Directions for weak distempered Christians, to grow up to a confirmed state of grace…

2. And the weakest Christian doth the same in the main, so far as to turn his heart from things temporal, to things eternal; and to resolve him ⟨p. 52⟩in his main choice, and to conduct the course of his life towards heaven. But yet in particular actions he is often stopped in present things, and forgetfully loseth the fight of the end, and so is deluded and enticed into sin, for want of seeing that which should have preserved him: he is like one that travelleth over hills and valleys, who when he is upon the hills doth see the place that he is going to, but when he cometh into the valleys, it is out of his sight. Too oft doth the weak Christian think of things as they appear at the present, with little sense of the change that is near: when he seeth the bates of sin, whether riches, or beauty, or meat and drink, or any thing that is pleasing to the senses, the remembrance of the end doth not so quickly and powerfully work, to prevent his deceived imaginations, as it ought. And when poverty, or shame, or sufferings, or sickness, are presented to him, the foresight of the end is not so speedy and powerful in clearing his judgement, and settling his resolution, and preventing his misapprehension and trouble as it ought. And hence come his oft mistakes and falls: and herein consisteth much of that foolishness, which he confesseth when Repentance bringeth him to himself. 2 Sam. 24.10. 2 Chron. 16.9.

2. And the weakest Christian doth the same in the main, so far as to turn his heart from things temporal, to things eternal; and to resolve him ⟨p. 52⟩in his main choice, and to conduct the course of his life towards heaven. But yet in particular actions he is often stopt in present things, and forgetfully loseth the fight of the end, and so is deluded and entised into sin, for want of seeing that which should have preserved him: he is like one that travelleth over hills and vallies, who when he is upon the hills doth see the place that he is going to, but when he cometh into the vallies, it is out of his sight. Too oft doth the weak Christian think of things as they appear at the present, with little sense of the change that is neer: when he seeth the bates of sin, whether riches, or beauty, or meat and drink, or any thing that is pleasing to the senses, the remembrance of the end doth not so quickly and powerfully work, to prevent his deceived imaginations, as it ought. And when poverty, or shame, or sufferings, or sickness, are presented to him, the foresight of the end is not so speedy and powerful in clearing his judgement, and setling his resolution, and preventing his misapprehension and trouble as it ought. And hence come his oft mistakes and falls: and herein consisteth much of that foolishness, which he confesseth when Repentance bringeth him to himself.