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THese are the generalities of our Devotion, which are of common use to all Christians; There are besides these certain specialties of it, appliable to se∣verall occasions, times, places, persons; For there are morn∣ing, and evening Devotions; De∣votions proper to our board, to our closet, to our bed, to Gods day, to our own; to health, to sicknesse, to severall callings, to recreations; to the way, to the field, to the Church, to our home, to the student, to the souldier, to
the Magistrate, to the Minister, to the husband, wife, child, ser∣vant; to our own persons, to our families; The severalties whereof, as they are scarce finite for number, so are most fit to be left to the judgement, and holy managing of every Christian; neither is it to be imagined, that any soul which is taught of God, and hath any acquaintance with heaven, can be to seek in the par∣ticular application of common rules to his own necessity or ex∣pedience.
The result of all, is,
A devout man is he that ever sees the invisible, and ever trem∣bleth before that God he sees; that walks ever, here on earth, with the God of heaven; and still adores that Majesty with whom he converses; that con∣fers hourely with the God of spirits in his own language; yet so, as no familiarity can abate of his aw, nor fear abate ought of
his love. To whom the gates of heaven are ever open, that he may goe in at pleasure to the throne of grace, and none of the Angelicall spirits can offer to challenge him of too much boldnesse: Whose eies are well acquainted with those heavenly guardians, the presence of whom he doth as truly acknowledge, as if they were his sensible com∣panions. He is well known of the King of glory, for a daily suitor in the Court of heaven, & none so welcome there, as he: He accounts all his time lost that fals beside his God; and can be no more weary of good thoughts, then of happinesse.
His bosome is no harbour for any known evill; and it is a que∣stion whether he more abhorres sin, or hell; His care is to enter∣tain God in a clear, and free heart, and therefore he thrusts the world out of doors, and humbly beseeches God to wel∣come
himself to his own: He is truly dejected, and vile in his own eies: Nothing but hell is lower then he; every of his slips are hainous, every trespasse is ag∣gravated to rebellion; The glo∣ry and favours of God heighten his humiliation; He hath lookt down to the bottomles deep, & seen with horror what he deser∣ved to feel everlastingly; His crys have been as strong, as his fears just; & he hath found mercy more ready to rescue him, then he could be importunate: His hand could not be so soon put forth as his Sa∣viours, for deliverance. The sense of this mercy hath raised him to an unspeakable joy to a most fer∣vent love of so dear a Redee∣mer; that love hath knit his heart to so meritorious a deli∣verer, and wrought a blessed u∣nion betwixt God and his soul. That union can no more be se∣vered from an infinite delight, then that delight can be severed
from an humble, and cheerfull acquiescence in his munificent God; And now, as in an hea∣venly freedome, he pours out his soul into the bosome of the Almighty, in all faithfull suits for himself and others; so, he en∣joys God in the blessings recei∣ved, and returns all zealous prai∣ses to the giver.
He comes reverently to the Oracles of God, and brings not his eye, but his heart with him, not carelesly negligent in seeking to know the revealed will of his maker, nor too busily inquisitive into his deep counsels; not too remisse in the letter, nor too peremptory in the sense: gladly comprehending what he may, and admiring what he cannot comprehend. Doth God call for his ear? He goes awfully into the holy presence and so hears, as if he should now hear his last: Latching every word that drops from the Preachers
lips, ere it fall to the ground, and laying it up carefully where he may be sure to fetch it. He sits not to censure, but to learn, yet speculation and knowledge is the least drift of his labour; Nothing is his own but what he practiseth. Is he invited to Gods feast? he hates to come in a foul and slovenly dresse; but trims up his soul, so, as may be fit for an heavenly guest: Nei∣ther doth he leave his stomach at home cloyed with the world, but brings a sharp appetite with him; and so s••eds as if he meant to live for ever. All earthly de∣licates are unfavoury to him, in respect of that celestiall Manna: Shortly, he so eats and drinks, as one that sees himself set at Ta∣ble with God, and his Angels; and rises and departs full of his Saviour; and in the strength of that meal walks vigorously and cheerfully on towards his glory. Finally, as he well knows that
he lives, and moves, and hath his beeing in God, so he referres his life, motions, and beeing wholly to God; so acting all things as if God did them by him, so using all things, as one that enjoyes God in them; and in the mean time so walking on earth, that he doth in a sort carry his heaven with him.