ly, to rejoice in God, and to confide in his friendship. Hence a certain preparation is requisite, for the enjoyment of devotion in its whole extent. Not only must the life be reformed from gross enormities, but the heart must have undergone that change which the Gospel demands. A competent knowledge of God must be acquired. A proper

foundation must be laid in faith and repentance, for intercourse with Heaven,

They who would rush all at once from the arms of the world, into the secret retreat of devotion ; they who imagine that retreat to stand always ready for the reception of such as betake themselves to it, for no reason, but because every other refuge excludes them, betray gross ignorance of this part of religion. They bring to it, faculties unqualified to taste its pleasures ; and they grasp at hopes, to which they are not entitled. By incorporating with devotion, the unnatural mixture of their unsanctified passions, they defile and corrupt it. Hence that gloom which has often spread over it. Hence those superstitious mortifications and austerities, by which the falsely devout hope to purchase favour from God; haunted by the terrors of a guilty conscience, and vainly struggling to substitute a servile and cringing homage, in the room of

;

the pure affections of a renewed heart. On such altars the hallowing fire of true devotion cannot burn; nor can any incense ascend from them, that shall be grateful to Heaven. Bring no more vain oblations. Wash ye, make you clean, put away the evil of your dings from before mine eyes, saith the Lord. Cease to do evil; learn to do well. Then draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.

But though devotion requires a pure heart, and a virtuous life, and necessarily supposes the exercise of retirement, I must observe,

In the third place, That it is an error to conceive it as requiring an entire retreat from the world. Devotion, like every other branch of religion, was intended to fit us for discharging the duties of life. We serve God by being useful to one another. It is evident from the frame of our nature, and from our common necessities and wants, that we are designed by Providence for an active part on this earth. The Gospel of Christ, accordingly, considers us engaged in the concerns of the world; and directs its exhortations to men, in all the various relations, characters, and employments of civil life. Abstraction from society, therefore, and total de

dication of our time to devout exercises, c be the most proper method of acquirir. favour of God.

I mean not, however, to throw any blame on those, who, having lost all relish for the ordinary pursuits of life, in consequence of severe wounds which they have received from affliction; who, being left to stand alone, and discerning their connections with the world to be in some measure broken off, choose to seek tranquillity in a religious retirement, and to consecrate their days entirely to God, Situations sometimes occur, which both justify a great degree of retreat from the world, and entitle it to respect. But with regard to the bulk of mankind, Christian devotion neither requires nor implies any such sequestration from the affairs of men, Nay, for the most part, it will be cultivated with greater success, by those who mingle it with the active employments of life. For the mind, when entirely occupied by any one object, is in hazard of viewing it at last through a false medium. Objects especially, so great and so sublime as those of devotion, when we attempt to fix upon them unremitting attention, overstretch and disorder our feeble powers. The mind, by being relaxed, returns to them with more advan

the pure affections of a renewed heart. On such altars the hallowing fire of true devotion cannot burn; nor can any incense ascend from them, that shall be grateful to Heaven. Bring no more vain oblations. Wash ye, make you clean, put away the evil of your dings from before mine eyes, saith the Lord. Cease to do evil; learn to do well. Then draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.

But though devotion requires a pure heart, and a virtuous life, and necessarily supposes the exercise of retirement, I must observe,

In the third place, That it is an error to conceive it as requiring an entire retreat from the world. Devotion, like every other branch of religion, was intended to fit us for discharging the duties of life. We serve God by being useful to one another. It is evident from the frame of our nature, and from our common necessities and wants, that we are designed by Providence for an active part on this earth. The Gospel of Christ, accordingly, considers us engaged in the concerns of the world; and directs its exhortations to men, in all the various relations, characters, and employments of civil life. Abstraction from society, therefore, and total de

dication of our time to devout exercises, cannot be the most proper method of acquiring the favour of God.

I mean not, however, to throw any blame on those, who, having lost all relish for the ordinary pursuits of life, in consequence of severe wounds which they have received from affliction ; who, being left to stand alone, and discerning their connections with the world to be in some measure broken off, choose to seek tranquillity in a religious retirement, and to consecrate their days entirely to God, Situations sometimes occur, which both justify a great degree of retreat from the world, and entitle it to respect. But with regard to the bulk of mankind, Christian devotion neither requires nor implies any such sequestration from the affairs of men, Nay, for the most part, it will be cultivated with greater success, by those who mingle it with the active employments of life. For the mind, when entirely occupied by any one object, is in hazard of viewing it at last through a false medium. Objects especially, so great and so sublime as those of devotion, when we attempt to fix upon them unremitting attention, overstretch and disorder our feeble powers. The mind, by being relaxed, returns to them with more advan