Fifthly, Because you were too remiss; and let down your Spiritual Watch in the time of receiving You lost holy time at the holy Sacrament, by entertaining of, and being filled with vain distracting thoughts; when you are there you should be careful to do nothing else, and to think of nothing else, but what is pertinent to the duty you are engaged in; your own heart will be frequently straggling if you do not keep it▪ & the Devil will be injecting thoughts of things of another nature: or will fill your minds with thoughts of holy things, but not pertinent to your present work: And •f you ⟨p. 144⟩would receive benefit by your receiving, you must say to Satan, as Nehemiah to Sanballat, when he would have diverted him from building of the Wall'Neh. 6.2, 3, 4 Sanballat sent to him saying; Come let us meet together in some one of the villages; but they thought to do me mischief. And I sent Messengers to him, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down; Why should the work cease, while I leave it and come to you? Yet they sent unto me four times after that sort, and I answered them after the same manner. When you are receiving, the Devil would parley with you, but it is to do you mischief, therefore reply unto him, I am doing a great work, so that I have no time to entertain thy suggestions O mine enemy! I have other things to think upon; here is the death of my Lord, and his love in dying for me, to think upon; and why should this work cease, while I entertain thy suggestions? So far as your thoughts wander, so far your work at the Lords Table stands still. And if Satan solicit you four or more times, still answer after the same manner; be as constant in resisting, as he is in soliciting, and you will find benefit by the duty, if you ply your work when you are there.
Fifthly, B•cause you were too remiss; and let down your Spiritual Watch in the time of receiving You lost holy time at the holy Sacrament, by entertaining of, and being filled with vain distracting thoughts; when you are there you should be careful to do nothing else, and to think of nothing else, but what is pertinent to the duty you are engaged in; your own heart will be frequently stragling if you do not keep it▪ & the Devil will be injecting thoughts of things of another nature: or will fill your minds with thoughts of holy things, but not pertinent to your present work: And •f you ⟨p. 144⟩would receive benefit by your receiving, you must say to Satan, as Nehemiah to Sanballat, when he would have diverted him from building of the Wall'Neh. 6.2, 3, 4 Sanballat sent to him saying; Come let us meet together in some one of the villages; but they thought to do me mischief. And I sent Messengers to him, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down; Why should the work cease, while I leave it and come to you? Yet they sent unto me four times after that sort, and I answered them after the same manner. When you are receiving, the Devil would parley with you, but it is to do you mischief, therefore reply unto him, I am doing a great work, so that I have no time to entertain thy suggestions O mine enemy! I have other things to think upon; here is the death of my Lord, and his love in dying for me, to think upon; and why should this work cease, while I entertain thy suggestions? So far as your thoughts wander, so far your work at the Lords Table stands still. And if Satan solicit you four or more times, still answer after the same manner; be as constant in resisting, as he is in soliciting, and you will find benefit by the duty, if you ply your work when you are there.
