Strahan and Prefton, Printers-Street, London.

PRACTICAL PIETY;

OR,

THE INFLUENCE

OF THE

RELIGION OF THE HEART

ON THE

CONDUCT OF THE LIFE.

BY HANNAH MORE.

The fear of God begins with the Heart, and purifies and rectifies
it; and from the Heart, thus rectified, grows a conformity in the
Life, the Words, and the Actions.

Sir Matthew Hale's Contemplations.

THE SIXTH EDITION,

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. I.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR T. CADELL AND W. DAVIES,

IN THE STRAND.

PREFACE.

AN eminent Profeffor of our own time modeftly declared that he taught chemistry in order that he might learn it. The writer of the following pages might, with far more justice, offer a fimilar declaration, as an apology for fo repeatedly treating on the important topics of religion and morals.

Abafhed by the equitable precept,

Let thofe teach others who themselves excel

she is aware, how fairly fhe is putting it in the power of the reader, to afk, in the fearching words of an eminent old Prelate,

They that speak thus and advise thus, do they do thus?" She can defend herself in no other way, than by adopting for a reply the words of the fame venerable Divine, which immediately follow-"O that it Yet although it be but little

were not too true.

A 3

little that is attained, the very aim is right, and fomething there is that is done by it. It is better to have fuch thoughts and defires, than altogether to give them up; and the very defire, if it be ferious and fincere, may fo much change the habitude of the foul and life, that it is not to be despised."

The world does not require fo much to be informed as reminded. A remembrancer may be almost as useful as an inftructor; if his office be more humble, it is fcarcely lefs neceffary. The man whofe employment it was, ftatedly to proclaim in the ear of Philip, REMEMBER THAT THOU ART MORTAL, ,had his plain admonition been allowed to make its due impreffion, might have produced a more falutary effect on the royal Ufurper, than the impaffioned orations of his immortal affailant

whose refiftless eloquence Shook th' arsenal, and fulmined over Greece, To Macedon and Artaxerxes' throne,

While the orator boldly strove to check the ambition, and arrest the injustice of the