Saints Daily Exercise
John Preston's "The Saints Daily Exercise" emerged from his pastoral ministry at Trinity Church, Cambridge, and his broader influence as a leading Puritan divine in the 1620s. Written during the height of his preaching career, this treatise addresses the practical spiritual needs of Reformed believers seeking systematic guidance for daily devotional life. Preston, who served as master of Emmanuel College and chaplain to Prince Charles, recognized that many Christians possessed theological knowledge but lacked structured approaches to personal piety and communion with God.
The work provides a comprehensive framework for daily spiritual discipline, centering on the believer's union with Christ as the foundation for all devotional practice. Preston argues that true spiritual exercise must flow from justification rather than seeking to earn it, distinguishing Reformed piety from works-righteousness. He develops practical methods for prayer, Scripture meditation, and self-examination while maintaining that these disciplines derive their value from Christ's righteousness imputed to the believer. The treatise emphasizes the necessity of morning and evening devotions, structured around praise, petition, and reflection on God's providence. Preston integrates doctrinal instruction with experiential guidance, showing how Reformed theology should shape the affections and daily conduct of believers.
The work continued to influence Puritan spirituality well into the seventeenth century, offering a moderate and pastorally sensitive approach to devotional life that avoided both formalism and enthusiasm. Its emphasis on Christ-centered piety and practical holiness shaped later Reformed devotional writing and provided a model for integrating systematic theology with personal spiritual formation.
Who should read this: Reformed Christians seeking historically grounded approaches to daily devotional practice, and students of Puritan spirituality interested in the practical outworking of Reformed theology in personal piety. Those looking for quick devotional thoughts or non-theological spiritual exercises will find Preston's doctrinally rich approach demanding.