Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/39

 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,  &amp;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,