comfortablewalking with God. 77 ......m.....11 heart and skill to uphold any holy conferences, or to affoord any reciprocal' or mutual' helpe , in the feeling paffiges of fanetification, are occations to put Gods children out of ufe and ure with the language of Canaan, from the embracement of many )oyfull confiderations,and exercife ofthole comfor- table Meditations , and holy converfation above, which Chriflian company would occafionally and feafonably put into them, and keepe frefh and working in their minds; and by conicevent , bereave them therebyofmuch zeale , coin- fort , feelings of Gods favour , joyful! fpringings of heart, boldneffe in their wayes,cheerefulneffe in the exercifes of Re- ligion, and that comfortable fruitionof other prerogatives of Chriflianitie ; which many other of their brethren doe, and they, by thebenefit of religious companions anddelight- fall converting with the Saints,might plentifully enjoy. Apprehend this paffigearight : I fay , a Chriflianmay be much worfened and weakened in his graces, bycompanying toomuch, and converfing delightfullywith the meere civill man, or Whited Tombes : For he may fpend with fuch men whole weekes, nay , crioneths and yeeres , and have not one wordof fanetified difcourfe , and holy talke minittred unto him. Scarce a word to be had from them of the Wordof sod, and, way to heaven ; no conference of the fecrets of Sanctification, of perplexities of confcience , of their ever- lafting abode together in the Manfions of heaven. Motions that way would be very irkefome and tedious unto them fuch talke would quickly beget filence, melancholy, fadneffe, and a defire to breake off company. Now the Chritlian by this meanes, neither having his tongue exercifed,nor his cares much acquainted with edifying Chriflian d;fcourfe, growes negleetive of floring his memoryyiith holy things, unzea- Ions, and cold in the apprehenfions of heaven, dull andheart. leffe togodly duties. If thus ) what infeaion then from notorious and lewd companions ? But above all , in this point the fellowihipof the Papitt is moll pernicious; for by him a man is in danger bothof having his underitanding and judgement corrupted with
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