of his Condition abate alfo. And when once it is come to that pafs with him, that the Flame of Devotion is quite extinguished in his Heart; fo that he can live and enjoy himself without any Converse or Intercourfe with God in Prayer; He may from that Period date the Lofs of his Spiritual Life. He is reduced to the State of a fenfual, natural Man; Alive to the World, and to his Lufts, but perfectly dead to God.

The plain English is, Prayer and Devotion is as neceffary a Means to preferve the Union between the Soul and God, in which our Spiritual Life confifts, as Meat and Drink is, to preferve the Union between our Souls and Bodies, in which our Natural Life confifts. And we may every whit as reasonably expect to keep our Bodies alive, without the conftant and daily ufe of Eating and Drinking; as we can expect to keep our Souls alive to God, without the conftant and daily Exercife of Devotion.

This may to fome appear ftrange Doctrine: But I do believe, I may appeal to Experience for the Truth of it. Nay, I dare put the Queftion to any one, that ever took any ferious Care of his Soul, and fincerely endeavoured to live vertuously, and to pleafe God, whether he hath not found the Matter to be fo as I have represented.

Have not fuch always found, that fo long as they kept up the Fervour and Vigour of their Devotion, fo long as they were conftant and diligent in their Prayers and other Holy Exercises; fo long, nothing could hurt them; fo long they have always maintain'd their Poft, and rather grown better than worfe? And though they have fonetimes been foully overtaken by fome Sin that they refolved againft, yet that Relapse hath done them no Mischief. Their Continuance in their Prayers, hath been an Antidote against the Malignity of the Sin; and they have prefently weather'd it out, and fuffer'd no ill Confequence by it; but it has rather made them more

watchful

watchful over themselves, and more careful of their Actions afterward.

J.

But, on the other fide, have they not always found, that when once they began to abate of the Fervour of their Devotions; when once they began to pray feldomer, or with more Coldnefs and Indif ference; they then began to live more loofly and carelefly; to be more dull and fluggish towards every good Work? 'till, perhaps by degrees, the true Senfe of God and Religion, hath been in a great measure worn off from their Spirits, and they in a manner have returned to a Worldly and Senfual Life. Nay, have they not often found, that when it has been their Misfortune to break loofe from their Duty, and fink for fome Time into a State of Carelefnefs and Forgetfulness of God, and of their own. Vows and Refolutions (as it hath fometimes happened to very good Men): I fay, Have they not often found that this their going backwards in Goodness, was occafioned purely and folely, by the Intermition of their Devotions? That there was no vifible Reafon, or Account to be given of this their Fall; but only, that through Sluggishness, or fome other Caufe, they have neglected to pray to God fo earnestly and fo frequently as they used to do? I am confident, a great many can fay this out of their own Experience: So that it concerns every Man, that is at prefent in a good Difpofition of Mind, and hath good Hopes towards God; it concerns him, as he loves his Soul; as he would not lofe all the Fruits of his patt Labours and Endeavours in the Service of God; by all Means poflible to keep his Heart in a devout Frame: And whatever comes of it, not to grow cold or languid in his Prayers; or to omit or difuse them, either in Publick or Private, upon any Pretence what foever.

But, Thirdly and Laftly, To Conclude all, there is this farther to be faid for the Encouragement of all Sorts of Perfons, to perfevere in the Practice of this

Duty;

Duty; namely, That whoever makes Confcience of Saying his Prayers frequently and heartily, and continues fo to do, though he be not good at the prefent, yet it is impoffible for him long to continue bad. Hẻ willat laft certainly get the Victory over all his Lufts and evil Habits, and attain to the Favour of God, and the Salvation of his own Soul. This neceffarily follows from what hath been faid. A Courfe of Prayer, and a Courfe of Sin, cannot confift together; One will neceffarily deftroy the other. Praying, will either make a Man leave Sinning (as a pious Man of our own used to fay,) or Sinning will make a Man leave Praying. But this is to be understood of Prayer, that is put up to God with great Serioufnefs, and Heartiness, and out of a Senfe of Duty and Confcience. For as for those formal Prayers, that are made out of Custom, or upon the Account of Educa tion, or for the ferving fome Worldly Ends of Interest or Reputation, or the like; God refpects them no more than the impertinent Tattle of Fools.

All thofe of us, therefore, that mean and defign to be Good, though they are not fo already; let us above all Things, take Care to mind our Prayers; let us Pray to God in Private; let us Pray to God with our Families; and let us join, as oft as we can, with the Prayers of the Publick Affemblies. This, I am fure, is the beft Method we can take for the reforming our Lives, and for the growing in all Vertue and Goodness. And the more we practise it, the better we fhall like it. And if we perfevere therein, we shall find the Comfort of it, both in the Grace and distance we fhall receive from the Holy Spirit, for the vanquishing all our Lufts and Corruptions and in the Blefings we shall procure from God, both to our Selves and our Families, and all our Affairs and Concernments; and, Laftly, in the EverLafting Salvation of our Souls in the Day of the Lord Jefus. To whom, &c.

FINI S.

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