spiritual miseries, are such as these:

Mistake me not: I purpose not in this passage to censure or disgrace any warrantable ceremonie & solemnities of State; mutuall entercourse of noble deportment amongst Compeeres; ciuill exchange of faire & amiable behauiour one towards another; any charitable offices of humanity, or Christian passages of courtesie and loue: but the idle, formall, flattering vanities, Hypocrisies, disguisements of those many needlesse, fruitlesse and endlesse salutations, complements, visitations, entertainments, affected and acted by such vaine people, who are extremely troubled how to be rid of time. A commoditie of high account with all those, who are sensible and mindfull of their last account: Euery moment whereof ought in the meane time to bee crowned with fruitfull improuement, by all those that truely feare God. I could wish that a gracious concurrence of goodnesse and greatnesse, true Noblenesse indeede, where God himselfe is top of the kinne, and Religion the roote; (