fufes nothing to his Heart, have his fet Days of regular Devotion, nay, and fometimes break into Floods of Tears and bitter Sorrows; conclude undoubtedly that thofe are Hypocrites, that would pay God with Looks, and impofe on Men with fair Appearances. There are, it may be, fome that are the Cheats of their own Hearts, and think they are very good Men, when they expiate for the Debauches of a Month, by one Days fafting. But they are greatly out, for true Devotion is not thus unequal, nor full of fallies and irregularities. It is not like the Floods in Spring that flow with fury, but continue but a Day: Innocence of Life is therefore of abfolute neceffity to the attaining true Devotion, and a neceffary Preliminary. This Vertue is one of those most excellent Graces we receive from Heaven, and one of the most precious Gifts of the Holy Ghoft; but 'tis a Pearl that is not caft before Swine, 'tis an Enamel only fit for Gold; a Favour only communicated to privileg'd, that is to fay, to pure and clean Souls, But

because

because we shall meet with this Subject again, we will not exhaust it here.

MEDITATION."

Who can express the evils and diforders fin bath brought upon the Soul? Who can caft up the miferies, in which the naughtinefs of my Heart hath engag'd me? and amongst the rest is this, that it renders me incapable of Devotion. 'Tis fin bath made a feparation betwixt God and me, and therefore I am dead, for God is my life, and my foul's Soul; I am blind and ftrayed from God, that is my Light: I am poor, being feparated from him, for be was my Treafure and Abundance. I am naked, for he alone it was that cloathed me: I am fick, for it was he, my Son of Righteousness, that carries healing in his wings, that was my health and strength. 'Tis fin bath rob'd me of him, and eclips'd him from my fight, and I must languish out my Life, divided from him that was and is my Principle. And in this ftate, Oh how can I produce thofe vigorous movements of Devotion, that raife the Soul

and

and carry it up as far as Paradife? Sin is that thick humidity that faftens on my Wings; a weight that overwhelms me; that flops my Sallies, and makes all my Efforts and Attempts both vain and profitlefs. I feel in my Members a Law that fights with, and oppofes the Law of my Understanding, and maketh me a flave to Sin, fo that I cannot do even what I would of Good, but do the Evil that I would not.

PRAYE R.

Sun of my foul! come, diffipate thefe clouds. Thou great Deliverer, come and break these bonds, open this prifon, cause this vaffalage of fin to cease and have an end. Thou art more pure than I am impure, more powerful than I am wretched, and more alive than I am dead. Withdraw me from this wretched state, this miferable nothing. Difengage me from beneath the weight of my corruption, that I may go with chearfulness, or rather fly with fwiftness to thee. Pardon my fins, that they no

longer

longer terrify my foul, and fright me from thy Throne. Stop thou the course of my iniquities, that they may no longer hinder my prayers from mounting up unto thy Throne. Permit me not ftill to continue making my felf unworthy of thy favours, by abufing them, and grieving the Holy Ghoft by my impurities of life. "Tis he alone that can inspire this Ardor that I feek: He alone can make my foul devout, his prefence only kindles my Affections, but will he deign his lights to fo polluted and fo dark a foul as mine? prepare thy felf within me lodgings fit for fuch a mighty Guest, that he may come and animate me, that I may live and love thee, and may burn with the fire of thy love, and that of true Devotion.

CHAP.

CHA P. II.

Of the Love of the World, the fecond Source of Indevotion.

Ο

NE of the greatest Reasons why there are so few truly devout Ones in the World, is, that the World is too much belov'd; and this World's love is one of the most powerful Temptations that the Devil ufes, to diftract and turn our Hearts afide. This love hath pierc'd into our very inwards, and whilft it governs in our Hearts, how fhould the love of God come there? For Light and Darkness, Fire and Water, Life and Death, are not more incompatible than those two forts of Love. He that loveth the world, the love of the father dwelleth not in him. And where there is no love of God, how fhall there be Devotion? for what is it but this fame love that makes the zeal and fire of true Devotion? What is it but this love that creates those ardent longings after Union with God in the devout Souls? What is it elfe

that