If a man was to confess that his _eyes_ were bad, his hands weak, his feet feeble, and his body helpless; he would not be angry with those that supposed he was not in perfect strength. Yet _Julius_ confesses himself to be in great weakness, corruption, disorder, and infirmity; and yet is angry at any one that does but suppose him defective in any virtue. Is it not the same thing as if he had said “you must not imagine that I am in earnest in my devotions”? VII. To live in true devotion, we must daily consider the end and hope of our calling, that all worldly passions and desires may be swallowed up in one great desire of future glory. This devotion to God is signified in scripture, by living _by faith and not by sight_, when the invisible things of the other life, are the reason, the motive, and the measure of all our desires and tempers. And those who thus tend to God in all their motion and desires, are devout every where. This makes their common actions acts of religion, and turns every place into a _chapel_. And it is to this devotion we are all called, not only by particular precepts, but by the whole nature and tenour of our religion. VIII. Now, as all states and tempers of the mind must be supported by actions and exercises suitable to them; so devotion, which is an earnest application of the soul to God, as its only happiness, must be supported and kept alive by actions and exercises suitable to it. The devotion of the heart disposes us to observe set times of prayer; and, on the other hand, set times of prayer increase and enliven the devotion of the heart. It is thus in all other cases: habits of the mind dispose us to actions suitable to them; and these actions strengthen and improve the habits from whence they proceed. *It is the habitual taste for _music_ that carries people to _concerts_; and again, it is _concerts_ that increase the habitual love of _music_: so it is the right disposition of the heart towards God that leads people to outward acts of prayer; and, on the other side, outward acts of prayer preserve and strengthen the right disposition of the heart towards God. As therefore we are to judge of the significancy of our prayers, by looking to the state and temper of our heart; so are we also to judge of the state of our heart by the _frequency_, _constancy_, and _importunity_ of our prayers. For as we are sure that our prayers are insignificant, unless they proceed from a right heart; so unless our prayers be _frequent_, _constant_, and full of _importunity_, we may be sure our heart is not right towards God.