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SER M. For devotion is of a nature fo fpiritual, so subtile, XIV. and penetrant, that no matter can exclude or ob

ftruct it. Our minds are fo exceedingly nimble and active, that no bufinefs can hold pace with them, or exhauft their attention and activity. We can never be fo fully poffeffed by any employment, but that divers vacuities of time do intercur, wherein our thoughts and affections will be diverted to other -matters. As a covetous man, whatever befide he is doing, will be carking about his bags and treasures; an ambitious man will be devifing on his plots and projects; a voluptuous man will have his mind in his difhes; a lafcivious man will be doting on his amours; a ftudious man will be mufing on his noVid. Chryf. tions; every man, according to his particular incliOrat. v. in nation, will lard his bufinefs, and befprinkle all his tom. v. p. actions with cares and wishes tending to the enjoy

Annam,

78, 79.

ment of what he most efteemeth and affecteth: fo may a good Chriftian, through all his undertakings, wind in devout reflections and pious motions of foul toward the chief object of his mind and affection. Moft bufineffes have wide gaps, all have fome chinks, at which devotion may flip in. Be we never fo ur

gently fet or clofely intent upon any work, (be we feeding, be we travelling, be we trading, be we ftudying,) nothing yet can forbid, but that we may together wedge in a thought concerning God's goodnefs, and bolt forth a word of praife for it; but that we may reflect on our fins, and fpend a penitential figh on them; but that we may defcry our need of God's help, and dispatch a brief petition for it: a God be praifed, a Lord have mercy, a God blefs, or God help me, will nowife interrupt or disturb our proceedings. As worldly cares and defires do often intrude and creep into our devotions, diftracting and defiling them; fo may fpiritual thoughts and holy affections

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- Εἰπὶ κατὰ διάνοιαν, Ελέησόν με, ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ ἀπήρτισαί σου ἡ εὐχή. Chryf. ibid.

infinuate themselves into and hallow our feculars E R M. tranfactions. This practice is very poffible, and it is XIV. no lefs expedient: for that if our employments be not thus feasoned, they can have no true life or favour in them; they will in themselves be dead and putrid, they will be foul and noifome, or at least flat and infipid unto us.

There are fome other good meanings of this precept, according to which holy Scripture (backed with good reafon) obligeth us to obferve it: but thofe, (together with the general inducements to the practice of this duty) that I may not farther now trespass on your patience, I fhall referve to another opportunity.

SERMON

SERMON XV.

Of the Duty of Prayer.

WH

I THESS. V. 17.

Pray without ceafing.

XV.

HAT the prayer here enjoined by St. Pauls ERM. doth import, and how by it univerfally all forts of devotion fhould be understood, we did for-merly discourse. How alfo according to divers fenfes (grounded in holy Scripture, and enforced by good reason,) we may perform this duty incessantly, we did then declare; five fuch fenfes we did mention and profecute: I shall now add two or three more, and press them.

VI. Praying then inceffantly may imply, that we do appoint certain times conveniently diftant for the practice of devotion, and carefully obferve them. To keep the Jews in a conftant exercise of divine worship, God did conftitute a facrifice, which was called Tamidh, (n dianavτos Juría) the continual facrifice.Dan.viii.11. And as that facrifice, being conftantly offered at fet Neh. x. 33. times, was thence denominated continual; so may we, by punctually observing fit returns of devotion, be faid to pray incessantly.

And great reafon there is that we should do fo. For we know that all perfons, who would not lead a loose and flattering life, but defign with good affurance

and

Heb. xiii. 5.

x.

SER M.and advantage to profecute an orderly courfe of xv. action, are wont to diftribute their time into several

parcels; affigning fome part thereof to the neceffary refection of their bodies, fome to the convenient relaxation of their minds, fome to the dispatch of their ordinary affairs, fome alfo to familiar converfation, and interchanging good offices with their friends ; confidering, that otherwife they fhall be uncertain, and unftable in all their ways. And in this diftribution of time devotion furely fhould not lack its share: it rather justly claimeth the choiceft portion to be allotted thereto, as being incomparably the nobleft part of our duty, and maineft concernment of our lives. The feeding our fouls and nourishing our fpiritual life, the refreshing our fpirits with thofe no lefs pleasant than wholefome exercises, the driving on our correfpondence and commerce with heaven, the improving our friendship and intereft with God, are affairs which above all others do beft deferve, and most need being fecured. They must not therefore be left at random, to be done by the by, as it hitteth by chance, or as the fancy taketh us. If we do not depute vacant feafons, and fix periodical returns for devotion, engaging ourselves by firm resolution, and inuring our minds by conftant ufage to the ftrict obfervance of them, fecluding from them, as from facred enclosures, all other bufineffes; we fhall often be dangerously tempted to neglect it, we fhall be commonly liftless to it, prone to defer it, eafily feduced from it by the encroachment of other affairs, or enticement of other pleasures. It is requifite that our fouls alfo (no lefs than our bodies) fhould have their meals, fettled at fuch intervals as the maintenance of their life, their health, their ftrength and vigour do require; that they may not perifh or

a Cur ipfi aliquid forenfibus negotiis, aliquid defideriis amicorum, aliquid rationibus domefticis, aliquid curæ corporis, nonnihil voluptati quotidie damus? Quint. i. 12.

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