and thereby make them unfit to act in the World, and to difcharge the Duties of their Station. It cannot be denied but that the false Devotion of Some may be liable to this Blame, but it is by no means the Effect of a true Devotion. Tho the Converfation of the Soul with GOD be the great End as well as the chief Delight of a Chriftian Life, yet by carrying Men inward, it does not unfit them for an outward Life, but it cleanses first the Heart that the outward Actions may be clean also: And they who have neglected this Method, have reason to fear that that how beautiful or great Joever their Actions may appear in the fight of Men, they are in the fight of God but impure Streams of a polluted Fountain. 'Tis in Devotion that we receive Light, and Strength, and Power to acquit our selves well of the Duties of our Station and Calling, 'tis by that we acquire a Dexterity and Quickness in the Management and Dispatch of Affairs; 'tis that which gives us an inward Peace and Calmness in doing them, The Prince of Conti fpent much Time in Meditation, Prayer, and Reading, yet no Man more inviolably obferv'd the Duties of his Rank and Station, or more exactly perform'd all that these required of him. He look'd upon this as an indispensable Obligation, and tells us, That it is very possible that one who has been a most devout private Man may yet be damn'd for not having performed the Duties of his Station: Some Perfons are mighty Zealous for the Worship of the Temple, as if all Religion Religion consisted in Exteriour Duties; like the Jews of old always crying, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, tho, like them, they neglect to prepare for the Lord his true Temple their Hearts, in which he delights to dwell. The Prince of Conti was a most diligent and exact Observer of all the Exteriour Duties of Religion, but he made them ferve to promote the Interiour Worship of the Heart; and when they do not advance this, fo that we our felves become the Temple of the Living GOD and that the Spirit of Gop b4 dwell 1 : dwell in us, they are no acceptable Service unto him. Others again, who are fenfible of the unprofitableness of these Exercises when rested in, and not made serviceable to the Interiour Worship of the Heart, are apt to neglect the Exteriour Duties of Religion, because Religion does not confift in them. This is but Shunning one Rock to Split on another. The Prince of Conti, who truly worship'd GOD in the Heart, did not yet neglect these Exteriour Duties, but it was rather by means of them that he attain'd the o ther. Tis true we have the |