That you may look for nothing, claim nothing, resent nothing; that you may go thro’ all the actions of life calmly and quietly, as in the presence of God, looking wholly unto him, acting wholly for him; neither seeking applause, nor resenting neglects, or affronts, but doing and receiving every thing in the meek and lowly spirit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. CHAP. XVI. _Recommending devotion at twelve o’clock, called, in scripture, the |sixth hour| of the day. This frequency of devotion, equally desirable by all orders of people. |Universal love| is recommended to be the subject of prayer at this hour. Of intercession, as an act of universal love._ 1. IT will, perhaps, be thought by some, that these hours of prayer come _too thick_, and are only fit for _monasteries_, or such people as have no more to do in the world than they have. To this it is answered, this method of devotion is not pressed upon any as _absolutely necessary_, but recommended to all people, as the _best_ and the _happiest_ way of life. And if exemplary devotion is as much the happiness and perfection of a _merchant_, a _soldier_, or a man of _quality_, as it is the happiness and perfection of the most _retired_, _contemplative_ life, then it is as proper to recommend it without any _abatements_ to one order of men as to another. Here is therefore no excuse for men of _business_ and _figure_. _First_, Because it would be to excuse them from that which is the end of living, to make them _less beneficial_ to themselves, and _less serviceable_ to God and the world. *_Secondly_, Because most men of business and figure engage _too far_ in worldly matters; much farther than the reasons of human life, or the necessities of the world require. *_Merchants_ and _tradesmen_, for instance, are generally ten times farther engaged in business than they need; which is so far from being a reasonable _excuse_ for their want of time for devotion, that it is their _crime_, and must be censured as a blameable instance of covetousness and ambition. _Gentry_, and people of _figure_, either give themselves up to _state-employments_, or to the gratifications of their _passions_, in a life of _gaity_ and _debauchery_. And if these things might be admitted as allowable avocations from devotion, devotion must be reckoned a poor circumstance of life. Unless _gentlemen_ can shew, that they have another God, than the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; another nature, than that which is derived from _Adam_; another religion than the Christian, it is in vain to plead their state, and dignity, as reasons for not preparing their souls for God, by a _strict_ and _regular_ devotion. 2. If a _merchant_, having forbore too great business, that he might quietly attend on the service of God, should die worth _twenty_, instead _fifty_ thousand pounds, could any one say, he had mistaken his _calling_, or gone a _loser_ out of the world?