5. Be severe to your purpose, and see that you regard nothing but what the duty leadeth you unto. It is the devil's policy to cheat us of the present duty by an unseasonable interposition. Satan begin- neth with us in good things, that he may draw us to worse. What is unseasonable is naught; watch against the first diversion, how plausi- ble soever ; it is an intruding thought that breaketh a rank. In this case say as the spouse, Cant, iii., ' I charge you that you awake not my beloved till he please;' such a rigid severity should you use against the starting of the heart. If Satan should at first cast in a thought of blasphemy, that would make thee quake and shake ; there- fore he beginneth with plausible thoughts ; but be careful to observe
palude sua precede ns et repens ranuncula vilis ; quam tremebundus, quam supplex, quam deniqiie humilis et soUicitus, et toto inteutus animo majestati gloriae in prffisentia angelorum, in concilio jvistorum et cougregatione assistere potent vilis homuncio.* — Bernard de Quatuor Modis Orandi.
Mat. XV. 7, 8.] in holt duties ? 455
the first stragglings ; yea, be not diverted by thy very strivings against diversions, and therefore do not dispute with suggestions, but despise them ; nor stand examining temptations, but reject them.i as blind Bartimeus regarded not the rebukes of the people, but cried the more after Christ ; or as travellers do not stand beating back the dogs that bark at them, but hold on their course ; this is to be reli- giously obstinate and severe to our purpose. Satan contemned, hath the less advantage against you ; when he is writing images upon the fancy, do not vouchsafe to look upon them. A crier in the court that is often commanding silence, disturbeth the court more than they that make the noise ; so disputing with our distractions, increaseth them. They better are avoided by a severe contempt.
6. Bring with you to every holy service strong spiritual affections ; our thoughts would not be at such a distance from our work if our affections were more ready and more earnestly set. It is the unwill- ing servant that is loath to stay long at his work, but is soon gone ; could we bring ourselves more delightfully to converse with God, our hearts would hold our minds close, and we would not straggle so often as we do ; therefore see you do this, or you do nothing. ' I was glad,' saith David, ' when they said unto me, Come let us go into the house of the Lord,' Ps. cxxii. 1. Were we of this frame of spirit, many directions would not need. Now what should hinder us from being thus affected ? Are not the ordinances of God the special means of our communion with him ? and the throne of grace the very porch of heaven ? Can we be better than in God's company, pleading with him for our soul's good, and waiting for his blessing ? Therefore let us be glad, and rejoice in his presence, and you will not easily find such outstrayings of mind and thought.
7. Kemember the weight and consequence of the duties of reli- gion, that is a cure for slightness ; you are dealing with God in a case of life and death, and will you not be serious ? With what diligence and earnestness doth an advocate plead with a man in a case wherein he himself is not concerned, either for the life of another, or the inheritance or goods of another I^ And wilt not thou plead earnestly with God when thy soul is in danger, when it is a case of eternal life and death, as all matters that pass between God and us are ? Certainly, if we did consider the weight of the business, the heart would be freed from this garish wantonness. If Christ had taken thee aside into the garden, as he took Peter, James, and John, and thou hadst seen him praying and trembling under his agonies, thou wouldst have seen that it is no light matter to go to God in a case of the salvation of souls, though thou hast never so much assur- ance of the issue, for so Christ had : the frequent return of Christian
^ * Est prscterea optimum ad attendendum remedium si imagines rerum inutiles non solum non advertas, non excutias, non examines, sed ita te habeas quasi eas non aspi- cere digneris ; nam ipsum advertere, et examinare istas cogitationes evagari est ; at jam adversarius aliquid a nobis extorsit,' &c. — Jacobus Alvarez.
^ ' Si cum sublimi homine, non dicam pro vita, et salute nostra, scd etiam pro alicujus lucri commodo supplicamus, totam in eum mentis, et corporis aciem defigimus, de nutu ejus trepida expectatione pendemus, non mediocriter formidantes, ne quid forte ineptum et incongruum verbum misericordiam audientis avertat. Quanto magis cum illi occultorum omnium cognitori pro imminenti perpetuse mortis periculo supplicamus,' &c, — Cassian, Col. xxiii. c. 7.
456 HOW MAY WE CURE DISTRACTIONS [MaT. XV. 7, 8.
duties maketh ns to forget the consequence of them. In hearing the word, be serious, it is your life : Deut. xxxii. 46, ' Hearken unto the words of the law, for this is not a vain thing, because it is your life ; ' thy everlasting estate is upon trial, and the things that are spoken concern your souls ; every act of communion with God, every parti- cipation of his grace, hath an influence upon eternity. Say, there- fore, as Nehemiaii in another case, Neh. vi. 3, ' I am doing a great -work, I cannot come down.' Can you have an heart to mind other things, when you are about so great a work as the saving of your souls ?