a good reputation among men, who can judge only by outward appearance: but in the clofet, where God only fees us, we can have no temptation to it. Nay, we have great reafon to avoid infincerity here, because all our time and pains will be loft, if we only employ our felves in a fuperficial devotion. And it will be much better for us, never to pretend to worship God in our closets, than to deceive our felves with a cold and careless, an external and heartless worshipping of him. Let thy lips therefore and thy heart go together, that fo thou may'ft reap fome advantage from thy devotions, by ingratiating thy felf with God, who loves all fuch as ferve him in truth and sincerity.

Thirdly and laftly, Look upon thy closet no more as an ordinary room, but as the temple of God; where he will be in a peculiar manner prefent, and take efpecial notice of all thy actions. And let this confideration fink fo deep into thy mind, that it may make thee fearful of doing any thing that is trifling or foolish, while you are engaged in the fervice of God. Let a decent reverence appear in all thy actions, such as thou would'ft fhew, if

thou

thou could'st fee God face to face. For though he does not vifibly appear to thee, yet he is nigh, very nigh unto thee, and takes a more than ordinary notice of thy behaviour at this time.

These things I thought necessary to premife, that men might know the particular obligations they lie under to heavenlymindedness, fincerity, and a reverent awe of God, in their private devotions. If they carry not thefe along with them, through all their duties, they cannot perform them acceptably; and therefore it behoves them earnestly to endeavour to put on these gracious difpofitions of mind, before they proceed to the practice of particular duties. And, that they may obtain these, and fo perform their duties, as they ought to do; it will be very proper for them to beg God's affiftance in this, or fome fuch form of prayer.

O

A PRAYER.

Holy and ever bleed Lord God, who hast commanded me to wait upon thee in fecret, grant that I may behave my felf fo in thy prefence, that € 2

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thou, who feeft in fecret, may'ft vouch Safe to reward me openly. Take from me, O Lord, all worldly thoughts, and give me grace fo to fet my affections on thee and all things above, that none of the charms or temptations of this world may be able to draw them down from thee. Enfpirit and enliven my earthy droy heart, that it may freely mount towards thee; and that I may apply my felf to thee, with fuch a fixedness and attention of mind, as no wandring thoughts may interrupt. Make me fincere in all my duties, and let me not deceive my own foul; for thou, O Lord, canst not be deceived, with a flight and careless, a formal and lifeless performance of them. Thou requireft truth in the inward parts: O purge from me all hypocrisy and infincerity. Lord, grant I may make my approaches to thee, with a reverence fome way answerable to thy awful majefty, and that, while I am in thy prefence, I may do nothing which may dishonour thee, or wound my own foul. Bless me, O Lord, I pray thee, in this holy exercife which I am now beginning, grant that it may be a means of improving me in all

piety, and holiness and virtue. Forgive all my frailties and imperfections, and be not ftrict to mark what I shall do amifs; but deal with me according to thy mercy and loving-kindness, and accept of my imperfect fervice, for the fake of Jefus Chrift our bleffed Lord and Saviour.

Having thus begged God's affiftance by prayer, we may now with fome confidence apply our felves to our particular duties, in fuch order and method as I fhall, treat of them. And we need not doubt but that, if we are careful in the perfor-; mance of our work, God will beftow his bleffing upon it, and profper it.

રે

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CHAP. II.

Of reading the Holy Scriptures.

T

HE first duty we must apply our felves to, is reading the holy fcriptures. For this is the ground-work and foundation of all our other duties. The first thing we are to do, is to learn the will of God, and the next to perform it.

And, that we may reap that benefit and advantage from them, which may juftly be expected; let us take these following instructions along with us.

Before we set our felves to reading, let us confider what it is we are going to read; and this is no less than the word of God himself, nay farther, it is the word of eternal life.

As it is the word of God, it challengeth all reverence and respect at our hands. The majesty of him who fpeaks is fo great, that we cannot hear his words without the greatest awe imaginable. Behold! it is he speaks, who created us by the breath

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