DEVOUT EXERCISES

OF THE

HEART;

BY THE LATE PIOUS AND INGENIOUS

MRS ELIZABETH ROWE:

REVIEWED AND PUBLISHED AT HER Request,

BY I. WATTS, D. D.

MADAM,

ΤΟ

AN INTIMATE FRIEND OF

MRS. ROWE.

Newington, Sep. 29. 1737.

IF these pious MEDITATIONS of so sublime a Genius, should be inscribed to any name, there is none but your's must have stood in the front of them. That long and constant intimacy of friendship with which you delighted to honour her, that high esteem and veneration you are pleased to pay ber memory, and the sacred likeness and sympathy between two kindred souls, absolutely determine where this respect should be paid.

Besides, Madam, you well know, that some copies out of these papers have been your own several years, by the gift of the deceased; and the favour you bave done me lately, by your permission to peruse them, has assisted the correction of these Manuscripts, and would add another reason to support this inscription of them, if your fear of assuming too much honour could have admited this piece of justice.

I know, Madam, your tenderness and indulgence to every thing MRS Rowe has writen, cannot with bold your judgment from suspecting some of her expressions to be a little too rapturous, and too near a kin to the lan

guage of the mystical writers; yet your piety and candour will take no such offence as to prevent your best improvement by them in all that is divine and boly: and may your retired hours find such happy assistances and elevations hereby, that you may commence the joys of angels, and of blessed spirits before band.

And when your valuable life has been long extended, amidst all the temporal blessings you enjoy, and the Christian virtues you practise, may you, at the call of God, find a gentle dismission from mortality, and ascend on high to meet your deceased friend in paradise. Nor can I suppose that any of the inhabitants of that blissful region will sooner recognize your glorified spirit, or will salute your first appearance there with a more tender sense of mutual satisfaction. There may you join with your beloved PHILOMELA, in paying celestial worship in exalted and unknown forms to her God, and your God; and may the harmony of the place be assisted by your united songs to JESUS, your common Saviour!

I am, Madam, with great sincerity and esteem,

Your most faithful,

and obedient Servant,

1. WATTS.

PREFACE.

THE admirable Author of these devotional papers has been in high esteem among the ingenious and the polite, fince fo many excellent fruits of her pen, both in verfe and profe, have appeared in public. She was early honoured under the feigned name of PHILOMELA, before the world was allowed to know Mrs Elizabeth Singer by the name drawn from her family, or that of Mrs Rowe, which the acquired by marriage.

Though many of her writings, that were published in her life-time, difcover a pious and heavenly temper, and a warma zeal for religion and virtue, yet the chose to conceal the Devotion of her heart, till fhe was got beyond the cenfure and the applause of mortals. It was enough, that God, whom she loved with ardent and supreme affection, was witnefs to all her fecret and intense breathings after him.

In

In February last he was pleased to call her out of our world, and take her to himself. Some time after her decease these manuscripts were transmitted to me, all inclofed in one fheet of paper, and directed to me at Newington by her own hand. the midst of them I found her letter, which intreated me to review them, and commit them to the prefs. This letter I have thought neceffary to fhew the world, not fo much to difcover my right to publish these papers, as to let the reader fee fomething more of that holy and heavenly character, which she maintained in an uniform manner both in life and death.

It is now almost thirty years ago fince I was honoured with her acquaintance, nor could her great modesty conceal all her fhining graces and accomplishments; but it is not my province to give a particular account of this excellent woman, who has bleffed and adorned our nation and our age. I expect, her temper, her conduct, and her virtues, will be fet in a just and a pleafing light among the memoirs of her life, by fome near re