A61386:178
An antidote against distractions, or, An endeavour to serve the church, in the daily…An antidote against distractions, or, An indeavour to serve the church, in the daily…
An antidote against distractions, or, An endeavour to serve the church, in the daily case of wanderings in the worship of God by Richard Steele M.A. and minister of the Gospel.An antidote against distractions, or, An indeavour to serve the church, in the daily case of wandrings in the worship of God by Richard Steele M.A. and minister of the Gospel.
London: printed for Elizabeth Calvert, 1667
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
As there can be no reason given for any sin, (called therefore folly) so for this in special; for if the holy work you are about, be worth the consuming of your time, (which passes in every duty, and is most precious) sure it's worth the spending your pains and diligence. He that loseth his time in the duty, and loseth his soul by his luke-warmness in the duty, makes a mad man's match. For if the Sermon, Prayer, Chapter, be not worth thy labour, never attempt it; and if it be, never shrink, nor be indifferent about it. When you see a man freeze at his work, it invites a passenger to entertain him with talk. And a frigid attender upon God tempts the Devil himself to tempt him. Wherefore the Apostle, Rom. 12.11. ⟨p. 84⟩directs us to be fervent in spirit, 1while we are serving the Lord: not drowsy, but fervent in spirit, or boiling hot, as the word signifies. The busiest flies will not meddle with the scalding honey; though the sweetness entice them, yet the heat affrights them. The base flies of thy distractions will not molest thy heart, if it keep boiling hot in the service of God. A warm and weeping Prayer is the right Holy Water, that scares away the devil.
As there can be no reason given for any sin, (call'd therefore folly) so for this in special; for if the holy work you are about, be worth the consuming of your time, (which passes in every duty, and is most precious) sure it's worth the spending your pains and diligence. He that loseth his time in the duty, and loseth his soul by his luke-warmness in the duty, makes a mad man's match. For if the Sermon, Prayer, Chapter, be not worth thy labour, never attempt it; and if it be, never shrink, nor be indifferent about it. When you see a man freez at his work, it invites a passenger to entertain him with talk. And a frigid attender upon God tempts the Devil himself to tempt him. Wherefore the Apostle, Rom. 12.11. ⟨p. 84⟩directs us to be fervent in spirit, 1