The Practice of True Devotion; With an Office for the Holy Communion (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1811. Excerpt: ... 4. Want of Care, in avoiding little Faults. All these Things hinder our Union with God, and prevent that divine Relish we should otherwise sind in our Devotions. For ordinarily we are such in our Prayers, as we approve ourselves in the Course and Conduct os our Lives. Chap. xv. FOR MONDAY. Reading the Holy Scriptures, and other Books of Piety. That the Soul jhould he without Knowledge, the wife Alan tells us, is not good. Now how is this to be attained, but by searching into those Fountains, from whence it flows? In order to the regular Pra6Uce of our Duty, it is necessary our Minds should be acquainted with the true Principles of Religion and Virtue, which are laid down in the holy Scriptures, and farther explained and enforced by the judicious Writings of wife and good Men; so that they who neglect to apply themselves seriously to acquire necessary Knowledge, render themselves incapable of discharging discharging their Duty both to God and Man. The Goodness of God has manifested itself to us in so large a Measure, that we are not abandoned to the dim Light of our own Reason; but he has given us his holy Word to guide and direct us in the Path that leads to everlasting Life: these Revelations contain what is neceflary for us to believe and practise, and therefore we are obliged to learn and digest them. This appears, 1. From the Nature and Design of them. The great End and Design of writing the holy Scriptures, was to instruct Man in the Knowledge of true Religion, and to persuade and engifge him to the Practice of it. Whatever Things were written aforetime, were written for our Learning and our Admonition, that we might earnestly contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints. Rut how can the "Writing of it contribute to these Ends, if we do not se...