day espied and pitied by a lord of Italy, who out of tenderness wished him to be more careful and nutritive of his person. The good duke answered, Sir, be not troubled, and think not that I am ill provided for conveniences, for I send an harbinger before me, who makes ready my lodgings, and takes care that I be royally entertained. The lord asked him who was his harbinger? He answered, The knowledge of myself, and the consideration of what I deserve for my sins, which is eternal torments; and when with this knowledge I arrive at my lodging, how unprovided soever I find it, methinks it is even better than I deserve. Why doth the living man complain? And thus the heart may be kept from desponding or repining under adversity.

[The remaining chapters are: 3. How the heart may be supported in time of Zion's troubles; 4. How it may be preserved from fears in public dangers; 5. How it may be kept from repining when outward wants are either felt or feared; 6. How it may be kept from vain thoughts in religious duties; 7. How it may be kept from revengeful motions under injuries; 8. How it may be kept meek and patient under great provocations; 9. How it may be kept when tempted, from yielding to the temptations; 10. How it may be kept from sad conclusions in dark and doubting seasons; 11. How it may be kept from relapsing under sufferings for religion; 12. How it may be reconciled to death in time of sickness.]

A Prayer of S. Weiss

O God, our Lord, the Stay of all them that put their trust in thee, wherever thou leadest we would go, for thy ways are perfect wisdom and love. Even when we walk through the dark valley, thy light can shine into our hearts and guide us safely through the night of sorrow. Be thou our Friend, and we need ask no more in heaven or earth; for thou art the comfort of all who trust in thee, the help and defense of all who hope in thee. O Lord, we would be thine; let us never fall away from thee. We would accept all things without murmuring from thy hand, for whatever thou dost is right. Blend our wills with thine, and then we need fear no evil nor death itself, for all things must work together for our good. Lord keep us in thy love and truth; comfort us with thy light, and guide us by thy Holy Spirit. AMEN.

SELECTIONS FROM

Reason and Religion

or

The Grounds and Measures of

Devotion

Considered From the Nature of God, and the Nature of Man

In Several Contemplations

With Exercises of Devotion Applied to Every Contemplation

BY

JOHN NORRIS, M.A.

JOHN NORRIS

English clergyman and one of the most prolific writers of his time, was born at CollingbourneKingston, Wiltshire, 1657; died at Bemerton, Wiltshire, 1711. He was educated at Winchester School and Exeter College, Oxford (B. A., 1680), and was later appointed a fellow of All Souls' (M. A., 1684). From 1692 until his death he was rector of Bemerton, the parish earlier held by George Herbert. His works represent the teaching of Plato and Malebranche. In his "Essay towards the Theory of an Ideal and Intelligible World" (1701-4) he combatted Locke's theories. Among his other works may be mentioned "Reason and Religion, or the Grounds and Measures of Devotion . . . in several Contemplations, with Exercises of Devotion applied to every Contemplation," 1689; "A Philosophical Discourse Concerning the Natural Immortality of the Soul," 1708. His most popular work is "A Collection of Miscellanies, consisting of Poems, Essays, Discourses, and Letters," Oxford, 1687.

Reason and Religion; or, The Grounds

and Measures of Devotion

[The author's method is to discuss certain themes, to show the value of the conclusions to devotion, and then to sum up the discussion and express it devotionally in "The Aspirations," which last are given below, together with the themes to which they are related. The author's view of devotion, contemplation, and knowledge is given in the three selections from the Introduction.]

[The original spelling has been retained in this selection.]

PART I

Introduction

VIII

By devotion here I do not meerly understand that special disposition or act of the soul, whereby we warmly and passionately address ourselves to God in prayer (which is what is commonly meant by devotion); but I use the word in a greater latitude, so as to comprehend under it faith, hope, love, fear, trust, humility, submission, honour, reverence, adoration, thanksgiving, in a word, all that duty which we owe to God. Nor by this acceptation do I stretch the word beyond what either from its rise it may or, by frequent use among the learned, it does signifie. Devo