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…

But let such know, ⟨p. 191⟩it is a thousand times more comfort and true credit to be received with Christian love and arms of grace, into the heart and affections of a good man; then to be entertained with greatest bravery and worldly applause, into grace and favour with the greatest graceless One upon earth. For alas, when a man hath done all he can to please the humours of ungodly great Ones, by an unconscionable satisfaction of their carnal desires; and to gratify them, hath unhappily grieved his own conscience; he can at last, when Gods dreadful visitation and flaming vengeance shall seize upon him for that sin, look for no better reward and reply, than that cold comfort and cutting answer, which Judas in the extremity of his anguish and horror received from the High Priests and Elders, Matth. 27. 4. That cursed man came unto them, ready, out of the rage of his vexed conscience, to tear his traitorous heart out of his body with his own bloody hands, and threw the thirty pieces of silver amongst them, and cried out, I have sinned, in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. But what recompense do they return for his employment in villainy, to serve their turn? Their reply is, What is that to us? See thou to that. And such a man shall certainly in the day of distress, be enforced to take up some rueful complaint, proportionable to Wolsey's heavy groan; Had I been as careful to serve the God of heaven, as my great Master on earth, He had never left me in my grey hairs. And we see in the mean time, favour is deceitful and transitory even in private men; much more in great personages: The volubility of whose nature is soon glutted; and very variable for kinds of satisfaction. A thousand experiences in all Stories and times teach us; how irregular, and many times retrograde the revolutions of highest favours run. They have their paroxysms and declinations, and ever at length their most certain expiration and everlasting period.

But let such know, ⟨p. 191⟩it is a thousand times more comfort and true credit to be receiued with Christian loue and armes of grace, into the heart and affections of a good man; then to be entertained with greatest brauery and worldly applause, into grace and fauour with the greatest gracelesse One vpon earth. For alas, when a man hath done all he can to please the humours of vngodly great Ones, by an vnconscionable satisfaction of their carnall desires; and to gratifie them, hath vnhappily grieued his owne conscience; hee can at last, when Gods dreadfull visitation and flaming vengeance shall seize vpon him for that sinne, looke for no better reward and reply, than that cold comfort and cutting answere, which Iudas in the extremity of his anguish and horrour receiued from the High Priests and Elders,