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Thoughts, and in this he perfever'd all his life long: For the first thing he did in the Morning, was repeating Pfalms proper for it, ás the Sixty Third, the latter part of the Seventy Third,and Others: And all his Dreffing and Washing time he repeated the 103. 116. and 145th Pfalms. In this part of his Devotions, it was his Defire that his Wife fhou'd bear her part; And when they were over, he at large offer'd up his own Private Prayérs in his Closet. The Evening he confecrated to God, as well as the Morning. His firft Exercife (as foon as he cou'd get free from Company) was repeating the Magnificat, and fome other Hymns of Praife, his Wife in these ftill joining with him. Then he ufually retir'd into his Clofet, and with great exactness, examined the ftate of his Soul; and by Reading and Meditation, put himself into a right Temper for Prayer; which was then perform'd in the fulleft and devouteft manner. And he concluded the day, in the fame manner that he began it; repeating the Fourth, and Other Pfalms, while he undrefs'd. And when ready to step into Bed, he kneel'd down and offer'd up a fhort Prayer, and then lay down in Peace. This was his Practice. fo conftantly, that neither the Coldness of the Weather, nor any Bodily Indifpofition or Weariness, made him neglect it.

But it is from himfelt, the Reader must have the clearest view, of the regular conftancy of: his Private Devotions: For Writing to a Religious Friend, with whom he was very intimate,

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May 1691.

intimate, upon the Subject of Private Prayer, and the moit advantagious way of discharging that Duty, he thus delivers himself.

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The First and the Laft of the Day, is to me, eflèntially neceffary; and no other 'Time of the Day, cou'd fupply the Want of thefe. But I will not fay fo of others; fince the condition of fome, is fuch, that they must take other times, or can get none at all: Use and Custom, may make other times of the Day, as ufeful to them. But C when I have done with the World, and be'fore I begin with it, is the time when my • Mind is fitteft for Religious Exercises; and perhaps you will find my Rule necessary for your Self; not to let even the Prayers of the Church, draw you out, unless you have had time firft,to discharge your private Duties at large at home. I go out with pleafure and confidence, when I have done this; and Publick Prayers are then more pleafing to me. At Nights I must get a little more time, to fit ftill, or Read and Write in, as well as Pray. But fometimes it pleaf es God, to call us to a larger attendance on Himself, when he makes the World vile in in our Eyes; gives us clearer views of our future Hopes, convinces us of the End for ' which we came into the World, and of the only thing Neceffary. Happy are we indeed, when He calls us to this, and gives us leifure for it We may be fure 'tis to invigorate and fortify us, for fome farther Work, which he has for us to do, or to

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bring us to confecrate our felves, and all our Powers, more entirely to his Service. 'Tis good to give way to this Call, and to fteal what time for it we can; and not flightly or eafly, to fuffer our felves to be ¿ diverted from it; that we may give way to the Grace of God, to have its perfect work on our Hearts. But this is not to be look'd upon, as a courfe to be taken up by us; or any Vows, or Refolutions to be made to keep to it,longer than for the prefent Heat; because it is not confiftent with our Civil Duties in Humane Life. The Difciples were not long permitted to ftay on Mount Tabor, but they must go down again to the Multitude that waited for them.

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Let us then go bravely on in the way of ¿ Piety,into which our good God has call'd us; and remember that we must go up-Hill, and down Hill; fometimes fee our Journies end, and fometimes lofe fight of it: But while he permits us to fee in our Hearts, a defire to do nothing in this World, but, please Him; and not to live, but that we might live to Him: Let us comfort our felves in His Goodness, and not be difturb'd at every Disorder; and may His Infinite Mercy grant us, to grow up in Hist Fear and Love, to His Heavenly Kingdom. Here,from his Advice to one of his Friends, we may learn his own Practice; and from the Information of thofe, who had the beft opportunities of knowing the Secrets of his. Heart. I can affirm, that the Fervency and K2

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Humility of his Devotions, was answerable to their Conftancy. His Pofture, was the most lowly he cou'd contrive; He not only kneel'd, but frequently lay proftrate upon the Floor, and had fuch ftrong Emotions in his Soul, as often exprefs'd themselves in a Flood of Tears: And as to his Pofture, he not only chofe that, which was most expreffive of Humility and Reverence; but that which came nearest to our Saviours Example, in his Prayer before his Paffion; or as he does in one place, very well exprefs it I put my felf into that Poftare, O my moft Gracious Saviour, in which Thou didst endure Thy dreadful Agony, of which I cannot think without Horrour, becaufe Thou wert the Son of God, who suffered ft it: And because it was my Sins that occafion'd it.

In his Family, he had conftant Prayers eveftant Prayers ry Night, and in the Morning too, when he in His Fami- was not hindred by Bufinefs, which call'd him 17.

early abroad, or brought Company unfeafonably to him; a Misforture, which he very much regretted, whenever it befel him. And he not only pray'd with his Family, but read the Scriptures to them; and a good Porțion of them at a time, as his Health and Time allow'd. This is the more to be taken notice of, becaufe 'tis a moft Neglected, tho' most Neceffary part of Religious Worship; particularly, among our Gentry, who, either through want of Religion, or Evil Shame, have turn'd the Worfhip of God quite out of their Families; which is attended with this fatal Confequence, that their Servants, and

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too often their Children, are train'd up in fuch a fcandalous Neglect of God and Religion, as very often ends in their eternal Ruin.

But he did not think it enough to ferve Was very conGod in private, and Pray with his Family ftant at the too; he confider'd befides all this, the Duty Prayers of the and Benefits of attending the Publick Service Church. of the Church; which during the greater part of his Life, he did twice every Day; and from which feldom any thing kept him, but want of Health. And when the hurry of his Bufinefs hindred him from keeping conftantly to one Church, and Hour of Publick Prayer, he wou'd ufe all his Art, to get Prayers at fome Church or other, tho' not exactly at the time when he most defir'd them; fuch different Notions had he of his Duty, from the generality of the World; who will alledge, not only Business, but Trifles, as an Excufe for their Abfence from the Houfe of God!

His Behaviour at our Publick Prayers was fo Devout and Grave, fo Intent and Compos'd, as cou'd not but ftir up the Affections of all who obferv'd it. Talking or Sleeping in the House of God, was a great Offence to him, and when once Prayers began, he took no notice of any about him; and was always troubled at those unfeasonable Salutes,wherein too many allow themselves, in time of Divine Service, condemning that Practice, as one of the greatest Indecencies of our Church.

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