The Practice of the Presence of God the Best Rule of a Holy Life | Page 6

mind right
again, and continued his exercise of the presence of GOD, as if he had
never deviated from it. "Thus," said he, "by rising after my falls, and by
frequently renewed acts of faith and love, I am come to a state wherein
it would be as difficult for me not to think of GOD as it was at first to
accustom myself to it."
As brother Lawrence had found such an advantage in walking in the
presence of GOD, it was natural for him to recommend it earnestly to
others; but his example was a stronger inducement than any arguments
he could propose. His very countenance was edifying, such a sweet and
calm devotion appearing in it as could not but effect the beholders. And
it was observed that in the greatest hurry of business in the kitchen, he
still preserved his recollection and heavenly-mindedness. He was never
hasty nor loitering, but did each thing in its season, with an even,
uninterrupted composure and tranquility of spirit. "The time of
business," said he, "does not with me differ from the time of prayer;
and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at
the same time calling for different things, I possess GOD in as great
tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the blessed sacrament."

LETTERS.

FIRST LETTER.
Since you desire so earnestly that I should communicate to you the
method by which I arrived at that habitual sense of GOD'S _Presence_,
which our LORD, of His mercy, has been pleased to vouch-safe to me,

I must tell you that it is with great difficulty that I am prevailed on by
your importunities; and now I do it only upon the terms that you show
my letter to nobody. If I knew that you should let it be seen, all the
desire that I have for your advancement would not be able to determine
me to it. The account I can give you is:
Having found in many books different methods of going to GOD, and
divers practices of the spiritual life, I thought this would serve rather to
puzzle me than facilitate what I sought after, which was nothing but
how to become wholly GOD'S. This made me resolve to give the all for
the all; so after having given myself wholly to GOD, that He might take
away my sin, _I renounced, for the love of Him, everything that was
not He; and I began to live as if there was none but He and I in the
world_. Sometimes I considered myself before Him as a poor criminal
at the feet of his judge; at other times I beheld Him in my heart as my
FATHER, as my GOD: I worshipped Him the oftenest that I could,
keeping my mind in His holy Presence, and recalling it as often as I
found it wandered from Him. I found no small pain in this exercise, and
yet I continued it, notwithstanding all the difficulties that occurred,
without troubling or disquieting myself when my mind had wandered
involuntarily. I made this my business as much all the day long as at
the appointed times of prayer; for at all times, every hour, every minute,
even in the height of my business, I drove away from my mind
everything that was capable of interrupting my thought of GOD.
Such has been my common practice ever since I entered in religion;
and, though I have done it very imperfectly, yet I have found great
advantages by it. These, I well know, are to be imputed to the mere
mercy and goodness of GOD, because we can do nothing without Him;
and I still less than any. But when we are faithful to keep ourselves in
His holy Presence, and set Him always before us, this not only hinders
our offending Him, and doing anything that may displease Him, at least
wilfully, but it also begets in us a holy freedom, and, if I may so speak,
a familiarity with GOD, wherewith we ask, and that successfully, the
graces we stand in need of. In fine, by often repeating these acts, they
become _habitual_, and the presence of GOD rendered as it were
natural to us Give Him thanks, if you please, with me, for His great
goodness towards me, which I can never sufficiently admire, for the
many favors He has done to so miserable a sinner as I am. May all

things praise Him. Amen.
I am, in our LORD, yours, &c.

SECOND LETTER.
_To the Reverend_--
Not finding my manner of life in books, although I have no difficulty
about it, yet, for greater security, I shall be glad to know your thoughts
concerning it.
In a conversation some