Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

Direction 4. Let us take heed of inordinate desires after the world. As the world steals away a mans heart from the Word, so it doth from all other worship; It chokes the Word^*; it stifles all the spiritual breathings after God in every duty: The edge of the Soul is blunted by it, and made too dull for such sublime exercises. The Apostles rule in Prayer, when he joins sobriety with watching unto Prayer, ²is of concern in all worship, sobriety in the pursuit and use of all worldly things. A man drunk with worldly fumes cannot watch, cannot be heavenly, affectionate, spiritual in service. There is a magnetic force in the Earth, to hinder our flights to Heaven: Birds, when they take their first flights from the Earth, have more flutterings of their wings, than when they are mounted further in the Air, and got more without the Sphere of the Earths attractiveness; the motion of their wings is more steady, that you can scarce perceive them stir; they move like a Ship with a full Gale. The world is a clog upon the Soul, and a bar to spiritual frames: 'Tis as hard to elevate the heart to God in the midst of a hurry of worldly affairs, as it is difficult to meditate when we are near a great noise of waters falling from a Precipice, or in the midst of a Volley of Muskets. Thick clayey affections bemire the heart, and make it unfit for such high flights it is to take in worship: Therefore get your hearts clear from worldly thoughts and desires, if you would be more spiritual in worship.

Direction 4. Let us take heed of inordinate desires after the world. As the world steals away a mans heart from the Word, so it doth from all other worship; It chokes the Word^*; it stifles all the spiritual breathings after God in every duty: The edge of the Soul is blunted by it, and made too dull for such sublime exercises. The Apostles rule in Prayer, when he joyns sobriety with watching unto Prayer, ²is of concern in all worship, sobriety in the pursuite and use of all wordly things. A man drunk with worldly fumes cannot watch, cannot be heavenly, affectionate, spiritual in service. There is a magnetick force in the Earth, to hinder our flights to Heaven: Birds, when they take their first flights from the Earth, have more flutterings of their wings, than when they are mounted further in the Air, and got more without the Sphear of the Earths attractiveness; the motion of their wings is more steady, that you can scarce perceive them stir; they move like a Ship with a full Gale. The world is a clog upon the Soul, and a bar to spiritual frames: 'Tis as hard to elevate the heart to God in the midst of a hurry of worldly affairs, as it is difficult to meditate when we are near a great noise of waters falling from a Precipice, or in the midst of a Volly of Muskets. Thick claiy affections bemire the heart, and make it unfit for such high flights it is to take in worship: Therefore get your hearts clear from worldly thoughts and desires, if you would be more spiritual in worship.