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…

Conceive proportionably of other things immeasurably desired, and delighted in. If thou dotest upon a good wit, thou mayest be stricken with distraction: if upon abundance of learning, or much worldly wisdom, thou mayest be infatuated, at least at some special times, when thou wouldest gladly do the best; or in some important business, which most concerns thee: if upon some high place, thou mayst with Haman, Shebna, and thousands moe, be thrown down into the gulf of calamity and woe, contempt and scorn: if upon a fair house, it may be levelled with the ground, by the flames of Gods wrath: if upon a beautiful face, it may be disfigured with the Pox, or other deformities: if upon a hoard of gold, it may be dispersed by fire, robbery, desolations of war: nay, if even upon thy graces with an overweening conceit of self-excellency, self-opinion, self-sufficiency; if they be only general graces, thou mayst be quite stripped of them; if saving, thou mayst be cast into a damp and desertion for a time, in respect of all comfort, sense, use and exercise, &c.

Conceiue proportionably of other things immeasurably desired, and delighted in. If thou dotest vpon a good wit, thou mayest be stricken with distraction: if vpon abundance of learning, or much worldly wisedome, thou mayest be infatuated, at least at some speciall times, when thou wouldest gladly doe the best; or in some important businesse, which most concernes thee: if vpon some highplace, thou mayst with Haman, Shebna, and thousands moe, be throwne down into the gulph of calamitie and woe, contempt and scorne: if vpon a faire house, it may be leuelled with the ground, by the flames of Gods wrath: if vpon a beautifull face, it may bee disfigured with the Poxe, or other deformities: if vpon a hoard of gold, it may be disperst by fire, robbery, desolations of warre: nay, if euen vpon thy graces with an ouerweening conceit of selfe-excellency, selfe-opinion, selfe-sufficiency; if they be onely generall graces, thou mayst bee quite stript of them; if sauing, thou mayst bee cast into a dampe and desertion for a time, in respect of all comfort, sense, vse and exercise, &c.

2. For the second, though God may permit thee to possess still that outward worldly comfort, upon which the fury of thine affection is so fastened, and thine heart grasps with such greediness and excess; yet in this case thou mayest justly expect a cross; either, 1. In the thing doted upon. With what a deal of cutting discomfort, and gashes of bitter grief did Absalom dandled in Davids affection with too much indulgence, rent his Fathers royal heart by imbruing his hands in his brothers blood, and with unnatural traitorous violence and villainy snatching at the Imperial Crown upon Davids head? Another famous instance to this purpose we find in the story of the Greek Emperors. The old Emperor Andronicus doted with such extreme impotency of partial affection upon his Nephew, young Andronicus, that in comparison of him, he did not only disregard the rest of his Nephews, but also his own children: and as the