Object. 3. But I find such a coJidition Jull of temptations ^ a save clog in the way to heaven.
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Sol Every condition in the world hath its clogs and attending temptations ; and were you in a prosperous condition, you might there meet with more temptations and fewer advantages than you now have : For though I confess poverty hath its temptations as well as prosperity, yet I am confident prosperity hath not these excellent ad- vantages that poverty hath : For here you have an opportunity to discover the sincerity of your love to God, when you can live upon him, and find enough in him, and constantly follow him, even when all external inducements and motives fail. And thus I have shewed you how to keep your hearts from the temptations and dangers at^ tending a poor and low condition in the world, when want pinches, and the heart begins to sink, then improve and bless God for these helps to keep it.
Season 6. ' The sixth season of expressing this diligence in keeping * the heart, is the season of duty ; when we draw nigh to God in ' public, private, or secret duties, then it is time to look to the heart ; ' for the vanity of the heart seldom discovers itself more than at such ' times. How oft doth the poor soul cry out, O Lord ! how fain ' would I serve thee, but vain thoughts will not let me; I came to ' open my heart to thee, to delight my soul in communion with thee, ' but my corruptions have set upon me ; Lord, call off these vain ' thoughts, and suffer them not to prostitute the soul which is es- ' poused to thee before thy face.' The sixth case then is this.
Case 6. Hozo the heart may he Tiept Jrom distractions hy vain thoughts, in the time of duty.
There is a twofold distraction or wandering of the heart in duty : (1.) Voluntary and habitual. Psalm Ixxviii. 8. " They set not their " hearts aright, and their spirit was not steadfast with God.*" This is the case of formalists, and proceeds from the want of an holy bent and inclination of the heart to God ; their hearts are under the power of their lust, and therefore it is no wonder they go after their lust, even when they are about holy things, Ezek. xxxiii. 31. (2.) Involuntary and lamented distractions, Rom. vii. 21 — 24. " I find " then a law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me ; " O wretched man that I am," &c. This proceeds not from the want of a holy bent and aim, but from the weakness and imperfection of grace. And in this case the soul may make the like complaint against its own corruptions that Abijah did against Jeroboam, 2 Chron. xiii. 6, 7. " Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat is risen up against his '' lord, when Rehoboam was young and tender-hearted, and could '' not withstand him, and there are gathered unto him vain men, " the children of Belial." Grace hath dominion, but lusts are mutinous and seditious, during the infancy thereof. But it is not my business to shew you how these distractions come into the heart, but rather how to get and keep them out of the heart : in order whereunto take these ten following helps.
Help 1. Sequester yourselves from all earthly employments, and
46i! HOW TO KEEP THE HEAllT EllOM WAKDERINO IN DUTY.
set apart some time for solemn preparation to meet God in duty: You come reeking hot out of the world into God's presence, but you will find a tang of it in your duties : It is with the heart a few minutes since plunged in the world, now at the feet of God, just as with the sea after a storm, which still continues working, muddy, and disquiet, though the wind be laid, and the storm over: Thy heart must have sometime to settle. There are few musicians that can take down a lute or viol, and play presently upon it, without some time to tune it ; there are few Christians can presently say, as Psal. Ivii. 7. " O God, my heart is fixed, it is fixed." O when thou goest to God in any duty, take thy heart aside, and say, O my soul, I am now addressing myself to the greatest work that ever a creature was employed about : I am going into the awful presence of God about business of everlasting moment.
Oh my soul, leave trifling now, be composed, watchful, serious, this is no common-work ; it is God-work, soul- work, eternity- work. I am now going forth bearing seed, which will bring forth fruit to life or death in the world to come ; pause a while upon thy sins, "wants, troubles ; keep thy thoughts a while on these before thou address thyself to duty. David first mused, and then spake with his tongue, Psalm xxxix. 3, 4. So Psal. xlv. 1. " My heart is in- diting," &c.
Help 2. Having composed the heart by previous meditation, pre- sently set a guard upon thy senses : How often are poor Christians in danger of losing the eyes of their mind by those of their body; for this Job covenanted with his senses, chap. xxxi. 1. for this David pray- ed, Psal. cxix. 37. " Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, '* and quicken thou me in thy way." This may serve to expound that mystical Arabian proverb, which advises to ' shut the windows ' that the house may be light :' it were excellent if you could say in your outsets upon duty, as an holy man once did, when he came off from duty : Claudimini, ocidi met, claudimin% ^'C. ' Be shut, O ' mine eyes, be shut : for it is impossible you should ever see such * beauty and glory in any creature, as I have now seen in God."* You had need avoid all occasions of distraction from without, for be sure you will meet enough from within. Intention of spirit in the work of God, locks up the eye and ear against wscvaiy. When Marcellus entered the gates of Syracuse, Archimedes was so intent about his mathematical scheme, that he took no notice of the soldiers when they entered his very study with drawn swords ; Sijervent cannot be a vagrant heart.
Help 3. Beg of God a mortificdjancy. A working fancy, saith one, how much soever it be extolled among men, is a great snare to the soul : except it work in fellowship with right reason, and a sanctified heart : The phantasy is a power of the soul placed between the senses and the understanding, it is that which first stirs itself in the soul, and by its motions the other powers are stirred ; it is the commou
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shop where thoughts are first forged and framed, and as this is, so are they ; if imaginations be not first cast down, it is impossible that every thought of the heart should be brought into obedience to Christ, 2 Cor. x. 5. The fancy is naturally the wildest and most untameable power in the soul. Some Christians, especially such as are of hot and dry constitutions, have much to do with it.