A Saint Indeed

Reader, methinks I should prevail with ⟨p. 192⟩thee; all that I beg for is but this, that thou wouldst step aside a little oftener to talk with God, and thine own heart, that thou wouldst not suffer every trifle to divert thee, that thou wouldest keep a more true and faithful account of thy thoughts and affections: that thou wouldst but seriously demand of thine own heart, at least every evening, O my heart where hast thou been to day? whether hast thou made a rode to day? if all that hath been said by way of inducement be not enough, I have yet more motives to offer you: and the first is this.

Reader, methinks I should prevail with ⟨p. 192⟩thee; all that I beg for is but this, that thou wouldst step aside a little oftner to talk with God, and thine own heart, that thou wouldst not suffer every trifle to divert thee, that thou wouldest keep a more true and faithful account of thy thoughts and affections: that thou wouldst but seriously demand of thine own heart, at least every evening, O my heart where hast thou been to day? whether hast thou made a rode to day? if all that hath been said by way of induccment be not enough, I have yet more motives to offer you: and the first is this.

1. Motive. The studying, observing, and diligent keeping of your own hearts will marvellously help your understanding in the deep mysteries of Religion.

An honest well experienced heart is a singular help to a weak head, such a heart will serve you in stead of a Commentary upon a great part of the Scriptures: by this means you shall far better understand the things of God than the learned Rabbis and profound Doctors (if graceless and unexperienced) ever did, you shall not only have a more clear, but a more sweet perception and gust of them: a man may discourse orthodoxly and