DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3689#0143
a Devout and Holy Life. 141
meditating upon them, sometimes getting them by heart, and
making them as habitual as their own thoughts, how fervently
would they pray, who came thus prepared to prayer ?
And how much better would it be, to make this benefit of
leisure-time, than to be dully and idly lost in the poor imperti-
nences of a playing, visiting, wandering life ?
How much better would it be, to be thus furnished with
hymns and anthems of the saints, and teach their souls to
ascend to God, than to corrupt, bewilder, and confound their
hearts, with the wild fancies, the lustful thoughts of a lewd
Poet ?
Now though people of leisure seem called more particularly
to this study of devotion, yet persons of much business or
labour, must not think themselves excused from this, or some
better method of improving their devotion.
For the greater their business is, the more need they have of
some such method as this, to prevent its power over their hearts ;
to secure them from sinking into worldly tempers, and preserve
a sense and taste of heavenly things in their minds. And a
little time regularly and constantly employed to any one use or
end, will do great things, and produce mighty effects.
And it is for want of considering devotion in this light, as
something that is to be nursed and cherished with care, as
something that is to be made part of our business, that is to be
improved with care and contrivance, by art and method, and a
diligent use of the best helps ; it is for want of considering it in
this light, that so many people are so little benefited by it, and
live and die strangers to that spirit of devotion, which by a pru-
dent use of proper means, they might have enjoyed in a high
degree.
For though the spirit of devotion is the gift of God, and not
attainable by any mere power of our own, yet it is mostly given,
and never withheld, from those, who by a wise and diligent use
of proper means, prepare themselves for the reception of it.
And it is amazing to see, how eagerly men employ their parts,
their sagacity, time, study, application and exercise ; how all helps
are called to their assistance, when anything is intended and
desired in worldly matters ; and how dull, negligent, and unim-
proved they are, how little they use their parts, sagacity, and
abilities, to raise and increase their devotion !
Mundanus is a man of excellent parts, and clear appre-
hension. He is well advanced in age, and has made a great
figure in business. Every part of trade and business that has
fallen in his way, has had some improvement from him ; and he
is always contriving to carry every method of doing anything
meditating upon them, sometimes getting them by heart, and
making them as habitual as their own thoughts, how fervently
would they pray, who came thus prepared to prayer ?
And how much better would it be, to make this benefit of
leisure-time, than to be dully and idly lost in the poor imperti-
nences of a playing, visiting, wandering life ?
How much better would it be, to be thus furnished with
hymns and anthems of the saints, and teach their souls to
ascend to God, than to corrupt, bewilder, and confound their
hearts, with the wild fancies, the lustful thoughts of a lewd
Poet ?
Now though people of leisure seem called more particularly
to this study of devotion, yet persons of much business or
labour, must not think themselves excused from this, or some
better method of improving their devotion.
For the greater their business is, the more need they have of
some such method as this, to prevent its power over their hearts ;
to secure them from sinking into worldly tempers, and preserve
a sense and taste of heavenly things in their minds. And a
little time regularly and constantly employed to any one use or
end, will do great things, and produce mighty effects.
And it is for want of considering devotion in this light, as
something that is to be nursed and cherished with care, as
something that is to be made part of our business, that is to be
improved with care and contrivance, by art and method, and a
diligent use of the best helps ; it is for want of considering it in
this light, that so many people are so little benefited by it, and
live and die strangers to that spirit of devotion, which by a pru-
dent use of proper means, they might have enjoyed in a high
degree.
For though the spirit of devotion is the gift of God, and not
attainable by any mere power of our own, yet it is mostly given,
and never withheld, from those, who by a wise and diligent use
of proper means, prepare themselves for the reception of it.
And it is amazing to see, how eagerly men employ their parts,
their sagacity, time, study, application and exercise ; how all helps
are called to their assistance, when anything is intended and
desired in worldly matters ; and how dull, negligent, and unim-
proved they are, how little they use their parts, sagacity, and
abilities, to raise and increase their devotion !
Mundanus is a man of excellent parts, and clear appre-
hension. He is well advanced in age, and has made a great
figure in business. Every part of trade and business that has
fallen in his way, has had some improvement from him ; and he
is always contriving to carry every method of doing anything