is dead to the World, and to all the Cares and Enjoyments of it. He lays a greater Strefs upon doing his Duty, than upon those outward or inward Confolations that attend it. He is no Ways terrified by those Difficulties that are fometimes ftrewed in the Path of Life; they rather raise his Courage, increase his Refolution, and make him more intent upon Victory. Profperity and Adverfity appear to him no farther agreeable or grievous, than as they advance or hinder his great defign. He frequents not the Affemblies of the Men of Pleafure; but fets a greater Value upon his Time, than to confume it in trifling and unneceffary Diverfions. His greatest Delight is, to mortify his Senfes, to live by Faith; well knowing, that the Things which are feen are Temporal, but that the Things which are not feen are Eternal. His chiefeft Pleafure is, to converse with God; and therefore you find him fo often in the Church and at the Altar, as the fureft Places to enjoy him here below. Whenever he appears in the Prefence of infinite Love, he adores with the loweft Humiliation of Soul and Body. He frequents the public Prayers, and receives the holy Cominunion with heavenly Affections, and with holy Impatience for the Bleffings of God's Love. In the Midft of Bufinefs his Mind is upon Heaven; and even in Converfation with others, he filently breathes forth pious Ejacula

Ejaculations to the bleffed Object of his Love and Defire. He lives under a conftant Senfe of God's Omniprefence; and therefore he is not more upon his Guard not to offend Him, than he is intent upon doing thofe Things that are acceptable in his Sight.

And this his Devotion does not more influence his own Conduct, than appear amiable and pleafing to all about him. For the Sick and Needy will love your Devotion if they find Comfort and Relief from it. Your Family will love your Devotion, if it make you Meek, Quiet, and Peaceable. Your Superiors will love your Devotion, if it makes you more Submiffive and Obedient. And all Men will love your Devotion, if it makes you Faithful and Sincere, Courteous and Affable, ready to do all good Offices, and to comply with their Inclinations, when it no Way contradicts your Duty; and above all, if in the Practice of your own Exercifes of Piety, you do not cenfure and condemn them when their Conduct is different from your own, and you do not think them obliged to govern themfelves exactly by your Rules and Meafures.

I am very well aware that the Defcription I have made of Devotion, fomewhat differs from the common Apprehenfions of Men concerning it. In Difcourfe, we generally understand by a devout Man, one who prays often, with all the Appearances of a Serious and Religious Mind; and the frequent ExerB 6

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cife of the Means of Grace, especially Prayer, feems to have engroffed the Character of Devotion. Now though this is so far true, that we in vain pretend to this spiritual Frame of Mind, except we employ the Vigour of our Souls in the fincere and attentive Ufe of all the Means of Grace, especially in frequent and fervent Prayer to God; yet we shall fall fhort of this Character, and the Reward that is prepared for it, if we ftop here. These are happy Inftruments of enabling us to work out our Salvation; but except we bring forth the Fruit of the Spirit, Love, Joy, Peace, Longfuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meeknefs, Temperance; except we crucify the Flesh, with the Affections and Lufts thereof; except we live in the Spirit, and walk in the Spirit, we fhall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, that infinite Happiness that is promised to all devout Souls.

I am very fenfible this Practice of Devotion paffes very often, in the judgment of worldly and fenfual Men, for Folly and Indifcretion: It is blamed as carrying Things to an Extreme, as laying unneceffary Burdens upon ourfelves; and they charge thofe that pursue it, as not knowing how to accommodate themfelves to Times and Seafons: as neglecting -the true Measures and Rules of Things; they account his Life Madness; that he feeds himfelf with idle Fancies, and pursues them by an over-heated Imagination.

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To deftroy an Opinion fo falfe in itself, and fo injurious to Devotion, it is neceffary to obferve, that the Perfection of Wisdom ought to have thefe two Qualifications; to propofe the beft End, and to choose the Means as are fitteft to attain it. Where the firft is wanting, our Labour may pass for Folly, and the moft ferious Application may be efteemed a trifling Amusement; and when we mifcarry in the latter, we reap nothing by our Pains but Difappointment.

Now if we measure the Conduct of the Devout by this Rule, pray, wherein is it defective? The only End they propofe in all their Actions, is to ferve Almighty God, the Fountain of their Being; and to prepare themselves for the Enjoyment of Him, the Perfection of Happiness.

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We commend a Man, who having it in his Choice engages in the Service of a Prince who is wife and generous; who glories in being true to his Word, and never abandons thofe that depend upon him: And by this Teft, nothing can be more judicious than the Conduct of the Devout: for they give up themselves to a God, who only has Immortality; who is incapable of not performing what he has promifed, either through Treachery or Weakness; to a Mafter, who openly declares himself in Favour with all thofe that belong to him, and makes every Thing work for Good

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to them that love him; to a Mafter, in fhort, to whom every Thing fubmits.

The World, we know has but a mean Opinion of thofe, who have a Regard only to the prefent; who do not apply themselves to fecure a comfortable and happy Old Age, and to establish fuch Fortunes as may make their Pofterity confiderable: Although at the fame Time, no Body can be fure of lengthening their Days, or leaving of Children to enjoy their Acquifitions. Can there be therefore any greater Wisdom than to carry our Views into Eternity itself, which will infallibly fucceed to the few Years we live? And this is the Wisdom of the Devout.

Even in Politics, where Prudence is thought to have its nobleft and principal Employment, the most difcerning lay it down as an eftablished Maxim, always to have our chiefeft Intereft in View, to difpenfe with Matters of fmall Confequence, and to facrifice inconfiderable Pretenfions, in order to fecure thofe that are effential. But what are all the Projects of the greateft Princes, and of their ableft` Minifters, in comparison of that general End, at which all Men ought to aim? In comparifon of that Affair, where the Gaining or Lofing eternal Happiness is concerned, and of lofing it without the Poffibility of any Recovery? From whence it follows, that it is moft reafonable to neglect all Things, even Life itself,

rather