A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life

For there is nothing that makes us love a man so much, as praying for him.

Quoted on July 2, 2025

And as physic may justly be called the art of restoring health, so education should be considered in no other light, than as the art of recovering to man the use of his reason.

Quoted on July 2, 2025

... you should chant or sing one of those psalms, which we commonly call the reading-psalms; for singing is as much the proper use of psalm, as devout supplication is the proper use of a form of prayer; and a psalm only read is very much like a prayer that is only looked over.

Quoted on July 2, 2025

How wise might Classicus have been, and how much good might he have done in the world, if he had but thought as justly of devotion as he does of learning!

Quoted on July 2, 2025

When, therefore, you have once habituated your heart to a serious performance of this holy intercession, you have done a great deal to render it incapable of spite and envy, and to make it naturally delight in the happiness of all mankind. This is the natural effect of a general intercession for all mankind. But the greatest benefits of it are then received, when it descends to such particular instances as our state and condition in life more particularly require of us.

Quoted on July 2, 2025

And if you will here stop and ask yourself why you are not as pious as the primitive Christians were, your own heart will tell you that it is neither through ignorance nor inability, but purely because you never thoroughly intended it.

Quoted on July 2, 2025

It was this general intention that made the primitive Christians such eminent instances of piety, that made the goodly fellowship of the saints, and all the glorious army of martyrs and confessors. And if you will here stop and ask yourself why you are not as pious as the primitive Christians were, your own heart will tell you that it is neither through ignorance nor inability, but purely because you never thoroughly intended it. You observe the same Sunday-worship that they did ; and you are strict in it, because it is your full intention to be so. And when you as fully intend to be like them in their ordinary common life, when you intend to please God in all your actions, you will find it as possible as to be strictly exact in the ser- vice of the church. And when you have this intention to please God in ail your actions, as the happiest and best thing in the world, you will find in you as great an aversion to every thing that is vain and impertinent in common life, whether of business or pleasure, as you now have to any thing that is profane. You will be as fearful of living in any foolish way, either of spending your time or your fortune, as you are now fearful of neglecting the public worship.

Quoted on July 2, 2025

For, after we have satisfied our own sober and reasonable wants, all the rest of our money is but like spare eyes or hands; it is something that we cannot keep to ourselves without being foolish in the use of it, something that can only be used well by giving it to those that want it.

Quoted on July 2, 2025

But, Fulvius, you are a rational creature, and as such are as much oblised to live according to reason and order as a priest is obliged to attend at the altar, or a guardian to be faithful to his trust ; if you live contrary to reason, you do not commit a small crime, you do not break a small trust ; but you break the law of your nature, you rebel against God who gave you that nature, and rank yourself amongst those whom the God of reason and order will punish as apostates and deserters.

Quoted on July 2, 2025