The zealous Christian taking heavenThe zealovs Christian taking heaven

Help. 3 3. If you would get this holy importunity, you must recall your thoughts from worldly and distracting cares, when you come to prayer. The Apostle therefore doth exhort the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 7. ¹to f••e themselves from, and rid their ⟨p. 59⟩hands of the cares of the world, and he gives this as a reason, that they may attend upon the Lord without distraction. The cares of the world will eat out that good that is in the hearts of men, will rob a man of that freedom and enlargement, that otherwise he might have in prayer. Anselm, as he was walking in the fields, saw a shepherds boy tie a stone to a birds leg, and as the bird sought to fly up, ever and anon, the stone pulled it down again. The spiritual interpretation that he partly made, and that we may make, is this; when the soul would mount aloft in prayer, and grow fervent, the cares of the world pluck it down, and cool it. And therefore you must labour to free your selves from these encumbrances. You must do as Abraham did, when he went to sacrifice, he left his servants and cattle at the bottom of the hill: So when you go to offer to God the sacrifices of prayer, you must get above the impediments and distractions of this present life. That is the third help.

Help. 3 3. If you would get this holy importunity, you must recall your thoughts from worldly and distracting cares, when you come to prayer. The Apostle therefore doth exhort the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 7. ¹to f••e themselves from, and rid their ⟨p. 59⟩hands of the cares of the world, and he gives this as a reason, that they may attend upon the Lord without distraction. The cares of the world will eat out that good that is in the hearts of men, will rob a man of that freedome and enlargement, that otherwise he might have in prayer. Anselme, as he was walking in the fields, saw a shepheards boy tie a stone to a birds legg, and as the bird sought to flie up, ever and anon, the stone pulled it down again. The spirituall interpretation that he partly made, and that we may make, is this; when the soule would mount aloft in prayer, and grow fervent, the cares of the world pluck it down, and coole it. And therefore you must labour to free your selves from these incombrances. You must doe as Abraham did, when he went to sacrifice, he left his servants and cattell at the bottome of the hill: So when you goe to offer to God the sacrifices of prayer, you must get above the impediments and distractions of this present life. That is the third help.