read what is good; but none but the good can read in a good manner; that is, with care to make the holiness of their life harmonise with the holiness of the words. Be sure, then, in short, to feel in thy heart what thou hast upon thy lips, lest it be said likewise to thyself — This people honours me with their lips , but their heart is far from me. Or, Why dost thou declare my justices, &c.?
For what is prayer but the elevation of the mind to God? But how can the mind be in heaven when its morality wallows in the mire?
Again, prayer is commonly divided into mental and vocal . This be careful not to understand, as though vocal prayer consisted in the office of the voice or of the lips alone; for even in this, if not actually, the presence of the mind is, at least, virtually and habitually required.
For what is prayer without the mind, but chaff without grain, bark without sap, a lamp without oil, flowers without fruit, a body without a soul? They utterly deceive themselves who imagine that God is to be wrought upon by words, however fair, fine, or even holy. God is a spirit, and is to be adored in spirit.
But here it may be said, To what purpose, then, are words, ceremonies, and rites? What, but to stir up men’s minds; for this alone is what God regards. Behold the brothers, Cain and Abel: God saw them both make their offering; but the difference of spirit in the offerers caused him to distinguish between the gifts and the merits of each, so that he may be said to have regarded the sacrifice of Abel only.
The three objects of attention in vocal prayer— viz., God, the words, and the sense of the words— are well known. It is no part of my purpose at present to treat at length of the doctrine of prayer. This requires a separate treatise; the most necessary part of which the good reader will find in the Colloquy of the First Part. But as vocal prayer is not in such favour with many as it ought to be, I have deemed it not irrelevant to make some brief remarks upon it before entering upon the Paradise.
Vocal prayer, then, is of two kinds— public and private. To the one belongs ecclesiastical psalmody, or the Canonical Hours; to the other, those arbitrary prayers which are either made by all for themselves, or adopted, when made by others. Our present purpose is to lay down some rules necessary and profitable for the latter, but, at the same time,
