2. The natural levity of our spirits. Man is a restless creature. We have much ado to stay our hearts for any space of time in one state, much more in holy things, from which we are naturally averse : Rom. vii. 21, ' AVhen I would do good, evil is present with me,' t^ KUKov "TrapaKeirai. Oh ! consider this natural feebleness of mind, whereby we are unable to keep long to any employment, but are light, feathery, tossed up and down like a dried leaf before the wind, or as an empty vessel upon the waves. It is so with us in most businesses, especially in those which are sacred. The apostle biddeth us ' pray without ceasing,' and we cannot do it whilst we pray ; he is a stranger to God and his own heart who finds it not daily. This is an incura- ble vanity ; though we often repent of it, yet it is not amended ; a misery that God would leave upon our natures, to humble us while we are in the world, and that we may long for heaven ; the angels and blessed spirits there are not troubled wdtli those things ; in heaven there is no complaining of wandering thoughts — there God is all in all ; they that are there have but one object to fill their under- standings, one object to give contentment to their desires, their hearts cleave to God inseparably by a perfect love ; but here we are cum- bered with much serving, and much work begets a multitude of thoughts in us: Ps. xciv. 11, ' The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are but vanity.' When w^e have summed up all the tra- verses, reasonings, and discourses of the mind, we may write at the bottom this, as the total sum— Here is nothing but vanity.
3. Another cause is practical atheism. We have little sense of things that are unseen, and lie within the veil, in the world of spirits ; things that are seen have a great force upon us. ' Ofier it now to thy governor,' saith the prophet, Mai. i. 8. God is afar off, both from our sight and apprehension ; senses bind attention. If you speak to a man, your thoughts are settled, and you think of nothing else ; but in speaking to God, you have not like attention, because you see him not: Exocl. xxxii. 1, 'Make us gods to go before us.' Ay! we would have a visible god, whom we may see and hear ; but the true God being a spirit, and an invisible power, all the service that we do him is a task performed more out of custom than affection, in a slight, perfunctory way.
4. Strong and unmortified lusts, which being rooted in us, and having the soul at most command, will trouble us, and distract us when we go about any duty. Each man hath a mind, and can spend
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it iinweariedly as he is inclined, either to covetoiisness, ambition, or sensuality ; for ' where the treasure is, there will the heart be,' Mat. vi. 20. Set but the covetous man about the world, the voluptuous man about his pleasures, and the ambitious man about his honours and preferments, and will they suffer their thoughts to be taken off ? surely no ; but set either of these about holy things, and presently these lusts will be interposing : Ezek. xxxiii. 31, ' Their heart goeth after their covetousness.' The sins to which a man is most addicted will engross the thought ; so that this is one sign by which a man may know his reigning sin, that which interrupts him most in holy duties ; for when all other lusts are kept out, Satan will be sure to set the darling sin a-work to plead for him. If a man be addicted to the world, so will his musings be ; if to mirth, and good cheer, and vain sports, his thoughts will be taken up about them ; if to the inordinate love of women, his fancy will be rolling upon carnal beauty, and he will be firing his heart with unclean thoughts.
5. Want of love to God and holy things. Men are loath to come into God's presence for want of faith, and to keep there for want of love ; love fixeth the thoughts, and drieth up those swimming toys and fancies that do distract us ; we ponder and muse upon that in which we delight. Were our natural hatred of God and of the means of grace changed into a perfect love, we should adhere to him without distraction. We see where men love strongly, they are deaf and blind to all other objects — they can think and speak of no other thing ; but because our love to God is weak, every vain occasion carrieth away our minds from him. You find this by daily experience ; Avhen your affections flag in an ordinance, your thoughts are soon scattered, weariness maketh way for wandering, your hearts are first gone, and then your minds. You complain you have not a settled mind ; the fault is, you have not a settled love, for that would cause you to pause upon things without weariness : Ps. i. 2, * His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in that law doth he meditate day and night ; ' Ps. cxix. 97, ' 0 how I love thy law, it is my meditation all the day.' David's mind would never run upon the word so much if his heart were not there. Thoughts are at the command and beck of love ; where love biddeth them go, they go ; and where love biddeth them tarry, they tarry : the saints first delight, and then meditate.