Containing the great obligations, and the great advan- CHAP. VII. How the imprudent ufe of an estate corrupts all the tem- CHA P. VIII. 66 How the wife and pious use of an eftate, naturally car-. CHA P. IX. 74 Containing fome reflections upon the life of Miranda; and CHAP. X. 85 Shewing how all orders and ranks of men and women of CHAP. XI. Shewing how great devotion fills our lives with the CHAP. XII. 117 The happiness of a life wholly devoted unto God, farther 134 СНАР. That not only a life of vanity, or fenfuality, but even CHAP. XIV. Concerning that part of Devotion which relates to times CHAP. XV. Of chanting, or finging of Pfalms in our private devoti- CHAP. XVI. 187 Recommending devotion at nine o'clock in the morning, CHAP. XVII. 206 Shewing how difficult the practice of humility is made, CHAP. XVIII. 219 Shewing how the education which men generally receive CHAP. XIX. 232 Shewing how the method of educating daughters, makes humility. humility. How miferably they are injur'd and abus'd СНАР. XX. 247 Recommending Devotion at twelve o'clock, call'd in Scri- CHA P. XXI. 269 Of the neceffity and benefit of Interceffion, confider'd as СНАР. XXII. 293 Recommending Devotion at three o'clock, called in Scri- CHA P. XXIII. 312 Of evening prayer. Of the nature and neceffity of exa- CHAP. XXIV. 326 The Conclufion. Of the excellency and greatness of a de- vout Spirit 341 A SE A SERIOUS CALL TO A Devout and Holy Life. CHAP. I. Concerning the Nature and Extent of Chrif tian Devotion. D EVOTION is neither private nor publick Prayer; but Prayers, whether private or publick, are particu lar parts or inftances of Devotion. Devotion fignifies a life given, or devoted to God. HE therefore is the devout man, who lives no longer to his own will, or the way and Spirit of the world, but to the fole will of God, who confiders God in every thing, wha ferves God in every thing, who makes all the parts of his common life, parts of piety, by doing every B thing " thing in the name of God, and under fuch rules as are comformable to his Glory. WE readily acknowledge, that God alone is to be the rule and measure of our Prayers, that in them we are to look wholly unto him, and act wholly for him, that we are only to pray in fuch a manner, for fuch things, and fuch ends as are fuitable to his Glory. Now let any one but find out the reason why he is to be thus ftrictly pious in his prayers, and he will find the fame as ftrong a reafon to be as ftrictly pious in all the other parts of his life. For there is not the leaft fhadow of a reason, why we fhould make God the rule and measure of our prayers, why we should then look wholly unto him, and pray according to his will; but what equally proves it neceffary for us to look wholly unto God, and make him the rule and measure of all the other actions of our life. For any ways of life, any employment of our talents, whether of our parts, our time or money, that is not frity according to the will of God, that is not for fuch ends as are fuitable to his Glory, are as great abfurdities and failings, as prayers that are not according to the will of God. For there is no other reafon, why Our prayers fhould be according to the will of God, why they fhould have nothing in them, but what is wife, and holy and heavenly, there is no other reason for this, but that our lives may be of the fame nature, full of the fame wisdom, holiness and heavenly tempers, that we may live unto God in the fame fpirit that we pray unto him. Were it not our strict duty to live by reafon, to devote all the actions of our lives to God, were it not abfolutely neceffary to walk before him in wisdom and holinefs and all heavenly converfation, doing every thing in his name, and for his glory, there would be no excellency or wisdom in the most heavenly prayers. Nay, fuch prayers would be abfurdities, they would be like prayers for wings, when it was no part of our duty to fly. As |