And it is much to be lamented, that numbers of _scholars_ are _more_ or _less_ chargeable with this excessive folly; so negligent of improving their devotion, and so desirous of other poor accomplishments, as if they thought it a nobler talent, to be able to write an _epigram_ in the _turn_ of _Martial_, than to _live_, and _think_, and _pray_ to God, in the spirit of St. _Austin_.
And yet if you was to ask _Mandanus_ and _Classicus_, or any man of business or learning, whether _piety_ is not the highest perfection of man, or _devotion_ the greatest attainment in the world, they must both be forced to answer in the affirmative, or else give up the truth of the gospel.
17. Devotion is nothing else but _right apprehensions_ and _right affections_ towards God.
All practices therefore that improve our true apprehensions of God, all ways of life that tend to _nourish_, _raise_, and fix our affections upon him, are to be reckoned so many helps and means of devotion.
As _prayer_ is the proper fuel of this holy flame, so we must use all our care to give prayer its full power; as by _alms_, _self-denial_, frequent _retirements_, and _holy readings_, composing _forms_ for ourselves, or using the _best_ we can get, adding _length_ of time, and observing _hours_ of prayer; _changing_, _improving_, and _suiting_ our devotions to the condition of our lives, and the state of our hearts.
Those who have most leisure, seem more especially called to a more eminent observance of this; and they, who by the necessity of their state, have but little time to employ thus, must make the best use of that little they have.
18. There is one thing more I would advise; and that is, to begin your prayers with a _psalm_.
I don’t mean, that you should _read_ over a psalm, but that you should _chant_ or _sing_ one.
The difference between singing and reading a psalm, will be easily understood, if you consider the difference between reading and singing a _common song_ that you like. Whilst you only read it, you only _like_ it; but as soon as you _sing_ it, you feel the _same spirit_ within you, that there seems to be in the words.
You will perhaps say, you cannot sing.
This objection might be of weight, if you was desired to sing to entertain other people; but it is not to be admitted in the present case, where you are only advised to sing the praises of God in private.
Do but so live, that your heart may truly rejoice in God, that it may feel itself affected with the praises of God; and then you will find, that this state of your heart will neither want a voice, nor ear, to find a tune for a psalm.
19. *The union of soul and body, is not a mixture of their substances, as we see bodies united and mixed together, but consists solely in the mutual power that they have of acting upon one another.
*If two persons were in such a state of dependance upon one another, that neither of them could act, or move, or think, or feel, or suffer, or desire any thing, without putting the other into the same condition, one might properly say, that they were in a state of strict union, altho’ their substances were not united together.
*Now this is the union of the soul and body; the substance of the one cannot be mixed or united with the other; but they are held together in such a state of union, that all the actions and sufferings of the one, are at the same time the actions and sufferings of the other. The soul has no thought or passion, but the body is concerned in it; the body has no action or motion, but what, in some degree, affects the soul.
Now, as it is the sole will of God, that is the _cause_ of all the powers and effects which you see in the world; as the _sun_ gives light and heat, not because it has any natural power of so doing; as it is fixed in a certain place, and other bodies moving about it; not because it is in the nature of the sun to stand still, and in the nature of other bodies to move about it; but merely because it is the _will_ of God, that they should be in such a state: as the _eye_ is the organ, or instrument of seeing, not because the _skins_, and _coats_, and _humours_ of the eye, have a natural power of giving sight: as the ears are the organs, or instruments of hearing, not because the _make_ of the ear has any natural power over sounds, but merely because it is the will of God, that _seeing_ and _hearing_ should be thus received; so it is the sole will of God, that is the cause of this union betwixt the soul and the body.
20. If you rightly apprehend this short account of the union of the soul and body, you will see a great deal into the reason of all the outward parts of religion.