I would not willingly grate too hard upon a tender conscience. It is a question that is often propounded, whether wandering thoughts do altogether frustrate a duty, and make it of none effect? and whether, in some cases, a virtual attention doth not suffice ? There is an actual intension, and a virtual intension. The actual intension is when a soul doth distinctly and constantly regard everything that is said and done in a duty ; and a virtual intension is when we keep only a disposition and purpose to attend, though many times we fail and are carried aside. This Aquinas calleth priorem intensionem ; out of the Scripture we may call it, the ' setting of the heart to seek the Lord,^ 1 Chron. xxii. 19. Now, what shall we say in this case ? On the one side, we must not be too strict, lest we prejudice the com- fort and expectation of God's people. When did they ever manage a duty, but they are guilty of some wanderings ? It is much to keep up our hearts to the main and solid requests that are made to God in prayer. But, on the other side, we must not be too remiss, lest we encourage indiligence and careless devotion. Briefly, then, by way of answer, there is a threefold distraction in prayer — distractio invita, oiegligens, et voluntaria.
1. There is distractio invita, an unwilling distraction, when the
^ Cypr. de Orat. Doinin.
Mat. XV. 7, 8.] m holt duties ? 449
heart is seriously and solemnly set to seek God, and yet we are carried besides our purpose ; for it is impossible so to shut doors and win- dows but that some wind will get in — so to guard the heart as to be wholly free from vain thoughts ; but they are not constant, frequent, allowed, but resisted, prayed against, striven against, bewailed ; and then they are not iniquities, but infirmities, which the Lord will pardon ; he will gather up the broken part of our prayers, and in mercy give us an answer ; I say, where this distraction is retracted with grief, resisted with care, as Abraham drove away the fowls when they came to pitch upon his sacrifice, Gen. xv. 11, it is to be reckoned among the infirmities of the saints, which do not hinder their consolation.
2, There is distractio negligens, a negligent distraction, when a man hath an intention to pray, and express his desires to God ; but he prays carelessly, and doth not guard his thoughts, so that some- times he wanders.and sometimes recovers himself again, and then strays again, and is in and out, off and on with God, as a spaniel roveth up and down, and is still crossing the ways, sometimes losing the com- pany he goes with, and then retiring to them again. I cannot say, this man pi-ayeth not at all, or that God doth not hear him, but he will have little comfort in his prayers ; yea, if he be serious, they will minister more matter of grief to him than comfort ; and there- fore he ought to be more earnest and sedulous in resisting this infirmity, that he may be assured of audience ; otherwise, if his heart be not affected with it in time, by degrees all those motions and dis- positions of heart that are necessary to prayer will be eaten out and lost.
3. There is distractio voluntaria, a voluntary distraction, when men mind no more than the task or work wrought, and only go round in a track of accustomed duties, without considering with what heart they perform them : this is such a vanity of mind as turneth the whole prayer into sin.
Secondly, The causes of this roving and impertinent intrusion of vain thoughts.
1. Satan is one cause, who doth maxime insidiari orationihus (as Cassian speaketh), lie in wait to hinder the prayers of the saints ; whenever we minister before the Lord, he is at our right hand ready to resist us, Zech. iii. 1. And therefore the apostle James, when he biddeth us ' draw nigh to God,' biddeth us also to ' resist the devil,' James iv. 7, 8 ; implying thereby that there is no drawing nigh to God without resisting Satan. When a tale is told, and you are going about the affairs of the world, he doth not trouble you ; for these things do not trouble him, or do any prejudice to his kingdom ; but when you are going to God, and that in a warm, lively, affectionate manner, he will be sure to distui-b you, seeking to abate the edge of your affections, or divert your minds. Formal praj^ers pattered over, Jo him no harm ; but when you seriously set yourselves to call upon God, he saith within himself, This man will pray for God's glory, and then I am at a loss ; for the coming of Christ's kingdom, and then mine goeth to wreck ; that God's will may be done upon earth as it is in heaven, and that minds me of my old fall, and my busi-
VOL. V. 2 F
450 HOW MAY WE CURE DISTRACTIONS [MaT. XV. 7, 8.
ness is to cross the will of God ; lie will pray for daily bread, and that strengtheneth dependence ; for pardon and comfort, and then I lose ground (for the devils are the ' rulers of the darkness of this world,' Eph. vi. 12) ; he will pray to be kept from sin and tempta- tion, and that is against me. Thus Satan is afraid of the prayers of the saints ; he is concerned in every request you make to God ; and therefore he will hinder or cheat you of your prayers ; if you will needs be praying, he will carry away your hearts. Now, much he can do if you be not watchful ; he can present objects to the senses which stir up thoughts, yea, pursue his temptations, and cast in one fiery dart after another, therefore we had need stand upon our guard.