8. Let every experimental wandering make you more humble and careful. If men did lay their wanderings to heart, and retract them, even every glance with a sigh, the mind would not so boldly, so con- stantly digress and step aside ; all actions displeasing are not done so readily ; therefore it is good to bewail these distractions. Do not count them as light thmgs. Cassianus, speaking of these wandering thoughts, saith. The most that come to worship, being involved in greater sins, scarce count distraction of thoughts an evil, and so the mischief is increased upon them.i It is a sad thing to be given up to a vain mind, and such a frothy spirit as cannot be serious ; therefore if we do soundly humble ourselves for these offences, and they did once become our burden, they would not be our practice. One saith ,2 that huntsmen observe of young dogs, that if a fresh game come in view, they leave their old scent, but if soundly beaten off from it, they kindly take to their first pursuit ; the application is easy, — did we rate our hearts for this vanity, and pray against the sins of our prayers with deep remorse, this evil would not be so familiar with us.
9. A constant heavenliness and holiness of heart. If men were as they should be, holy, iv iraafi dvaarpo^jj — 1 Peter i. 14, ' In all manner of conversation,' in solemn duties, good and proper thoughts would be more natural and kindly to us. They that live in a constant com- munion with Grod do not find it such a tedious business to converse with him ; if they have any excursion of thoughts, it is in their daily work, and the offices of the common life, which they are ever seasoning with some gracious meditations and short ejaculations ; when they are in duty, they are where they would be ; constant gravity and seriousness is a great help to them. Men allow them- selves a lawless liberty in their ordinary conversations, and then in prayer they know not how to gather up their hearts. Such as men are out of prayer, such they will be in prayer ; we cannot expect that pangs of devotion should come upon us all of a sudden, and that when we come reeking into the world, we shotild presently leap into a heavenly frame.
10. The next remedy is frequent solemn meditation. If the under- standing were oftener taken up with the things of God, and our thoughts were kept in more frequent exercise, they would the better
^ ' Hsec omnia nonnulHs qui sunt crassioribus vitiis involuti levia, atque a peccato pene aliena videntur, scientibus tamen peifectionis bonum etiam minimarum rerum multi- tudo gravissima est.' — Cassian, Col. xxiii. c. 7.
^ Hooker on Acts, ii. 37.
Mat. XY. 7, 8.] in holy duties ? 457
come to hand. There is a double advantage comes to us by meditation : —
1. The soul gets more abundance of heart- warming knowledge, and therefore will not be so barren and dry, which certainly is a cause of wandering: Ps. xlv. 1, 'My heart inditeth a good matter, and then my tongue is as the pen of a ready writer.' A man that boileth and concocts truths in his heart, hath a great readiness of words and affections. There is a good treasure within him, Mat. xii. 35, out of which he may spend freely. One expresseth it thus : i ' He that hath store of gold and silver in his pocket, and but a few brass farthings, will more readilj^, upon every draught, come out with gold and silver than brass farthings ; so he that hath stocked his heart with holy thoughts will not find carnal musings so rife and frequent.'
2. By use a man gets a greater command over himself. When we constantly leave the thoughts at random, and never lay restraints upon them, it is in vain to think we shall keep them in order when we please. Fierce creatures are tame to those that use to command them ; every art is difficult at first, as writing, singing, playing upon an instrument ; but we get a facility by use and exercise ; yea, not only a facility, but a delight in them ; and those things that at first we thought impossible, by a little practice grow easy. Certainly, * the way of the Lord is strength to the upright,' Prov. xi. 29, and the more we set ourselves to any good thing, the more readily and pre- pared are we for it.
1 Cobbet of Prayer.
HOW OUGHT WE TO IMPROVE OM BAPTISM?
ROW OUGHT WE TO IMPROVE OUR BAPTISM?
Be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins. — Acts II. 38.
This chapter gives us an account of the pouring out of the Spirit, according to promise, presently after Christ's ascension. As soon as the Spirit was poured out, the apostles were enabled to speak in various languages, to the astonishment and wonder of the hearers. This was for the glory of God, the confirmation of the gospel, and to authorise them as special messengers sent by Christ.
At the sight of this miracle some wonder, others mock, as if this speaking with divers tongues had been a confused jabbering that pro- ceeded from the fumes of wine, rather than the gift and operation of the Holy Spirit.