4. Will not the case be the same, with regard to those thoughts that necessarily arise from violent pain? They will, more or less, continue while that pain continues, by the inviolable order of nature. This order likewise will obtain, where the thoughts are disturbed, broken or interrupted, by any defect of the apprehension, judgment or imagination, flowing from the natural constitution of the body. And how many interruptions may spring from the unaccountable and involuntary association of our ideas? Now all these are directly or indirectly caused by the corruptible body pressing down the mind. Nor therefore can we expect them to be removed, ’till _this corruptible shall put on incorruption_.
5. And then only, when we lie down in the dust, shall we be delivered from those wandering thoughts which are occasioned by what we see and hear, among those by whom we are now surrounded. To avoid these we must go out of the world. For as long as we remain therein, as long as there are men and women round about us, and we have eyes to see and ears to hear, the things which we daily see and hear, will certainly affect our mind, and will more or less, break in upon and interrupt our preceding thoughts.
6. And as long as evil spirits roam to and fro in a miserable, disordered world, so long they will assault (whether they can prevail or no) every inhabitant of flesh and blood. They will trouble even those whom they cannot destroy: they will attack if they cannot conquer. And from these attacks of our restless, unwearied enemies, we must not look for an entire deliverance, till we are lodged _where the wicked cease from troubling, and where the weary are at rest_.
7. To sum up the whole. To expect deliverance from those wandering thoughts which are occasioned by evil spirits, is to expect that the devil should die or fall asleep; or at least should no more go about as a roaring lion. To expect deliverance from those which are occasioned by other men, is to expect either that men should cease from the earth; or that we should be absolutely secluded from them, and have no intercourse with them: or that having eyes we should not see, neither hear with our ears, but be as senseless as stocks or stones. And to pray for deliverance from those which are occasioned by the body, is in effect to pray that we may leave the body. Otherwise it is praying for impossibilities and absurdities; praying that God would reconcile contradictions, by continuing our union with a corruptible body, without the natural, necessary consequences of that union. It is as if we should pray to be angels and men, mortal and immortal at the same time. Nay, but when that which is immortal is come, mortality is done away.
8. Rather let us pray, both with the spirit and with the understanding, that _all_ these _things may work together for our good_: that we may suffer all the infirmities of our nature, all the interruptions of men, all the assaults and suggestions of evil spirits, and in all be _more than conquerors_. Let us pray, that we may be delivered from all sin, that both root and branch may be destroyed; that we may be _cleansed from all pollution of flesh and spirit_, from every evil temper and word and work: that we may _love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our mind, and with all our soul, and with all our strength_: that all _the fruit of the spirit_ may be found in us; not only _love, joy, peace_; but also _long-suffering, gentleness, goodness; fidelity, meekness, temperance_. Pray that all _these things may flourish and abound_, may increase in you more and more, ’till an abundant _entrance be ministered unto you, into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ_!