Sociable Letters 243 



knows our thoughts, minds and souls, better than, 

 we do our selves ? Christ did not teach us long prayers, 

 but a short one, nay, if it were lawful for men to 

 simihze God to his creatures (which I think it is not), 

 God might be tired with long and tedious petitions 

 or often repetitions; but, Madam, good deeds are 

 better than good words, in so much as one good deed 

 is better than a thousand good words. As for example, 

 one act of upright justice, or pure charity, is better 

 than a book full of prayers, a temperate life is better 

 many times than a praying life; for we may be 

 intemperate even in our prayers, as to be superstitious 

 or idolatrous. Indeed every good deed is a prayer, for 

 we do good for God's sake, as being pleasing to Him, 

 for a chaste, honest, just, charitable, temperate life 

 is a devout life, and worldly labour is devout, as to 

 be honestly industrious to get and prudent to thrive, 

 that one may have wherewithal to give; for there 

 is no poor beggar, but had rather a penny than a 

 blessing, for they will tell you, that they shall starve 

 with Dieu vous assiste, but be relieved with a denar. 

 Wherefore the Lady P. Y. with her much fasting and 

 long praying will starve her self, and waste her life 

 out before the natural time, which will be a kind of 

 self-murder, and we hold self-murder the greatest 

 sinn, although it should be done in a pious form or 

 manner ; but to help a friend in distress is better and 

 more acceptable, than to pray for a friend in distress, 

 to relieve a beggar in want, is better than to pray for 

 him, to attend the sick is better than to pray for the 

 sick; but, you will say, both do well, I say it is well 

 said, and well when it is done, but the one must not 

 hinder the other, wherefore we ought not to leave the 

 world to pray, but to live in the world to act, as to 

 act to good uses, and 'tis not enough to give for the 



