Chapter I: WHOEVER hath read the foregoing chapters with attention, is, I hope, (7)

And it is much to be lamented, that numbers of _scholars_ are _more_ or _less_ chargeable with this excessive folly; so negligent of improving their devotion, and so desirous of other poor accomplishments, as if they thought it a nobler talent, to be able to write an _epigram_ in the _turn_ of _Martial_, than to _live_, and _think_, and _pray_ to God, in the spirit of St. _Austin_.

And yet if you was to ask _Mandanus_ and _Classicus_, or any man of business or learning, whether _piety_ is not the highest perfection of man, or _devotion_ the greatest attainment in the world, they must both be forced to answer in the affirmative, or else give up the truth of the gospel.

17. Devotion is nothing else but _right apprehensions_ and _right affections_ towards God.

All practices therefore that improve our true apprehensions of God, all ways of life that tend to _nourish_, _raise_, and fix our affections upon him, are to be reckoned so many helps and means of devotion.

As _prayer_ is the proper fuel of this holy flame, so we must use all our care to give prayer its full power; as by _alms_, _self-denial_, frequent _retirements_, and _holy readings_, composing _forms_ for ourselves, or using the _best_ we can get, adding _length_ of time, and observing _hours_ of prayer; _changing_, _improving_, and _suiting_ our devotions to the condition of our lives, and the state of our hearts.

Those who have most leisure, seem more especially called to a more eminent observance of this; and they, who by the necessity of their state, have but little time to employ thus, must make the best use of that little they have.

18. There is one thing more I would advise; and that is, to begin your prayers with a _psalm_.

I don’t mean, that you should _read_ over a psalm, but that you should _chant_ or _sing_ one.

The difference between singing and reading a psalm, will be easily understood, if you consider the difference between reading and singing a _common song_ that you like. Whilst you only read it, you only _like_ it; but as soon as you _sing_ it, you feel the _same spirit_ within you, that there seems to be in the words.

You will perhaps say, you cannot sing.

This objection might be of weight, if you was desired to sing to entertain other people; but it is not to be admitted in the present case, where you are only advised to sing the praises of God in private.

Do but so live, that your heart may truly rejoice in God, that it may feel itself affected with the praises of God; and then you will find, that this state of your heart will neither want a voice, nor ear, to find a tune for a psalm.

19. *The union of soul and body, is not a mixture of their substances, as we see bodies united and mixed together, but consists solely in the mutual power that they have of acting upon one another.

*If two persons were in such a state of dependance upon one another, that neither of them could act, or move, or think, or feel, or suffer, or desire any thing, without putting the other into the same condition, one might properly say, that they were in a state of strict union, altho’ their substances were not united together.

*Now this is the union of the soul and body; the substance of the one cannot be mixed or united with the other; but they are held together in such a state of union, that all the actions and sufferings of the one, are at the same time the actions and sufferings of the other. The soul has no thought or passion, but the body is concerned in it; the body has no action or motion, but what, in some degree, affects the soul.

Now, as it is the sole will of God, that is the _cause_ of all the powers and effects which you see in the world; as the _sun_ gives light and heat, not because it has any natural power of so doing; as it is fixed in a certain place, and other bodies moving about it; not because it is in the nature of the sun to stand still, and in the nature of other bodies to move about it; but merely because it is the _will_ of God, that they should be in such a state: as the _eye_ is the organ, or instrument of seeing, not because the _skins_, and _coats_, and _humours_ of the eye, have a natural power of giving sight: as the ears are the organs, or instruments of hearing, not because the _make_ of the ear has any natural power over sounds, but merely because it is the will of God, that _seeing_ and _hearing_ should be thus received; so it is the sole will of God, that is the cause of this union betwixt the soul and the body.

20. If you rightly apprehend this short account of the union of the soul and body, you will see a great deal into the reason of all the outward parts of religion.

This union of our souls and bodies, is the reason both why we have so little and so much power over ourselves. It is owing to this, that we have so little power over our souls: for as we cannot prevent the effects of external objects upon our bodies; as we cannot command outward causes; so we cannot always command the inward state of our minds; because, as outward objects act upon our bodies without our leave, so our bodies act upon our minds by the laws of the union vital. And thus you see it is owing to this union, that we have so _little_ power over ourselves.

On the other hand, it is owing to this union, that we have so _much_ power over ourselves. For as our souls in a great measure depend upon our bodies; and as we have great power over these; as we can mortify our bodies, and remove ourselves from objects that inflame our passions; so we have a great power over the _inward_ state of our souls. Again, as the outward acts of reading, praying, singing, and the like, have an effect upon the soul; so by being masters of these outward, bodily actions, we have great power over the inward state of the heart.

And thus it is owing to this union, that we have so much power over ourselves.

Now from this you may see the benefit of singing psalms, and of all the outward acts of religion; for if the body has so much power over the soul, all such bodily actions as affect the soul, are of great weight in religion, because they are proper to support that _spirit_, which is the true worship of God.

21. This doctrine may be easily carried too far; for by calling in too many outward means of worship, it may degenerate into superstition. But some have fallen into the contrary extreme. Because religion is justly placed in the heart, they renounce vocal prayer, and other outward acts of worship, and resolve all religion into a _quietism_, or _mystic_ intercourse with God in silence.

But since we are neither _all soul_, nor _all body_; seeing none of our actions are either separately of the soul, or separately of the body; if we would truly prostrate ourselves before God, we must use our bodies to postures of lowliness. If we desire true fervours of devotion, we must make prayer the frequent labour of our lips. If we would feel inward joy and delight in God, we must practise all the outward acts of it, and make our voices call upon our hearts.

Now therefore, you may plainly see the reason of _singing of psalms_; it is because outward actions are necessary to support inward tempers.

22. I have been the longer upon this head, because of its importance to true religion. For there is no state of mind so excellent, as that of _thankfulness_ to God; and consequently, nothing is of more importance than that which exercises and improves this habit of mind.

*An _uneasy_, _complaining_ spirit, which is sometimes the spirit of those that seem careful of religion, is yet of all tempers the most contrary to religion; for it disowns that God which it pretends to adore. For he sufficiently disowns God, who does not adore him as a being of infinite goodness.

*If a man does not believe that all the world is as God’s family, where nothing happens by chance, but all is guided and directed by the care and providence of a being that is all love and goodness to all his creatures; if a man does not believe this from his heart, he cannot be said to believe in God. And yet he that has this faith, has faith enough to be always thankful to God. For he that believes every thing happens to him for the _best_, cannot complain for the want of something that is _better_.

If therefore you live in murmurings and complaints, it is not because you are a weak, infirm creature, but it is because you want the first principle of religion, a right belief in God. For as thankfulness is an express acknowledgement of the goodness of God towards you; so repinings and complaints are as plain accusations of God’s want of goodness towards you.

*On the other hand, would you know who is the greatest saint in the world? It is not he who _prays_ most, or _fasts_ most; it is not he who gives most _alms_, or is most eminent for temperance, chastity, or justice; but it is he who is _always thankful_ to God, who _wills_ every thing that God _willeth_, who receives every thing as an instance of God’s goodness, and has a heart always ready to praise God for it.

All prayer and devotion, fastings and repentance, meditation and retirement, all sacraments and ordinances, are but so many means to render the soul thus conformable to the will of God, and to fill it with thankfulness and praise for every thing that comes from God. This is the perfection of all virtues; and all virtues that do not tend to it, or proceed from it, are but so many false ornaments of a soul not converted unto God.

23. If any one would tell you the shortest, surest way to all happiness, he must tell you to _thank and praise God for every thing that happens to you_. For whatever seeming calamity happens, if you thank and praise God for it, you turn it into a blessing. Could you therefore work miracles, you could not do more for yourself, than by this _thankful spirit_; for it _heals_ with a word speaking, and turns all that it touches into happiness.

If therefore you would be so true to your interest, as to propose this _thankfulness_ as the end of all your religion; if you would but settle it in your mind, that this was the state that you was to aim at by all your devotions, you would then have something plain and visible to walk by, and might judge of your improvement in piety. For so far as you renounce all motions of your own will, and seek for no other happiness, but in the thankful reception of every thing that happens to you, so far you have advanced in piety.

And altho’ this be the highest temper that you can aim at; yet it is not tied to any _time_, or _place_, or _great_ occasion, but is always in your power, and may be the exercise of every day. For the _common events_ of every day are sufficient to discover and exercise this temper, and may plainly shew you how far you are governed in all your actions by this thankful spirit.

24. It may perhaps be objected, that tho’ the benefit of this practice is apparent; yet it seems not so fit for _private_ devotions, since it can hardly be performed without making our devotions public.

It is answered, _first_, that great numbers of people have it in their power to be as private as they please; such persons therefore are excluded from this excuse.

_Secondly_, Numbers of people are by the _necessity_ of their state, as _servants_, _apprentices_, _prisoners_, and _families_ in small houses, forced to be continually in the presence of somebody or other.

Now are such persons to neglect their prayers, because they cannot pray without being seen? Are they not rather obliged to be more exact in them, that others may not be witnesses of their neglect, and so corrupted by their example?

And what is here said of devotion, may surely be said of _singing a psalm_.

The rule is this: Don’t pray that you _may be seen_ of men; but if your _confinement_ obliges you to be always in the sight of others, be more afraid of being seen to _neglect_, than of being seen to have _recourse_ to prayer.

_Thirdly_, Either people can use such privacy in this practice, as to have no hearers, or they cannot. If they can, then this objection vanishes as to them; and if they cannot, they should consider their _confinement_, and the _necessities_ of their state, as the confinement of a _prison_; and then have an excellent _pattern_ to follow: they may imitate St. _Paul_ and _Silas_, who _sang praises to God in prison_, tho’ we are expresly told, that the _prisoners heard them_. They did not refrain this kind of devotion, for fear of being heard by others. If therefore any one is in the same necessity, either in _prison_ or out of prison, what can he do better, than to follow this example?

_Fourthly_, The _privacy_ of our prayers is not _destroyed_ by our _having_, but by our _seeking_ witnesses of them.

If therefore nobody hears you but those you cannot separate yourself from, you are as much in _secret_, and _your Father who seeth in secret_, will as truly reward your secrecy, as if you was seen by him alone.

CHAP. XIII.

_Recommending devotions at nine o’clock in the morning, called
in scripture, the |third hour| of the day. The subject of
these prayers may be |humility|._