CHAPTER I.¹

_The Nature and Extent of Christian Devotion._

¹ By Letter 640, Volume II. page 144. it appears that this tract was written about _June 1748_.

CHRISTIAN devotion, signifies a life given or devoted to GOD; he consequently, and he alone, is the _devout man_, who lives no longer to his own will, or after the way and spirit of the world, but to the sole will of GOD; who considers GOD in every thing; who makes all the parts of his common life, as well as his more immediate religious exercises, parts of piety, by doing every thing in the name of JESUS CHRIST, and under such rules as are conducive to promote GOD’s glory.

Reason and scripture plainly evince the truth of this. For as there is but “one GOD and Father of us all,” whose glory gives light and life to every thing that lives; whose presence fills all places, whose power supports all beings, whose providence ruleth all events; so every thing that lives, whether in _heaven_ or _earth_, whether they be thrones or principalities, men or angels, they are all bound, by the laws of their creation, to live wholly to the praise and glory of this one God and Father of them all.

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 such a manner, and for such things, and with such ends as are suitable to his glory.

Now let any one but find out the reason why he is to be thus strictly pious in his prayers, and he will find the same, as strong a reason, why he is to be as strictly pious in all the other parts of his life: for were it not our strict duty to live by reason, and to devote all the actions of our lives to GOD; were it not absolutely necessary, and our highest privilege to walk before him in wisdom and holiness, and all heavenly conversation, doing every thing in his name, and for his glory, there would be no excellency and wisdom in the most heavenly prayers. Nay, such prayers would be absurdities, they would be like praying for wings, when it was no part of our duty to fly.

Again, we readily acknowledge, that _Clergymen_ must live wholly unto GOD in one particular way, in the exercise of _holy offices_; in the ministration of prayers and sacraments, and a zealous distribution of spiritual things: but men of other employments, are in their particular ways as much obliged to act as the servants of GOD, and to live wholly unto him in their several callings. For as all christians are by their baptism devoted to GOD, and made professors of holiness; so are they all in their several callings, to live as holy and heavenly persons; doing every thing in _common life_, only in such a manner as it may be received by GOD, as a service done to him.

Further, it will be readily acknowledged on all sides, that angels, whether they are principalities or powers, must all with one spirit, live wholly to the praise and glory of the one GOD and Father of them all; and that it is not allowable for, or becoming them, to act below the dignity of their proper state. And is not a devout life, and a wise use of our proper condition, as much the duty of all _christians_, as it is the duty of _angels_ and celestial beings? Our blessed Saviour has cleared up this point, by making this petition a constant part of all our prayers, “Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” A plain proof, that the obedience of _christians_, is to imitate at least the obedience of _angels_; and that rational beings on earth, are to be wholly devoted unto GOD, in like manner as rational beings in heaven are devoted to him.

These are not speculative flights, or imaginary notions, but are plain and undeniable truths, founded in the very nature of rational beings, and upon the infallible testimony of the lively oracles of GOD.

It is but barely complying with that apostolical precept, “Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of GOD.” For no one can come near the doctrine of this passage, but he that proposes to himself to do every thing in this life, as a servant of GOD; to live by reason in every thing that he does; and to make the wisdom and holiness of the gospel, and the glory of GOD, the rule and measure of his desiring and using every gift of GOD.

Eating is one of the lowest actions of our lives; it is common to us with mere animals: yet we see, that this text, as well as by the practice of christians in all ages, has turned this ordinary action of an animal life, into an act of piety to GOD, by making every meal to begin and end with devotion.

Some remains of this custom are yet to be seen in most christian families; but indeed it is now generally so performed, as to look more like a mockery upon devotion, than any solemn application of the mind unto GOD. However, these very remains, such as they are, are proofs, that religion has formerly belonged to this, and consequently to every other part of common life.

But to return. The same Apostle, in his epistle to the _Ephesians_, commands servants “to be obedient to their masters in singleness of heart, as unto CHRIST; not with eye service, as men-pleasers, but as the servants of CHRIST, doing the will of GOD from the heart: with good-will doing service as unto the LORD, and not unto men.” This passage sufficiently shews, that all christians are to live wholly unto GOD, in every state and condition of life, doing the work of their common calling in such a manner, and for such ends, as to make it a part of their devotion or service to GOD. For if _poor slaves_ are not to comply with their business as men-pleasers; if they are to look wholly unto GOD in all their actions, and serve in singleness of heart, as unto the LORD; surely men of other employments and conditions, must be as much obliged to go through their business with the same singleness of heart, not as pleasing the vanity of their own minds, nor as gratifying their own selfish, worldly passions, but as the servants of GOD in all that they have to do. To deny this, would be as absurd, as to make it necessary for one man to be more just or faithful than another.

To close these arguments founded on reason and scripture. Our being indispensably obliged to devote our lives to GOD, is very evident from that glorious passage of the Apostle, wherein he declares that “CHRIST died and rose again, that we should henceforth not live unto ourselves, but unto him that died for us; that we are not our own, but bought with a price,” emphatically so called, and that we should “therefore glorify GOD in our souls and bodies which are his.”

If then we desire to live as rational creatures, if we would not add _heathen lives_ to christian prayers, if we would perform our baptismal vow, and do GOD’s will on earth as it is done in heaven; if we would comply with the whole will of GOD, and answer the end of our blessed LORD’s birth, death, resurrection, and ascension, we must live wholly to GOD, and make his glory the sole rule and measure of our acting in every employment of life.

For want of knowing, or at least of considering this, we see such a mixture of ridicule in the lives of many people. You see them strict as to some times and places of devotion; but when the service of the church is over, they are like those who seldom or never come there. In their way of life, their manner of spending both time and money, in their cares and fears, in their pleasures and indulgences, in their labours and diversions, they are like the rest of the world. This makes the loose part of the world generally make a jest of those that are thus seemingly devout; not altogether it may be because they are really devoted to GOD, but because they appear to have no other devotion, but that of occasional prayers.

_Julius_ is very fearful of missing prayers; all the parish suppose _Julius_ to be sick, if he is not at church. But if you ask him, why he spends the rest of his time by humour or _chance_? Why he is busy at all balls and assemblies? Why he gives himself up to an idle gossipping conversation? If you ask him, why he never puts his conversation, his time, and fortune, under the rules of religion? _Julius_ has no more to say for himself, than the most disorderly person. For he that lives in such a course of idleness and folly, lives no more according to the religion of JESUS CHRIST, than he who lives in gluttony and intemperance.

Our blessed Saviour and his Apostles did not spend their whole ministry in recommending the duties of public and private prayers; though by their example and precepts they recommended and enforced both; but it is worthy our observation, that after they had laid down a lively faith in GOD’s mercy through JESUS CHRIST, as the foundation, they were chiefly taken up in delivering doctrines which relate to common life. For they call upon us “to renounce the world, so as not to be conformed to it: To fear none of its evils, to reject its joys, and have no value for its happiness: To be as _new-born babes_, that are born into a new state of things; to live as _pilgrims_, in spiritual watching, in holy fear, and heavenly aspirations after another life: To take up our daily cross, to deny ourselves, to profess the blessedness of holy mourning, and poverty of spirit: To reject the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, so as not to follow or be led by them: To take no anxious thought for the morrow; to live in the profoundest state of humility; to rejoice in worldly sufferings and injuries, when it pleases GOD to bring them upon us; to forgive and bless our enemies, and to love mankind in the same manner, though not degree, as GOD loves them. In short, to give up our whole hearts and affections to GOD, even a GOD in CHRIST, and to strive to enter through the strait gate of a sound conversion into a life of eternal glory.”

This is the _common devotion_, which our blessed Saviour and his Apostles taught, in order to make it the common life of all christians. But yet, though it is thus plain, that this, and this alone, is true christianity, yet it is as plain, that there is little or nothing of this to be found, not only among professed rakes, but even among the better and more sober sort of people. You may see them often at public worship, and the LORD’s table, and hear them talking of grace and religion, and find them pleased with orthodox preachers; but look into their lives, and you see them just the same sort of people as others are, who make no pretences to devotion at all. So that the difference that you find between them, seems to be only the difference of natural tempers, or the effect of a polite and civilized education.

_Leo_ has a great deal of good nature, has kept what they call good company, hates every thing that is false and base, is very generous and brave to his friends, but has concerned himself so little with religion, that he hardly knows the difference between a _Jew_ and a christian.

_Eusebius_, on the other hand, has had early impressions of religion, sometimes prays extempore, and buys books of devotion, and receives the blessed sacrament once a month. He can talk of all the doctrines of grace, is acquainted with the true state of the controversy between the _Calvinists_ and _Arminians_, knows all the feasts and fasts of the church, and the names of most men that have been eminent for piety. You never hear him swear, or make a loose jest, and when he talks of religion, he talks of it, as a matter of the last concern.

Here you see, that one person has religion enough, according to the way of the world, to be reckoned a _pious christian_; and the other is so far from all appearance of religion, that he may fairly be reckoned an _heathen_; and yet if you look into their common life, you will find _Eusebius_ and _Leo_ exactly alike; seeking, using, and enjoying, all that can be gotten in this world, in the same manner, and for the same ends, even to please themselves, without any prevailing habitual regard to the glory of GOD. You will find that riches, prosperity, pleasures, indulgences, state, equipage, and honour, are just as much the happiness of _Eusebius_, as they are of _Leo_.

And must not all who are capable of any reflection, readily acknowledge, that this is generally the state even of what we commonly term _devout people_, whether men or women? You may see them different from some others, as to times and places of worship, receiving the sacrament, and with a doctrinal knowledge of the form of sound words; but usually like the rest of the world in all the other parts of their lives. Is it not notorious, that christians are now not only like other men in their frailties and infirmities, (this might be in some degree excusable, since the scriptures inform us, that _Elijah_ was a man of like passions with others) but are they not like heathens, in all the main and chief articles of their lives? Do they not enjoy the world, and live every day with the same indulgence as they did who knew not GOD, nor of any happiness in another life?

And yet, if christianity has not changed a man’s mind and temper, with relation to these things, what can we say that it has done for him? For if the doctrines of christianity were universally practised, they would make a man as different from other people, as to all worldly tempers, sensual pleasures, and the pride of life, as a wise man is different from an ideot; and it would be almost as easy a thing to know a true professor of christianity, by his outward course of life, as it is now difficult to find any body that lives it.