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…

3. Thirdly, the merciful patience of God himself in forbearing and bearing with infinite wrongs, and dishonours done unto his great Majesty every day, may be a matchless pattern and precedent to us woeful sinners, and worse then nothing, easily to pardon, and patiently to pass by all the provocations of our fellow creatures. How many blasphemous ⟨p. 269⟩mouths are continually open against the Majesty of Heaven? With what damned oaths do they tear and recrucifie the precious body of his glorified Son, that fits at his own right hand? With what monstrous lies, and hateful slanders do they disgrace his Ambassadors, and vilify his chosen? Nay, where shall you find one of those, who have sincerely given their names unto Christ, whose neglected innocency is not trampled upon with the feet of pride and contempt; and whose guiltless fame lies not bleeding under the merciless strokes of intemperate tongues? How many sons and daughters of Belial do horribly, and with an high hand profane his Sabbaths, pollute his Sacraments, and turn their backs upon his Word? How many every¹ where turn themselves into barrels and beasts, even into sinks; nay, and sometimes into Sodomites, Hab. 2. 15. by their swinish drunkenness? How many inclosing Nimrods, and Machiavellian Landlords, grind the faces of the poor, pluck off their skins, tear their flesh, break their bones, chop them in pieces as for the pot, and eat the flesh of Gods people? In a word: How many incarnate devils walk up and down the Earth with hearts and hands as full as Hell, with all manner of mischief, lewdness and rebellion? And yet we see in the mean time, our gracious God bears patiently with these many and prodigious provocations. Though he be armed with his own unresistable omnipotency; have ever in a readiness all the Angels of Heaven, all the creatures upon Earth, all the Devils in Hell; nay, the very hands and consciences of such stubborn Rebels, to be the instruments and executioners of his just wrath upon their sin: yet doth he sweetly and fairly temper, and moderate his indignation, to see if the riches of his goodness and forbearance, and long-suffering, will lead them to repentance.

3. Thirdly, the mercifull patience of God himselfe in forbearing and bearing with infinite wrongs, and dishonours done vnto his great Maiestie euery day, may be a matchlesse patterne and precedent to vs wofull sinners, and worse then nothing, easily to pardon, and patiently to passe by all the prouocations of our fellow creatures. How many blasphemous