The divine life in three treatises

10. Our walking with God, doth contain our willing and sincere attendance on him in the use of those holy duties in which he hath appointed us to expect his grace. He is everywhere in his essential presence, but he is not everywhere alike to be found in the communications of his grace. The assemblies of his Saints that worship him in holy communion, are places where he is likelier to be found, then in an Ale-house or a Play-house. You are likelier to have holy converse with him among the holy, that will speak of holy things to your edification, then among the senseless ignorant sensualists, and the scornful enemies of Holiness, that are the servants of the Devil, whom he useth in his daily work for the deceiving and perdition of the world. Therefore the conversation of the wicked doth grieve, and vex a righteous soul (as its said the Sodomites did by Lot, 2 Pet. 2. 7, 8.) because all their conversation is ungodly, far from God, not savouring of any true knowledge of him, or love to him, but is against him by enmity and provocation. If God himself do dwell and walk in all his holy ones, then they that dwell and walk with them, have the best opportunity to dwell and walk with God. To converse with those in whom God dwelleth, is to converse with him in his Image, and to attend him at his dwelling: And wilfully to run among the wicked, is to run far away from God. In his Temple doth every man speak of his Glory, Psal. 29. 9. when among his brutish enemies every man speaketh to the dishonour of him in his word and ways. He is otherwise present with those that are congregated in his Name and for his worship, then he is with those that are assembled for wickedness or vanity, or live as brutes without God in the world. And we must draw as near him as we can, if we would be such as walk with God.

10. Our walking with God, doth contain our willing and sincere attendance on him in the use of those holy duties in which he hath appointed us to expect his grace. He is everywhere in his essential presence, but he is not everywhere alike to be found in the communications of his grace. The assemblies of his Saints that worship him in holy communion, are places where he is likelyer to be found, then in an Ale-house or a Play-house. You are likelier to have holy converse with him among the holy, that will speak of holy things to your edification, then among the senseless ignorant sensualists, and the scornful enemies of Holiness, that are the servants of the Devil, whom he useth in his daily work for the deceiving and perdition of the world. Therefore the conversation of the wicked doth grieve, and vex a righteous soul (as its said the Sodomites did by Lot,