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…

3. These vain thoughts at other times make us apprehend it more impossible to conquer, and less sinful to be conquered by them. And when Distractions appear so powerful that there is no resisting them, or so harmless that they are not worth our trouble to resist them, then is a floodgate opened to let them in: when once our courage is conquered, or our Conscience is feared, we are quite undone. And thus you see that one sin ushers in another, and the looseness of our heart at one time, prepares it to be so another. Even as you observe your Children ('tis the comparison of one that hath the skill of simile•s) they are more unruly before strangers, or at times when they should be most demure, than at other times: and you are then, more aware and troubled at their shrewd words and gestures, than the whole year besides: Alas, It is not merely, that they are worse then, but then you take more notice of it, it is then most observable and apparent, ⟨p. 125⟩though their carriage be much at one: So it is with your Hearts; O (cry you) I am more pestered with foolish thoughts in Prayer or Sermon, than all the day or week besides• Then my Heart is worst, when it should be best. Alas! its naught all along, it do's but as it is used to do, only you observe it not at other times, and now observe it a little and find it out, but its always so.

3. These vain thoughts at other times make us apprehend it more impossible to conquer, and less sinfull to be conquered by them. And when Distractions appear so powerful that there is no resisting them, or so harmless that they are not worth our trouble to resist them, then is a floodgate opened to let them in: when once our courage is conquered, or our Conscience is feared, we are quite undone. And thus you see that one sin ushers in another, and the loosness of our heart at one time, prepares it to be so another. Even as you observe your Children ('tis the comparison of one that hath the skill of simile•s) they are more unruly before strangers, or at times when they should be most demure, than at other times: and you are then, more aware and troubled at their shrewd words and gestures, than the whole year besides: Alas, It is not meerly, that they are worse then, but then you take more notice of it, it is then most observeable and apparent,