10. Again, as it is an easy thing to worship God with forms of words, and to observe times of offering them unto him, so it is the smallest kind of piety. And, on the other hand, as it is more difficult to worship God with our substance, to honour him with the right use of our time, to offer to him the continual sacrifice of self-denial and mortification; as it requires more piety to eat and drink only for such ends as may glorify God, to undertake no labour, nor allow of any diversion, but where we can act in the name of God; as it is most difficult to sacrifice all our corrupt tempers, and make piety to God the rule and measure of all the actions of our common life; so the devotion of this kind is a much more acceptable service to God, than those words of devotion which we offer to him either in the _church_ or in our _closet_. Every sober reader will easily perceive, that I don’t intend to lessen the value of prayers, either public or private; but only to shew him, that they are but a very slender part of devotion, when compared to a devout life. 11. *To see this in a yet clearer light, let us suppose a person to have appointed times for praising God with psalms and hymns, and to be strict in the observation of them; let it be supposed also, that in his common life he is restless and uneasy, full of murmurings and complaints at every thing, never pleased but by chance, but murmuring and repining at the very seasons, and having something to dislike in every thing that happens to him. Now, can you conceive any thing more absurd and unreasonable, than such a character as this? Is such a one to be reckoned _thankful_ to God, because he has _forms of praise_ which he offers to him? Nay, is it not certain, that such forms of praise must be so far from being an acceptable devotion to God, that they must be an abomination? Now the absurdity which you see in this instance, is the same in any other part of our life. If our _common life_ hath any contrariety to our prayers, it is the same abomination, as songs of thanksgiving in the mouths of murmurers. Bended knees, whilst you are cloathed with pride: heavenly petitions, whilst you are hoarding up treasures upon earth; holy devotions, whilst you live in the follies of the world; prayers of meekness and charity, whilst your heart is the seat of spite and resentment; hours of prayer, whilst you give up days and years to idle diversions, impertinent visits, and foolish pleasures, are as unacceptable a service to God, as forms of thanksgiving from a person that lives in repinings and discontent. So that unless the common course of our lives be according to the common spirit of our prayers, our prayers are so far from being a sufficient degree of devotion, that they become an empty lip-labour; or, what is worse, a notorious hypocrisy.