Chapter XIX: Of the excellency and greatness of a devout spirit

1. I HAVE now finished what I intended in this treatise. I have explained the nature of devotion, both as it signifies a life devoted to God, and as it signifies a regular method of prayer. I have now only to add a word or two in recommendation of a life governed by this Spirit.

And because in this _polite_ age, we have so _lived away_ the spirit of devotion, that many seem afraid even to be suspected of it, imagining _great devotion_ to be great _bigotry_; that it is founded in _ignorance_ and _poorness_ of spirit; and that _little_, _weak_, and _dejected_ minds, are generally the greatest proficients in it.

It shall here be shewn, that great devotion is the _noblest_ temper of the _greatest_ and _noblest_ souls; and that they who think it receives any advantage from _ignorance_, are themselves entirely ignorant of the nature of devotion, the nature of God, and the nature of themselves.

People of _fine parts_ and _learning_, or of great knowledge in _worldly matters_, may perhaps think it hard to have their _want_ of devotion charged upon their _ignorance_. But if they will be content to be tried by reason and scripture, it may soon be made appear, that a _want_ of devotion, wherever it is, either amongst the learned or unlearned, is founded in _gross ignorance_, and the _greatest blindness_ and _insensibility_ that can happen to a rational creature.

And that devotion is so far from being the effect of a _little_ and _dejected_ mind, that it must and will be always _highest_ in the most _perfect_ natures.

2. And _first_, Who reckons it a sign of a _poor, little_ mind, for a man to be full of _reverence_ and _duty_ to his parents, to have the truest _love_ and _honour_ for his _friend_, or to excel in the _highest instances_ of gratitude to his benefactor?

Are not these tempers, in the _highest_ degree, in the most exalted and perfect minds?

And yet what is _high devotion_, but the highest exercise of these tempers, of _duty_, _reverence_, _love_, _honour_, and _gratitude_ to the amiable, glorious _parent_, _friend_, and _benefactor_ of all mankind?

Is it a true greatness of mind, to reverence the authority of your parents, to fear the displeasure of your friend, to dread the reproaches of your benefactor; and must not this _fear_, and _dread_, and _reverence_, be much more just, and reasonable, and honourable, when they are in the _highest degree_ towards God?

So that as long as _duty_ to parents, _love_ to friends, and _gratitude_ to benefactors, are thought great and honourable tempers, devotion, which is nothing else but duty, love, and gratitude to God, must have the highest place amongst our highest virtues.

If a _prince_, out of his _mere goodness_, should send you a pardon by one of his _slaves_, would you think it a part of your duty to receive the _slave_ with marks of _love_, _esteem_, and _gratitude_, for his kindness of bringing you so great a gift, and at the same time think it a _meanness_ and _poorness_ of spirit, to shew _love_, _esteem_, and _gratitude_ to the prince, who of his own goodness freely sent you the pardon?

And yet this would be as reasonable, as to suppose that love, esteem, honour, and gratitude, are _noble tempers_, and instances of a _great soul_, when they are paid to our fellow-creatures; but the effects of a poor, ignorant mind, when they are paid to God.

3. Even that part of devotion which expresses itself in _sorrowful_ confessions, and _penitential_ tears of a broken and contrite heart, is very far from being any sign of a _little_ and _ignorant_ mind.

For who does not acknowledge it an instance of an _ingenuous_, _generous_, and _brave_ mind, to acknowledge a fault, and ask pardon for any offence? And are not the _finest_ and _most improved_ minds, the most remarkable for this excellent temper?

Is it not also allowed, that the _ingenuousness_ and _excellence_ of a man’s spirit is much shewn, when his sorrow and indignation at himself rises in proportion to the folly of his crime, and the _goodness_ and _greatness_ of the person he has offended?

Now if things are thus, then the _greater_ any man’s mind is, the more he _knows_ of God and himself, the more will he be disposed to prostrate himself before God in all the _humblest acts_ and expressions of repentance.

And the greater the _generosity_ and _penetration_ of his mind is, the more will he indulge a _passionate, tender_ sense of God’s just displeasure; and the more he knows of the greatness, the goodness, and perfection of the divine nature, the fuller of shame and confusion will he be at his own sins and ingratitude.

And on the other hand, the more _dull_ and _ignorant_ any soul is, the more _base_ and _ungenerous_, the more _senseless_ it is of the goodness of God, the more averse to _humble confession_ and _repentance_.

Devotion therefore is so far from being best suited to _little, ignorant_ minds, that a _true elevation_ of soul, a _lively sense_ of honour, and _great knowledge_ of God and ourselves, are the greatest helps that our devotion hath.

4. On the other hand, it shall be made appear, that _indevotion_ is founded in the most excessive ignorance.

And, _first_, Our blessed Lord and his apostles were eminent instances of great devotion. Now if we will grant, (as all Christians must grant) that their great devotion was founded in a true knowledge of the nature of devotion, the nature of God, and the nature of man, then it is plain, that all those that are insensible of devotion, are in this excessive state of ignorance; they neither know God, nor themselves, nor devotion.

Again, how comes it that most people have recourse to devotion, when they are in sickness, distress, or fear of death? Is it not because this state shews them _more_ of the want of God, and their own weakness, than they perceive at other times? Is it not because their approaching end, _convinces_ them of something which they did not _half perceive_ before?

Now if devotion, at these seasons, is the effect of a _better knowledge_ of God and ourselves, then the neglect of devotion at other times is owing to ignorance of God and ourselves.

5. Farther, as indevotion is ignorance, so it is the most _shameful_ ignorance, and such as is to be charged with the _greatest folly_.

This will fully appear to any one that considers by what rules we are to judge of the excellency of any knowledge, or the shamefulness of any ignorance.

Now _knowledge_ itself would be no _excellence_, nor ignorance any _reproach_ to us, but that we are _rational_ creatures.

It follows plainly, that knowledge which is most _suitable_ to our rational nature, and which most concerns us, as such, to know, is our _highest, finest_ knowledge; and that ignorance which relates to things that are most _essential_ to us, as rational creatures, and which we are most concerned to know, is, of all others, the most _gross_ and _shameful_ ignorance.

6. If a _gentleman_ should fancy that the _moon_ is no bigger than it appears to the _eye_, that it shines with its _own light_, that all the _stars_ are only so many spots of light; if after reading books of _astronomy_, he should still continue in the same opinion, most people would think he had but a poor apprehension.

But if the same person should think it better to provide for a _short life_ here, than to prepare for a _glorious eternity_ hereafter; that it was better to be _rich_, than to be _eminent_ in piety, his _ignorance_ and _dulness_ would be too great to be compared to any thing else.

That is the most clear and improved understanding, which _judges_ best of the _value_ and _worth_ of things; all the rest is but the capacity of an _animal_; it is but meer _seeing_ and _hearing_.

If a man had _eyes_ that could see beyond the _stars_, or pierce into the heart of the earth, but could not see the things that were before him, or discern any thing that was serviceable to him, we should reckon that he had but a very _bad sight_.

If another had _ears_ that received sounds from the world in the _moon_, but could hear nothing that was said or done upon earth, we should look upon him to be as _bad_ as _deaf_.

In like manner, if a man has a _memory_ that can retain a great many things, if he has a _wit_ that is _sharp_ and _acute_ in arts and sciences, but has a _dull, poor_ apprehension of his _duty_ and _relation_ to God, of the _value_ of piety, or the _worth_ of moral virtue, he may very justly be reckoned to have a _bad understanding_. He is but like the man that can only _see_ and _hear_ such things as are of no benefit to him.

7. To proceed: We know how our blessed Lord acted in an human body; it was _his meat and drink to do the will of his Father which is in heaven_.

And if any number of heavenly spirits were to leave their habitations in the light of God, and be for awhile united to human bodies, they would certainly tend towards God in all their actions, and be as heavenly as they could, in a state of flesh and blood.

They would certainly act in this manner, because they would know that God was the _only good_ of all spirits; and that whether they were _in_ the body, or _out_ of the body, in _heaven_ or on _earth_, they must have every degree of their greatness and happiness from God alone.

All human spirits therefore, the _more exalted_ they are, the more they _know_ their divine original, the _nearer_ they come to heavenly spirits, the more will they live to God in all their actions, making their whole life a _state of devotion_.

Devotion therefore is the greatest sign of a great and noble _genius_; it supposes a soul in its _highest state_ of knowledge; and none but _little_ and _blinded_ minds, that are sunk into _ignorance_ and _vanity_, are destitute of it.

8. If a human spirit should imagine some _mighty prince_ to be greater than God, we should take it for a poor ignorant creature; all people would acknowledge such an imagination to be the height of stupidity.

But if this same _human spirit_ should think it better to be devoted to some mighty _prince_, than to be devoted to God, would not this still be a greater proof of a poor, ignorant, and blinded nature?

Yet this is what all people do, who think any thing _better_, _greater_, or _wiser_ than a devout life.

So that which way soever we consider this matter, it plainly appears, that devotion is an instance of _great judgment_, of an _elevated nature_; and the want of _devotion_ is a certain proof of the want of _understanding_.

The greatest spirits of the Heathen world, such as _Pythagoras_, _Socrates_, _Plato_, _Epictetus_, _Marcus Antoninus_, owed all their greatness to the spirit of devotion.

They were full of God; their wisdom and deep contemplations tended only to deliver men from the vanity of the world, the slavery of bodily passions, that they might act as _spirits_ that came from God, and were soon to return to him.

9. Let _libertines_ but grant that there is a God, and a providence, and then they have granted enough to justify the wisdom, and support the honour of devotion.

For if there is an infinitely wise and good Creator, in whom we live, move, and have our being, whose providence governs all things in all places, surely it must be the highest act of our _understanding_ to conceive rightly of him; it must be the noblest instance of _judgment_, the most exalted temper of our nature, to worship and adore this universal providence, to conform to its laws, to study its wisdom, and to live and act every where, as in the presence of this infinitely good and wise Creator.

Now he that lives thus, lives in the spirit of devotion.

And what can shew such great parts, and so fine an understanding, as to live in this temper?

For if God is _wisdom_, surely he must be the wisest man in the world, who _most_ conforms to the wisdom of God, who _best_ obeys his providence, who enters _farthest_ into his designs, and does all he can, that God’s will may be done on earth, as it is done in heaven.

A devout man makes a true use of his reason; he sees through the _vanity_ of the world, discovers the _corruption_ of his nature, and the _blindness_ of his passions. He lives by a _law_ which is not visible to _vulgar eyes_; he enters into the world of _spirits_; he compares the greatest things, sets _eternity_ against time; and chuses rather to be for ever great in the presence of God when he dies, than to have the greatest share of worldly pleasures whilst he lives.

11. _Lastly, Courage_ and _bravery_ are words of a great sound, and seem to signify an _heroic_ spirit; but yet _humility_, which seems to be the _lowest, meanest_ part of devotion, is a more certain argument of a _noble_ mind.

For humility contends with greater enemies, is more constantly engaged, more violently assaulted, suffers more, and requires greater courage to support itself, than any instances of worldly bravery.

A man that dares be poor and contemptible in the eyes of the world, to approve himself to God; that resists and rejects all human glory; that opposes the clamour of his passions, that meekly puts up all injuries, and dares stay for his reward till the invisible hand of God gives to every one their proper places, endures a much _greater trial_, and exerts a _nobler fortitude_, than he that is bold and daring in the fire of battle.

For the boldness of a soldier, if he is a stranger to the spirit of devotion, is rather _weakness_ than fortitude; it is at best but _mad passion_, and heated spirits, and has no more true valour in it than the fury of a _tyger_.

Reason is our _universal law_, that obliges us in all places, and all times; and no actions have any honour, but so far as they are instances of our obedience to reason.

And it is as _base_ to be bold and daring against the principle of reason and justice, as to be bold and daring in _lying_ and _perjury_.

Would we therefore exercise a _true fortitude_, we must do all in the spirit of _devotion_, be valiant against the corruptions of the _world_, and the lusts of the _flesh_, and the temptations of the _devil_: for to be daring and courageous against these enemies, is the noblest bravery that an human mind is capable of.

I have made this digression for the sake of those, who think great devotion to be _bigotry_ and _poorness_ of _spirit_; that by these considerations they may see, how _poor_ and _mean_ all other _tempers_ are, if compared to it: that they may see all worldly attainments, whether of greatness, wisdom, or bravery, are but _empty sounds_; and there is nothing _wise_, or _great_, or _noble_, in an _human spirit_, but rightly to _know_, and heartily _worship_ and _adore_ the great God, that is the _support_ and _life_ of all spirits, whether in _heaven_, or on _earth_.

An extract from the Rev. Mr. LAW’s
LATER WORKS.

An extract from the Case of Reason, or Natural Religion, fairly
and fully stated. In answer to a book, entitled _Christianity
as Old as the Creation_.

_The Introduction, shewing the state of the Controversy._

THE infidelity which is now openly declared for, pretends to support itself upon the _sufficiency_, _excellency_, and _absolute perfection_ of reason, or natural religion.

The author with whom I am engaged, makes no attempt to invalidate the _historical evidence_ on which Christianity is founded; but by arguments drawn from the nature of God, and natural religion, pretends to prove that no religion can come from God, which teaches any thing more than that, which is fully manifest to all mankind by the _mere light_ of nature.

His chief principles may be reduced to these following propositions.

1. That human reason, or natural light, is the _only means_ of knowing all that God requires of us.

2. That reason, or natural light, is so full, sufficient, plain, and certain a rule in all religious duties, that no external divine revelation can add any thing to it, or require us to believe or practise any thing, that was not as fully known before. A revelation, if ever made, can only declare those very _same_ things _externally_, which were before equally declared by the _internal_ light of nature.

3. That this must be the case of natural and revealed religion, unless God be an arbitrary being. For if God be not an arbitrary being, but acts according to the reason and nature of things; then he can require nothing of us by revelation, but what is already required by the nature and reason of things. And therefore, as he expresses it, _reason and revelation must exactly answer one another like two tallies_¹.

¹ Page 60.

4. That whatever is at any time admitted as matter of religion, that is not manifest from the reason of the thing, and plainly required by the light of nature, is gross superstition.

5. That it is inconsistent with the divine perfections, to suppose, that God can by an external revelation give any religious knowledge, at _any time_, to _any people_, which was not equally given at _all_ times, and to _all_ people.

This is the state of the controversy. As to the railing accusations, which this author pours out, at all adventures, upon the clergy, I shall wholly pass them over; my intention being only to appeal to the reason of the reader, and to add nothing to it, but the safe, unerring light of divine revelation.