The rule and exercises of holy living. In which are described the means and instruments of obtaining every vertue, and the remedies against every vice, and considerations serving to the resisting all temptations. Together with prayers containing the whole duty of a Christian, and the parts of devotion fitted to all occasions, and furnish'd for all necessities.

Rules of exercising this consideration.

1. Let this actual thought often return, that God is omnipresent filling every place, and say with David, Whither shall I go from thy Spi∣rit, or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there. If I make my bed in hell, thou art there, &c. This thought by being frequent will make an habitual dread and reverence towards God, and fear in all thy actions: For it is a great necessity and in∣gagement to do unblameably, when we act before that Judge, who is infallible in his sentence, all knowing in his information, severe in his anger, powerful in his providence, and in∣tolerable in his wrath and indignation.

2. In the beginning of actions of Religion, make an act of adoration, that is, solemnly wor∣ship God, and place thy self in Gods presence, and behold him with the eye of faith, and le•• thy desires actually six on him as the object of thy worship, and the reason of thy hope, and the fountain of thy blessing. For when thou hast placed thy self before him, and kneelest in his presence, it is most likely, all the fol∣lowing parts of thy devotion will be answera∣ble to the wisdom of such an apprehension, and the glory of such a presence.

3. Let every thing you see, represent to your

spirit the presence, the excellency and the power of God, and let your conversation with the creatures lead you unto the Creator; for so shall your actions be done more frequently with an actual eye to Gods presence, by your often seeing him in the glasse of the creation. In the face of the Sun you may see Gods beau∣ty: In the fire you may feel his heat warming, in the water his gentleness to refresh you: he it is that comforts your spirit whē you have taken Cordials: it is the dew of Heaven that makes your field give you bread; and the breasts of God are the bottles that minister drink to your necessities. This Philosophy which is obvious to every mans experience, is a good advantage to our piety, and by this act of understanding, our wills are check'd from violence and mis∣demeanour.

4. In your retirement make frequent collo∣quies or short discoursings between God and thy own soul. Seven times a day do I praise thee: and in the night season also I thought up∣on thee when I was waking. So did David: and every act of complaint or thanksgiving, every act of rejoycing or of mourning, eve∣ry petition and every return of the heart in these entercourses, is a going to God, an appearing in his presence, and a repre∣senting him present to thy spirit and to thy necessity. And this was long since by a spiritual person called, a building to GOD a Chappell in our heart. It reconciles Mar∣tha's im ployment with Maries Devotion, Charity, and Religion; the necessities of our calling, and the imployments of de∣votion. For thus in the midst of the works of your Trade, you may retire into your

Chappel [your Heart] and converse with GOD by frequent addresses and returns.

5. Represent and offer to GOD, acts of love and fear, which are the proper ef∣fects of this apprehension, and the proper exercise of this consideration. For as GOD is every where present by his power, he calls for reverence and godly fear: As he is pre∣sent to thee in all thy needs, and relieves them, he deserves thy love; and since in every acci∣dent of our lives we finde one or other of these apparent, and in most things we see both, it is a proper and proportionate return, that to every such demonstration of God, we expresse our selves sensible of it by admiring the Di∣vine goodnesse, or trembling at his presence, ever obeying him because we love him, and ever obeying him because we fear to offend him. This is that which Enoch did, who thus walked with God.

6. Let us remember that God is in us, and that we are in him: we are his workmanship, let us not deface it: we are in his presence, let us not pollute it by unholy and impure actions. God hath also wrought all our works in us: and because he rejoyces in his own workes, if we defile them, and make them unpleasant to him, we walk perversly with GOD, and he will walk crookedly toward us.

7. God is in the bowels of thy brother, re∣fresh them when he needs it, and then you give your almes in the presence of God, and to God, and he feels the relief which thou provi∣dest for thy brother.

8. God is in every place; suppose it therefore to be a Church: and that decency of deport∣ment

and piety of carriage, which you are taught by religion or by custome, or by civility and publick manners to use in Churches, the same use in all places: with this difference one∣ly, that in Churches let your deportment be religious in external forms and circumstances also; but there and every where let it be re∣ligious in abstaining from spiritual undecen∣cies, and in readinesse to do good actions: that it may not be said of us, as God once com∣plained of his people; Why hath my beloved done wickednesse in my house?

9. God is in every creature: be cruel towards none, neither abuse any by intemperance. Remember that the creatures and every mem∣ber of thy own body is one of the lesser cabi∣nets and receptacles of God. They are such which God hath blessed with his presence, hal∣lowed by his touch, and separated from unholy use by making them to belong to his dwelling.

10. He walks as in the presence of God, that converses with him in frequent prayer and fre∣quent communion, that runs to him in all his necessities: that asks counsel of him in all his doubtings, that opens all his wants to him, that weeps before him for his sins; that asks remedy and support for his weaknesse, that fears him as a Judge, reverences him as a Lord, obeyes him as a Father, and loves him as a Patron.

Notes

• Ps••l. 13•• 7.••.
• 〈…〉〈…〉 de con••ol.
• ••sa 26..12.
• J••••em. ••1.15. Sec••nd. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. E∣dic.