Spiritual Perfection; 6. The ferious, confiant and delight- ful performance of Religious Duties in fecret, is a fare teftimony of a holy and heavenly Spirit. The Duties of Prayer and Praife in fociety, are perform'd ma- ny times from cuftom, and falfe refpeas to the eyes of Men ; and are faihional without the exercife of holy Affeaions, the life of thofe Duties. Our Saviour tells us, That the light of the Body is the Eye, if thine Eye be evil, thy whole Body is full of darknef : Without purity of Intention, our Religion, tho' varniíh'd with a fpecious appearance, is vain. But the exercife of Religion conceal'd from publick view, is not lyable to the temp- tations of Vanity. Our Saviour come mands us to pray in fecret , and be that fees in fecret, ¡ball reward sis openly. The fecrecy contributes to the free exercife of holy AffeEions in that Duty. The Pro- phet feremy tells the obftinate Yews, If ye will not hear, my Soul ¡ball weep in Je- cret places for your Bride, and mine Eye ¡ball weep fore, and run down with tears, becaufe the Lord's flock is carried away in- to captivity. His Sorrow was not coun- terfeit or Mallow, but Eyes and Heart were engaged ; the privacy contributed to themeafure. 'Tis true, there may be formality in fecret Duties ; a Prayer may be repeated Y4 in 327 er. 13? iry.
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