_Of the excellency and greatness of a devout spirit._
1. I HAVE now finished what I intended in this treatise. I have explained the nature of devotion, both as it signifies a life devoted to God, and as it signifies a regular method of prayer. I have now only to add a word or two in recommendation of a life governed by this Spirit.
And because in this _polite_ age, we have so _lived away_ the spirit of devotion, that many seem afraid even to be suspected of it, imagining _great devotion_ to be great _bigotry_; that it is founded in _ignorance_ and _poorness_ of spirit; and that _little_, _weak_, and _dejected_ minds, are generally the greatest proficients in it.
It shall here be shewn, that great devotion is the _noblest_ temper of the _greatest_ and _noblest_ souls; and that they who think it receives any advantage from _ignorance_, are themselves entirely ignorant of the nature of devotion, the nature of God, and the nature of themselves.
People of _fine parts_ and _learning_, or of great knowledge in _worldly matters_, may perhaps think it hard to have their _want_ of devotion charged upon their _ignorance_. But if they will be content to be tried by reason and scripture, it may soon be made appear, that a _want_ of devotion, wherever it is, either amongst the learned or unlearned, is founded in _gross ignorance_, and the _greatest blindness_ and _insensibility_ that can happen to a rational creature.
And that devotion is so far from being the effect of a _little_ and _dejected_ mind, that it must and will be always _highest_ in the most _perfect_ natures.
2. And _first_, Who reckons it a sign of a _poor, little_ mind, for a man to be full of _reverence_ and _duty_ to his parents, to have the truest _love_ and _honour_ for his _friend_, or to excel in the _highest instances_ of gratitude to his benefactor?
Are not these tempers, in the _highest_ degree, in the most exalted and perfect minds?
And yet what is _high devotion_, but the highest exercise of these tempers, of _duty_, _reverence_, _love_, _honour_, and _gratitude_ to the amiable, glorious _parent_, _friend_, and _benefactor_ of all mankind?
Is it a true greatness of mind, to reverence the authority of your parents, to fear the displeasure of your friend, to dread the reproaches of your benefactor; and must not this _fear_, and _dread_, and _reverence_, be much more just, and reasonable, and honourable, when they are in the _highest degree_ towards God?
So that as long as _duty_ to parents, _love_ to friends, and _gratitude_ to benefactors, are thought great and honourable tempers, devotion, which is nothing else but duty, love, and gratitude to God, must have the highest place amongst our highest virtues.
If a _prince_, out of his _mere goodness_, should send you a pardon by one of his _slaves_, would you think it a part of your duty to receive the _slave_ with marks of _love_, _esteem_, and _gratitude_, for his kindness of bringing you so great a gift, and at the same time think it a _meanness_ and _poorness_ of spirit, to shew _love_, _esteem_, and _gratitude_ to the prince, who of his own goodness freely sent you the pardon?
And yet this would be as reasonable, as to suppose that love, esteem, honour, and gratitude, are _noble tempers_, and instances of a _great soul_, when they are paid to our fellow-creatures; but the effects of a poor, ignorant mind, when they are paid to God.
3. Even that part of devotion which expresses itself in _sorrowful_ confessions, and _penitential_ tears of a broken and contrite heart, is very far from being any sign of a _little_ and _ignorant_ mind.
For who does not acknowledge it an instance of an _ingenuous_, _generous_, and _brave_ mind, to acknowledge a fault, and ask pardon for any offence? And are not the _finest_ and _most improved_ minds, the most remarkable for this excellent temper?
Is it not also allowed, that the _ingenuousness_ and _excellence_ of a man’s spirit is much shewn, when his sorrow and indignation at himself rises in proportion to the folly of his crime, and the _goodness_ and _greatness_ of the person he has offended?
Now if things are thus, then the _greater_ any man’s mind is, the more he _knows_ of God and himself, the more will he be disposed to prostrate himself before God in all the _humblest acts_ and expressions of repentance.
And the greater the _generosity_ and _penetration_ of his mind is, the more will he indulge a _passionate, tender_ sense of God’s just displeasure; and the more he knows of the greatness, the goodness, and perfection of the divine nature, the fuller of shame and confusion will he be at his own sins and ingratitude.
And on the other hand, the more _dull_ and _ignorant_ any soul is, the more _base_ and _ungenerous_, the more _senseless_ it is of the goodness of God, the more averse to _humble confession_ and _repentance_.