The Divine Life, Treatise 2 · Chapter 6

The Divine Life · Treatise 2 · Chapter 6

p. 235CHAP. VI.

§. 1. HAving in the foregoing Uses, reproved the Atheism and contempt of God, which ungodly men are continually guilty of, and endeavoured to convince them of the necessity and desirableness of Walking with God, and in particular of improving our Thoughts for holy converse with him, and answered the objections of the impious and Atheists; I shall next endeavour to cure the remnants of this disease, in those that are sincerely holy, who live too strangely to God their Father in the World. In the performance of this, I shall first shew you what are the benefits of this holy life which p. 236should make it appear desirable and delightful. 2. I shall shew you why Believers should addict themselves to it as doubly obliged, and how it appeareth that their neglect of it is a sin of special aggravations. This is the remainder of my task.

§. 2. I. To Walk with God in a Holy and Heavenly Conversation, is the employment most suitable to humane nature, not to its corrupt disposition, nor to the carnal interest and appetite; but to nature as nature, to man as man: It is the very work that he was made for: The faculties and frame of soul and body were composed for it by the wise Creatour: They are restored for it by the gracious Redeemer. Though in corrupted nature where sensuality is predominant, there is an estrangedness from God, and an enmity and hatred of him, so that the wicked are more a verse to all serious holy converse with him (in prayer, contemplation, and a heavenly life) then they are to a worldly sinful life; yet all this is but the disease of nature, corrupting its appetite, and turning it against that proper food, which is most suitable to its sound desires, and necessary to its health and happiness. Though sinful habits are become as it were a second Nature to the ungodly, so depraving their judgements and desires, that they verily think the business and pleasures of the flesh are most suitable to them; yet these are as contrary to nature as nature, that is, to the primitive tendencies of all our faculties, and the proper use to which they were fitted by our Creatour, and to that true felicity which is the end of all our parts and powers, even as madness is contrary to the rational nature, though it were hereditary.

1. What can be more agreeable to the nature of man, then to be rational and wise, and to live in the purest exercise of Reason? And certainly there is nothing more rational then that we should live to God, and gladly accept of all that communion with him which our natures on earth are capable of. Nothing can be more Reasonable then for the Reasonable soul to be entirely addicted to him that did create it, that doth preserve it, and by whom it doth subsist and act. Nothing is more Reasonable then that the Absolute Lord of nature be honoured and served wholly by his Own: Nothing is more Reasonable then that the Reasonable creature do live in the p. 237truest dependence upon, and subordination to the Highest Reason; and that derived, imperfect, defectible wisdome, be subservient to, and guided by the primitive, perfect, indefectible wisdome: It is most reasonable that the Children depend upon the Father, and the foolish be ruled by the most wise, and that the Subjects be governed by the universal King; and that they honour him and obey him, and that the indigent apply themselves to him that is All sufficient, and is most able and ready to supply their wants; and that the Importent rest upon him that is Omnipotent.

2. Nothing can be more Reasonable, than that the Reasonable Nature should intend its End, and seek after its true and chief felicity: And that it should Love Good as Good, and therefore prefer the chiefest Good before that which is transitory and insufficient. Reason commandeth the Reasonable Creature to avoid its own delusion and destruction, and to rest upon him that can everlastingly support us, and not upon the creature that will deceive us and undo us: and to prefer the highest and noblest converse before that which is inferiour, unprofitable and base, and that we rejoyce more in the highest, purest, and most durable delights, than in those that are fordid, and of short continuance. And who knoweth not that God is the chiefest Good, and true felicity of man, the everlasting Rock, the durable delight, and to be preferred before his creatures? And who might not find that would use his Reason, that all things below are vanity and vexation?

3. Nothing can be more Rational and Agreeable to Mans Nature, than that the superiour faculties should govern the inferiour, that the brutish part be subject to the Rational; and that the ends and objects of this higher faculty be preferred before the objects of the lower, that the objects of sense be made subservient to the objects of Reason. If this be not Natural and Rational, then it is natural to Man to be no Man, but a Beast, and Reasonable to be Unreasonable. Now it is evident that a Holy Living unto God, is but the improvement of true Reason, and its imployment for and upon its noblest object, and its ultimate End: And that a sensual life is the exercise of the inferiour brutish faculties, in predominacy above and before the rational: And therefore to question whether p. 238God or the Creature should be first sought, and loved, and principally desired, and delighted in, and served, is but to question whether we should live like Men or like Beasts, and whether D…gs or wise men be fitter companions for us? and whether the Rider or the Horse should have the rule? whether the Rational or Sensitive Powers be superiour and proper to the nature of a man?

Object. But there is a middle state of life betwixt the sensual and the Divine or Holy Life which sober Philosophers did live, and this is the most Natural Life, and most properly so called.

Answ. I deny this: There is no middle state of life, if you denominate the several states of life, from the several Ends, or the several Powers. I grant that the very sensitive powers in man, especially the imagination, is much advanced by the conjunction of Reason, above that of a brute: And I grant that the Delights of the Phantasie may be preferred before the immediate pleasure of the senses: And I grant that some little distant knowledge of God, and things Divine, and Hopes of attaining them, may affect an unsanctified man with an answerable pleasure. But all this is nothing to prove that there is a third sort of End, or of Powers, and so a third or middle state of life, specifically distinct from the sensitive and the Holy life. Besides, the Vegetative man hath no other life or faculties, than the Sensitive and the Rational: And therefore one of these must be in predominancy or rule. And therefore he can have no middle sort or End; and therefore no middle state of life, that can be said to be agreeable to his nature. Those that seek and take up their chief felicity in Riches and plenty, and provisions for the flesh, though not in present pleasing of the sense, do live but the life of sensuality. A Fox or Dog takes pleasure when he hath eaten his belly full, to hide and lay up the rest: And so doth the Bee to fill the Hive, and make provision for the Winter. The Proud that delight in Honour and applause, and making others subject to their lusts, do live but the life of sensuality: A Dog, a Horse, and other brutes, have something of the same. They that are grave through Melancholy, or because they can reach no great matter in the world, and because their old or duller spirits are not much pleased with juvenile delights, and so live retiredly, and p. 239seek no higher pleasure or felicity, but only sit down with the weeping or the laughing Philosopher, lamenting or deriding the Vanity of the world, do yet live no other than a sensual life: as an old Dog that hath no pleasure in hunting or playfulness, as he had when he was a Whelp. Only he is less deluded and less vain, than other sensualists that find more pleasure in their course.

All the doubt is concerning those that place their felicity in Knowledge, and those that delight in Moral Vertues, or that delight in studying of God, though they are no Christians.

Answ. The point is weighty, and hath oft unhappily faln into injudicious hands. I shall endeavour to resolve it as truly, clearly and impartially as I can. 1. It is a great errour against the Nature of man, to say, that Knowledge as such, is fit to be any mans chief and ultimate End. It may be that act which is next the Enjoying Act of the Will, which is it that indeed is next the End, objectively considered: But it is not that Act which we call Ultimate Ultimus. And this is plain 1. Because the Object of the Understanding, which is Truth, is not formally the nearest object or matter of full felicity or delight: It is Goodness that is the nearest object. 2. And therefore the office of the Intellect is but introductive and subservient to the office of the Will, to apprehend the Verity of Good, and present it to the will to be prosecuted or embraced, or delighted in. There are many Truths that are ungrateful and vexatious, and which men would wish to be no truths: And there is a knowledge which is troublesome, useless, undesirable and tormenting, which even a wise man would fain avoid if he knew how. Morality is but preparatively in the intellect: and therefore intellectual acts as such are not morally Good, or evil, but only participatively, as subject to the Will. And therefore knowledge as such being not a Moral Good, can be no other than such a Natural Good as is Bonum alicui, only so far as it tendeth to some Welfare or Happiness, or pleasure of the possessor or some other: And this Welfare or Pleasure is either that which is suited to the Sensitive Powers, or to the Rational (which is to be found in the love of God alone.)

2. I add therefore that even those men that seem to take up p. 240their felicity in common Knowledge, indeed do but make their Knowledge subservient to something else which they take for their felicity. For Knowledge of Evil may Torment them. It is only to know something which they take to be Good, that is their Delight. And it is the Complacency or Love of that Good at the Heart, which sets them on work, and causeth the delight of Knowing. If you will say that common Knowledge as Knowledge doth immediately Delight, yet will it be found but such a pleasing of the Phantasie, as an Ape hath in spying marvels, which if it have no end that's higher, is still but a sensitive Delight; but if it be referred to a higher Delight (in God) doth participate of the nature of it. Delight in general is the common end of Men and Brutes: But in specie they are distinguished as Sensual or Rational.

3. If you suppose a Philosopher to be Delighted in studying Mathematicks, or any of the works of God, either he hath herein an End, or no End beyond the Knowledge of the Creature: Either he terminateth his desires and delights in the Creature, or else useth it as a means to raise him to the Creatour. If he study and delight in the Creature ultimately, this is indeed the Act of a rational Creature, and an act of Reason, as to the faculty it proceeds from (and so is a Rational Contrivance for sensual ends and pleasures:) But it is but the errour of Reason, and is no more agreeable to the Rational Nature, than the deceit of the senses is to the sensitive. Nor is it finally to be numbred with the operations felicitating humane nature, any more than an erroneous dream of pleasure, or than that man is to be numbred with the lovers of learning, who taketh pleasure in the binding, leaves or letters of the book, while he understandeth nothing of the sense. But if this Philosopher seek to know the Creatour in and by the Creatures, and take delight in the Makers Power, Wisdome and Goodness, which appeareth in them, then this is truly a Rational Delight, in it self considered, and beseeming a man. And if he reach so far in it, as to make God his Highest desire and delight, overpowring the desires and delights of sensuality, he shall be happy, as being led by the Son unto the Father: But if he make but some little approaches towards it, and drown all such desires in the sensual desires and delights, he p. 241is then but an unhappy sensualist, and liveth brutishly in the tenor of his life, though in some acts in part he operate rationally as a man.

The like I may say of them that are said to place their delight in Moral Vertues. Indeed nothing is properly a Moral Good (or vertue) but that which is exercised upon God as our End, or upon the Creature as a Means to this End. To study and know meer notions of God, or what is to be held and said of him in discourse, is not to study or to know God, no more than to love the language and phrase of holy writing, is to Love God. To study God as one that is less regardable and desirable than our sensual delights, is but to blaspheme him. To study seek and serve him as one that can promote or hinder our sensual felicity, is but to abuse him as a means to your sensuality. And for the vertues of Temperance, Justice or Charity, they are but Analogically and secundum quid to be found in any ungodly person. Materially they may have them in an eminent degree; but not as they are informed by the End which moralizeth them. Jezabel's fast was not formally a vertue, but an odious way of Hypocrisie to oppress the innocent: He that doth works of Justice or Mercy, to Evil ends only (as for applause, or to deceive, &c.) and not from the true principles of Justice and Mercy, doth not thereby exercise Moral Vertue, but hypocrisie, and other vice. He that doth works of Justice and Mercy, out of meer natural compassion to others, and desire of their good, without respect to God, as obliging, or rewarding, or desiring it, doth perform such a natural good work, as a Lamb or a gentle Beast doth to his fellows, which hath not the true form of Moral Vertue, but the Matter only. He that in such works hath some little byrespect to God, but more to his carnal interest among men, doth that which on the by, participateth of Moral Good, or is such secundum quid, but not simpliciter, being to be denominated from the part predominant. He that doth works of Justice or Charity principally to please God, and in true obedience to his Will, and a desire to be conformed thereto, doth that which is formally a Moral Good, and Holy, though there may be abhorred mixtures of worse respects.

So that there are but two states of life here: One of those p. 242that walk after the flesh, and the other of those that walk after the spirit: However the flesh hath several materials and waies of pleasure: And even the Rational actings that have a carnal end, are carnal finally and morally, though they are acts of Reason; For they are but the errours of Reason, and defectiveness of true Rationality; and being but the acts of erroneous Reason as captivated by the flesh, and subservient to the carnal Interest, they are themselves to be denominated carnal: And so even the Reasonable soul as byassed by sensuality, and captivated thereto, is included in the name of [Flesh] in Scripture.

How much Moral Good is in that course of Piety or Obedience to God, which proceedeth only from the Fear of Gods Judgements, without any Love to him, I shall not now discuss, because I have too far digrest already.

All that I have last said, is to shew you the Reasonableness of Living unto God, as being indeed the proper and just employment of the superiour faculties of the soul, and their Government of the lower faculties. For if any other called Moralists do seem to subject the Sensual life to the Rational, either they do but seem to do so; the sensual interest being indeed predominant, and their rational operations subjected thereto: or at the best, it is but some poor and erroneous employment of the Rational faculties which they exercise, or some weak approaches towards that high and holy life, which is indeed the life which the Rational nature was created for, and which is the right improvement of it.

4. Moreover, nothing is more beseeming the nature of man, than to aspire after the highest and noblest improvement of it self; and to live the most excellent life that it is capable of. For every nature tendeth to its own perfection. But it is most evident that to Walk with God in Holiness, is a thing that humane nature is capable of; and that is the highest life that we are capable of on earth: And therefore it is the life most suitable to our natures.

5. And what can be more Rational and beseeming a Created Nature, than to live to those ends, which our Creatour intended in the fabrication of our Natures? It is His Ends that are principally to be served. But the very composure of our faculties p. 243plainly prove, that His End was that we should be fitted for His Service: He gave us no powers or capacity in vain: And therefore to serve him and walk with him, is most suitable to our natures.

Obj. That is Natural which is first, and born with us: But our enmity to Holiness is first, and not our Holiness.

Answ. It may be called Natural indeed, because it is first, and born with us: And in that respect we confess that sin and not Holiness is Natural to us. But Holiness is called Natural to us, in a higher respect, because it was the Primitive Natural constitution of man, and was before sin, and is the perfection or health of nature, and the right employment and improvement of it, and tends to its happiness. An hereditary leprosie may be called▪ Natural, as it is first, and before health in that person: But health and soundness is Natural, as being the well-being of Nature, when the Leprosie is unnatural, as being but its desease, and tending to its destruction.

Obj. But Nature in its first constitution was not Holy, but Innocent only, and it was by a superadded gift of Grace that it became Holy as some Schoolmen think; and as others think, Adam had no Holiness till his restoration.

Answ. These are Popish improved fancies, and contrary to Nature and the Word of God. 1. They are nowhere written, nor have no evidence in Nature, and therefore are the groundless dreams of men.

2. The work of our recovery to God is called in Scripture a Redemption, Renovation, Restoration, which imply that Nature was once in that Holy estate before the fall. And it is expresly said, that the New man which we put on is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him] Col. 3. 10. And after Gods Image Adam was created.

3. If it belong to the soundness and integrity of Nature to be Holy (that is, disposed and addicted to live to God) then it is an abusive temerity, for men out of their own imagination, to feign, that God first made Nature defective, and then mended it by superadded Grace. But if it belong not to the soundness and integrity of humane Nature to be Holy, then why did God give him Grace to make him so? Nay then, it would follow that when God sanctified Adam, or any since, he made p. 244him specifically another thing, another creature, of another nature, and did not only cure the diseases of his nature.

4. It is yet apparent in the very Nature of mans faculties, that their very usefulness and tendency, is to live to God, and to enjoy him: And that God should make a Nature apt for such a use, and give it no disposedness to its proper use, is an unnatural conceit. We see to this day that it is but an unreasonable abuse of Reason, when it is not used Holily for God; and it is a very disease of nature to be otherwise disposed. Therefore Primitive Nature had such a Holy inclination.

5. The contrary opinion tendeth to Infidelity, and to brutifie humane Nature. For if no man can believe that he must be Holy and live to God, and enjoy him hereafter in Heaven, but he that also believeth that Primitive Nature was never disposed or qualified for such a life; and that God must first make a man another creature in specie, of another nature (and consequently not a man) this is not only so improbable, but so contrary to Scripture and Reason, that few considerate persons would believe it. As if we must believe that God would turn brutes into men. God healeth, elevateth and perfecteth Nature, but doth not specificially change it, at least in this life.

Obj. But let it be granted that he giveth not man specifically another Nature, yet he may give him such higher gifts, as may be like another Nature to him so far.

Answ. No doubt he may and doth give him such gifts as actuate and perfect Nature: but some Disposition to our ultimate end is essential to our Nature; and therefore to assign man another ultimate end, and to give a Disposition to it, of which he had no seed, or part, or principle before, is to make him another creature. I confess that in lapsed man, the Holy Disposition is so far dead, as that the change maketh a man a New Creature in a Moral sense (as be is a New Man that changeth his mind and manners:) But still Nature hath its aptitude as Rational to be employed for its Maker; so that he is not a New Creature in a Natural sense.

An actual or habitual willingness to this Holy employment, a promptitude to it, and a due understanding of it, is the New Creature Morally so called which is given in our sanctification: But the Natural aptitude that is in our faculties as Rational, p. 245to this holy life, is essential to us as men, or as Rational; even to have the Potentiam naturalem which must yet have further help or moral life to actuate it. And Adam had both these: The one he retained, or else he had not continued a man, The other he lost, or else he had not had need of Renovation.

6. If Adams Nature had not been Disposed to God as to his End and Soveraign, then the Law of Nature (to adhere to God, and obey and serve him) was not written in his heart: And then it would not have been his duty to adhere to God, and to obey and serve him; which is so false, that even in lapsed unrenewed Nature, there is left so much aptitude hereto, as will prove him to be still under the obligations of this Law of Nature, even actually to adhere to God, and to obey him, which a dead man, a mad man, or an Infant is not (immediately.)

By all this you see, that though the blindness and disease of Reason, is contrary to faith and holiness, yet Reason it self is so much for it, as that Faith it self is but the act of elevated well informed Reason; and supernatural Revelation is but the means to inform our Reason, about things which have not a natural evidence, discernable by us. And sanctification (actively taken) is but the healing of our Reason and Rational appetite: And Holiness is but the health or soundness of them. The errour of Reason must be renounced by Believers; but not the use of Reason: The sufficiency of Reason and Natural Light without supernatural Light and Help, we must all deny: But to set Reason as Reason in opposition to Faith or Holiness, or Divine Revelation, is as gross a piece of foolery, as to set the visive faculty in opposition to the Light of the Sun, or to its objects. It is the unreasonableness of sinners that is to be cured by Illuminating Grace. They are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge. Their Reason is wounded, depraved and corrupted about the matters of God: They have Reason to serve the flesh, but not to Master it. God doth renew men by giving them wisdome, and bringing them to a sound mind; As Logick helpeth Reason in discourse and arguing, so Theology informeth Reason about the matters of God and our salvation: and the Spirit of God doth make his Doctrine and Revelation effectual. Make Nature sound, and Reason clear, & then we will consent that all men be perswaded p. 246to live according to their Nature and their Reason. But if a Bedlam will rave and tear himself and others, and say, this is according to my Nature or my Reason; it is fitter that chains and whips do cure that Nature and Reason, than that he be allowed to live according to his madness. If a Drunkard or Whoremonger will say, My Nature and Reason incline mee to please my appetite and lust, it is fit that the swinish Nature be corrected, and the beast which rideth and ruleth the man, be taken down▪ and when indeed his Nature is the Nature of a man, and fitted to the use and ends that it was made for, then let him live according to it and spare not. If a malicious man will abuse or kill his neighbours, and say, This is according to my Nature, let that Nature be used as the Nature of Wolves and Foxes, and other noxious creatures are. But let humane Nature be cured of its blindness, carnality and cortuption, and then it will need no external testimony to convince it, that no employment is so natural and suitable to man, as to Walk with God, in Love and Confidence, and reverent Worship, and chearful Obedience to his Will. A worldly fleshly sensual life, will then appear to be below the rational nature of a man, as it is below us to go to grass with horses, or to live as meer companions of brutes. It will then appear to be as natural for us to Love and Live to our Creatour and Redeemer, and to Walk with God, as for a Child to love his Parents, and to live with them and serve them. When I say that this is Natural, I mean not that it is Necessary by Natural Necessity, or that Grace doth operate per modum naturae, as the irrational motion is so called. There is a Brutish or Inanimate Nature, and there is a Rational Voluntary Nature: Grace worketh not according to the way of Inanimate or Brutish Nature, but according to the way of Rational Nature, in free Agents. I may well say that whatever is Rational, is Natural to a Rational Creature as such, so far as he discerneth it. Yea and Habits, though they effect not necessarily, but freely in a Rational nature, yet they Incline Necessarily, & per modum naturae. They contain in their being a Natural aptitude and propensity to action.

Obj. But thus you confound Nature and Grace, Natural and supernatural operations, while you make Grace Natural.

Answ. No such matter: Though walking with God be called p. 247Natural, as it is most agreeable to Nature so far as it is sound, and is the felicity and meetest employment of the rational nature as such; Yet 1. Diseased nature doth abhor it, as a diseased stomack the pleasantest and most wholesome food (as I said before.) 2. And this disease of Nature cannot he cured without Divine supernatural Grace. So that as to the efficient cause, our Holinesse is supernatural. But it is unsound doctrine of those that affirm that Adam in his pure Natural state of innocency, had no Natural Holiness, or aptitude and promptitude to Walk with God in order to everlasting happiness; but say that all this was either wanting to him, and was a state specifically distinct, which he fell short off by his sin, or that it was given him by superadded Grace, and was not in his entire Nature.

And yet we deny not but as to Degrees, Adams nature was to grow up to more perfection: and that his Natural Holiness contained not a sufficient immediate aptitude and promptitude to every duty which might afterward be required of him; but this was to be obtained in the exercise of that Holiness which he had: Even as a Vine or other fruit tree, though it be Natural to it to bear its proper fruit, yet hath it not an immediate sufficient aptitude hereto, whilst it is but appearing out of the seed, before it be grown up to just maturity. Or as it is Natural to a man to discourse and reason; but yet his nature in infancy, or untaught and unexercised, hath not a sufficient immediate aptitude and promptitude hereunto. Or as Grace inclineth a renewed soul▪ to every holy Truth and duty: and yet such a soul in its infancy of Grace, hath not a sufficient immediate aptitude or promptitude to the receiving of every holy truth, or the doing of every holy duty; but must grow up to it by degrees. But the addition of these degrees, is no specifical alteration of the nature of man, or of that grace which was before received.

Having been so long upon this first Consideration (that Walking with God is most agreeable to humane nature) I shall be briefer in the rest that follow.

p. 248II. TO Walk with God and live to him, is incomparably the Highest and Noblest life. To converse with men only, is to converse with Worms: whether they be Princes or poor men, they differ but as the bigger vermine from the lesser. If they be Wise and Good, their Converse may be profitable and delightful, because they have a beam of excellency from the face of God: (And O how unspeakable is the distance between his Wisdom and Goodness, and theirs!) But if they be foolish, ungodly and dishonest, how loathsome is their conversation? What stinking breath is in their profane and filthy language? in their lies and slanders of the just? in their sottish jears and scorns of those that Walk with God? which expose at once their folly and misery to the pitty of all that are truly understanding. When they are gravely speaking evil of the things which they understand not, or with a fleering confidence deriding merrily the holy commands and waies of God, they are much more lamentably expressing their infatuation, than any that are kept in chains in Bedlam: Though indeed with the most they scape the reputation which they deserve, because they are attended with persons of their own proportion of wisdom, that alwayes reverence a silken coat, and judge them wise that wear gold lace, and have the greatest satisfaction of their wills and lusts, and are able to do most mischief in the world: and because good men have learnt to honour the worst of their superiours, and not to call them as they are. But God is bold to call them as they are, and give them in his word, such names and characters by which they might come to know themselves. And is it not a Higher▪ Nobler life to Walk with God, then to Converse in Bedlam, or with intoxicated sensualists, that live in a constant deliration?

Yea worse then so: ungodly men are children of the Devil, so called by Jesus Christ himself, Joh. 8. 44. because they have much of the nature of the Devil, and the lusts of their father they will do; yea they are taken captive by him at his will, 2 Tim. 2. 26. They are the servants of sin, and do the drudgery that so vile a Master sets them on, Joh. 8. 34. Certainly as p. 249the spirits of the just are so like to Angels, that Christ saith, we shall be as they and equal to them; so the wicked are nearer kin to Devils then they themselves will easily believe. They are as like him as children to their Father: He is a lyar, and so are they: He is a hater of God, and godliness, and godly men, and so are they: He is a murderer, and would fain devour the holy seed; and such are they. He envyeth the progress of the Gospel, and the prosperity of the Church, and the increase of Holiness; and so do they. He hath a special malice against the most powerful and successful Preachers of the Word of God, and against the most zealous and eminent Saints; and so have they. He cares not by what lyes and fictions he disgraceth them, nor how cruelly he useth them; No more do they, (or some of them at least:) He cherisheth licentiousness, sensuality and impiety; and so do they. If they do seem better in their adversity and restraint, yet try them but with prosperity, and power, and you shall see quickly how like they are to devils. And shall we delight more to converse with brutes and incarnate devils, than with God? Is it not a more high and excellent conversation to Walk with God, and live to Him, then to be companions of such degenerate men, that have almost forfeited the reputation of humanity? Alas, they are companions so deluded and ignorant, and yet so wilfull; so miserable, and yet so confident and secure, that they are, to a believing eye, the most lamentable sight that the whole world can shew us out of hell. And how sad a life must it then needs be, to converse with such, were it not for the hope that we have of furthering their recovery and Salvation!

But to Walk with God is a word so high, that I should have feared the guilt of arrogance in using it, if I had not found it in the holy Scriptures. It is a word that importeth so high and holy a frame of soul, and expresseth such high and holy actions, that the naming of it striketh my heart with reverence▪ as if I had heard the voice to Moses [Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground] Exod. 3. 5. Methinks he that shall say to me, Come see a man that walks with God, doth call me to see one that is next unto an Angel, or glorified soul! It is a far more reverend p. 250object in mine eye, then ten thousand Lords or Princes considered only in their fleshly glory. It is a wiser action for people to run and crowd together, to see a man that Walks with God, then to see the pompous train of Princes, their entertainments, or their triumphs. O happy man, that Walks with God, though neglected and contemned by all about him! What blessed sights doth he daily see! What ravishing tydings, what pleasant melody doth he daily hear, unless it be in his swoons or sickness! what delectable food doth he daily tast! He seeth by faith the God, the Glory, which the blessed Spirits see at hand by nearest intuition: He seeth that in a glass and darkly, which they behold with open face: He seeth the glorious Majesty of his Creatour, the Eternal King, the Cause of Causes, the composer, upholder, preserver, and governour of all the worlds: He beholdeth the wonderful methods of his providence: And what he cannot reach to see, he admireth, and waiteth for the time when that also shall be open to his view! He seeth by Faith the world of Spirits, the hosts that attend the throne of God; their perfect righteousnesse, their full devotednesse to God; their ardent love, their flaming zeal, their ready and chearful obedience, their dignity and shining glory, in which the lowest of them exceedeth that which the Disciples saw on Moses and Elias when they appeared on the holy Mount, and talkt with Christ. They hear by faith the heavenly consort, the high and harmonious Songs of praise, the joyful triumphs of crowned Saints, the sweet commemorations of the things that were done and suffered on earth, with the praises of him that redeemed them by his blood, and made them Kings and Priests to God: Herein he hath sometime a sweet foretast of the everlasting pleasures, which though it be but little, as Jonathans honey on the end of his rod, or as the clusters of grapes which were brought from Canaan into the wilderness, yet are they more excellent then all the delights of sinners. And in the beholding of this celestial Glory, some beams do penetrate his breast, and so irradiate his longing soul, that he is changed thereby into the same image from Glory to Glory; the spirit of Glory and of God doth rest upon him; And O what an excellent holy frame doth this converse with God possess his soul of! How reverently p. 251doth he think of him! what life is there in every Name and Attribute of God which he heareth or thinketh on! The mention of his Power, his Wisdome, his Goodness, his Love, his Holinesse, his Truth, how powerful and how pleasant are they to him! when to those that know him but by the hearing of the ear, all these are but like common names and notions; and even to the weaker sort of Christians, whose Walking with God is more uneven, and low, interrupted by their sins and doubts and fears, this life and glory of a Christian course is lesse perceived.

And the sweet appropriating and applying works of faith, by which the soul can own his God, and finds it self owned by him, are exercised most easily and happily in these near approaches unto God. Our doubts are cherished by our darknesse, and that is much caused by our distance: The nearer the soul doth approach to God, the more distinctly it heareth the voice of mercy, the sweet reconciling invitations of Love; and the more clearly it discerneth that goodness and amiableness in God, which maketh it easier to us to believe that he loveth us, or is ready to embrace us; and banisheth all those false and horrid apprehensions of him, which before were our discouragement, and made him seem to us more terrible then amiable. As the Ministers and faithful servants of Christ, are ordinarily so misrepresented by the malignant Devil, to those that know them not, that they are ready to think them some silly fools, or falsehearted hypocrites, and to shun them as strange undesirable persons; but when they come to through acquaintance with them by a nearer and familiar converse, they see how much they were mistaken, and wronged by their prejudice and belief of slanderers misreports: Even so a weak believer that is under troubles, in the apprehension of his sin and danger, is apt to hearken to the enemy of God, that would shew him nothing but his wrath, and represent God as an enemy to him: And in this case it is exceeding hard for a poor sinner to believe that God is reconciled to him, or loveth him, or intends him good, but he is ready to dread and shun him as an enemy, or as he would fly from a wild beast or murderer, or from fire or water that would destroy him: And all these injurious thoughts of God p. 252are cherished by strangeness and disacquaintance. But as the soul doth fall into an understanding and serious converse with God, and having been often with him, doth find him more merciful than he was by Satan represented to him, his experience reconcileth his mind to God, and maketh it much easier to him to believe that God is reconciled unto him▪ when he hath found much better entertainment with God than he expected, and hath observed his benignity, and the treasures of his bounty laid up in Christ, and by him distributed to believers, and hath found him ready to hear and help, and found him the only full and suitable felicitating Good, this banisheth his former horrid thoughts, and maketh him ashamed that ever he should think so suspiciously, injuriously and dshonourably of his dearest God and Father.

Yet I must confesse that there are many upright troubled souls, that are much in reading, prayer and meditation, that still find it hard to be perswaded of the Love of God, and that have much more disquietment and fear since they set themselves to think of God, than they had before: But yet for all this, we may well conclude, that to walk with God, is the way to consolation, and tendeth to acquaint us with his love. As for those troubled souls whose experience is objected against this, some of them are such as are yet but in their return to God, from a life of former sin and misery, and are yet but like the needle in the compasse that is shaken, in a trembling motion towards their rest, and not in any setled apprehensions of it. Some of them by the straying of their imagination too high, and putting themselves upon more than their heads can bear, and by the violence of fears or other passions, do make themselves uncapable of those sweet consolations which else they might find in their converse with God; as a Lute when the strings are broken with straining, is uncapable of making any melody. All of them have false apprehensions of God, and therefore trouble themselves by their own mistakes. And if some perplex themselves by their errour, doth it follow that therefore the Truth is not comfortable? Is not a Fathers presence consolatory, because some children are afraid of their Fathers, that know them not because of some disguise? And some of Gods children walk so p. 253unevenly and carelesly before him, that their sins provoke him to hide his face, and to seem to reject them and disown them, and so to trouble them that he may bring them home: But shall the comforts of our Fathers Love and Family, be judged of by the fears or smart of those whom he is scourging for their disobedience, or their tryal? Seek God with understanding, as knowing his essential properties, and what he will be to them that sincerely and diligently seek him, and then you will quickly have experience, that nothing so much tendeth to quiet, and settle a doubting, troubled, unstable soul, as faithfully to walk with God.

But the soul that estrangeth it self from God, may indeed for a time have the quietness of security; but (so far) it will be strange to the assurance of his Love, and to true consolation. Expect not that God should follow you with his comforts in your sinfulnesse and negligence, and cast them into your hearts whilest you neither seek nor mind them, or that he give you the fruit of his wayes in your own wayes. Will he be your joy when you forget him? will he delight your souls with his goodness and amiableness, while you are taken up with other matters, and think not of him? can you expect to find the comforts of his family, among his enemies, out of doors? The experience of all the world can tell you, that prodigals while they are stragling from their Fathers house, do never tast the comfort of his embraces; The strangers meddle not with his childrens joyes: They grow not in the way of ambition, covetousnesse, vainglory, or sensuality; but in the way of holy obedience, and of believing contemplations of the Divine everlasting objects of delight. For, lo, they that are far from him shall perish: he destroyeth them that go a whoring from him: but it is good for us to draw nigh to God, Psal. 73. 27, 28.

p. 254III. VVAlking with God, is the only course that can prove and make men truly wise. It proves them wise that make so wise and good a choice, and are disposed and skilled in any measure for so high a work. Practical Wisdome is the solid, useful, profitable wisdome: And Practical Wisdome is seen in our Choice of Good, and Refusal of Evil, as its most immediate and excellent effect. And no Choosing or Refusing doth shew the Wisdome or Folly of man so much as that which is about the Greatest matters, and which everlasting life or death depends on. He is not thought so wise among men that can write a Volume about the Orthography or Etymology of a word, or that can guess what wood the Trojane Horse was made of, or that can make a chain to tye a Flea in, as he that can bring home Gold and Pearls, or he that can obtain and manage Governments, or he that can cure mortal maladies: For as in lading we difference Bulk and Value, and take not that for the best commodity which is of greatest quantity or weight, but that which in most precious and of greatest use: so there is a bulky knowledge, extended far, to a multitude of words and things, which are all of no great use or value; and therefore the Knowledge of them is such as they: And there is a precious sort of Knowledge, which fixeth upon the most precious things; which being of greatest Use and Value, do accordingly prove the Knowledge such. Nothing will prove a man simply and properly wise, but that which will prove or make him Happy. He is wise indeed, that is wise to his own and others good: And that is indeed his Good, which saveth his soul, and maketh him for ever blessed. Though we may admire the Cunning of those that can make the most curious engines, or by deceiving others advance themselves, or that can subtilly dispute the most curious niceties, or criticize upon the words of several languages; yet I will never call them Wise, that are all that while the Devils slaves, the enemies of God, the refusers of Grace, and are making haste to endless misery: And I think there is not one of those in Hell who were once the subtile men on earth, that now take themselves to have been truly wise, or glory much in the remembrance of such Wisdome.

p. 255And as this Choice doth prove men wise, so the practice of this Holy walking with God, doth make them much wiser than they were. As there must be some work of the Spirit to draw men to believe in Christ, and yet the Spirit is promised and given (in a special sort or measure) to them that do Believe; so must there be some special Wisdome to make men Choose to walk with God; but much more is given to them in this holy course. As Solomon was wiser than most of the world, before he asked wisdome of God, or else he would not have made so wise a Choice, and preferred wisdome before the riches and honours of the world: And yet it was a more notable Degree of wisdome that was afterwards given him in answer to his prayer: so it is in this case.

There are many undenyable Evidences to prove, that walking with God doth do more to make men truly wise, than all other learning or policy in the world.

1. He that walketh with God, doth begin aright, and settle upon a sure foundation: (And we use to say, that a work is half finished that is well begun:) He hath engaged himself to the best and wisest Teacher: He is a Disciple to Him that knoweth all things. He hath taken in infallible principles, and taken them in their proper place and order: He hath learnt those Truths which will every one become a Teacher to him, and help him to that which is yet unlearnt. Whereas many that thought they were Doctors in Israel, if ever they they will be wise and happy, must become fools (that is, such as they have esteemed fools) if ever they will be wise, 1 Cor. 3. 18. and must be called back with Nicodemus to learn Christs Cross, and to be taught that that which is born of the flesh is but flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit: and that therefore they must be born again (not only of water, but also of the spirit) if ever they will enter into the Kingdome of Heaven, Joh. 3. 3, 5, 6. O miserable beginning! and miserable progress! when men that never soundly learnt the mysteries of Regeneration, and Faith, and Love, and Self-denyal, and Mortification, do proceed to study names and words, and to turn over a multitude of Books, to fill their brains with airy notions, and their Common-places with such sayings as may be provision and furniture for their pride and ostentation, p. 256and ornament to their style and language; and know not yet what they must do to be saved, and indeed know nothing as they ought to know! 1 Cor. 8. 2. As every Science hath its principles, which are supposed in all the consequential verities; so hath Religion as Doctrinal and Practical, those Truths which must be first received before any other can be received as it ought; and those things which must be first done, before any other can be done so as to attain their ends. And these Truths and Duties are principally about God himself, and are known and done effectually by those, and only those, that walk with God, or are devoted to him. It is a lamentable thing to see men immerst in serious studies, even till they grow aged, and to hear them seriously disputing and discoursing about the controversies or difficulties in Theology, or inferiour Sciences, before ever they had any saving knowledge of God, or of the work of the Holy Ghost in the converting and sanctifying of the soul, or how to escape everlasting misery!

2. He that walketh with God, hath fixed upon a right end, and is renewing his estimation and intention of it, and daily prosecuting it: And this is the first and greatest part of Practical Wisdome. When a man once knoweth his End aright, he may the better judge of the aptitude and seasonableness of all the means. When we know once that Heaven containeth the only felicity of man, it will direct us to Heavenly cogitations, and to such spiritual means as are fitted to that End: If we have the right mark in our eye, we are liker to level at it than if we mistake our mark. He is the wise man, and only he, that hath steadily fixed his eye upon that blessedness which he was created and redeemed for, and maketh strait towards it, and bends the powers of soul and body, by faithful constant diligence to obtain it. He that hath rightly and resolvedly determined of his end, hath virtually resolved a thousand controversies that others are unsatisfied and erroneous in: He that is resolved, that his End is to Please and Glorifie God, and to enjoy him for ever, is easily resolved whether a holy life, or a sensual and worldly, be the way: whether the way be to be Godly, or to make a mock at Godliness: whether Covetousness and Riches, Ambition and Preferment, Voluptuousness and Fleshly pleasures, be the means to attain his End: whether it p. 257will be attained rather by the studying of the Word of God, and meditating on it day and night, and by holy conference, and fervent prayer, and an obedient life; or by negligence, or worldliness, or drunkenness, or gluttony, or cards and dice, or beastly filthiness, or injustice and deceit. Know once but whither it is that we are going, and its easie to know whether the Saint, or the Swine, or the Swaggerer be in the way. But a man that doth mistake his End, is out of his way at the first step; and the further he goes, the further he is from true felicity; and the more he erreth, and the further he hath to go back again, if ever he return. Every thing that a man doth in the world, which is not for the right end (the Heavenly felicity) is an act of foolishness and errour, how splendid soever the Matter or the Name, may make it appear to ignorant men. Every word that an ungodly person speaketh being not for a right End, is in him but sin and folly, however materially it may be an excellent and useful Truth. While a miserable soul hath his back upon God, and his face upon the world, every step he goeth is an act of folly▪ as tending unto his further misery. It can be no act of wisdome, which tendeth to a mans damnation. When such a wretch begins to enquire and bethink him where he is, and whither he is going, and whither he should go, and to think of turning back to God, then and never till then, he is beginning to come to himself, and to be wise, Luk. 15. 17. Till God and Glory be the End that he aimeth at, and seriously bends his study, heart and life to seek, though a man were searching into the mysteries of nature, though he were studying or discussing the notions of Theology; though he were admired for his earning and wisdome by the world, and cryed up as the Oracle of the Earth, he is all the while but playing the fool, and going a cleanlier way to Hell than the grosser sinners of the world! For …s he wise, that knoweth not whether Heaven or Earth be better? whether God or his Flesh should be obeyed? whether everlasting joyes, or the transitory pleasures of sin, should be preferred? or that seemeth to be convinced of the truth in these and such like cases, and yet hath not the wit to make his choice, and bend his life according to his conviction? He cannot be wise that practically mistakes his End.

p. 2583. He that walketh with God, doth know those things, with a deep, effectual, heart-changing knowledge, which other men know but superficially, by the halves, and as in a dream. And true wisdome consisteth in the Intensiveness of the knowledge subjectively, as much as in the extensiveness of it objectively. To see a few things in a narrow room perspicuously and clearly, doth shew a better eye-sight, than in the open Air to see many things obscurely so as scarce to discern any of them aright; (…ke him that saw men walk like trees.) The clearness and … of knowledge, which makes it effectual to its proper use, … greatness and excellency of it: Therefore it is that unlearned men that love and fear the Lord, may well be said to be incomparably more wise and knowing men, than the most learned that are ungodly. As he hath more riches that hath a little Gold or Jewels▪ than he that hath many load of stones: so he that hath a deep effectual knowledge of God the Father, and the Redeemer, and of the life to come, is wiser and more knowing than he that hath only a notional knowledge of the same things, and of a thousand more. A wicked man hath so much knowledge, as teacheth him to speak the same words of God, and Christ, and Heaven, which a true Believer speaks; but not so much as to work in him the same affections and choice, nor so much as to cause him to do the same work. As it is a far more excellent kind of knowledge which a man hath of any Country by travel and habitation there, than that which cometh but by reading or report; or which a man hath of meat, of fruits, of wine, by eating and drinking, than that which another hath by hearsay; so is the inward heart-affecting knowledge of a true believer, more excellent than the flashy notions of the ungodly▪ Truth simply as Truth, is not the highest and most excellent object of the mind: But Good as Good, must be apprehended by the Understanding, and commended to the Will, which entertaineth it with Complacency, adhereth to it with Choice and Resolution, prosecuteth it with Desire and Endeavour, and Enjoyeth it with Delight: And though it be the Understanding which apprehendeth it, yet it is the Heart or Will that rellisheth it, and tasteth the greatest sweetness in it, working upon it with some mixture of internal sense (which hath made some ascribe a knowledge of Good as such unto the p. 259Will.) And it is the Wills intention that causeth the Understanding to be denominated Practical: And therefore I may well say, th…t it is Wisdom indeed when it reacheth to the heart. No man knoweth the Truth of God so well as he that most firmly Believeth him: And do man knoweth the Goodness of God so well as he that Loveth him most: No man knoweth his Power and Mercy so well as he that doth most confidently Trust him: And no man knoweth his Justice and Dreadfulness so well as he that feareth him: No man knoweth or believeth the Glory of Heaven so well as he that most esteemeth, desireth and seeketh it, and hath the most Heavenly Heart and Conversation: Ho man believeth in Jesus Christ so well as he that giveth up himself unto him, with the greatest Love and Thankfulness, and Trust and Obedience. As James saith [Shew mee thy Faith by thy works] so say I, Let me know the measure and value of my knowledge by my Heart and Life. That is wisdome indeed which conformeth a man to God, and saveth his soul: This only will be owned as wisdome to eternity, when dreaming notions will prove but folly.

4. He that walketh with God hath an infallible Rule, and taketh the right course to have the best acquaintance with it, and skill to use it. The Doctrine that informeth him is Divine: It is from Heaven, and not of Men: And therefore if God be wiser than man, he is able to make his Disciples wisest; and Teaching will more certainly and powerfully illuminate. Many among men have pretended to Infallibility, that never could justifie their pretensions, but have confuted them by their own mistakes and crimes: But none can deny the Infallibility of God. He never yet was deceived, or did deceive: He erreth not, nor teacheth errour. Nicodemus knew Christ was to believed, when he knew that he was a Teacher come from God, Joh. 3. 2. Christ knew that the Jews themselves durst not deny the truths of John's Doctrine, if he could but convince them that it was [from Heaven, and not of men] It is impossible for God to lye: It is the Devil that was a Lyar from the beginning, and is yet the Father of lyes. No wonder if they believe lyes that follow such a Teacher. And those that follow the flesh and the world, do follow the Devil: They that will believe what their fleshly interest and lusts perswade them p. 260to believe, do believe what the Devil perswadeth them to believe; For he perswadeth them by these, and for these. What marvel then if there be found men in the world, that can believe that Holiness is Hypocrisie, or a needless thing! that those are the worst men that are most careful to please God; that the world is more worthy of their care and labour, than their salvation is; that the pleasures of sin for a season are more desirable, than the everlasting happiness of the Saints; that cards and dice, and mirth and lust, and wealth and honour, are matters more delectable, than Prayer, and meditating on the Word of God, and loving him, and obeying him, and waiting in the hopes of life eternal; that gluttons and drunkards, and whoremongers, and covetous persons, may enter into the Kingdom of God, &c. What wonder if a thousand such damnable lyes, are believed by the Disciples of the Father of lyes! what wonder if there are so many Saint-haters, and God-haters in the world, as to fill the earth with persecutions and cruelties, or make a scorn of that which God most highly valueth, and all this under pretences of Order, or Unity, or Justice, or something that is good, and therefore fit to palliate their sin! Is there any thing so false, or foul, or wicked, that Satan will not teach his followers? Is he grown modest, or moderate, or holy, or just? Is he reconciled to Christ, to Scripture, to Godliness, or to the Godly? Or is his Kingdom of darkness at an end? and hath he lost the earth? Or are men therefore none of the servants of the Devil, because they were baptized (as Simon Magus was) and call and think themselves the servants of Christ? As if still it were not the art by which he gets and keeps Disciples, to suffer them to wear the livery of Christ, and to use his name, that he may thus keep possession of them in peace, who else would be frighted from him, and fly to Christ! He will give them leave to study Arts and Sciences, and to understand things excellent of inferiour use, so be it they will be deceived by him in the matters of God and their salvation. He can allow them to be learned Lawyers, excellent Physicians, Philosophers, Politicians, to be skilful Artists, so be it they will follow him in sin to their damnation, and will overlook the Truth that should set them free, (Joh. 8. 32. Yea he will permit them (when p. 261there's no remedy) to study the holy Scriptures, if he may but be the expounder and applyer of it: Yea he will permit them notionally to understand it, if they will not learn by it to be converted, to be holy, and to be saved: He can suffer them to be eminent Divines, so they will not be serious Christians. Thus is the world by the grand Deceiver hurried in darkness to perdition, being taken captive by him at his will, 2 Tim. 2. 26. But the Sanctified are all illuminated by the Holy Ghost, by whom their eyes are so effectually opened, that they are turned from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God, Act. 26. 18. The Father of Glory hath given them the spirit of wisdom and revelation, in the knowledge of Christ, that the eyes of their understanding being enlightned, they may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the Glory of his inheritance in the Saints, Eph. 1. 17, 18. Certainly that illumination of the Holy Ghost which is so often mentioned in Scripture as given to all true believers, is not a fansie, nor an insignificant name: And if it signifie any thing, it signifieth somewhat that is much above the teaching of man. All that walk with God are taught of God! And can man teach like God? God hath accesse unto the heart, and there he doth transcribe his Laws, and put them into our inward parts. And they that walk with him have not only his Word to read, but his Spirit to help them to understand it: and being with him, in his family (yea he dwelleth in them and they in him) he is ready at hand to resolve their doubts: when he gave them his fear, he gave them the beginning of wisdom, Psal. 111. 10. He causeth them to incline their ear to wisdom, Prov. 2. 2, 6. and to apply their hearts unto it, Psal. 90. 12. and maketh them to know it in the hidden parts, Psal. 51. 6.

It is his Law that they have determined to make their rule: They live as under his authority: They are more observant of his Will and Government, than of any Laws or Government of man. And as they obey man in and for the Lord, so they do it in subordination to him, and therefore not against him and his Laws, which being the standard of Justice, and the Rule of Rulers, and of subjects both, they are in the safest way of unerring wisdom, who walk with God according to p. 262that Rule▪ and refuse to turn aside, though commanded by man, or enticed by Satan, the world, or flesh.

5. He that walketh with God is the most considerate person, and therefore hath great advantage to be wise. The frequent and serious thoughts of God, do awaken all the powers of the soul, so that drowsiness doth not hinder the understanding, and so occasion its deceit: There is scarce a more common and powerful cause of mens folly and delusion and perdition, in all the world, than that sleepiness and stupidity which hindereth Reason from the vigorous performance of its office: In this sensless case, though a man both know and consider of the same Truths, which in their nature are most powerful to cleanse and govern and save his soul, yet sluggishness doth enervate them: He knoweth them as if he knew them not, and considereth them as if he never thought of them: They work little more upon him, then if he believed them not, or had never heard of them: even as a dream of the greatest matters, moveth not the sleeper from his pillow: In this senslesse state, the Devil can do almost any thing with a sinner: He can make him sin against his knowledge: And when Conscience hath frighted him into some kind of Penitence, and made him cry out, I have sinned and done foolishly, and caused him to promise to do so no more; yet doth the Devil prevail with him to go on, and to break his promises, as if he had never been convinced of his sins, or confessed them, or seen any reason or necessity to amend: He doth but imprison the truth in unrighteousness, and bury it in a senseless heart: whereas if you could but awaken all the powers of his soul, to give this same truth its due entertainment, and take it deeper into his heart, it would make him even scorn the baits of sin, and see that the ungodly are beside themselves, and make him presently resolve and set upon a holy life. And hence it is that sickness which causeth men to receive the sentence of death, doth usually make men bewail their former sinful lives▪ and marvail that they could be before so sottish as to resist such known and weighty truths; and it makes them purpose and promise reformation and wish themselves in the case of those that they were wont before to deride and scorn: Because now the Truth is deeplier received and digested, by their p. 263awakened souls, and appeareth in its proper evidence and strength. There is no man but must acknowledge, that the same truth doth at one time command his soul, which at another time seems of little force: It is a wonder to observe how differently the same consideration worketh with a man when he is awakened, and when he is in a secure stupid case!

Now this is his advantage that walks with God: He is much more frequently then others awakened, to a serious apprehension of the things which he understandeth: The thoughts of the presence of the most Holy God, will not suffer him to be as secure and senseless as others are, or as he is himself when he turneth aside from this Heavenly conversation. He hath in God such exceeding transcendent excellencies, such Greatness, such Goodness continually to behold, that it keepeth his soul in a much more serious lively state, than any other means could keep it in: so that when ever any truth or duty is presented to him, all his saculties are awake and ready to observe it and improve it. A Sermon, or a good book, or godly conference, or a mercy, when a man hath been with God in prayer or contemplation, will relish better with him, and sink much deeper, then at another time. Nay one serious thought of God himself, will do more to make a man truly and solidly wise, then all the reading and learning in the world, which shuts him out.

6. Walking with God doth fix the mind, and keep it from diversions and vagaries, and consequently much helpeth to make men wise. A stragling mind is empty and unfurnished. He that hath no dwelling, for the most part hath no wealth. Wandering is the beggars life. Men do but bewilder and lose themselves, and not grow wise, whose thoughts are ranging in the corners of the earth, and are like masterlesse dogs, that run up and down according to their fansie, and may go any whether, but have business nowhere. The creature will not fix the soul: But God is the center of all our cogitations: In him only they may unite and fix and rest. He is the only loadstone that can effectually attract and hold it steadfast to himself. Therefore he that walks with God is the most constant and unmoveable of men: Let prosperity or adversity come; let the world be turned upside-down, and the mountains be p. 264hurled into the sea, yet he changeth not: Let men allure or threat, let them scorn or rage, let laws, and customs, and governments, and interest change, he is still the same. For he knoweth that God is still the same, and that his Word changeth not. Let that be death one year which was the way to reputation another, and let the giddy world turn about as the seasons of the year, this changeth not his mind and life (though in things lawful he is of a yeilding temper:) For he knoweth that the interest of his soul doth not change, with the humours or interests of men: He still feareth sinning, for he knoweth that Judgement is still drawing on, in all changes and seasons whatsoever: He is still set upon the pleasing of the most Holy God, whoever be uppermost among men; as knowing that the God whom he serveth is able to deliver him from man, but man is not able to deliver him from God. He still goeth on in the Holy path, as knowing that Heaven is as sure and as desirable as ever it was. Psal. 112. 6, 7. Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the Righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance: He shall not be afraid of evil tydings: His heart is fixed trusting in the Lord: His heart is established, he shall not be afraid.]

7. He that walketh with God, hath the great master-truths upon his heart, which are the standard of the rest, and the stock, as it were, out of which they spring. The great truths about God, and Grace and Glory, have a greater power then many hundred truths of an inferiour nature. And moreover, such a one is sure that he shall be wise in the greatest and most necessary points. He is guilty of no ignorance or errour that shall keep him out of heaven, or hinder his acceptance with his God. And if he be wise enough to please God and to be saved, he is wise indeed: (as before was …inted.)

8. Walking with God doth take off the vizar of deluding things, and keepeth us out of the reach and power of those objects and arguments which are the instruments of deceit. When a man hath been believingly and seriously with God, how easily can he see through the sophistry of the tempting world! How easily can he practically consute the reasonings of the flesh! and discern the dotage of the seeming subtilties of wicked men, that will needs think they have reason for that which p. 265is displeasing to their Maker, and tends to the damning of their souls! so far as a man is conversant with God, so far he is sensible, that all things are nothing, which can be offered as a price to hire him to sin: and that the name of preferment, and honour and wealth, or of disgrace and imprisonment and death, are words almost of no signification, as to the tempters ends, to draw the soul from God and duty. It is men that know not God, and know not what it is to walk with him, that think these words so big and powerful, to whom wealth and honour signifie more then God and Heaven; and poverty, disgrace and death, do signifie more then Gods displeasure and everlasting punishment in hell. As it is easie to cheat a man that is far from the light, so is it easie to deceive the learnedst man that is far from God.

9. Walking with God, doth greatly help us against the deceitfulness and erroneous disposition of our own hearts. The will hath a very great power upon the understanding: And therefore ungodly fleshly men will very hardly receive any truth which crosseth the carnal interest or disposition: And will hardly let go any errour that feedeth them: because their corrupted wills are a byas to their understandings, and make them desperately partial in all their reading and hearing, and hypocritical in their prayers and enquiries after truth. Interest and corruption locketh up their hearts from their own observation. Whereas a man that walketh with God, that is jealous and holy and just and a searcher of the heart, is driven from hypocrisie, and forced to behave himself as in the open light, and to do all as in the sight of all the world, as knowing that the sight of God is of far greater concernment and regard. The partiality, corruption and byas of the heart, is detected and shamed by the presence of God. Therefore to walk with God is to walk in the light, and as children of the light, and not in darkness. And he that doth Truth cometh to the light, that his deeds might be manifest, that they are wrought in God: when every one that doth evil hateth the light; neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved: And this is their condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love the darkness rather then the light, because their deeds are evil, Joh. 3. 19, 20, 21. It tendeth therefore exceedingly p. 266to make men wise, to Walk with God, because it is a walking in the light, and in such a presence as most powerfully prevaileth against that hypocrisie, deceitfulness and partiality of the heart, which is the common cause of damning errour.

10. Lastly, they that walk with God are entitled by many promises, to the guidance and direction of his spirit. And blessed are those that have such a guide: at once a light in the world without them, and a light immediately from God within them: For so far as he is received and worketh in them, he will lead them into truth, and save them from deceit and folly; and having guided them by his counsel, will afterward take them unto glory, Psal. 73. 24. Whereas the ungodly are led by the flesh, and often given up to their own hearts lusts, to walk in their own counsels, Rom. 8. 1, 13. Psal. 81. 12. till at last the fools do say in their hearts, there is no God, Psal. 14. 1. and they become corrupt and abhominable, eating up the people of the Lord as bread, and call not on his Name, ver. 2. &c. Deceiving and being deceived: sensual, having not the spirit, Jud. 19. who shall receive the reward of their unrighteousness, as accounting it pleasure to riot in the day time, 2 Pet. 2. 13.

IV. ANother benefit of Walking with God, is, that it maketh men good, as well as wise: It is the most excellent means for the advancement of mans soul to the highest degree of holiness attainable in this life. If conversing with Good men doth powerfully tend to make men good; conversing with God must needs be more effectual; which may appear in these particulars.

1. The apprehensions of the presence and attributes of God, do most effectually check the stirrings of corruption, and rebuke all the vicious inclinations and motions of the soul: even the most secret sin of the heart, is rebuked by his presence, as well as the most open transgression of the life: For the thoughts of the heart are open to his view. All what is done before God, is done as in the open light: nothing of it can be hid: no sin can have the encouragement of secresie to embolden it. It is all committed in the presence of the Universal King and Lawgiver of the world, who hath forbidden it: It p. 267is done before him that most abhorreth it, and will never be reconciled to it. It is done before him that is the Judge of the world, and will shortly pass the sentence on us according to what we have done in the body. It standeth up in his presence who is of infinite Majesty and perfection, and therefore most to be reverenced and honoured; And therefore if the presence of a wise and grave and venerable person, will restrain men from sin, the presence of God apprehended seriously, will do it much more. It is committed before him that is our dearest friend, and tender Father, and chiefest benefactor: And therefore ingenuity, gratitude and love, will all rise up against it in those that walk with God. There is that in God, before the eyes of those that walk with him, which is most contrary to sin, and most powerful against it, of any thing in the world. Every one will confess that if mens eyes were opened to see the Lord in Glory standing over them, it would be the most powerful means to restrain them from transgressing: The drunkard would not then venture upon his cups: the fornicator would have a cooling for his lusts: the swearer would be afraid to take his Makers name in vain: the prophane would scarce presume to scorn or persecute a holy life. And he that walketh with God, though he see him not corporeally, yet seeth him by faith, and liveth as in his presence; and therefore must needs be restrained from sin, as having the means which is next to the sight of God. If pride should begin to stir in one that walks with God, O what a powerful remedy is at hand! How effectually would the presence of the Great and Holy God rebuke it! and constrain us to say as Job 42. 5, 6. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee: wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes.] If worldly love or carnal lust should stir …n such a one, how powerfully would the terrours of the Lord repress it? and his Majesty rebuke it? and his Love and Goodness overcome it? If worldly cares or murmuring discontents begin to trouble such a one, how effectually will the Goodness, the All sufficiency and the faithfulness of God allay them, and quiet and satisfie the soul, and cause it to be offended at its own offence, and to chide it self for its repinings and distrust? If Passion arise and begin to discompose us, how p. 268powerfully will the presence of God rebuke it? and the reverence of his Majesty, and the sense of his Authority and pardoning grace will asswage it, and shame us into silent quietness; who dare let out his passions upon man, in the presence of his Maker, that apprehendeth his presence? The same I might say of all other sins.

2. The presence and attributes of God apprehended by those that walk with him, is the potent remedy against Temptations. Who will once turn an eye to the gold and glory of the world that is offered him to allure him to sin, if he see God stand by? who would be tempted to lust or any sinful pleasure, if he observe the presence of the Lord? Satan can never come in so ill a time with his temptations, and have so little hope to speed, as when the soul is contemplating the attributes of God, or taken up in prayer with him, or any way apprehensive of his presence. The soul that faithfully walks with God, hath enough at hand in him to answer all temptations. And the further any man is from God, and the less he knoweth him, the more Temptations can do upon him.

3. The presence of God, affordeth the most powerful motives unto Good, to those that walk with him. There is no grace in man, but what is from God, and may find in God its proper object or incentive. As God is God, above the creature transcendently and infinitely in all perfections, so all the motives to goodness which are fetcht from him, are transcendently above all that may be fetcht from any creature. He that liveth alwaies by the fire or in the Sun-shine, is likest to be warm. He that is most with God, will be most like to God in Holiness. Frequent and serious converse with him, doth most deeply imprint his communicable attributes on the heart, and make there the clearest impression of his image. Believers have learned by their own experience, that one hours serious prayer, or meditation, in which they can get nigh to God in the Spirit, doth more advance their grace, then any help that the creature can afford them.

4. Moreover those that walk with God, have not only a Powerful, but an universal incentive for the actuating and increasing of every grace. Knowledge, and faith, and fear, and love, and trust, and hope, and obedience, and zeal, and all p. 269have in God their proper objects and incentives: One Creature may be useful to us in one thing, and another in another thing; but God is the most effectual mover of all his graces: and that in a holy harmony and order. Indeed he hath no greater Motive to draw us to Love him, and Fear him, and Trust him, and Obey him, than himself. It is life eternal to know him in his Son, Joh. 17. 3. And that is, not only because it entitleth us to life eternal, but also because it is the beginning and incentive of that life of holiness which will be eternal.

5. Moreover, those that walk with God, have a constant as well as a Powerful and Universal incentive to exercise and encrease their Graces. Othet helps may be out of the way: Their Preachers may be silenced or removed: Their Friends may be scattered or taken from them: Their Books may be forbidden, or not at hand: But God is alwaies ready and willing: They have leave at all times to come to him, and be welcome. Whenever they are willing they may go to him by prayer or contemplation, and find all in him which they can desire. If they want not Hearts, they shall find no want of any thing in God. At what time soever fear would torment them, they may draw near and put their trust in him, Psal. 56. 2, 3, 4. & 11. 1. & 18. 2, 30. & 31. 1, 6. He will be a sure and speedy refuge for them, a very present help in trouble, Psal. 46. 1. & 62. 7, 8. & 91. 2, 9 & 94. 22. Whenever coldness or lukewarmness would extinguish the work of Grace, they may go to him, and find those streams of flaming Love flow from him, those strong attractives, those wonderful mercies, those terrible judgements, of which while they are musing, the fire may again wax hot within them, Psal. 39. 3.

6. Lastly, by way of encouraging reward, God useth to give abundantly of his Grace, to those that walk most faithfully with him: He will shew most Love to those that most love him: He will be nearest to them that most desirously draw nigh to him; while he forsaketh those that forsake him, and turneth away from those that turn away from him, 2 Chro. 15. 2. Prov. 1. 32. Ezr. 8. 22. [The hand of our God is for good upon all them that seek him: but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.]

Thus it is apparent in all those evidences, that walking with p. 270God, is not only a discovery of the Goodness that men have, but the only way to encrease their Grace, and make them better. O what a sweet humility and seriousness, and spirituality appeareth in the conference, or conversation, or both, of those that newly come from a believing close converse with God! When they that come from men and Books, may have but a common mind or life! And those that come from the business and pleasure of the world and flesh, and from the company of foolish riotous gallants, may come defiled, as the Swine out of the mire!

V. LAstly, to walk with God, is the best preparation for times of suffering, and for the day of death. As we must be judged according to what we have done in the body; so the nearer we find our selves to judgement, the more we shall be constrained to judge our selves according to what we have done, and shall the more perceive the effects upon our souls.

That this is so excellent a preparative for sufferings and death, will appear by the consideration of these particulars.

1. They that walk with God are safest from all destructive sufferings; and shall have none but what are sanctified to their good, Rom. 8. 28. They are near to God, where destruction cometh not; as the Chicken under the wings of the Hen. They walk with him that will not lead them to perdition: that will not neglect them, nor sell them for nought, nor expose them to the will of men and devils, though he may suffer them to be tryed for their good. No one can take them out of his hands. Be near to him, and you are safe: The destroyer cannot fetch you thence. He can fetch you (when the time is come) from the side of your merriest companions, and dearest friends; from the presence of the greatest Princes; from the strongest Tower, or most sumptuous Pallace, or from your heaps of riches, in your securest health: But he cannot take you from the arms of Christ, nor from under the wings of your Creatours love. [For there is no God like him, in Heaven above, or on the earth beneath, who keepeth Covenant and Mercy with his p. 271servants, that walk before him with all their heart, 1 King. 8 23.] 1 King. 11. 38. However we are used in our Fathers presence, we are sure it shall be for good in the latter end: For he wanteth neither Power nor Love to deliver us, if he saw deliverance to be best.

2. Walking with God is the surest way to obtain a certainty of his special love, and of our salvation: And what an excellent preparative for sufferings or death such assurance is, I need not tell any considerate beleever. How easie may it be to us to suffer poverty, disgrace or wrongs, or the pains of sickness or death, when once we are certain that we shall not suffer the pains of Hell! How chearfully may we go out of this troublesome world, and leave the greatest prosperity behind us, when we are sure to live in Heaven for ever! Even an Infidel will say, that he could suffer or dye, if he could but be certain to be Glorified in Heaven when he is dead.

3. Walking with God doth mortifie the flesh, and allay the affections and lusts thereof: The soul that is taken up with higher matters, and daily seeth things more excellent, becometh as dead to the things below: And thus it weaneth us from all that is in the world which seemeth most desirable to carnal men. And when the flesh is mortified, and the world is nothing to us, or but as a dead and loathsome carkass, what is there left to be very troublesome in any suffering from the world? or to make us loth by death to leave it? It is men that know not God, that overvalue the profits and honours of the world; and men that never felt the comforts of Communion with God, that set too much by the pleasures of the flesh: And it is men that set too much by these, that make so great a matter of suffering. It is he that basely overvalueth wealth, that whineth and repineth when he comes to poverty: It is he that set too much by his honour, and being befooled by his pride, doth greatly esteem the thoughts or applauding words of men, that swelleth against those that disesteem him, and breaketh his heart when he falleth into disgrace. He that is cheated out of his wits by the pomps and splendour of a high and prosperous estate, doth think he is undone when he is brought low. But it is not so with him that walks with God: For being taken up with far higher things, he knoweth the vanity of these: As p. 272he seeth not in them any thing that is worthy of his strong desires, so neither any thing that is worthy of much lamentation when they are gone. He never thought that a shadow or feather, or a blast of wind could make him happy: And he cannot think that the loss of these can make him miserable. He that is taken up with God, hath a higher interest and business, and findeth not himself so much concerned in the storms or calms that are here below, as others are, who know no better, and never minded higher things.

4. Walking with God doth much overcome the fear of man: The fear of him that can destroy both soul and body in Hell fire, will extinguish the fear of them that can but kill the body, Luke 12. 4. The threats or frowns of a worm are inconsiderable to him that daily walketh with the great and dreadful God, and hath his power and word for his security. As Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, because he had respect to the recompence of reward; so he feared not the wrath of the King, for he endured as seeing him that is invisible, Heb. 11. 27.

5. Walking with God doth much prepare for sufferings and death, in that it breedeth quietness in the conscience: so that when all is at peace within, it will be easie to suffer any thing from without. Though there is no proper merit in our works to comfort us, yet it is an unspeakable consolation to a slandered persecuted man to be able to say▪ These evil sayings are spoken falsly of me, for the sake of Christ: and I suffer not as an evil doer, but as a Christian: And it is matter of very great peace to a man that is hasting unto death, to be able to say as Hezekiah, 2 King. 20. 3. [Remember now, O Lord, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight:] And as Paul, 2 Tim. 4. 7, 8. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the Faith▪ henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, &c.] And as 2 Cor. 1. 12. For our rejoycing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdome, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world:] such a testimony of conscience is a precious cordial to a suffering or a dying man: The time that we have spent in a holy and heavenly conversation, p. 273will be exceeding sweet in the last review, when time spent in sinful vanity, and idleness, and in worldly and fleshly designs, will be grievous and tormenting. The day is coming, and is even at hand, when those that are now the most hardened Infidels, or obstinate presumptuous sinners, or scornful malicious enemies of holiness, would wish and wish a thousand times, that they had spent that life in a serious obedient walking with God, which they spent in seeking worldly wealth, and saying up a treasure on earth, and feeding the inordinate desires of their flesh. I tell you, it is walking with God, that is the only way to have a sound and quiet conscience: And he th… is healing and setling his conscience upon the Love of God and the Grace of Christ, in the time of his prosperity, is making the wisest preparation. for adversity: And the preparation thus made so …ong before (perhaps twenty, or forty, or threescore years or more) is as truly useful and comfortable at a dying hour, as that part which is made immediately before. I know that besides this general preparation, there should be also a particular special properation, for sufferings and death: But yet this general part is the chiefest and most necessary part. A man that hath walked in his life time with God, shall certainly be saved, though death surprize him unexpectedly, without any more particular preparation: But a particular preparation without either such a life, or such a heart as would cause it if he had recovered, is no sufficient preparation at all, and will not serve to any mans salvation. Alas what a pittiful provisio… doth that man make for death and for salvation, who neglecteth his soul, despiseth the commands of God, and disregardeth the promises of eternal life, till he is ready to dye, and then cryeth out [I repent, I am sorry for my sin, I would I had lived better] and this only from the constraint of fear, without any such love to God and holiness which would make him walk with God if he should recover! what if the Priest absolve this man from all his sins? Doth God therefore absolve him? Or shall he thus be saved? No, it is certain that all the Sacraments and Absolution in the world, will never serve to save such a soul, without that grace which must make it new and truly holy. The Absolution of a Minister of Christ, which is pronounced in his name, is a very great comfort to the truly penitent: p. 274For such God hath first pardoned by his general Act of Oblivion in the Gospel, and it is God that sendeth his Messenger to them▪ (in Sacraments and Ministerial Absolution) with that pardon particularized and applied to themselves. But where the heart is not truly penitent and converted, that person is not pardoned by the Gospel, as being not in the Covenant, or a child of promise; and therefore the pardon of a Minister, being upon mistake, or t… an unqualified person can reach no further than to admit him into the esteem of men, and to the Communion and outward priviledges of the Church (which is a poor comfort to a soul that must lye in Hell:) But it can never admit him into the Kingdom of Heaven. God indeed may approve the act of his Ministers, if they go according to his rule, and deal in Church administrations with those that make A CREDIBLE PROFESSION of FAITH and HOLINESSE, as if they had true faith and holiness: but yet he will not therefore make such Ministerial acts effectual to the saving of unbelieving or unholy souls. Nay (because I have found many sensual ungodly people inclining to turn Papists, because with them they can have a quick and easie pardon of their sins, by the Pope, or by the Absolution of the Priest) let me tell such, that if they understand what they do, even this cheat is too thin to quiet their defiled consciences: For even the Papists Schooldoctors do conclude, that when the Priest absolveth an impenitent sinner, or one that is not qualified for pardon, such a one is not loosed or pardoned in Heaven (Leg. Martin. de Ripalda exposit. Liber. Magist. li. 4. dist. 18. p. 654, 655. & p. 663, 664. dist. 20. Aquin. Dist. 20. q 1. a. 5. Suar. Tom. 4. in 3. p. disp. 52. Greg. Valent. Tom. 4. disp. 7. q. 20. p. 5. Tolet. lib. 6. cap. 27 Navar. Notab. 17. & 18. Cordub. de indulg. li. 5. q. 23.) they deny not the truth of those words of Origen. Hom. 14. ad cap. 24. Levit. [Exit quis à fide, perexit de castris Ecclesiae etiamsi Episcopi Voce non abjiciatur: sicut contru interdum fit, ut aliquis non recto judicio eorum qui praesunt Ecclesiae, for as mittatur: sed si non egit ut mereretur exire, nihil laeditur: interdum enim quod for as mittitur, intus est; & qui foris est, intus videtur retineri:] And what he saith of Excommunication, is true of Absolution: An erring Key doth neither lock out of Heaven, nor let into Heaven. A Godly p. 275Believer shall be saved though the Priest condemn him: and an unbeliever or ungodly person shall be condemned by God, though he be absolved by the Priest.

Nay if you have not walked with God in the spirit, but walked after the flesh, though your repentance should be sound and true at the last, it will yet very hardly serve to comfort you, though it may serve to your salvation: because you will very hardly get any assurance that it is sincere. It is dangerous lest it should prove but the effect of fear (which will not save) when it cometh not till death do fright you to it. As Augustine saith, Nullus expectet, quando peccare non potest: arbitrii enim libertatem quaerit Deus, ut deleri possint commissa; non necessitatem, sed charitatem, non tantum timorem: quia non in solo timore vivit homo. Therefore the same Augustine saith, [Siquis positus in ultima necessitate voluerit accipere poenitentiam, & accipit; fateor vobis, non illi negamus quod petit; sed non praesumimus quod bene hinc exit: si securus hinc exierit, ego nescio: Poenitentiam dare possumus, securitatem non possumus. You see then how much it is needful to the peace of conscience at the hour of death, that you walk with God in the time of life.

6. Moreover, to walk with God is an excellent preparation for sufferings and death, because it tendeth to acquaint the soul with God, and to embolden it both to go to him in Prayer, and to Trust on him, and expect salvation from him. He that walketh with God is so much used to holy Prayer, that he is a man of Prayer, and is skilled in it, and hath tryed what prayer can do with God: so that in the hour of his extremity, he is not to seek, either for a God to pray to. or a Mediator to intercede for him, or a Spirit of Adoption to enable him as a child to fly for help to his reconciled Father. And having not only been frequently with God, but frequently entertained and accepted by him, and had his prayers heard and granted, it is a great encouragement to an afflicted soul in the hour of distresse, to go to such a God for help. And it is a dreadful thing when a soul is ready to go out of the world, to have … comfortable knowledge of God, or skill to pray to him, or encouragement to expect acceptance with him: To think that he must presently appear before a God, whom he never knew, nor heartily loved, being never acquainted with p. 276that communion with him in the way of Grace, which is the way to communion in Glory, O what a terrible thought is this! But how comfortable is it when the soul can say [I know whom I have believed? The God that afflicteth me is he that loveth me, and hath manifested his love to me by his daily attractive, assisting and accepting Grace! I am going by death to see him intuitively, whom I have often seen by the eye of Faith, and to live with him in Heaven, with whom I lived here on earth; From whom, and Through whom, and To whom was my life! I go not to any enemy, nor an utter stranger, but to that God who was the Spring, the Ruler, the Guide, the Strength and the Comfort of my life. He hath heard me so oft, that I cannot think he will now reject me: He hath so often comforted my soul, that I will not believe he will now thrust me into Hell: He hath mercifully received me so oft, that I cannot believe he will now refuse me: Those that come to him in the way of Grace, I have found he will in no wise cast out.] As strangeness to God doth fill the soul with distrustful fears, so walking with him doth breed that humble confidence, which is a wonderful comfort in the hour of distress, and a happy preparations to sufferings and death.

7. Lastly, to walk with God, doth encrease that Love of God in the soul, which is the heavenly tincture, and inclineth it to lo…k upward, and being weary of a sinful flesh and world, to desire to be perfected with God. How happy a preparation for death is this, when it is but the passage to that God with whom we desire to be, and to that place where we fain would dwell for ever! To love the state and place that we are going to, being made connatural and suitable thereto, will much overcome the fears of death. But for a soul that is acquainted with nothing but this life, and favoureth nothing but Earth and Flesh, and hath no connaturality with the things above, for such a soul to be surprized with the tydings of death, alas, how dreadful must it be!

And thus I have shewed you the Benefits that come by walking with God, which if you Love your selves with a rational love, me thinks should resolve every impartial considerate Reader, to give up himself without delay, to so desirable a course of life! or, if he have begun it, to follow it more chearfully and faithfully than he had done.