SECT. I.
Of the Nature of Devotion in Common.

DEvotion is a word trans­planted into our lan­guage from the Latin, and derived from the primitive Vovere, to Vow. It im­ports, among the Heathens, a steady and fixt Resolution, or rather Ty, [Page 2] obligatory, but yet voluntary; and that of unusual strength; such as carried them to the most difficult actions. It keeps the same notion among Christians, the Object only or Motive of the resolution changed. For, whereas false Glory was here­tofore the most dazling, and most prized end of the actions of the Heathens, and nothing was thought more glorious than to dy for their Country; they were said Devoted who voluntarily, in circumstances particularly remarkable, threw them­selves for its sake, upon a certain death. So Codrus among the Athe­nians, Curtius and the Decij a­mong the Romans, are remembred for Devoted to the service of their several Countries; perhaps their re­solutions having been confirm'd by some solemn Vow to their Idols. But, since we came to be Instructed in the notion, and inclin'd to the pursuit of true Glory and true [Page 3] Good, Devotion has got another Object: and, keeping the same Steadiness, and Promptness and Strength in its notion as heretofore, is apply'd only to the Service of God. It signifies, then, a resoluti­on or addiction to the Service of God; but strong and prompt: such as sets all the Powers of man efficaciously a work in all occasi­ons that occur. It is not confin'd to any one kind: For, we say, a man gives Almes, Fasts, visits the Sick or Afflicted, goes on Pilgrimage, &c. out of Devotion; that is, exercises Devotion in all these Actions. But Prayer being the most ordinary and most frequent Act, by which men use to serve God, Devotion is most ordinarily understood of Prayer: and when we hear of a Devout man, we generally apprehend a man who prayes frequently, and well. For, these two qualities enter too into the Notion of Devotion; [Page 4] we not thinking him devout who prays but seldome, or carelesly.

§. 2. By what has been said, the Nature of Devotion may be understood; and we may perceive it is a Quality, or Disposition in Man, strong and always efficaci­ous; which moves all his powers to act in the service of God, ac­according to their several natures, both with frequency and perfecti­on.

§. 3. Hence may be gather'd, First, that Devotion is a dispositi­on of the Will. For, since no Power acts but as 'tis apply'd, De­votion, whose Nature 'tis to ap­ply both the Understanding and all other Powers to Christian Action, must needs belong properly to that Power which in man is the Principle of Action, that is to the Will.

§. 4. Secondly, that this state of Devotion, being a constant bent [Page 5] and readiness to perform the best actions on the best manner, is by consequence the best State the Will can possibly have in this World; and next to the necessary and continual Conformity to the Divine Will, which the Blessed have in Heaven.

§. 5. Thirdly, that this Prompt­ness to put both the Understanding in act as to Prayer, and the other Powers as to Acts of Virtue, as it is a Disposition of the will, so it is to be lookt for in the Will alone; and not in the Acts either of the Understanding it self (much less of the Fancy) or of any other of those Powers which Devotion is to set a work. Whence follows cleerly that, though there happen never so much difficulty to elevate the mind ac­tually, or rather sensibly, to God; never so many Impediments, nay even Incapacity to act feelingly, or tenderly; yet, as long as the Will on her part preserves her [Page 6] self prompt to do all these, and can truly say with King David, Para­tum cor meum Deus, paratum cor meum, My Heart is ready, O my God, my heart is ready, there happens no loss, nor so much as Diminution, of interiour solid Devotion. The Fancy (without whose co-operation the understanding in this state can­not act) may be restiff and back­ward; the inferiour Faculties lame and clogg'd, whether through Im­potency or ill Circumstances: But, a pious Soul ought not in the least be discouraged at these Accidents; (to which, in the dependence the Soul has now upon the Body, we were not Men if we were not sub­ject;) nor think her self a jot worse: For, Devotion (as was said) is only in the Will; and the Will is not at all the worse dispos'd, because the Faculties, with which she would work, are indispos'd, and cannot obey her; no more than the Hand [Page 7] is lame, because the Pen is bad, and will not write.

§. 6. Fourthly, That a Soul, which has a ready Will to pray, can never fail (though the Fancy be never so dull, or out of order) to please God by praying, or (which is all one) to have the Merit of Prayer. For, all Merit, or Actions that please God, proceed properly from the Will; whence a devout, that is, a hearty and ready Inten­tion, which is the best Act of the Will, must needs be, in a high and special manner, Meritorious or Rewardable. Nay more, a devout Soul, intending and endeavouring to pray, and standing bent that way; that is, keeping that Inten­tion unalter'd, and prosecuting her Endeavours as well as she can, actually is in prayer, or truly prays interiorly; though, for want of the Complyance of the Fancy, or In­ferior Part of the Soul, (which one­ly [Page 8] in Acts of Prayer is sensible) she does not experience it even while she has it; but, rather suspects the contrary; unless reflex Thoughts, and rais'd above matter, preserves her from being mistaken. Yet, the thing is clear, both by Rea­son, and (when by reflexion we observe what passes) Experience too. For, Prayer is nothing but an Elevation or Application of the Un­derstanding to God; and, there can need no more to apply the Under­standing interiorly to Objects al­ready within her, but the Will to do so. Now supposing, as the case does, the Will applying as far as she can the Understanding, of ne­cessity the Understanding must be apply'd interiorly; that is, Prayer is actually exercis'd. Again, how­ever outward Objects striking the Senses, or inward Fancies irregu­larly stirr'd up and fluttering in a perpetual motion, cause in a man­ner [Page 9] continual Distractions; yet, we may observe the Soul, when by reflexion it comes to perceive them, rejects those Distractions, and re­applies it self (after that seeming dull manner, which the Under­standing, un-assisted with service­able Fancies, can practise) to what it was employ'd about before. Nay, there would be no such thing as Distraction in Prayer, no­thing for those Words to signifie, in case the Understanding had not been acting about some other Ob­ject before, and attending to it: The being diverted from which, and attending to a new Object we call Distraction: and this former Object can be nothing, but the Ob­ject of Prayer, God.

§. 7. A parallel instance to this case is that of Saint Paul, speaking of praying in an unknown Tongue. Nam si orem linguâ, spiritus meus orat, mens autem mea sine fructu­est. [Page 10] For, if I pray with my Tongue, my Spirit prayeth, but my Understan­ding is without Fruit; that is, he reaps not the Benefit of stirring up the Mind by new Motives or Dis­courses, which those Prayers, di­stinctly and perfectly understood and penetrated, were apt to sug­gest: Yet still his Spirit, or Su­perior Part of the Soul, is in com­mon and confusedly elevated to God, still Spiritus or at, the Spirit truly prayes. So, in our case, in this dull state of praying, when the Fancy playes not, nor co-operates as is fit, the Understanding ad­vances not in gaining those sights, which by Extension of former Knowledges into new Conclusions, through attentive discoursing of its Object, it might have attain'd: But still the superior part of the Soul, is by the Will fixt to something, which is not Temporal: (all such Thoughts suggested by the dis-or­der [Page 11] of the Fancy, being held Di­stractions). She is then truly ap­ply'd to her Eternal Good, and truly praying all the while; till, Intention altering all, she frankly and unconcernedly, relinquishes the Circumstances proper for Prayer, and applyes her self to new Ob­jects, without scruple or strug­ling any longer to keep out the Thoughts of them; which before she avoyded or repin'd at as Di­stractions; but, now admits and pursues voluntarily, as her Business, Duty, or End.

SECT. II.
Of Sloth.

§. 1. I Hope the Nature of De­votion in common may sufficiently be understood, by what [Page 12] has been already said: But yet, be­cause Contraries help exceedingly to illustrate one another, I will make some short Reflexions upon its opposit, Sloth. This Vice is a certain lumpishness, and unweildi­ness in the Soul, through which she yeilds her self to be sway'd down-wards by the weight of Ori­ginal Sin, inclining her to Tem­poral Objects; and so rendering her un-active and unable, without dif­ficulty, to apply and raise her self to such Thoughts and Actions, as dispose her for Heaven. I say, In the Soul: for in her alone, Vertue and Vice, properly taken, and as they import Merit and Demerit, are lodged: The indisposition and dis­order of the Fancy, and other mat­terial Powers, belong to the Body; and are not Vice, though they dis­pose and incline to it; and, if care be not taken, will cause it. Again, by these Words [In the Soul] I [Page 13] mean, in that Power which we call Will, or in the Soul, as she is Will. For, Philosophy, (which indeed is nothing but true deliberate or re­flecting Reason) teaches, that Con­traries belong still to the same Subject; and therefore, Devotion being an Affection of the Will, Sloth must needs be so too. And be­sides, 'tis evident that all Intel­lectual Vices are defects of the Un­derstanding-Power, that is, Error or Ignorance; as, on the contrary, all its Perfections are Knowledges of Truths. But, there is no kind of shew, that Sloth should formally con­sist in Ignorance or Error, or Devotion in Knowledge; since they who have much Knowledge, may withall be very Slothful; and those who have very little, may be very Devout, very ready, and very constant in the performance of all Christian Duties to their Power.

§. 2. Hence follows, in confir­mation [Page 14] of the former Doctrine, that, as long as the Intention to pray persevers sincere, there can be no sin of Sloth, nor ground of scruple of not having pray'd as one ought: For, so long the Will is not faulty, and so there is no moral defect nor sin at all in a Prayer no better per­formed; but all the imperfection in it springs either from Nature, or circumstances indisposing the Fan­cy; or perhaps, from want of skill or information in the Understand­ing - Power, how to go about one's Prayer; which is so far a fault as there is negligence in the will to use due means to attain so requisit a Knowledg. Wherfore in case any one doubts, whether he have be­hav'd himself negligently, careles­ly or distractedly in his prayer, he must consider well whether he in­tended that carelesness, or those di­stractions: For, if he did not, 'tis evident it happen'd besides his In­tention; [Page 15] and so was no moral fault.

§. 3. But yet this word Intention is equivoral, and may be mistaken. There are who think they do great matters, if, for Example, they make, as they call it, an Intention in the morning, of spending the fol­lowing day in vertue and the ser­vice of God; when perhaps they never think of God or vertue af­ter. This is but deceipt: and 'twould be no better, to use the formality of making an act, fancy'd to be an Intention of praying, be­fore Prayer; and then spend the time of Prayer in a free and un­checkt entertainment of distractive suggestions.

§. 4. To understand the business, we must remember that every Acti­on has a Finall, as well as an Effici­ent or Material and Formal cause; and that a man can no more act without a Why then a What. This End, when we know what we do, [Page 16] is foreseen, and the Actor means or intends it: So that the Inten­tion is woven into the Action, and a kind of part of it: as, if I go down, or up stairs, I intend to be at the bottom, or top; nor can it happen otherwise, if the action be rational, and accompany'd with Knowledg. And, if any action be done otherwise, (as, when people walk, or do other things in their Sleep or with a perfect Inadver­tence) it is not counted a Human Action. In this sence, as no Action can be without an Intention, no more then without an End, so nei­ther can the Intention be without the Action. For 'tis, as I said be­fore, a kind of part of it; and we should laugh at him who would perswade us he had an Actual In­tention of being at the bottom of the stairs, yet voluntarily stay'd at the top. But, as the under­standing sees things to come, as [Page 17] well as past and present; it may see what is like to follow from an Action before the Action it self, and from that sight resolve or re­ject it: and may resolve for the fu­ture, as well as present time, and so intend before she acts. And, in this sence, Intention may be both before and without Action, which, before it come to be executed, the Intention may possibly change. In­tention is taken in this notion, by those who amuse themselves with making artificial Intentions before hand. For plainly, they intend for the future; and, when the time comes, do nothing often-times of what they intended, and remain deluded. Now I understand Inten­tion in the former sence; that is for such an Intention as accompa­nies the Action, and needs no for­mal endeavours on our part to make it: Since nature will joyn it to the Action, though we should endea­vour [Page 18] never so much the contrary: For, it is altogether as idle to ima­gin he, who knows what he does, can have a not-Intention to go down Stairs, who actually goes down, as that he has one, (I mean, for the present) who stays above. Wherfore, since this kind of In­tention cannot be sever'd from the Action, 'tis cleer that who thus intends to pray, truly prays, though never so many distractive thoughts interrupt and confound his Action. Neither are they, unless he volun­tarily admit and mean to think of such things, properly Actions of his, but rather Passions or Suffer­ings. For, as the Eye cannot chuse but see what is represented to it, nor hinder it self from transmitting to the soul what it sees, nor the soul from perceiving what is transmitted: so neither can the soul hinder her self from receiving the impressions made by the inward stroaks of flut­tering [Page 19] Fancies, nor those impressi­ons from having their Effect, but is in both cases more passive than active; and doth not so much do any thing, as hath somthing done upon her.

SECT. 3.
Remedies against Sloth.

§. 1. TO return to the matter in hand, All that can be said of this dryness, and disgustfulness in Prayer, caused by the not comply­ing of the inferior part of the Soul with the superior, is this, that 'tis a Disposition, and indeed Temptati­on, to the sin of Sloth.

§. 2. By that Tediousness, It first tires, then discourages, and after frights us; till at last it gains so much [Page 20] upon us, as to make us yeild our selves over to a neglect, sometimes omission, of customary, decent, or ohligatory Prayers: and the same may be said in some proportion, of our yeilding to those Difficulties which oppose our exercising other devout Acts. Here then it is that a devout Christian soul must faith­fully fight Gods Battel; and never consent, for want of gust, or for feeling disgust, to omit her Devoti­tions.

§. 3. One of the best weapons she has to defend her self is (upon con­sideration of what has been, and, more, what will be said) to settle a firm judgment, that this state of Dis­traction is no ways faulty. This judg­ment would be made, not at the in­stant of Prayer (for then 'tis to be put in practise and the Prayer exerci­sed by it, and so is needful to be had already, not then to be gotten); but at some fit season before hand [Page 21] when the Fancies are most calm' and the soul can act with most cleer­nes and force. And, when 'tis once made, let the soul be sure to act steadily according to it and pray on, how strongly soever Disgust, or Dryness, or whatever Engin the Devil chuses to imploy, may tempt her to the contrary. A little Reso­lution will compass this, assisted with the Reflexion how unreasonable it is to alter a course directed by our best and clearest Reason, for the sug­gestions of disorderd fancies. But if once those temptations can de­ceive a soul into these erroneous conceits, first, that all her Prayer is fruitless, and then harmful, as being in her apprehension a kind of perpe­tual fault, and such as she cannot mend (for she finds by experience she can do no better with all endea­vours she can use); she is in danger to leave it quite off, and think it better not to pray at all, than to con­tinue [Page 22] to do ill. And this I take to be one of the most dangerous temp­tions in the World: both because it comes mask't in the Vizard of Ver­tue, and so is apt to take with well­meaning Souls, which are not aware of it: as also, because Devotion being the best disposition of the soul to practise all Christian Duties, and particularly Prayer, which includes in it self the exercise of Faith, Hope, and Charity; it follows, that a soul which thus abandons her self to Sloth must needs languish away into a spiritual Consumption, and piningly decay in those Christian Virtues, which give life to all the rest, and without which the outward practise of others are but false appearances, springing from material habits, and as it were the Ghosts of true Ver­tue.

§. 4. Another Weapon, of great use in this kind of Fight, is this con­sideration, That we may be certain [Page 23] we merit in the sight of God or serve and please him by continuing our Prayer when we are seized with this Dryness and Dulness, and assaulted with Distractions; whereas we cannot be so certain of this when our Prayer is accompany'd with sa­tisfaction and delight. The con­tent taken in sensible feeling is so inbred and, in a manner, essential to a Soul, according to her Inferior part, or as she is the Form of the Body; and this natural propension to all manner of delights so height­en'd in us by Original Corruption, which still draws us from Spirituality to Sense; that we are apt to adhere and cling to whatever is thus agrea­ble: and this even in prayer it self. Whence it comes to pass, that, be­cause nature so subtly seeks its own satisfaction, 'tis very hard, when this sensible pleasingness accompa­nies our prayer, to discern whether we are not serving our selves when [Page 24] we should be serving God: at least it often happens, in this case of sen­sible delight, that our easiness and promptness to apply our selves fre­quently to Acts of Prayer springs, in part, from our love of this plea­sure; which is a great alloy to the spirituality of Devotion, and to some degree taints the purity of our intentions. Whence, all spiri­tual Masters use to take great care, that those souls who find sweetness in their prayer, be not attacht to it, lest they fall into spiritual Gluttony, and depress the mind to sensible Ob­jects by those very means which should raise it above them.

§. 5 Now all this danger is se­curely avoyded when our Prayers are disgustful: For, however they seem to us sapless and dry, yet we are sure the desire of pleasing our in­ferior part, or complying with our corrupt inclinations, has not any the least share in what we do; but that [Page 25] the Prayer and Intention (which, as was said, necessarily goes along with it in the superiour part which only is Spiritual,) remains altogether pure and untainted. Let then the Soul, which finds litle gust in Prayer, continue in the posture and cir­cumstance of praying, especially if the prayer be Obligatory; and in the material exercise of it, at least vocally, if she can do no more. Two comforts will ensue hence; one, that the merit of such prayer is secure; every Act of bearing up against this dryness, and the sloth to which it tempts, being manifest­ly an adhesion or clinging to God with the superior part of the Soul. The other is, that the gain made by such continuance, though it seem small, comes in clear; there being nothing to be defalkt from its purity by the mixture of any motive sprung from matter or Body; wher­as generally in good actions, per­form'd [Page 26] by the middle sort of Christi­ans, there goes so much out to the inferior part, that is, to Fancy and Appetite, that when the Chaff comes to be winnowed from the pure Corn, there remains not so many grains of Spirit as some apprehend. 'Tis very well if they escape with the Abatement of half. And, after all, the harvest of the former sort does but only seem small, for in truth 'tis otherwise: since of necessity the Habit of adhering to God, must be got by a frequent repetition of Acts; so that the soul, which faith­fully continues to struggle against the difficulties of Prayer, cannot fail at last to come to a facility of it; so much the more to be valued and endeavour'd, by how much it is free from all suspicion of alloy from the inferior part; being manifestly wrought out by the strength and pre­dominancy of the Superior.

§. 6. There is yet another com­fort [Page 27] in this constancy and resoluti­on, which is, that the not deserting our devotions for want of sensible content, but going steadily on what­ever we feel, is an evident testi­mony or argument to the soul that she is as she ought to be. For, since she cannot act this to please Nature, to whose grain it lies so cross, it must of necessity proceed from a motive above Nature, that is, a firm will and hearty desire to please God. The knowledg of which must needs increase Hope; and, if it be well laid to heart, will, in despite of the Dryness, and the Scruples apt to ensue upon it, produce that fruit of the Holy Ghost, which is called Spi­ritual Ioy, and such a solid Peace of mind as the World cannot give.

§. 7. A Soul which needs more helps in this kind, may make use of some Preparation to Prayer; such as may be most efficacious to fix [Page 28] her attention, and keep her Fancy from wandring, To which purpose she may a litle reflect upon the im­portance of it; and remember, That Happiness or Misery, and this for all Eternity, depends upon the disposition which she carries with her out of this life; and that dispo­sition on Prayer, which is the means to procure it: That so much time is allotted to every one to work out his Salvation, as every one lives, and no more; And that this time mis­pent can never be recalled: That the rest of our life is only to fit us to pray well; and, if the time of Prayer be fruitless, our whole life is fruitless and irrecoverably Lost: That we cannot be disposed for Hea­ven without Time, and the time of Prayer is that wherein alone it can be expected this disposition should be wrought; wherefore, if this time be lost, at what other time can we hope to do that, which if it [Page 29] be not done, we are miserable, and yet cannot be done but at some time, &c. These and the like reflexions, such as we find most apt to work upon us, may contribute much to the well performance of Prayer.

§. 8. Freedome of Spirit is ano­ther great help in this case; Dis­tractedness for the most part pro­ceeding from worldly matters, which our too great concern in them is perpetually suggesting to our thoughts. He that can contrive him­self into circumstances, which free him from having any thing to do with the World, more then to make use of the means it affords him to gain Heaven, is in the happiest con­dition, and likely to find least distur­bance in Prayer. He that cannot free himself from business, let him free himself from all unnecessary concerns for it; and settle this judg­ment firmly in his Soul, That reason permits him not to be farther con­cern'd [Page 30] cern'd for worldly affairs, let their importance be what it will, than as they depend on him. That success is out of his power, and depends not on him but Providence, to which he should contentedly resign it, and must whether he be content or no: That his part, and all the share he has in any Action, is to use his endeavours according to the best of his skill. That when he has al­lotted the time which is necessary for this, and imploy'd it as well as he can, he has done all he has to do or can do in these matters; and ought to be concern'd no farther; but is now at liberty to employ the time allotted for Prayer in the Best manner. Likewise, That there is no business which takes up so much time as not to leave sufficient for Prayer, if negligence, more than business, do not hinder, and the like. But, a­bove all, let him still remember that whatever other business he have or [Page 31] can have (and I do not except any; not love to Parents, care of Chil­dren, the strongest and most rational tyes to the nearest and most dearest Relations; nay the pursuit of things most necessary, even of Livelyhood, of Cloths and Meat) is of no im­portance in comparison of this: If this succeed not he is undone, and that Eternally, however he thrive in others; And if this succeed, no miscarriage in any or all the rest can hinder him from being Eternally Happy. He that lives gloriously, and with full Satisfaction of all his desires, is wretched, if he go at last into Hell; and, after his short dream of Happiness, wake into a horrid and never ending real misery: And he who lives despised and scorn'd, and dyes starved with cold or hunger, is happy if he go to hea­ven, and find his short and now en­ded suffrings swallowed up in infi­nite Bliss. So that, in truth, to [Page 32] amuse our selves with what happens in this life, to the prejudice of what is to come hereafter, is a folly infi­nitly more senceless, then what we can fancy most ridiculous.

§. 9. This Freedom of Spirit is a Dis­position so highly conducive to Devo­tion, that it ought to be preserv'd even in the immediate means to it, I mean in our Prayers and reading devout Books; in case they be not obliga­gory, or that, after a deliberate consideration, with the assistance and advice of our Spiritual Director, it appears not that we have already made choice of the best, and see that others are improper or less be­neficial. For there are many good Souls so strangely fixt by a habitua­ted Custome of saying such and such Prayers, that they fall into Scruples if upon occasion they hap to omit or change them; and yet let them examin their own thoughts to the bottom, they can discover no rea­son [Page 33] or ground of such a Scruple, but the aukwardness of breaking a long­inur'd Custom. And to such per­sons it seems very advisable in my judgment, that they omit them in very good occasions or with good advice change them; that so, free­ing themselves thus from the tyran­nous slavery of Custome and the biggottery of irrational fears, they may inure themselves still to follow Right Reason in what they do, and no other motives of which they can give no account; which is indeed to assert and preserve the just Liber­ty of Spirit, due by the Laws of Na­ture and Grace, where no contrary Duty or Obligation does restrain it.

§. 10. There are divers reasons why we should not always use the same Prayers, and run still in one track. One is, because a perpetual custom hinders our attention to the sense and due penetration of the words, [Page 34] in which chiefly consists the Fruit, or spiritual advance by Prayer. Ano­ther is the irrational scruple (as was said) of leaving off what meer Custom has addicted one to, which is a fault or imperfection, and so ought to be amended. A third, be­cause it is not to be expected, in this state, that our Spirit should be always in one humour or disposition; and 'tis best that every thing be wrought upon according as it is dispos'd to have the Effect produc't in it. A fourth, and principal reason is, be­cause our Soul every day grows or should grow in spirituality, at least at every competent distance, sea­son or stage of our Lifes Race, she must needs, by the very practise of a vertuous Christian Life, have gain'd a considerable advance, though perhaps she discern it not, especial­ly while 'tis growing; and 'tis as irrational to think the same thoughts are apt to fit her in all states, as to [Page 35] think that our Bodies ought al­ways to be fed with Milk, because we eat nothing else when we were In­fants. I for my part know no one Devotion suting all sorts, all states, all times and every pitch, but that which was made by the Wisdom of the Eternal Father, who fully com­prehended them all; I mean the Lords Prayer.

§. 11. But, the best help of all, is a good Director. For as, in the Body, the same diseases proceed somtimes from different causes, and require different ways of cure; so it is in the Mind too. It may hap­pen that the same indisposition, which in some proceed from the Impersection of Nature, may be caused by the Perfection of Nature in others. A Soul fitted for higher Operations than these in which she is imploy'd, and straining at them by a natural propension, and yet not reaching them for want of Instruction [Page 36] may fall into the same unsatisfacto­ry condition, which happens to o­ther Souls from other causes. A good Director is as necessary in such cases, as a good Doctor where diseases spring from not usual and not easily perceived causes. How­ever, our conduct is sure to be so much the wiser, as he has more Wisdom than our selves. In this particular, there are but two things to be observed: to chuse one who is truly fit, and then to treat freely with him. They are both of great importance, but need not be farther dilated.

SECT. IV.
Of the two chief kinds of Devotion.

§. 1. BEcause Devotion is a stea­dy bent of the Will to Spiritual Operations, and there be two ways by which the Will may come to this disposition, those two different Methods make two sorts or Kinds of Devotion. For the Will may be wrought to this tem­per, either by a Habit got, as other Habits are, meerly by a frequent Repetition of her own Acts; or by the interposition of the Under­standing; which, clearly seeing that such or such things are to be done, presses and prevails upon the Will to be always ready to do them. These ways are both efficacious, but the later the more Natural and less changeable. For, the will accor­ding [Page 38] to the designe of nature, is to be led by the Understanding, and in­deed, in some sence, cannot be led o­therwise; there being some co-opera­tion of the Understanding to that first Act of the Will, the repeti­tion of which, afterwards, produ­ces the Habit. For, unless the acti­on had first been thought fit to be done, it would not have been done at all. But, if the Understanding contributed but litle, 'tis more chance and luck than Reason, that the Action haps to be good: which is not connatural, our nature re­quiring a rational proceeding in all things. Again, it is also less lasting: for, as Use produces, Dis­use will lose it; and, should the Understanding (as, not being first settled it self, it well may,) come to cross the operations of the Will by contrary judgments or even doubts, the Will would waver, and act faintly first, and after perhaps [Page 39] not at all. But, a Will produced by the Understanding, cleerly see­ing, and conceiting practically what is to be done; and out of that sight moving, and indeed becoming the Will to do it, cannot be changed till the Understanding change. And, if the Understanding be de­termin'd by Truth, and that Truth clearly seen; the Understanding cannot change, because Truth can never turn into not-Truth: I say clearly seen; For Passion dims or blinds, and so comes in Sin.

§. 2. We shall find that, in one way, the Soul works upon the Bo­dy; in the other, the Body works upon the Soul. Where the Habit is produced by repeated Acts, it is caused in the Soul by the influence of the Body; whose Spirits and Or­gans, being fitted by constant use, and readily concurring to such Actions, carry the soul along with them. In the other way, the Action [Page 40] begins from the Soul; by whose predominance over the Body those Spirits and Organs are fitted, and concur with readiness and ease to her Directions, yet both arrive at the same End a fitting disposition both of Soul and Body.

§. 3. Notwithstanding, since Ef­fects must needs partake the nature of their Causes, though true Devo­tion be an effect of both ways, yet this Effect cannot but have Consequen­ces and Operations, as different as the Causes are which produce it. The Devotion caus'd by Knowledg is proper for more refined Souls, such as are able to penetrate into, and judg of the nature of things, and guide their Actions by their judgments: The other, for tempers less rational, and who, not able to go alone, require to be led: The former can only be lost by a wilful neglect of cultivating those Princi­ples which caus'd it; and which are [Page 41] not soon nor easily pluckt up, where once they have taken deep root: The other perishes, both sooner and more easily, by bare dis-use of the material actions by which it was produc'd: And, indeed, they who have only custom from whence they can derive their De­votion, generally run great hazard of a total decay in virtue, upon any considerable neglect of their custo­mary Exercises.

§. 4. Yet in some respects, this Material Way is less subject to In­voluntary distraction in Prayer, than the other; because this way of Prayer, being, in a manner, con­fused, and an Elevation of the Mind to God in common, as it were, without distinct application of the soul to particular Motives, which should advance her to new degrees of fervency; it costs her, by conse­quence, little labour, and obliges her not, out of weariness, to di­vert [Page 42] to new Objects. Again, this kind of Prayer, having little or no height of Spirituality, but being sutable to Fancy, finds in the Brain Proper Species, agreeable to the thoughts he has who Prays; whereas the other, straining after Objects purely spiritual, of which we have no proper Species, has by consequence less ground in Na­ture to fix the Attention.

§. 5. In some respects too, the Spiritual Way has the advantage in this point of Distraction. For, the distinct considerations to which the soul applyes her self are apt, from their being Distinct, to fix the At­tention; because they afford her a particular Entertainment to which she may attend. As for Weariness, when she finds that prevail and ren­der her unfit to continue her Pray­er longer, she leavs it off for the present, to resume it when she is better dispos'd: And, when some [Page 43] use has provided her of Spirits fit for her purpose, she will seldom have cause to break off for weari­ness, but may Pray with ease as long as is necessary or use­ful.

§. 6. Hitherto we have discourst of these two kinds of Devotion as they are in their own nature. If we upon look them as they are in the Subject, we shall find those of the material way generally great valuers of External Acts: They place all Spiritual Goodness in fre­quenting them; think them Saints who are addicted to long Prayers, and assiduously repairing to Chur­ches, and Sacraments; proceeding too often to censure those as little less than voyd of all goodness, whom they observe not to be still as their Beads or the like. And this proceeds not from defect in Devotion, (on the contrary, it sel­dom happens but where it is strong [Page 44] and much valu'd), but from the weakness of the person who has it; and who, being neither us'd (nor able) to judge of the nature of things, comprehends not how he can be Devout, who does not do those Actions continually, which by Experience he finds useful and ne­cessary to Devotion in himself. Those of the other Way, place all their Treasure in Interiour Dispo­sitions; and, for Outward Actions, chuse them by Judgment; and practice so many and such as they find useful to the Inward Affecti­ons. They think persons more or less Saints, as their Souls possess more or less of those true Spiritual Riches: and hence value and en­deavour so to improve their minds in the Knowledg of Spiritual things, as being the connatural means to produce good Affections; which the others fancy not, but rather condemn as a hinderance to Devo­tion, [Page 45] because they perceive no ef­ficacy nor fruit of it in them­selves.

§. 7. The former, placing much of their Devotion in performance of the External Act, as going often to Confession, Communion, &c. are not generally altogether so solici­tous of due Preparation, or at least aim not by their preparation to work their souls into a disposition fit to advance in true Vertue and perfection of the Interior by a con­natural efficacy of the Action upon such a disposition; but, following Faith unexplicated by true Theolo­gy, expect the fruit from a superna­tural operation of Grace, beyond their comprehension fixt to, and accompanying the Action. The later, apprehending the benefit to be expected from those Actions de­pends, after a connatural way, upon the disposition with which they are done, are as much solicitous about [Page 46] the Disposition as the Action; and labour more to perform them well than often, (unless their spiritual Director judg them fit for both): but always with a Preparation, suita­ble to the Reverence due to insti­tutes so Sacred and Divine. Those, being altogether affected to many, and those the most Customary Prayers, often slubber them over; sometimes with so litle application of the mind; that there is not so much as a becoming Reverence in the posture of the Body. They litle heed the sence as they go along, and consider not how or how far it affects their souls; and, wanting that which is the proper Rule to di­rect their choice, if chance dispose not otherwise, generally make use of such as they see us'd by others: apprehending some great matter in the very words; and, for that rea­son, chusing somtimes Latin Pray­ers, though they understand not [Page 47] one word of the Language. And yet, by the proportion this way has to their Pitch of Soul, this con­ceit of some great thing in com­mon, concurrs so well with their right-set intentions, that they pray very well, & better than where they understand more and conceipt less. The other sort, being knowingly devout, or Spirituall, (who, as St. Paul says, Omnia dijudicant, di­scern or distinguish all things) and, holding themselves at liberty, where God or his Church has layd no command, take for their Rule the Good of their Souls, and believe this Good to consist in a Right Dis­position. They therfore chuse such Prayers and Books, as they find by experience most useful to this purpose, and contain such Motives as are most Efficacious to raise their Souls to Heaven. They are no ways affected to what they do not understand; and comprehend not [Page 48] how Ignorance, one of the chief curses of Original Sin, should ever be the Mother of Devotion. They are more for the few and well, than the many and often at a venture. They are always careful to ac­company their Prayers with a grave and reverent gesture, and an atten­tion piercing into (as far as they are able) and distinctly penetrating the force of the Words; which they expect should contain such an Affective sence, as is apt to wing their Souls for Heaven.

§. 8. The former too are more addicted to Corporal, the later to Spiritual Works of Mercy: and, as those fancy no great matter in the advancing of Truth, supposing we have once Faith; so these see no advantage to the world, in reliev­ing any necessity incident to the Body, comparable to that of bet­tering mens Souls, which they see will follow from the advancing of [Page 49] Truth: Solid Goodness being the genuin Off-spring of Solid Know­ledg.

§. 9. Lastly, the difference of these two Spirits is great in Relati­on to comportment and human conversation. They whose study it is to guide themselvs by Right Rea­son, the true Nature which God has given us, apply it to all their Actions; whence their carriage is even, their Friendship steady, their Judgment stay'd and just, their thoughts Charitable: They hear­ken to proposals with calmness and indifference, and believe, without good grounds, slowly: The others are more apt to be humorous; stifly addicted to any opinion taken up of course; inconstant in their pur­poses and friendships; partial in their Verdicts; credulous even of Toyes, and of which no solid ground appears, if they suit their Fancy; unwilling to hear any Rea­son, [Page 50] son, which Crosses the conceit they have once espous'd; And, for want of duly weighing the nature and reason of things, Rash Conclu­ders; Censorious of every thing that runs not just in the track of their thoughts; and fierce Repre­henders of what they think amiss. And yet these imperfections, when they happen, hinder not a good meaning, and right-set intention. All this while they may heartily wish and love what's agreeable to Gods will, and hate whatever is contrary; only, by the shortness of their Reason, or untoward cir­cumstances, they are preoccupated with a wrong conceit of their own way, and see not what is agreea­ble and what contrary to the Will of God; And so afford those of the other sort a fair Occasion of Exercising a double Charity, in bearing with their Imperfections, and, by sweet ways, instructing their Ignorance.

[Page 51] §. 10. But, we must not think that these two sorts of Devout people are found in the World, fixt in an indivisible point, as they seem here described. I fear there are not very many perfectly of the one kind, and hope there are not very many just of the other. I only intended to describe the stan­dards of these two Spirits: which are participated with a thousand un­equal degrees, now of the one, now of the other sort, and inter­woven with a variety almost infinit, according as natural Genius, In­struction, and other circumstan­ces have allotted their proporti­ons.

§. 11. Let be it our task oemulari charismata meliora, with a true Christian Ambition, to aim at what's best and highest; but yet remember too, that what's best in it self is not always best for every particular: and resolve, upon bet­ter [Page 52] advise than our own, to pur­sue the Unum necessarium, that way which is most expedient for our Souls. The truth is, these Methods, as different as they are, may both be needful almost for eve­ry one. Few or no understandings are so sublime, as not to admit, and even need, the assistance of frequenting outward Acts, which beget Habits: And few so low, as may not be improv'd to con­tribute, and that considerably, to the benefit of the material way, if good Instruction be not wanting. Wherefore, neither should the In­telligent Devote neglect the con­stant use of outward Acts of De­votion; nor the Material one, to improve his outward exercises, by joyning as much Understanding to them as he can.

SECT. V.
Of the means to attain Devotion.

THe means of attaining both sorts of Devotion are already toucht in Common; but the sub­ject deserves to be treated more particularly. In the Material way, because the effect is wrought in the Soul by impressions first made on the Body, that which imports is, that these Impressions be as strong as may be, and as many; for, a weak cause often apply'd, will pro­duce the effect of a strong one. Such exercises therefore are to be preferr'd, as strike the inward sense and fancy most strongly: but, what ever they are, they will become [Page 54] Efficacious, if they be often enough repeated. Those therefore for whom this way is proper should be exhorted to be assiduous in the outward exercises of Devotion, whatever they be; yet with this caution, that the Frequency pre­judice not their Efficacy: For, if they become so customary as to be done meerly out of custome, they will loose much of their force. Particular care is to be taken in this point, about those Exercises which require an extraordinary Reverence, and, by the design of the Divine Institutor, carry with them an awe and respect; as the Sacraments, &c. For if, accor­ding to the Maxim, Consueta viles­cunt, Customary things grow vile, our too frequent use of them, bring us to a careless indifference in performing them, and take off our conceit of them; they will become little beneficial, and perhaps harm­ful.

[Page 55] §. 2. But, these inconveniences avoyded, these Devotes are to be advised to pray as often and as long as they can, and such prayers as they please; To frequent the Sa­craments, the oftner the better, so it be with serious preparations, and such as may preserve the Re­verence due to them; To be pre­sent at all Solemnities of the Church, and there where things are per­formed with most Majesty and be­comingness; If any Extraordinary Occasion of Devotion happen, as in Jubilees and the like, by all means to lay hold of it; Often to read good Books, of which the Affec­tive are more for their purpose than the Instructive; and, in a word, to omit nothing proper to strengthen and increase the Habit of Devotion. In general, the con­ceit they frame in common and confusedly, of the Benefit of these things, should be kept up at the [Page 56] height, and Increas'd if it may be: and, for particulars, because they penetrate not into the nature of things, nor consider which way they work, it matters not much what they be, so they be good, and apt to move them. For this Reason, and because they are through their weakness easily scandaliz'd; peo, ple should in charity be wary of maintaining and even discovering contrary sentiments before them: For, these ways, whatever they be in themselves, the best or no, are best for them, and will make them Saints, if they pursue them sincerely and faithfully: and we must beware, Nè pereat in scientiâ tuâ infirmus frater, Lest a weak Bro­ther perish by thy Knowledg.

§. 3. The way of Knowledg must needs be pursu'd by such means as improve Knowledg; and he advances in it best, who most deeply penetrates into Christian [Page 57] Duties, and most clearly sees their agreeableness to right Reason. I do not mean with such a sight as is meerly speculative; nor such a sight as can pierce into the Myste­ries themselves, and look upon them with that kind of Evidence which we have of other Truths, whose terms we see connected: For this would take away Faith, and is impossible here; and only to be hoped in the Country of Bliss­ful light, where we shall see Face to Face. But I mean such a sight as presupposes Faith, and renders it lively or operative; which if once we can attain, it is impossible not to be Devout: For, knowledg of any Good, when 'tis express and lively, becomes a Principle of act­ing for it, or to obtain it; that is, Will: as by reflexion we may easi­ly discover in the whole course of our lives, and experience of our daily Actions.

[Page 58] §. 4. Now, this Knowledge is renderd express, and Faith by con­sequence lively, two manner of ways: By Supernatural, and by Natural means. Supernatural means, are either apt to affect all Mankind; or some few chosen by God's providence, and design'd and fitted for great ends. Of the first sort are Miracles in general: For the common course of Nature is practically evident to all; and so, what ever evidently crosses it, must needs be conceiv'd to spring from the Author of Nature, who can control it as he pleases. Wherefore, as, on the one side, this evidence makes it stick firm­ly in the soul, that God has a hand in it; so, on the other side, the Astonishment, by reason of the Un­usualness of the effect, makes it sink deep; and both together ren­der Faith, as to the point it te­stifies, exceeding lively and prompt [Page 59] to Action. Of the other sort are the rushing Wind, the fiery Tongues, and other concomitant causes, which produc't that prodi­gious liveliness of Faith and sub­lime height of ardent Devotion in the first Planters of the Church: by which they were renderd so strongly and readily dispos'd for those duties which Christ had or­der'd them, that they cheerfully embrac'd all Inconveniencies, Tor­ments, nay Death it self, to per­form them. These causes were not apt to affect all Mankind, as they did those few, particularly fitted by long conversation with Christ himself, and expectation of the ef­fects of the Promise he made them at his departure; which was still working in their minds, and raising them to look for some strange Su­pernatural effect of it. These are the two manners of External and more ordinary supernatural means: for, [Page 60] of the Inward workings of God's Spirit, which blows where it lists; and whose Operation, and the Cir­cumstances of it, depend upon a Series of causes unknowable by us, 'tis not my Intention to speak in this Discourse.

§. 5. Natural and Ordinary means, to make this Knowledge express, and Faith lively, are also two-fold, viz. penetrating well, ei­ther the Grounds on which Faith is built, that is, the Certainty of the Authority which recommends it; or else, the Agreeableness of the things to be believed and of the Actions to be practis'd, to the Maxims of true Reason. It is the proper business of Controversy to teach the one, and Scholastick Di­vinity the other; and 'tis by read­ing, and attentively considering the discourses made by Masters in both kinds, that we may attain the Knowledge we desire in these mat­matters. [Page 61] Only let us provide the Author, we chuse, be truly Solid (for every one who writes is not so); and that the Point we chuse be to our purpose. It is nei­ther necessary always, nor conveni­ent, that every one who is capa­ble of Knowledge, should read all the Controversies that concern each point of Faith; even though they be good and solid: much less a­muse himself with solving all Ob­jections rais'd, and raisable without end, by Adversaries. It will be sufficient to peruse and understand one or two good Books, which so­lidly treat, and firmly establish the Grounds of Faith; or, if leasure and opportunity serve, to hear some Oral discourses of that subject: In fine, by any way we can, to weigh attentively the Nature of the Au­thority on which Faith is built, and what perfect Certainty the same, and less Authority begets in us on [Page 62] other Occasions. This done with that care and concern which the thing requires, it will naturally breed in a Soul, these and the like reflexions.

§. 6. I believe, and that with a most firm assurance, that there was a King Henry 8th. a William the Conqueror, a Julius Caesar; and many Actions perform'd by them, as altering Religion in England, Conquering this Nation, gaining many Victories, and the like. The same I believe of less men, and less universally-known Actions; provi­ded they were sufficiently notori­ous to great Multitudes, and by these multitudes openly and seri­ously attested, and without any imaginable ground of suspicion of Fear or Hope, or any Interest which might move them to ly in the case. I find this writ in my heart in such characters, that I can as well doubt whither I am, as whither such things were. I find all Mankind [Page 63] judge the same; and I can no more think it possible, that Humor or Interest should beget this perswa­on in them, than in my self; which I am sure it does not. 'Tis evident then, that Right Nature, or true Reason, obliges both them and me to assent that such things are true; and therefore that such an Authority, attesting such mat­ters of Fact, cannot deceive us. Wherefore, by the same and far better Reason, I am to believe this vast Authority of the Church attest­ing to me, that such and such Doc­trins were taught by Christ and his Apostles.

§. 7. Farther, considering the circumstances in which this Uni­versal perswasion of Mankind that this doctrine is Divine was intro­duc't, I find the Effect absolutely impossible to Nature. The men, who first began to work it, were inconsiderable in all respects of [Page 64] which the world takes notice: Of mean Birth, of mean Callings, Fisher-men, of no Power, no ex­traordinary natural Endowments; and, where there was a Primitive Christian, as there were many, fa­mous for Parts or Quality, he must first be wrought upon by men in­ferior to himself in all such kind of respects. This was at a time when the whole world was possest with Idolatry, that is, utter Ene­mies to Christianity, excepting one poor Corner of it, Judea, where the Change began; and where those who remained unchanged were grea­ter enemies to the business than the Heathens themselves. The temper of the World at this time, was so far from simple or foolish, that Wit was rather at the highest pitch; all the Learning of A­thens and Greece being transfer'd to the Romans, and there improv'd and heighten'd. Yet this World, by [Page 65] these men, in such circumstances, was prevail'd with, to cast off all their long-settled perswasions in Re­ligion: and; instead of them, to entertain, and that with a most un­shakable firmness, the belief of My­steries inconceivable; such at which nature could not chuse but boggle extreamly, and not admit without absolute Conviction. For, no In­terest could move them; all Pre­ferments of Honour, or Trust, or Profit, were in the Hands of those who Opposed this New Doc­trine: and to Embrace it, was to Forfeit whatever they Possest or hoped in this kind; nay, to change it for Poverty, and Contempt, and Torments, and Death. Force there neither was, nor could be: For, all Power was in those who were against Christianity; and was em­ploy'd and strain'd to suppress it. In Learning and Wit, and Elo­quence, and all Natural Parts, [Page 66] they had the Advantage; and the things proposed to their Belief, a Trinity, a God made Man, and living in Obscurity, and dying in Torments and Infamy, a Virgin-Mother, &c. were Inconceivable, and to nature Unsolvable Rid­dles.

§. 8. He that shall consider these things, and the rest of what may occur, as they deserve, will be convinc'd that the Effect, viz. a Perswasion of such Multitudes of Men, so qualify'd, to believe such strange things, so strongly that no Hopes or Fears could hinder them from standing firmly to them, even to Death, could not be compast by Natural Causes; and thence conclude with absolute certainty, the Doctrine could be no other than Divine, dictated by God the Au­thor of Nature, and, by his Power over it, introduc't and settled in the World.

[Page 67] §. 9. Again, amongst other Supernatural means Miracles be­ing one, which the Christian par­ty unanimously pretend to have been done by Christ and his A­postles: 'Tis impossible had they been false they should not have been discover'd, and the Preten­ders and Actors manifestly shown to be a company of Cheats, unless there wanted Wit, or Power, or Will in the Opposit Party to ex­amin and detect them; For, that which we know how to do, and can, aud will do, manifestly is done. Wit to detect them there was in abun­dance, the world being then both acute, and withall Sceptical; a qua­lity, too, which hindered them from believing rashly. Will there wan­ted not: The Honor and Interest of all Overseers of Religion, or Priests, both Jews and Gentiles, engaging them against it; and the Civill Policy being highly concern'd [Page 68] to look to Innovations, and Doc­trins contrary to the Religion in vogue, and Establisht among them. Besides, 'tis plain they had a Will to do what they did, and they did make all the Opposition they could. Neither was there any want of Po­wer; which, till Constantin's time, three hundred years after Christ, was all, (whether Secular or Reli­gious,) in the hands of the Enemies of Christianity; and often fruitles­ly imploy'd to the uttermost, both by Policy and Persecution, to root it out. There was no possibility of over-bearing them by Noise (for that is one kind of Power) and si­lencing those who cry'd down the Miracles, by the louder Clamours of greater multitudes who cry'd them up. For, though Christiani­ty had made a considerable progress in the world during the times of persecution, yet, in comparison of Heathens, Christians were but few, [Page 69] and very unable to contend with them in noise. It remains then, that the pretended Miracles were true Miracles, and too evidently such for any Wit or Power of man to show them otherwise: And that those and the other means, used in the conversion of the world, were truly above Nature; since they overcame all Human and Natural means con­spiring and bent to oppose them. And, had they not been such, the perswasion, nay steadfast belief, of such incomprehensible Mysteries, and standing fast against such a vi­olent Torrent, nay turning the stream so strangely, and prevailing on such vast Portions of the World to embrace Christianity, would be an Effect without a Cause, or (which is all one) without a propor­tionable Cause, or a Cause able to produce it. Wherefore, as Cer­tain as it is, that no Effect can be produc't without a Cause, and that [Page 70] a Proportionable cause, or a Cause able to produce it, (and that is so cer­tain, that to deny it, is to affirm manifest Contradiction, viz. that a thing can do what it cannot do;) so sure it is, that this first-taught Doctrin was both truly Divine, and rightly deriv'd from the Pri­mitive times to us. Therefore I am as sure as I live my Faith is True, and the Doctrin I believe, Reveal'd to Mankind by God him­self.

§. 10. Hence a rationally-pious Soul will discourse on this or the like manner: When I certainly know any thing that really and high­ly concerns me, for example, that such a precipice, if I leap into it, will certainly kill me, such an Acti­on will certainly ruin my estate, such another will secure it, and settle me in Plenty, & Content, and Secu­rity; 'tis plain Madness not to act according to this Knowledg, and [Page 71] beware of that precipice, and a­voyd one Action, and do the o­ther: But it is infinitly greater madness not to avoyd such things as my Faith, with much greater certainty, assures me will bring upon me infinitly greater Mis­chiefs; and not lay hold of such things as it likewise assures me will put me into possession of infinitly greater Goods, no less than true, and perfect, and never Ending Hap­piness: I will therfore endeavour by the best, and all means I possibly can, to avoyd Sin, correct my Pas­sions and Inordinate Love of this World, strengthen and advance my Reason, elevate my mind to God, and strain with the utmost force of my Soul after this state of Bliss, which is alone Desirable, alone Considerable, &c. And this with a steady and devout pursuit; keeping ever awake in my mind, when it grows drowsy, the Abso­lute [Page 72] Certainty of what my Faith, propos'd and attested to me by the Church, delivers to me. Thus we see how Faith is the Argument of things not yet seen, to wit, by the clearness of its Principles or Grounds; Likewise, how 'tis the Substance of things to be hoped, by the Firmness of its own Foundati­ons; Lastly, how it is the Ground­work of all Devotion, because the consideration of its Truth, ren­der'd express to our thoughts, makes Faith it self very lively and Opera­tive, that is, our Judgments con­cerning the Truth of it, very Practi­cal and Ready for Christian Action; in which, that disposition of the Soul, which we call Devotion, formally consists. To proceed thus far, and settle their Judgments in these Truths with the steadiest firmness and clearest sight they can, is advisable for those Souls, whose pitch of Reason makes them In­quisitive [Page 73] into the Grounds of things, and capable to comprehend them; for such persons will receive much comfort and profit by such kind of satisfactions. It imports not which way they take to this end; whether they work it out by their own meditations, or use the as­sistance of Books, or publick or private and Familiar Discourses: So the business be done, it matters not how.

§. 11. If any particular diffi­culty which strikes at the very Ground of their Beleef comes cross their thoughts, and hazards in the least to shock their Judgment, it may be worth their pains somtimes to see through that too: But, to amuse themselves with every Ob­jection, and not to be quiet till they themselves can answer every thing which is or may be oppos'd, I take to be a very unprofitable, and very unsatisfiable curiosity. The [Page 74] difficulty may somtimes be such as cannot be solved, without a deep in-sight into many Sciences, such as they neither have, nor can hope to have for want of leasure or parts. Again, Objections are endless, and should we not be satisfi'd of a Truth, till all that can be said a­gainst it were answer'd, we should never be satisfy'd of any Truth at all, but onely of the very first Principles. Should all the Objecti­ons, yet ever thought of from the beginning of the World, be ans­wer'd to day; as many more might be invented to morrow. For Wit and Fancy have no bounds; and 'tis from the fertility of their In­ventions that Objecting proceeds. And, after all, 'tis not the proper business of Devotes; it belongs to Controvertists to answer Objecti­ons: the only thing which imports Devout people of this pitch, is to understand well, that the Grounds [Page 75] on which they proceed in the con­duct of their Lives, are firm and so­lid: and such as they ought se­curely, and without fear of deceit, rely on. Which done, they must be true to themselves, and act with a vigour proportionable to that de­gree of cleerness with which their Speculativeness discerns them to be true, joyn'd with such a Concern as Faith tells us the matter deserves. Nor need they distrust Gods Provi­dence in this, which has furnisht his Church with means suitable to e­very capacity.

§. 12. Again, when upon cer­tain Grounds they have given Ad­mittance to a Truth, they should stand to it, and trouble themselves no more: For nothing in the World is or can be more certain than that if this be True, what ever is or can be said against it is not True, whether I be able to make so much out or no. And [Page 76] upon this they may securely rest. In truth this wavering Inconstan­cy, this quivering Irresolution, which keeps us from owning hear­tily what we do see, for fear of what we do not see, is a blamable weakness; loses the time, in which we should work out our Salvati­on, upon Doubts and Scruples, and puts us into the condition, which St. Paul reprehends in the women of his time, Semper discen­tes, & nunquam ad scientiam verita­tis pervenientes. Always Learning, & never coming to the knowledge of truth.

§. 13. Since then, a knowing devout soul seeks only, or only should seek, so much knowledg, as is neces­sary to the perfection of Devotion; let her if she be able, faithfully, and severely pursue her inquiry, till she arrive at such a certainty of those Truths which concern her; I mean such as will give solid Ground for Virtuous Christian Life: and, for [Page 77] the rest, remain satisfy'd with this, that there must of necessity be some deceit in whatever is said a­gainst Truth. Let her a God's Name first discover that to be Truth which she embraces, as Truth; to which 'tis sufficient to judge upon good Grounds, the Church is Infallible. But after this, it is lost time if she spend any in the discovery of the deceit. It is enough she knows it is Deceit, and needs not know what kind of one it is. In our particular Case, she may reflect, that the Testimony of the Church or Tradition, being the ground on which we build the certainty of Faith, as 'tis Christian (which onely in a manner amongst us is called in question) they who deny the force of Tradition, must by consequence de­ny the certainty of any matter of Fact done before our Days: And, because Nature assures us, that [Page 78] this is Irrational, it assures us like­wise, that who object on this man­ner go against nature, and so all they can say, is no other than witty talk, handsom flourishes, and plau­sible quibbling, without real force or solid ground. And, indeed, they plainly discover themselves irra­tional, and led by passion, who ob­stinately oppose Tradition; because they maintain an evident Contra­diction. For, on the one side they affirm that Faith is truly certain; and on the other, deny Faith has any Grounds truly Certain: And this (since nothing can be said cer­tain, but in vertue of the Proofs of Grounds by which the Certain­ty is made out) is to say, that Faith is and is not truly Certain. To this they are forc't by the heat of Opposition; For they will not grant Tradition has the vertue to make a thing truly certain, because they are aware it is against them: [Page 79] And, by denying it, they leave no truly certain Grounds for Faith at all. For, as all proof of matters of Fact past long ago must at last depend on Testimony, or Tradi­tion; if Tradition it self be not secure, nothing can be so which de­pends on it. And so there is no reme­dy, but they must speak out at last, and say plainly, as they do, that all grounds of Faith, and consequently Faith it self, may possibly be false.

§. 14. I would not be mistaken here to advise any they should not beleeve till they have this Evi­dence of the Grounds of Faith; but I presuppose them already Faith­ful and intend only to comfort their Faith by looking into it's Grounds: Every one that is convinc't, whe­ther upon solid or sleightest Grounds, God has said a thing, is bound to beleeve it, else he sins mortally in disbelieving God who is Essential Truth. Much less do I absolutely [Page 80] require this of them; but, upon sup­position that their own speculative and acute Genius makes themselves require it, I exhort them to it as to that which is to such Souls a means to increase their Devotion, and can no way shock them if they be not passionate and precipitate. Least of all do I tell them that in looking into their Grounds they ought to go to work like Doubters or Seekers; but, quite contrary, supposing them firm in Faith by their relying on the sure Rock of the Church, and strengthen'd in that reliance by the Practical Evi­dence that the Virtues she exhorts us to are agreeable to Right Practi­cal Reason or Conscience, and that the means she proposes and enjoyns to attain them are Effec­tuall towards that End, I bid them rest secure, that if God, together with an earnest desire to advance in Devotion, have also [Page 81] given them a piercing Eye to di­scern Truth (as he has to many many thousands in the vast Extent of the Church) God's Good­ness has provided such Grounds pro­portion'd, and penetrable by eve­ry Capacity, and theirs amongst the rest, as will, if look't into, ren­der their Faith more lively, and their Devotion more fervent and Solid. But, who is of this pitch, and so to make use of this me­thod, lest the over-weening of their own private and perhaps par­tial Fancies should make them strain beyond their force, is left to the judgment of Spiritual Directers, whom we are to suppose fitted by Education, as well as design'd by Office to be the proper Discerners of Spirits, and knowing when to ad­minister St. Paul's Milk and solid Food according to the capacity of the Souls they are to nourish us in Devotion. For those perfecti [Page 82] were already Faithful: the reason then of his discoursing wisely with them, was (their pitch bearing it) to make their Faith lively, and their Vertue more solid; and to enable them also to convert others to Faith, and advance them in Ver­tue or Devotion.

§. 15. The bottom-ground of all Devotion being thus layd in the Establishment of Faith, many other Comfortable Lights will break out, and cherish and streng­then the liveliness of it in such persons as we have spoken of, and to a great degree in others also. Such are the considerations, What wise Orders for a World the Ten Commandements are; What Uni­versal Mischiefs would succeed if any of them were omitted; and how the well-being of Mankind, both as to this life and the next, is pithily compriz'd in these few Heads: which as it argues an in­finitly-wise [Page 83] Contriver, compre­hending and providing for the Necessities of Human Nature, so it likewise becomes an Infinit Goodness, commanding his poor and indigent Creatures nothing but what is their own true Good, and tends to bring them to compleat Happiness.

§. 16. Next, the Consideration how conformable the more eleva­ed Points of Faith are to Right Reason, exceedingly comforts an Understanding captivating it self to the Obedience of Faith. For, as on the one side, nothing is more rational, than that those high­est Truths, which Elevate us to Heaven, should be placed above the pitch and endeavours of Na­ture, and so not to be knowable by Principles purely Natural: So likewise Truths, by being Truths, and proceeding all from the Au­thor of Truth, must needs be al­ly'd [Page 84] one to another, and bear some resemblance and proportion toge­ther; those above Nature and Reason, to those discoverable this way; although they cannot be pro­ved by them, but depend on Gods Authority revealing and the Chur­ches proposing them. These things are found in the books of Di­vines; of which such would be cho­sen as serve best to perform the duty of Divines, and shew the con­formity of Religion to Reason most clearly. For, those which, with great shew of Wit and Lear­ning, only dispute matters plausi­bly on both sides, are not proper for this purpose. Who under­stands not Latin, or, though he do, is perhaps to seek in those Terms in which Schoolmen usual­ly express themselves, should make use of some good Divine; who may select such points as are most proper for the Person with whom [Page 85] he deals, and deliver them in terms which may be intelligible to him.

§. 17. Besides these Books & Dis­courses, which increase Dovotion in intelligent Souls by enlightning their Understanding, there are o­thers which work immediately on the Will, of them as well as of others, by the way of Affections without the help of Reason. And, though these are perhaps more pro­per for the other way of Devotion, yet no assistance should be neglect­ed; and they are very compati­ble with this, and no less, if not more, Efficacious. For, being made up of Expressions coming from a mind full of, and overflow­ing with Devout Thoughts, they are apt to transsuse, as it were Af­fections into the Soul of the Rea­der: And, if that Reader be be­forehand satisfi'd in the Principles which ground those Affections, he [Page 86] is excellently disposed to receive them. Those Principles then be­ing habitually possest by the Rea­ders, they will experience their Wills inflam'd by the ardent Love, which those Expressions breath; in the same manner as Lively Ex­pressions of any Passion beget the same passion in another, especially if possest with the same Concern which was to both the Ground of those Passions. Hence they find such Books full of Spirit, and as it were of Sap, connaturally nourish­ing and dilating their Souls; which others, not throughly satisfi'd of those Principles, coucht under­neath as their Foundation, find sapless and disrelishing: Though yet, sometimes it happens other­wise, and that without any fault or defect.

§. 18. But generally such expres­sions are like meat already chaw'd, and needing nothing to become [Page 87] presently nutritive, but a heart dis­posed by Affections of the same kind to receive it; as new drops of water, without more ado cling together, and increase the bulk. Of these, some are us'd for Pray­er directly, others for Entertain­ment of the Mind with devout reading; but both work by the way of Affective Impressions. The best without all comparison are the Psalms of David: which some find relish more, when they are taken asunder, and then peec't of verses taken one here, another there, as seems most proper; and those obscure parts which darken the sence left out. Divers devout persons have laboured in this kind; and who would labour for himself perhaps would find it no unuseful employment. Besides these, I would commend St. Austins Con­fessions, some piece of St. Bernard, and S. Bonaventure: The Imitation of [Page 88] Christ; The Love of God by St. Fran­cis Sales; St. Teresa's Works and ejaculatory Prayers, The Sermons of of St. Thomas de villa nova, &c. But, the best books of Devotion are those of Prayer; and Prayer being an Elevation of the Mind to God; and the Mind consisting of Understanding and Will; those Prayers are the best which work on both, and at once instruct and enlighten the Understanding and inflame the Will. I would there­fore advise to chuse such as con­tain solid Christian Doctrin, and express it both rationally and af­fectively. Of this kind of Pray­ers the number is not great; few being fitly qualifi'd to compose them. For, there is requisit in the Author, both skill in true Di­vinity, to make the conformity of Christian Doctrin to Reason ap­pear, and ardent Devotion; he being very unlikely to warm ano­ther [Page 89] who is cold himself; And be­sides a great mastery in Language, to chuse expressions clear and af­fective, and both easy. I recom­mend for this purpose, the medi­tations of St. Augustin; and the Devotions of our learned, Pious and judicious County-Man, Mr. John Austen in the way of Of­fices.

§. 19. The Lives of Saints also are of great efficacy to stir up De­votion, by way of Imitation and Example. But they would be well writ, that is, with more care to relate their Heroick Vertues, which made them Saints and estimable and imitable by us, then to hud­dle multitude of Miraculous, and, if but flightly attested, incredi­ble actions; which neither were the causes of their Sanctity, nor are imitable. They affect the Vulgar indeed with Admiration and Esteem; But work not so much [Page 90] upon the wiser sort, who only seek their own Improvement, and how they may come to Vertue themselves; of which these things were no Cause, though they may be Signs. Yet, when they are duly attested, and accompany'd with the Saints Vertuous Life, they become a kind of Testimony to the Church, of God's particular fa­vour to those who give themselves up to his Service; and an encou­ragement for others to serve so good a Master, who thus honours those that honours him. But, as I said, they ought to be well at­tested, lest the credulity of the vul­gar, embracing so many uncertain stories for assured Truths, and the easiness of some Pastors in per­mitting them without distinction to be Printed, do not as much or more harm to those without the Church, as good to those within her. The best way is to chuse such [Page 91] Lives as were written by Authors, who were also Saints themselves; and withal Learned and Prudent, and so less apt to be imposed up­on by false Relations, or byast by Interest or Affection. Such as is the Life of St. Francis, by St. Bo­naventure; of St. Hilarion and St. Paul the Hermite, by St. Hie­rom; of St. Anthony the Great by St. Athanasius, and the like.

SECT. I.
Of the Nature of Prayer, and its Excellency, as it includes in it self the Exercise of all Virtues.

THE First or Principal Act of Devotion being Prayer, it seems proper, that, in a Trea­tise of Devotion, I should say some­thing [Page 93] more particularly of it's Na­ture, and excellencies than I have done hitherto; and thence enkindle in the Hearts of my Readers a great desire to frequent it. All which I cannot do without hinting at the same time the best Manner how to perform it: though it ought not to be expected, in so short a discourse as I intend, I should much enlarge my self, or descend to every parti­cular manner of it.

§. 2. Prayer then, as was said, is defin'd an Elevation or raising of the mind to God: which being a kind of Action; and every Action, (as Philosophy tells us,) having two Terms or Ends, the one that from which the Action goes; the other that to which it tends; (as for Ex­ample, the Action of Heating, goes from Coldness, and tends to Heat) it follows that the benefit of Prayer must be rated from both these. It raises us to Heaven, and therefore [Page 94] it lifts us from Earth, its opposit or Antartick: That is, it sets us above that from whence our misery springs, and approaches us to that where all our Happiness is treasur'd up.

§. 3. Some ancient Heathens, such as Diogenes, seem'd to have attain'd the former, without the Help of Prayer; and to be great Contemners of the World. But, alas, they did but seem so, for all their mock-holy-day pretences: For, had they been indeed and tru­ly rais'd above Earth, they must of force have been rais'd towards Heaven; that is, they must have been addicted to address themselves by Prayer to the true God; of which kind of Devotion their Earth-clogg'd minds were utterly igno­rant: They were not then rais'd above their affections to Earth, but their whole pursuit was still the World, though under a different [Page 95] consideration: They were above it, as it was able to give them Riches and Honorable Titles; but still deeply plung'd in it, as it gave them Esteem. Nay, far more deeply, even for this regard, that for this Esteem's sake, they con­temn'd the other: For they thought it more Honorable to seem to con­temn Riches and Dignities, then to seek them; and therefore aym'd at a greater worldly honour by re­fusing that which in their Appre­hensions was a less. So that, the Progress of their vain and proud Souls was not an advance from Earth­liness to Heavenliness; but a foo­lish leaving Earthly Riches and Dig­nities, to acquire an aiery and per­haps a more empty Earthly Esteem and Admiration. Nay, they con­temn'd the other comparatively one­ly, that is, would have lov'd it, and perhaps heartily too, but that they doted more upon this: As [Page 96] the forenam'd Cynick trampled on Plato's Pride (as he call'd his gay cloths) with a greater Pride per­haps than Plato wore them. Of which kind of Contemners of the World, we have too many exam­ples in England, amongst our dee­pest Fanaticks: With this diffe­rence, that their Pride is more spi­ritual, that is, worse; nay being a corruption of right Christiani­ty, the worst of all that can be.

§. 4. Prayer then being the best means to elevate the mind from Earth to Heaven, or rather this ve­ry Elevation it self; and the best or readiest way to effect this, or raise our selves upwards, being Fly­ing; it follows, that if we pursue the Metaphor, we must say the Soul has wings, by which she is enabl'd to take this flight, that is, her Thoughts and Affections: which how swift they are, and how far [Page 97] they reach at one View and Effort of the Soul, a litle Reflexion will teach us. Moreover, she must move and stir these Wings, that is, medi­tate and consider; whence we ex­perience, that those who are given to run over their private Prayers without considering what they say, are sluggishly indeed moving to­wards Heaven; for they cannot but think of it at times sleightly, and still intend well; but they seldom advance by it to any high pitch. They climb a little upward, by the help of Characters and Sounds; and the lame Activity of Fancy lifts them into the Air; where they see after a duskish manner far dis­tant glances of Heaven; but scarce one constant Ray of true Light dawns, to allure and affect them strongly. Lastly, there must be a calm and clear medium to fly thorow, (such as is our Air in ma­terial Flights) not disturb'd with ruf­fling [Page 98] Passions, or clogg'd with clouds of Sorrow and worldly Cares. If such Whirl-winds and Tempests turmoil this medium, it will hazard to take the Soul off the Wing, and throw her head-long to the Earth. Wherefore, if we intend a Progress towards Heaven by Prayer, we must first prepare a cheerful and unpassionate disposition of the mind; Ubi pax, ibi Spiritus Sanctus, Where there is Peace, the Gift of the Holy-Ghost, the Divine Giver himself is not far absent. At least there must be a steadiness in the Soul's superior part, or a full Intention to get rid of all these Passions. For, this laid first, Prayer it self will do the rest, as shall be seen hereafter.

§. 5. Another Excellency of Pray­er, and consequently an Encourage­ment to pursue it, is that it includes in it self at once all Virtues; not after a sluggish manner, as they ly dormant as it were habitually in [Page 99] the Soul, but as they are consi­der'd in their most actuall and best state: Which is as much as to say, that Prayer is the actual exercise of all virtues at once: For, it is known that those virtues we call morall, are not at all meritorious, and consequently not at all virtues, but as they partake of that Queen of virtues, Charity. Whosoever therfore has Charity, (and conse­quently the two other Theologi­call virtues, Faith and Hope) has all the rest; whence it is said in the Scripture, that, Love is the full­filling of the Law.

§. 6. But, that we may come to particulars. While we pray, we make use of the virtue of Faith in-many regards; for we at once Ex­ercise our Belief, that God is the Soveraign Giver of all Good, and Lord of all things; that He is in­finitly Wise to see the bottom of our hearts laid open then before [Page 100] him; Infinitly Powerfull to ac­complish all we can possibly wish; Infinitly Good, to admit us into his presence; nay, to exhort and even command us to come to him; as also to bestow on us all that our condition and disposition can render us capable of; Infinitly Merciful to forgive all our sins as soon as ever we heartily repent, and humbly ask pardon. Again, by our profound Reverence, we ac­knowledge and exercise the belief of his incomparable Greatness and Majesty; By our Submission, and Resignation, of his wise Providence and Conduct of the World: Last­ly, by our asking of him with due Humility, that he is our Great Cre­atour, we his poor indigent Crea­tures, and meer Nothings of our selvs: also, that he is our most libe­ral and bounteous Benefactor, In­finitly Rich to supply, and Over­flowingly Communicative of him­self, [Page 101] to relieve all our Necessities, so we ask as we ought.

§. 7. Again, when we pray, we exercise our Hope that He will hear our Prayers, and grant all we ask, if we ask wisely and humbly; that he will keep the promise he has made us to that purpose; that he will Mercifully Pardon our sins, Protect us from dangers; and in a word, (as we use to phrase it,) that he will hear all our Prayers, which ac­cording to his wise Government of the World, ought to be seconded with Performance.

§. 8. Lastly, while we pray, we exercise the Virtue of Charity, as it signifies Love of God, by calling upon him and looking on him as a Father and the Fountain of all good; as endow'd with all those ravishing qualities which amongst us use to beget Love, such as are, Bounty, Kindness, Mercy, tender Compas­sion, Fidelity of word, Friendli­ness, [Page 102] Pure Intellectual Light, infi­nit Beautifulness to the eye of the mind: And, most of all, as he is our Chief and final, our Infinit and Eternal Good, and our onely Bliss; in whom our Soul must either for ever repose after all the fond toyes of the World we so dote on leave us, or else remain Eternally Miserable. Let us lay all this to­gether, and then reflect how sub­lime an Excellency is found in Pra­yer, which at once exercises and interiourly Executes in the sight of God, all Virtues at once.

SECT. II.
Of the Excellency of Prayer as tis the Ac­tual Fulfilling all the Commandments at once.

WHen the young man in the Gospel askt our Blessed Sa­viour, what he should do to have Eternal Life, his answer was, keep the Commandments: Now, if Prayer be (supposing it made as it ought) the keeping all the Com­mandments, nay, an actual exer­cising them all at once; then we may be bold to vary the Phrase of our Saviour's Words, without al­tering his sence, and to say, If [Page 104] thou wilt have Eternal Life, apply thy self to Prayer. And this is another Excellency of Prayer, and a great one too, that every time we exercise it, we are exercising the fulfilling all the Command­ments at once.

§. 2. To understand which we must consider, that no External Act is Meritorious or Demeritorious be­fore God, but as it springs from Deliberate Will or Intention: and, though the Execution of God's Commands do exteriously increase Merit too, yet it is because the Intention it self is better'd or strengthen'd habitually to some degree by the outward Exercise; or because, there being some Dif­ficulty perhaps to be overcome in the performing the outward action: hence the Intention to do this, pur­su'd resolutely to an actuall Execu­tion, is better then else it would have been, by the very conquering [Page 105] the difficulty; in the same sence a [...] we may say, an intention to do a thing notwithstanding any difficulty occurring, is better than an intenti­on simply to do it. Again, the out­ward action increases our Merit, be-because it begets a greater satis­faction and Hope in us, that our inward Intention was not a coun­terfeit one; for, the being consci­ous to our selves of having per­form'd many such good Deeds, (especially if not done in the world's Eye, and therefore not for its sake, but for God's) will stand us in good stead at our last hour, and streng­then our Souls with Hope (and con­sequently with Love which always goes proportion'd to it) when we are to appear before our great Judg. But, abstracting from these cases, and speaking of outward Actions, without any regard or rapport to the Soul, they are purely Local motions, or meerly Natural not [Page 106] Moral ones, and so have nothing to do with Merit or Demerit: Wherefore, putting an Intention to do any good, as resolutely bent to do it, and to overcome all dif­ficulties that may occur, and to that degree of perfection as the other gains by extending it self to acti­on; lastly, such as by reason of its heartiness and honest sincerity, with other circumstances, gains the same comfort to the Soul, as if it had been executed outwardly, 'tis equal­ly Meritorious as the other. Inso­much, that whosoever firmly and re­solutely intends any good, so that nothing needs but an opportunity actually to put it in execution, does already execute it in his heart; and tis the same before God, as if he had perform'd it exteriourly, As is evident from our B. Saviours saying, that the poor Widow, when she gave a mite, gave more than all the Rich Vaunters: For, though [Page 107] in the Eye of the World it was not so much, yet is was full as much in the Eye of God; accep­ting it as such, because He saw her hearty good Intention was such, that, could she have done it, she would have given more than they all did.

§. 3. This being once settled, 'tis easily seen, that Prayer exercis'd as it ought, is in true Theology a keeping at once all the Com­mandments, and consequently the Commandments of the Church too, which are all involv'd in the Fourth. For who sees not that the First Commandment is nothing but an injunction to Faith, Hope, and Charity; as this last signifies Love of God above all things: As also to Soveraign Honour and pro­foundest Reverence, as they are peculiarly due to God. Likewise, that the Second is but an Ex­tension of the Reverence due [Page 108] to Himself, to his Name; or a Con­formity in Words and Conversati­on to the Esteem we ought to bear him in our Minds: And the Third, a Determination of a cir­cumstance of Prayer, to which he that is given to Prayer must needs be easily conformable. And what cares he who is Exercising actu­ally the Virtues, we show'd before were all found in rightly made Pra­yer, and especially Love of Heaven above all things, what cares he, I say, for pretending to worldly Po­wer greater than others, for resen­ting injuries, or for gaining world­ly pleasures or profit, in which consist all those of the Second Table; whereas, if he be in Prayer, that is, if his mind be Elevated to God, and this frequently and fer­vently, he must needs despise in his Heart, nay be Habituated to despise all these sublunary trifles. In his Heart I say, or Superior part [Page 109] of his Soul, or (which is all one) as soon as he recurs to his Prin­ciples, which dwell and govern there; however the Inferiour, which feels some trouble, will have some natural grudgings and repinings. But these are little or nothing to God's Commandements, but, ra­ther, an advantage to virtue, or an occasion of merit; so the Superior Part, by strength of Christian Prin­ciples, and Supernatural Considera­tions or Motives, keeps them from growing Moral ones, that is, keeps those Natural Considerations from settling into Intentions: which is the true Touch-stone, how far these or such Motions belong to Nature, and how far they relate to Morality.

§. 4. But you will say, we do not Experience while we pray, that we practise distinctly any one of these Virtues, now spoken of, nor so much as think of any of [Page 110] those Commandments; nay, many of them seem most Exceedingly remote from our thoughts when we are in Prayer, and a quite diffe­rent kind of Object. 'Tis an­swer'd, there are two ways by which divers things may be inclu­ded in another. The one is call'd Formally or being Formally there, so that every one of these things retains it's own form and nature, as Wood and Stones are included in the Fabrick of a House; Ink and Paper are included in writing; where each preserves it's own Na­ture distinct from the other, not­withstanding their Concurrence in a common subject. The other is call'd Eminential, which happens, when all are there indeed, not sing­ly as in themselves, or as remain­ing yet in their own different Na­tures, but as contain'd in some Third or Common Excellency, which has in it the Virtue of all, and yet [Page 111] is singly no one. Thus the Sun-Beams include Light and Heat; thus Reason includes in it self, (though in an inferiour degree to Prayer) all Imaginable Acts of Virtue. Thus the force of each Body in Nature is included, as in a kind of Center, in the Indivisi­ble Being and Operativeness of a Spirit. Thus, lastly, all Perfec­tions and Virtues are compriz'd in the most simple and most uncom­pounded Essence of the Divinity; in which, Justice, Mercy, Power, and the rest are not found in their several Distinct Natures singled out a part, but in one most perfect formality call'd God's Essence; whose Incomparable Excellency compre­hends Eminently both all these and infinit others, which our low pitch of knowledge cannot reach or even think of without diffecting it piece­meal, as it were, by our understand­ing, and considering each little mor­sell a part.

[Page 112] §. 5. Now, this manner of con­taining others, is by far more excel­lent than the former; and 'tis thus that Prayer comprehends all Vir­tues, and the several distinct Acts of fullfilling each of the Com­mandments.

§. 6. For, Prayer being an Ele­vation of the Soul to God, and this not after a meer speculative way, as an Heathen or an Aristotle would think and discourse drily of the first Being, without any far­ther concern than as it is a kind of curiosity beyond the ordinary reach; but, after an Affective way, endeavouring and aiming, by the Affections (which are the wings of the Soul) and by such thoughts as we are already possest of, to raise our selves to a higher degree of Divine Love, and, by it, of Union with our dear God; Hence it comes to pass, that Prayer is, in its best and most essential Part, an Actual [Page 113] Exercise of the Love of God, built up in us on the best Foundations and Principles that can possibly be imagin'd, viz. on those Motives which Faith proposes, and actually rais'd by the best and most im­mediate Disposition imaginable, viz, Hope: Daily experience tel­ling us, that nothing moves us so Effectually to pursue any thing which we conceit to be an Emi­nent Good, as the Hope we have to arrive at it; as on the other side, that, let the thing be never so excellent and alluring an Ob­ject in it self, unless we have Hope it will, or at least may, be at­tain'd by us, we may perhaps gaze at it in our thoughts as a fine thing, but never desire it, or work for it, that is, never Effectu­ally Love it.

§. 7. Prayer then being the best Exercise of the Love of God; and this Love including in it self Emi­nentially [Page 114] all Virtues, and being, (as the Scripture tells us) the ful­filling of all the Commandments; it follows, first, that Prayer is such likewise, as including in it self that soveraign quality, actually and in the best manner exercis'd, which comprehends eminentially all the rest. It follows next, that, this manner of including them eminent­ly, being (as appears by the instance, we brought before of God's Es­sence, including all perfections,) by far more sublime than the o­ther, Prayer is even in this regard, of a most Incomparable Excellen­cy, and the best Manner imagina­ble of keeping the Command­ments; as indeed 'tis fit that Acti­on should be, which is of it's own nature, an Approach to the Divi­nity.

SECT. III.
A Third Excellency of Prayer, in uniting us to God Intellectually.

BUt we have not yet taken so neer a view of Prayer as we might: much of our former Discourse, especially at the begin­ning, runs upon the Metaphor, as our low dull pitch of knowledge oftentimes obliges us, when the thing we intend to explicate is ve­ry Spiritual and very Sublime. We now come to closer Discoveries of its Nature, by looking with a lite­ral consideration into it's Proper Effects which immediately and ne­cessarily spring from it.

§. 2. That great Man Aristotle [Page 116] (whom St. Thomas of Aquin fol­lows both in this and most other points of his Doctrin, as fittest by reason of their Truth to expli­cate Christian Faith) assures us, that the Soul, when it knows any thing, has the very Nature of the thing known in it self, and there­fore, as knowing it, becomes that very thing intellectually. To com­fort our assent to so strang a Point, which looks at first sight like a kind of Mystery of Faith, we may reflect that, when we discourse or think of the nature of any thing, (let it be fire, a stone, or what o­ther thing you will,) this Discourse or Thought passes wholly within our mind; and, when 'tis done, the Effect of it remains there, and not in things that are without us, as it does in other kinds of Actions; as Writing, Cutting, or such like, which leave their impressions, out of our minds, in the things we [Page 117] work on: Wherefore also the Object, on which that inward Thought or Discourse, works, must as necessarily be in the Soul, too, as Objects of the other sorts of Actions, Fire, for Example, or a Stone, exist out of us, when we work upon them; that is, when we blow the fire or hew the stone: But, this Object of our discourse, or thought, is suppos'd to be the very Nature of the thing, (for 'tis that we are discoursing about, and not about some lame resemblance of it;) wherefore the very Nature of the thing is in our Soul, or ex­ists there, though after a different manner than it does out of the Soul.

§. 3. Then, to clear how this can possibly be, that the very same thing can have two different man­ners of being, we may reflect how the Frame of a House, or a new invented Figure or Draught, is in [Page 118] the mind of the Artificer, while yet it has no being out of it: or, how the Essences or Natures of all things were in God from all Eternity, when as yet they were not in themselves, or according to their own manner of Being. If then, (as 'twas now made Evi­dent) the Soul can have the na­tures of things in its Knowledg, it can be those things intellectually; since what has the nature of any thing in it; 'tis (as it has that nature in it) that very thing: for, what is it to be that very thing, but onely to have the nature of that thing in it? The Soul then, as know­ing any thing, becomes that ve­ry thing intellectually which it knows.

§. 4. To apply this to our pre­sent purpose: As the Blessed in Heaven, seeing intellectually Gods very Essence, have the Divine Nature in their knowing Power, [Page 119] and so are, God by Participation and intellectually, which is the ut­most pitch imaginable that a Crea­ture can possibly arrive to, Similes ei erimus says St. John, quoniam vi­debimus eum sicuti est: So those who see God, and think on him as re­presented to us by Faith, are, ac­cording to the inferior pitch of Knowledge we have of God in this state, to some degree Deify'd too. And, though these imper­fect resemblances of God, which we borrow from Creatures, do not reach the Divine Nature in it self; yet in case those who pray be instructed (as they ought) that though the Object of their Con­ception does not properly cor­respond to God, yet, since the no­tion their judgment accepts to stand for him is not competible to any Created Nature, they truly have God in their thought, though after an imperfect manner, and so are [Page 120] him intellectually. Prayer then be­ing the proper Exercise of thinking of God, or having him, as held out to us by Faith, in us intellectually, that is of being him in some man­ner; (for the Conceptions Faith gives of God, though imperfect ones, yet are true ones, and pe­culiarly belong to him;) it follows, that we are truly him in some sort, when by the Exercise of Pray­er, we attend to the thought of Him, or address to Him. And thus much is common to all Chris­tians that have Faith: And, were there no more but thus much, 'tis enough to ground this Exhorta­tion of St. Leo. Agnosce, O Chris­tiane, dignitatem tuam, et Divinae consors factus naturae noli in vete­rem vilitatem degeneri conversatione redire: Acknowledge, O Christian, thy own dignity, and being made partaker of the Divine nature, do not debase thy self by degenerate car­riage [Page 121] into thy former Vileness. But Prayer adds an incomparable ad­vance to the common Advantage of Faith. For, the same Reason which proves that we partake the Divine Nature by thinking on it, or conceiving it, concludes also that the more perfect our Concep­tion of God is, the more perfectly we become Him, & approach to Glory; which is the reason why some pure and Elevated Souls by cultivating Faith through continual Prayer, come to gain so sublime an Idea of the Divine Nature, that they fall into Transports of Admiration; and, when they return to their customary way of thinking, the memory of it is so precious to them, that they look upon that ravishing state as on a kind of Glo­ry or Heaven, and seem to have been so happy that they could wish no more. Now, 'tis only Prayer that gives the Soul this high Ad­vantage: [Page 122] For, by often applying the mind to God, we discover more of the Divine Excellencies; which gains to the Soul a purer and no­bler manner of Understanding how and what he is in himself. And the like may be said of all the other mysteries of our Faith, according to the Prophet Esay, as 'tis render'd by the Septuagint, c. 7. v. 9. Nisi credideritis non intelligetis: Unless you will beleeve, you will never Un­derstand. So that meer Belief must go before to give us Know­ledge of the Objects; and then from a firm Belief, cultivated as it ought, follows a more penetrative Knowledge, call'd a Lively Faith, to which we are wrought up by Prayer; which is a studious Ad­diction of the Mind to those Ob­jects that depure the Idea of God from all Dross of Imperfection, and render it far more Chrystal­lin, Empyreal, and ravishingly Glorious.

SECT. IV.
A fourth Excellency of Prayer, in Uniting us to God Affectively.

FRom this more penetrative Knowledge of the Divine Es­sence, immediately and necessarily follows that disposition of the Will call'd Divine Love; or rather in­deed, Love of God or Creatures is nothing but a Knowledge of their Goodness render'd express in our thoughts; either imprinted strongly by solid and well built-Judgments of their Agreeableness to us, or else by frequently-repeated thoughts, as by so many dints, beat out into an expresness. For we experience in our selves, both in loving Creatures, [Page 124] and in loving Heaven, that if we more fully and lively conceit the good in one (Creatures for Exam­ple) than the good in the other, (that is, in Heaven) we still chuse and pursue Creatures, even though we speculatively judg that Heaven is incomparably more Excellent. And the reason is, because a more lively Conceit, hîc et nunc, or in these present circumstances, that the former is more agreeable to us, taking us as we are thus dispos'd, renders the Soul more Operative for it; which Active Disposition of the Mind to pursue any thing it judges agreeable or Good, we use to call Love.

§. 2. Whence again are seen two considerable advantages in Prayer, in which also the sum of our Chri­stian Life is contain'd; viz. to be­get a fervent and hearty Love of God in our hearts, and to enable us to over-come all Temptations; [Page 125] both which are perform'd by ren­dering the Idea's of the Goods of the other Life very Lively, and, as it were, Bright in our minds: for, this done, they will be sure to work Love of Heaven above all things in our Hearts, if they be not that very Love it self; which will efface, or at least dim with their far more resplendent Lustre, the gay appea­rances of false and transitory goods, and so preserve the Soul from be­ing deluded by her three spiritual Enemies. For which Reason they that are in Temptations are as much bound in Conscience to apply themselves to Prayer, as a man in danger to lose his Life by a distemper he feels growing upon him, is bound to make use of such helps as Physick assists us with; nay rather much more, according as the greater concern of the thing, and the greater Certain­ty of the success and Cure, are [Page 126] more powerful motives to make them act and endeavour to seek a remedy.

§. 3. Now the Love of Heaven being thus wrought in our minds by Prayer, and Love being uni­tive of the Soul to the Object be­lov'd, according to the common saying dictated by our natural thoughts, that, if two love one ano­ther, they are all one, 'tis farther discover'd how incomparably Pray­er dignifies and ennobles the Soul; & this to a great degree beyond what meer knowledg, that is, knowledge staying in speculation, and not ren­der'd efficacious by considerative Prayer could have effected. If then every Power receives a different de­gree of Nobleness in proportion to the Object it is employ'd about; Nay, if in our case it becomes It intellectually, and be in a more intimate manner united to it by Love, and the Object of the Soul, [Page 127] while in Prayer, is Gods own In­finite Essence, it follows that, Prayer, which being at once Stu­dious and Affective, performs both these, advances a Soul to so high a Pitch of Dignity, that not all the Potentates of the Earth, and Learning of the Wise, nor Rich­es of both the Indies conspiring together, no not the whole innu­merable Host of Angelical Na­tures joining all their force, can raise her to that heighth of Dignity, that Vicinity to the Di­vine Nature as Prayer can do. Who then that loves true Nobi­lity, and the solid Perfection of his Soul, but will apply himself to the means of gaining so high Preferment? And how strangely is the indevout part of the World Frantick, who look upon Prayer as an idle Bigottery and Fruitless Entertainment of our mind in aiery conceits, without any far­ther [Page 128] Effect or Benefit?

§. 4. For the same Reason a Soul unimploy'd in Prayer, and so unconcern'd to frame lively Idea's of the goodness of Heaven's blissful State, that is, how beau­tifying and ennobling an Object Gods Essence is, but makes some Creature the study of its Af­fective Thoughts, and first Love of its Will, becomes that Creature, though never so base, and wretch­ed, and never advances high­er, She is Married as it were, to that mean Object by her giving it her Love, and is debased or rais'd to that degree of Vileness or Dig­nity, as is found in the thing to which she is Espous'd; if it be Earth, she is Earthy; if it be Flesh, she is Carnal; if Money, she is no more worth than shining dirt is; if Ho­nour, she is Empty and Aiery. And justly too, since she had the means to advance her self by Pray­er, [Page 129] and rather chose to ly grove­ling on the ground, and wallow in the dirt, than raise her head by it to the Glorious Fountain of all true Excellency.

§. 5. From what is said, may be collected also, What advantage accrues to Souls by their Devoti­ons to Angels and Saints in Hea­ven. First, they that intend to benefit themselves by this way, ought to frame in their thoughts a most exact Idea of the holy and happy state the Blessed enjoy; how full of Conformity to Gods Will, and thence how not only Inclinable, but unchangeably fixt to follow Right Reason, and act according to Highest Virtue in all things; how boundlessly their Souls are enlarg'd by Charity to embrace all the World, and wish them from their Hearts, and unen­uiously all the goods they see they can possibly be capable of, [Page 130] even though they see it will be greater than their own; How their Understanding Power is replenish'd, with a most Incomparable Glory, or surrounded with Rays of most pure and most bright Light of Knowledge, and, their Wills most indissolubly united with, and im­merst most intimately in the boundless Ocean of all Goodness. By which means those happy Per­sons become Deify'd or rais'd to such a Dignity that all the Glo­ries of the World put together are empty beggery and worthless trash in comparison of that noble and close Relation to the Divini­ty, or (which is more) Union with it.

§. 6. Particularly of the Saints, it is fit devout persons first chuse those whose state here was agreeable to their own, to some degree; then, attentively read their Lives, sober­ly writ; regarding more their solid [Page 131] virtues proposed there to their I­mitation, than the Esclat of their Miracles, which are but the likely signes of true goodness, and need an eminent and constantly practised Virtue, accompanying them, to make them such; since the power of do­ing Miracles, Prophesying and the like, has been granted even to Hea­thens, on some occasions, as St. Hierom and the Fathers inform us. Having thus gain'd a lively Charac­ter of the particular Spirit that such a Saint has, if we cultivate it in our minds with a high Esteem of it, and of the Saint as endow'd with such and such Virtues, and so let it sink into our Wills, and grow a desire to attain it, and all this be heighten'd and made more lively and more Efficacious by applying to the Saint himself by Prayer, or invoking him to obtain of God's Goodness that portion of his virtu­ous Spirit, which he sees fitting [Page 132] for us, we shall at length be wrought up (an endeavour to imitate him going along) into the very genius of that Saint, and as it were be­come him, and make his Merits ours: not by Extrinsecal Imputation, as if because we daily ask't Virtue for the Saints sake, without any o­ther disposition on our part, they are shar'd out to us, and as it were extrinsecally apply'd to our Wills, and so better our interiour; Let none flatter themselves with such Hopes, for Catholick Faith ad­mits no Extrinsecal Imputation of Christ's Merits, much less of those of the Saints: But, this is perform'd by proposing their Virtuous Exam­ple as an Object, which by being penetrated lively, and thence de­sir'd heartily, makes us become like the Saint himself, that is Vir­tuous. And this, because 'tis the very Nature of the Soul to become that thing by her Understanding [Page 133] and Will which it studiously knows and affectionately loves; and in that very regard too, and to that degree in which we apply our selves considerately to know it and hear­tily to love it. But this will bet­ter be understood by what follows after.

§. 7. Hence also is seen the true use of Pictures, keeping Holidays of Saints, and such other Devoti­ons: All which renewing in our minds the thoughts of such a vir­tuous person must needs be bene­ficial; since they purify our mind by familiarizing it to such holy and Elevated Objects, and by helping it to make the Character of the Saints virtuous life, and of it's particular agreeableness to us, more express; till at length, by Will and Affection as well as by meer Un­derstanding, we become in a man­ner It. But especially these helps are necessary to those who arrive [Page 134] not at the Love of spiritual Goods, by strength of Judgment or clear Evidence of Reason, but by often reiterated impressions of Objects upon the knowing Power by means of the Senses. I meddle not here with other more wonderful Effects done by our Application to Saints and their Intercession for us when the Faith of him that prays requires it; the Principles of which are to be laid so deep, and are withal so remote from our present purpose, that it would be too long a digression to attempt here their Explication.

SECT. V.
Of the Excellency of Prayer, as tis the In­fallible means to obtain all our best Wishes.

THe Impetrative Part of Pray­er, or the virtue it has of obtaining from God infallibly what ever we ask for our selves, that we can be sure is our true Good, is perhaps as great an incentive to exercise it as any of the rest. This seems to be a Doctrine no less comfortable than strange. We ought then to unriddle it, and make it out. And, first, we must remark, that we can never be sure that any External thing is good [Page 136] for us; be it Riches, Honour, Pleasure, Health, Friends, &c. For, to many, all these have been the occasion of their Damnation, as they have of Salvation to o­thers. Nay, some are of that Genius and so circumstanc't, that nothing but Extream Misery in this World can keep them from Sin­ning; others again are so temper'd, that they grow desperate by great and continual crosses, and fall into a stupidity or disregard of all du­ties, if prest heavily by afflictions: Nay more, speaking of Interiour perfections, which have a greater vicinity to Virtue, even Know­ledge has made some solidly Virtu­ous, others vainly Proud. Nothing therfore, but that perfection of the mind call'd Virtue, is securely good for us. Since then 'tis directly a­gainst Reason to wish pressingly and absolutely those things which we know not whether they will do us [Page 137] good or harm; Reason tells us we are not to beg of God absolutely any thing but Virtue: The rest only Conditionally, or with this re­servation, in case our Heavenly Fa­ther judges we have need of them, or, in case he sees them convenient for us. And 'tis of this I affirm, that if it be askt of God by Pra­yer, it will be always Granted, and that too to the very same degree as is our fervency in asking it.

§. 2. To understand how this is effected, we must reflect that, to Pray for any Virtue, is earnestly to wish it; as also that Prayer, if perform'd attentively and as it ought, is the most Serious action of our whole life, being a Treaty or Communication with God; the seer of our Hearts, with whom 'tis the most irreverent folly that may be not to be in earnest, when we profess it outwardly. Prayer ther­fore for Virtue is the most serious [Page 138] and most effectual act of the Will imaginable, strongly set and bent towards the attainment of that per­fection we pray for; that is, 'tis a frequent and hearty wish of Vir­tue. And what is Virtue, but a confirm'd Disposition of the Will to do our Duties to God and Man? or an habitual will to act according to Right Reason and Christian Prin­ciples? And how are Habits got, but by oft repeated or very effectu­all Acts? since then, when ever we pray for Virtue as we ought, both these are found in the Exer­cise of that Prayer (for, we both repeat often our Wishes, which are Acts of our Will, and withall they are the most serious, most so­lemn and most Elevated Acts that can be, and thence very Effica­cious): it follows, that the Praying for Virtue is the very gaining it; in the same manner as warming continued and advanc't begetts [Page 139] Heat; and Heat, a Flame.

§. 3. You will say, all this gives no great account of any Particularity in Prayer, towards the attainment of Virtue; since, according to this Doctrin, the frequent considering with our selves, and pondering well the Ex­cellency of Virtue may beget Wishes of it, and consequently Virtue in us; and this in as high a manner, if well followed, as Prayer does. I answer first, the case is impossible; for, except, when we wish to get Virtue, we aim at Heaven by thus wishing it; 'tis not true Virtue we wish, but some Apish resemblance of it, to make us esteem'd by the world, or for some other Temporal End: And, if, in setting our selvs to con­sider it's Goodness and Excellency (which consists in this, that it dis­poses us for Heaven) and thence wishing it, we aim'd at the attain­ment [Page 140] of Heaven, or the Blissful Sight of God by it, we were in prayer all the while we wisht it, after some manner; though perhaps there went not along with it the Addressive part to God by way of Petition; which yet, 'tis very hard should be wanting in those who habitually know by Faith, and by Christian Language and Practice are inur'd to acknowledge, that all Goods, especially Supernatural ones, come from God.

§. 4. Next I answer, that there is no doubt, but a true Sight of the excellency and utility of Vir­tue, improv'd by our consideration, may cause some degrees of Wishes or Desires of it, and so beget Vir­tue at first, or advance it something: But, that all those means are dry and inefficacious without Prayer, will appear by the Advantages found in Prayer. As First, that while our thoughts are set upon him [Page 141] who is our last End, we take our aim more steadily at the means by which we are to attain him. 2ly. Faith, which we suppose to go before Prayer, telling us all comes from him, it heightens our Soul, and consequently Fancy, far above that pitch to which Natural and Unelevated thoughts could have rais'd them. 3ly. Faith telling us also he is the Fountain of all Vir­tue, the very Approach to him by Prayer and begging it of him is the drawing it into our selvs, from his Inexhaustible Treasures of all Good. 4ly. Faith, telling us he has promis'd to hear our prayers which are made according to his own ho­ly will, and that prayers for Vir­tue are such, makes us firmly hope, out petition will be granted: and a Hope thus rais'd, renders our wish of it far more efficacious; as we experience passes in our selvs in other matters, when we are assur'd [Page 142] of getting them, and, as it were just upon the point of attaining them. This Hope also fixes and comforts our Thoughts in confidence of having already gain'd some, and of attaining yet more; by which means they are kept up and conti­nu'd in the pursuit of what we ask for, and relapse not into a stupid want of expectation. 5ly, While out minds are more rais'd by Pray­er to an ardent Love of God, our Will is proportionably rais'd to a more fervent wish of Virtue, which is already known to be the pro­per means to attain him; In the same manner as one, who knows certainly a Treasure is hid in such a place, and is his if he will go for it, is very prompt to wish, nay resolute to get and use means to obtain it: Whereas on the other side, that is, when our thoughts are not made lively by Prayer, the thoughts of Heaven being so [Page 143] distant and hard to be represented by fancy, it seems but a kind of dry speculation, and dull in compa­rison. 6ly, Since, as was said, the nature of our soul is such, that, to know any thing what ever, is to have that very thing in our Un­derstanding; and that, Prayer im­proving this Knowledg to a Live­liness or expresness, it becomes Active to obtain it, or which is all one, it becomes Will; it follows that, by much and lively think­ing and conceiting the Goodness of Virtue, we arrive to have it in our Will: I mean, we have in our Will a Disposition to Act accor­ding to right Reason inform'd by Faith, that is indeed, we have at­tain'd Virtue; this being its very Nature and Definition. Lastly, since, as was shown before, by Prayer the Soul is to some degree (in­ferior indeed, but yet truly) Dei­fy'd or made one with God, that [Page 144] is, with him who includes Emi­nently all Virtues, or rather is those very Virtues Essentially: it follows necessarily, that the soul addicted to Prayer, especially when she Prays knowingly, and thence raises her self to Love, must have all Virtues in her; nay, be those very Virtues, according as her pitch of Love of God ad­vances her, and her present state in this life will permit her.

§. 10. From this Doctrine we may draw these Consequences: First, that, though we ought to pray for Temporal Goods always with resignation and conditionally, there is no need of adding either of these cautions when we pray for Virtue, but we may wish it abso­lutely, without any measure or stint; since we are sure 'tis al­wayes of it self agreeable to Gods Will, and our own true Good; in asking or desiring which [Page 145] God's Goodness has limited no Man.—You'l say then, one may wish as high a Pitch of Virtue, as the greatest Saints had; nay, that of our Blessed Lady her self. 'Tis answer'd; Since the means to arrive at so high a Degree of Virtue as others, is to wish it with as pure an Intention, and as fer­vently as they do? none is to wish the End, without the proper means to it; but to labour all they can to put the means; that is, to gain a fervent desire of it from God (by Prayer, qualify'd according to all the Particulars a­bove-said) as that of those Saints was; and then, they may be sure 'tis absolutely God's Will, both as Author of Nature and Super-na­turals, that Effects should spring out of Proper Causes, and Immediate Dispositions. Nay, we know this with a greater Assurance, than that any Effect of Nature will succeed: [Page 146] For example, Fire burn, or Rain wet: For, it becomes God's Good­ness, sometimes, to alter the Course of Nature miraculously for higher Ends, even when Natural Dispo­sitions are ready, and require to produce Natural Effects; but, it can never consist with his sweetest Goodness, to hinder those from having Virtue, who are immediate­ly dispos'd for it. Whether those that pray, shall attain an Immedi­ate Disposition to so high a Vir­tue as those had, is another Que­stion: But, it is certain, God has laid no Commands upon any, to deterr him from doing his best to attain it; but has propos'd Saints to our imitation absolutely, and not to a Degree only: For, as the saying is, He that aims at the Sun, though he be sure he shall never his his Mark, yet he will shoot higher than he that aims on­ly at a Bush. But, how high Steps [Page 147] every particular Soul ought to take at once, belongs to Super-natural Prudence, and Discretion of Spi­rits; and therefore, 'tis the proper Office of a Wise Ghostly-Father, to determin it: And his only Care must be, to be sure the Soul pro­ceeds still by Immediate Disposi­tions; for otherwise, the taking great Leaps at once in a Spi­ritual Progress, generally strains the Connaturality of Devotion, and ends in Indevotion or Sloth. In a word, Let him that prayes, be only attentive to ask Virtue of God, with as much Fervency as he will; and then, leave the Ef­fect to Him who is a Faithful Pro­miser, and a full Rewarder.

11. Secondly, Since this Assu­rance is so great, let him that Prayes ask his true and certain Good, Virtue, without any wave­ring or doubting; but with an ab­solute Confidence in God's Good­ness [Page 148] or Mercy: For, can we be surer of any thing, than that a Mi­racle shall not hinder the Effect, if we put the Immediate Disposi­tions to it by Prayer? And this Security we have of attaining Vir­tue, if we pray for it fervently, and as we ought.

12. Thirdly, The same Cer­tainty is of the Effect, if one Prays for the Forgiveness of his Sins: For, Prayer being a hearty Wish of what we pray for, made Fervent by those Advantages we have above enumerated; it fol­lows, that it moulds (as it were) and frames the Soul into an abso­lute and resolute Will of forsaking Sin, and warms it with Affection to her true Good. But, great Care must be had of praying God to pardon our Sins, while yet our Wills are ty'd fast to the sinful Ob­jects; For, that were to require of Him to do more than Miracle: [Page 149] Love of God alone finally, or the Holy-Ghost in their Hearts, being the only Remission of Sins; and the Love of any Creature, other­wise than in order to that Love, being the proper Notion of Sin: So that, as impossible as it is, that we should Love God alone finally, and a Creature above, or not in order to him, both at once, (which is no less than a direct Contra­diction); so impossible it is, that Sin should be pardon'd, till the In­ordinate Affection be taken from the Objects of it.

13. But, what shall those poor Sinners do, who have not a Will to leave Sin; or at least, but a di­vided Will; as was St. Augustin's Case before his Conversion, which he so complainingly descants upon in his Confessions? I answer, They must still take the same Method; that is, strive by continual Prayer, (made after that weak manner, at [Page 150] least, as they are able) to im­prove those Imperfect Wills, into Perfect Ones; and, groaning un­der the Slavery they now fully ex­perience, at once sigh and tremble before their justly offended God: Which kind of Exercise in this case, is more profitable and pro­per for them to use, than Love of God; of which their Hearts, yet full of Filth, are at present uncapable. Yet, their utmost In­dustry must be imploy'd, by Faith and some Degree of Hope, (which are here the only Acters) to pro­mote and advance these good Mo­tions and Graces of the Holy-Ghost, not yet within them, but only moving them to towards that Grace, by which the same Holy-Ghost enters into their Heart, and inhabits there. The hardest strug­gle is at first, till the Scales begin to turn; which done, all is easie to us, if we pursue our Victory. [Page 151] But, for those who are in this State, it were very fit that Mortification went along with Prayer; to wean, deterr, and divert the Soul from the noxious Gust she took in sinful Objects.

14. Lastly, We may hence ad­mire the Wise Methods, and Matchless Bounty of our good God, in alluring us by so many Motives to apply to him by Prayer, that so we may arrive at true Happiness; and giving us, by the very asking, (that is, as soon as ever we ask) all that is our certain and true Good, or all we can, according to right Reason, heartily beg of him. You'l say, It will follow hence, that if one immediately ask Heaven, he shall have it. I an­swer, That this were the same man­ner of fond Petition, but far more highly unreasonable, as to ask the Virtue of our Lady or the Apostles, without thinking of putting first [Page 152] the Immediate Disposition to have it: which is to press God to do a Miracle for our sakes; a thing true Humility & Reverence, the Requi­sites to a rightly made Prayer, will scarce allow. And, so, still our gene­ral Principle remains firm to us, that we shall be sure to obtain what we pray for, when we ask for our true Good, so we ask as we ought. Now, the Immediate Disposition to Heaven being Love of God, if we pray for the Means, we shall be sure both to obtain This, and Heaven too, which is our End, by it: Which secures to us the Ef­fect of our Prayer, or the Accom­plishment of our Wishes; though it come not to us after our own foolish manner, but according to the Method our infinitly Wise God has appointed; that is, that all things even in Super-naturals, (except in some few Cases) be carryed forwards from Connatural [Page 153] Causes or Dispositions to proper Effects. Which Consequence of the Effects out of their proper Causes, is the true meaning of the Word Merit (so misrepresented by our Adversaries); only super­adding, That God has promis'd this certain Effect shall follow, and that the Generality of the Faith­ful Work out of that Considera­tion, or out of a Relyance on God's Promises, without knowing (perhaps) how this Promise is brought about, or perform'd to us: Which, yet, when known by those who are capable of understanding it, must needs add a strange De­gree of Comfort, and an exceed­ing Courage to employ themselves in Prayer.

Whence may be easily Collected, that I only concern my self with that kind of Impetrative Virtue, by which rightly made Prayer obtains certainly of God our true [Page 154] Spiritual Good; that by shewing the Connatural Efficacy of it, and with how necessary a Consequence the Attainment of Virtue springs from it: I may excite my Rea­ders, to pursue that best Duty; and withal, by the way, instruct them how to perform it. What other Virtue Prayer has, of ob­taining many things of God for our selves, and our Neighbour, by obliging his infinit Goodness and Wisdom in his Government of the World, so to contrive and or­der Things, that not one Prayer of the Just be left unavailable, as far as can possibly consist with the common Good of the Universe; nay, even so far as, if the Prayer be made with a perfect Faith, Confidence and firm Relyance up­on him, to alter the Course of Nature by Miracle, for such a Prayer's sake: Of these, I say, it is not my purpose to treat at pre­sent; [Page 155] it being out of my Road, as depending on Principles, which ly very remote from my present Design; as was said formerly, in a like Case, concerning Prayer to Saints, at the End of the Fourth Section.

I shall end this Discourse with those most expressive Words of St. James: If any one wants Wis­dom, let him ask of God, who gives to all abundantly, and without grudg­ing; and it shall be given him. But, let him ask in Faith, nothing doubting: For, he that doubts is like a Wave of the Sea, which is mov'd and tost about by the Wind. Let not, then, such a Man think, that he shall obtain any thing of our Lord. Where we are to note, first, that by Wisdom is not meant Speculative Knowledge; but that Wisdom, which is our certain and true Spiritual Good; and of which, the Fear of God is the Beginning, [Page 156] as the Love of God is its Accom­plishment or Perfection. Next, he assures us, It shall be given, and that without grudging, or upbraid­ing any, that they have receiv'd enough already; but abundantly, without stint, so they dispose themselves by Prayer to receive it. Thirdly, He puts the Disposition to receive it, to be a firm Hope, Faith, or Confidence in God's o­ver-flowing Goodness; which is strengthen'd by knowing that what we ask, is agreeable to his Holy Will. Lastly, He declares, that the want of this Confidence in asking, renders our whole Prayer ineffectual: For, the Wish cannot be strong and efficacious, to work the Soul into a hearty and habi­tual Love of God, if it be held before-hand (as it ought), that it cannot be had without God's giv­ing it; and the Asker thinks that, let him ask Virtue how he will, [Page 157] it is yet an obscure kind of My­stery lying in God's Breast, and depending on his meer Will, whe­ther he will please to give him any Virtue or no; and that, let him pray for it how he will, there are yet no determinate or certain Cau­ses laid in the Course of his Su­pernatural Providence to attain it; and thence comes to doubt, whe­ther he shall ever obtain any Vir­tue, or none at all, which is very uncomfortable. Whereas, were it known, and well penetrated, that God's Will is already, as to that Point, determined by his Wis­dom, governing and promoting Souls by Prayer to Virtue, and by Virtue to Heaven, as by pro­per Dispositions to those Effects (according to that Saying of the Psalmist: They shall rise from Vir­tue to Virtue, till they see the God of Gods in Sion): Also, were it known and consider'd, that an un­wavering [Page 158] (and, thence, efficacious) Prayer or Wish, strengthen'd by directing it to God, is the proper Disposition or Means effectually, and necessarily (as we may say) to gain Virtue: It will become impossible, to want Courage to ask it heartily, and absolutely; im­possible, to waver or want Assured­ness in our asking it; impossible, our Wishes of it should not become an Efficacious Means to obtain it: Lastly, impossible, we should not obtain what we ask.

Soli Deo Gloria.