THE PRACTICE TRUE DEVOTION, IN RELATION TO THE END, AS WELL AS THE MEANS, ΟΡ RELIGION. WITH AN OFFICE FOR THE HOLY COMMUNION. Great Peace have they that love thy Law, and nothing shall offend Dum beatam quærunt vitam, beatam agunt; et dum adhue am BY ROBERT NELSON, ESQ. THE TWENTY-THIRD EDITION. TO WHICH IS ADDED, THE CHARACTER OF THE AUTHOR. London : PRINTED FOR F. C. AND J. RIVINGTON, By Law and Gilbert, St. John's Square, Clerkenwell, THE PREFACE. THE prefent divided State of Christianity, is fo melancholy a Confideration to all Pious and Good Men, who thoroughly apprehend the dreadful Confequences of it; that they do not more frequently lament, than they do moft fervently beg of GoD a fovereign Remedy for those unhappy Divifions that prevail in the World; and labour as earnestly in their feveral Stations to fuggeft fuch Methods as may prove most effectual to preferve the Unity of the Faith; und may have the greateft Tendency to reconcile the Minds of Men to one another. It is but too manifeft, that among the many visible ill Effects of Parties, we may reasonably reckon, as a very confiderable one, the great Decay of the Spirit and Life of Devotion; for while Men are fo deeply concerned for their feveral Schemes, and pursue them with the Vigour of their Minds, and the Bent of their Affections; the folid and fubftantial Part of Religion is apt to ecaporate; and " Charity, the very Bond of Peace and of all Virtues, without which whofoever livethis counteddead before GOD," is but too frequently made a Sacrifice to thofe Differences that divide us. forbear contending for Not that any fhould the Faith once delivered to the Saints, Jude, ver. 3. according to the Exhortation of the holy Apoftle; but that they should remember, as the fame infpired Writer advifes, when they build up themselves on their moft holy Faith, that they pray in the Holy Ghoft, and keep them felves in the Love of God; looking for the Mercy of our Lord JESUS CHRIST unto eternal Life, ver. 20, 21. In order therefore to give fome Stop to this growing Evil, the following Method of Devotion is recommended to the conftant Practice of all fuch Chriftians, who are not willing to content themselves with only a Form of Godliness; and who are not defirous to be found among the Number of those that go fuch a fauntering Pace towards Heaven, as if they were indifferent whether they arrived or not at thofe Manfions of Blifs: The Defign whereof is to fix in their Minds the great Duties of Religion, and to give them Hints how to exercise the fame in their Thoughts, Words, and Actions; and moreover to press them to a frequent and serious Ufe of the Means of Grace, with that Aim and Purpose that they may be transformed by the renewing of their Minds. |