The divine life in three treatises

12. Lastly it is contained in our Walking with God, that the greatest business of our lives be with Him, and for him. It is not a walk for complement or recreation only that is here meant; but it is a life of nearness, converse and employment, as a servant or child that dwelleth with his Master or Father in the house. God should be always so regarded, that Man should stand by as Nothing, and be scarce observed in comparison of Him. We should begin the day with God, and entertain Him in the first and sweetest of our thoughts: we should walk abroad and do our work as in his sight: we must resolve to do no work but His, no not in our trades and ordinary callings: we must be able to say, It is the work which my Master set me to do, and I do it to obey and please his Will. At night we must take an account of our selves, and spread open that account before him, desiring his acceptance of what was well, and his pardon for what we did amiss, that we may thus be ready for our last account. In a word, though Men be our fellow-labourers and companions, yet the principal business of our Care and Diligence, must be our Masters service in the world. And therefore we must look about us, and discern the opportunities of serving him, and of the best improvement of his talents; and must make it our daily▪ study and business, to do him the greatest service we are able, whatever it may cost us through the malice of the enemies, being ⟨p. 181⟩sure our labour shall not be in vain, and that we cannot serve him at too dear a rate. It is not as idle companions, but as servants, as soldiers, as those that put forth all their strength, to do his work and reach the Crown, that we are called to walk with God. And all this is done, though not in the same degree by all, yet according to the measure of their Holiness by every one that lives by faith.

12. Lastly it is contained in our Walking with God, that the greatest business of our lives be with Him, and for him. It is not a walk for complement or recreation only that is here meant; but it is a life of nearness, converse and employment, as a servant or child that dwelleth with his Master or Father in the house. God should be alwayes so regarded, that Man should stand by as Nothing, and be scarce observed in comparison of Him. We should begin the day with God, and entertain Him in the first and sweetest of our thoughts: we should walk abroad and do our work as in his sight: we must resolve to do no work but His, no not in our trades and ordinary callings: we must be able to say, It is the work which my Master set me to do, and I do it to obey and please his Will. At night we must take an account of our selves, and spread open that account before him, desiring his acceptance of what was well, and his pardon for what we did amiss, that we may thus be ready for our last account. In a word, though Men be our fellow-labourers and companions, yet the principal business of our Care and Diligence, must be our Masters service in the world. And therefore we must look about us, and discern the opportunities of serving him, and of the best improvement of his talents; and must make it our daily study and business, to do him the greatest service we are able, whatever it may cost us through the malice of the enemies, being