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. Great men without grace, ordinarily make use of all others for their own advantage. With an imperious policy and a kind of Machiavellian Alchemy, they secretly and invisibly convert, dispose and manage the agency, abilities, and ⟨p. 182⟩serviceableness of their followers, visitants, adherents and dependants, to serve their own turns, to feed their humours, further their private ends of profit, pleasure, rising, reputation, or some other choice carnal contentment and predominant worldly delight. They have their portion in this life, and their heaven here; therefore they labour to make their earthly Paradise as full of pleasures, as possibly they can. Their own sensual covetous and ambitious hearts are the centres, wherein the lines and level of all their plots, policies, and projects do concur, and meet; and to which they conduct and direct the officiousness, pliableness, and several services of all those with whom they hold any kind of correspondence or intercourse.

1. Great men without grace, ordinarily make vse of all others for their owne aduantage. With an imperious policie and a kinde of Machiauelian Alchymy, they secretly and inuisibly conuert, dispose and manage the agency, abilities, and ⟨p. 182⟩seruiceablenesse of their followers, visitants, adherents and dependants, to serue their owne turnes, to feede their humours, further their priuate ends of profit, pleasure, rising, reputation, or some other choise carnall contentment and predominant worldly delight. They haue their portion in this life, and their heauen here; therefore they labour to make their earthly Paradise as full of pleasures, as possibly they can. Their owne sensuall couetous and ambitious hearts are the centers, wherein the lines and leuell of all their plots, policies, and proiects doe concurre, and meete; and to which they conduct and direct the officiousnesse, pliablenesse, and seuerall seruices of all those with whom they hold any kinde of correspondence or entercourse.

2. Such exercises of Courtly vanities, sleeveless errands, idle business, are Satan's chiefest and choicest seasons for the suggestion of temptations, and too successful discharge of his fiery darts. He hath ordinarily more power over men, and is much likelier to prevail, when he finds them idle or ill occupied; then when they are busied with humbleness and sincerity in religious duties, or the necessary works of a lawful Calling. In our best and holyest employments he is indeed most eager against us; but at times of idleness and exercises of vanity, he is commonly most successful. In Gods businesses, the honest executions of our Calling, and seasonable Christian recreations, we may expect upon good ground, and with hopeful comfort, Gods protection, the ordinary assistance of his blessed Spirit; harmlessness from the creatures; Satan's restraint; some good measure of mortifying help against the rebellious stirrings of our own corruptions, and such other blessings promised in such cases. But if men will needs be idle or employed in vanity, they justly bereave themselves of all these comfortable protections and privileges. For it is just with God, at such times that He should withdraw from them His own protecting hand, restrain the gracious influences of that holy Spirit, and let loose against them with indignation, Satan, the creatures, and their own corruptions, which is a