of those Instructions that are delivered by the Priefts of the Lord, whofe Lips are to Preferve Knowledge; as if defiring God to make us Good, were fufficient, without the Knowledge of the Way and Manner of being fo. Some depend upon their private Devotions, for mortifying the Deeds of the Flesh, even to the contempt of Fafting, as a Piece of Will-worship, though it is a Chriftian Duty, enjoined for the bringing under our Bodies. Others are punctual in their bodily Exercifes, but neglect thofe Prayers which are neceffary to make them effectual. And those who are engaged in the Ufe of fome, or all of thefe Means, yet live in a moft fhameful Neglect of Receiving the Holy Sacrament, as if that were no Ways neceffary to enable them to grow in Grace; whereas it was instituted to that very End and Purpose, that the Benefits of Chrift's Death might thereby be conveyed to them. Therefore, if ever we fincerely defire to fucceed in our holy Purposes, we muft conftantly and diligently make Ufe of all thofe Means which God has ordained towards the obtaining eternal Life; fince it is by the joint Use of them all, that we are made meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light.

There is another Extreme, which I hope is the Cafe of but few; but fince it is incident to those who make the greatest Pretences to Spirituality, it ought to be taken Notice

B 3

of;

of; which is, from a Purpose of greater Perfection, to lay aside the ordinary Means of Grace, which God has established: They frequent not the Inftructions of God's Ambaffadors, because they find themselves more enlightened from their own Meditations: They approach not frequently the holy Communion, to feed themfelves with the Bread of Life there diftributed, because they feel not those Raptures, which they are fupplied with from their own Contemplations: They seem to have a mean Opinion of all the holy Functions of the Priesthood, because the men that exercise them are not animated with their Spirit.

Now that this is a great Delufion is ap. parent, because it contradicts that Order and Method that God has revealed for the attaining everlasting Happinefs. He has fet apart an Order of Men under the Gospel, on Purpose to affift us in the great Bufinefs of our Salvation: He has given them Power to declare to us the Terms upon which it is to be obtained; they are the deputed Minifters of Reconciliation, and therefore we ought to attend their Inftructions: He has farther authorized them to adminifter Sacraments, that we might be made Members of Chrift's Body, and nourished with all Goodnefs. These holy Actions receive their Efficacy from the divine Inftitution, which we muft keep close to if we pretend to receive

the

the Influences and Affiftances of GOD's Holy Spirit. To enlighten our Understandings in the Knowledge of our Duty, to influence our Wills in the Practice of it, he has revealed to us the holy Scripture, which as it lays down the beft Method for the attaining that Perfection we are capable of in this Life; fo it furnishes us with the beft Arguments for the Profecution of it: And though I am fatisfied, that the Spirit of God does farther direct and excite those that ferioufly and reverently apply themselves to the Ufe of this Rule of Belief and Practice; yet they that lay it afide, under Pretence of Inspirations of equal Authority, have Reason to doubt their own-Infpirations. For if they proceeded from the Spirit of God, they would put the greatest Stress and highest Value upon what has been ftamped with his Mark, by being confirmed by the Teftimony of Miracles, the Demonftration of the Spirit and what has been received by the Catholic Church, as the undoubted Word of God: Befides, fince it is agreed that we are unable of ourselves to do any Thing that is good; and that the Grace of God is neceffary to ftrengthen our Weaknefs, and to affift us in the Performance of our Duty; how can we expect the Influences of his Holy Spirit, if we neglect the Ufe of thofe Means which are prescribed by divine Inftitution, to convey to us the Benefits and Advantages of it?

It is certain, therefore, that as we should not fo rely upon any outward Performance, as to neglect the Improvement of our Minds, left our Fafting. become an unprofitable Trouble, and our Prayers a vain Lip Labour; fo neither fhould we pretend to inward Perfection, by flighting the outward Obfervances of Religion, left our Thoughts grow proud and fantastic, and all our Arguments prove but a cover for Delufion. A Man may be a bad Man, and use them all; and yet there is no being good without them.

From hence it appears, That true Devotion is not fo properly a particular Virtue, as it is the Way and Manner of performing all the Inftances of our Duty; and that it confifts in a conftant and ready Chearfulness of Mind in doing the Will of God, however manifefted to us: for this fhews we are entirely devoted to his Service. It is an Earneftnefs of Soul to be conformed in every Thing to the divine Pleasure; fo that the Covetuous do not more eagerly long for Wealth, the Ambitious for Honour, and the Epicure for Pleasure, than the devout Soul does to live in all the Commandments of the Lord blameless: That is to fay, that he is ready to facrifice the Satisfactions of Life, and to expofe even Life itfelf, to gratify this Defire, which inflames his Heart: all the Ways that lead to Heaven, are the Objects of his Delight; and he would

willingly

willingly choose the most rugged and straitest Way, provided it does but prove the shorteft and the fureft.

This truly religious Temper of Mind, which we call Devotion, will put us upon enquiring into all the Particulars of our Duty, which we owe both to God and Man; we shall be at a Stand no longer than till we know the Way wherein we should talk. The natural Language of fuch a Soul is, Lord, what wouldft Thou have me to do? Let me but be acquainted with thy Will, and I am ready to obey it: Nothing can abate his Courage, or cool his Zeal, in fteadfastly purfuing what he is convinced God's Laws require from him.

He bears with admirable Compofedness all the various Humours of thofe with whom. he converfes, which too often diforder and affect weak Minds. The Senfe of his own great Imperfections, neither difquiet nor difcourage him, but make him more diligent to reform and amend them. His conftant Employment is, to fubdue his Paffions, to quell thofe Storms that are apt to arise in his Mind; and he contemns all the vain Cenfures of worldly Men, which feek to ruffle and difcompofe him. He aims at Perfection, by an exact Performance of the Duties of that Station wherein the Providence of God has placed him. He lives not according to the Flesh, but according to the Spirit; and