Antidote Against Distractions, Chapter 5
…ap. 5. Objections answered.CHAP. V. Objections Answered.
SECT. I.
§. 1. Its impossibility.BUT because there is no Duty so clear, that our sinfull hearts will embrace, if any shew of contradiction can be produced; I shall wipe away all Possible Objections against this Duty, which is the Fifth general Head to be handled.
Object. 1.It is impossible thus to Attend on God without distractions. Such is the Variety of objects, such the imbecillity of our Nature, such the weakness of our Graces, such the suddenness and swiftness of a thought, that none but Angels can do this. You press impossibles, it can never be.
Answ. 1.Though this objection hath been prevented before, yet seeing it recurs again, I answer,
1. Perfection herein is impossible in this life: not but that a prayer or other Ordinance may be attended with that intenseness, as to exclude every wandring thought that would step in; but to be perfectly free in every Duty from them, is rather to be wished, than hoped for in this life. That Angelical perfection is Reserved for Heaven, This Evangelical perfection may be here attained, which is the prevalence of grace against them; and not only a will but a watch and an endeavour to be utterly rid of them.
2. And in this sense,Answ… 2. there is no divine precept impossible: Though our Lord Jesus saith, Joh. 15.5. Without me ye can do nothing, yet the Apostle finds, Phil. 4.13. I can do all things through him, that strengtheneth me. If all things, then why not this! Though it were impossible ex parte Rei, in its self, yet is it possible ex parte Dei, with Gods help, we are prone to think that we can compass easie things by our own strength, and that difficult things are too hard for God. Have you ever tryed to the utmost what God and you can do! could you not have heard a Sermon better, if a naked sword had hang'd by a single twist over your bare heads; and have prayed more cordially, if you had seen every word you prayed, written down by the hand of God. The same circumspection that keeps a Distraction out of one sentence, might (were you faithful therein) keep it out of two or ten or twenty, and he that can be temperate for a day, might be temperate every day, if he did his best.*Mr. Io. Ba… would often say, He would undertake to prove, That a Moral Heathen might possibly by his circumspection secure himself from uttering one froward word all his life long.
3. It is a mixture of cowardize and sloth, that makes it impossible. It is an argument of a slothful heart to say, There is a Lyon in the way, O there is a Lyon in the streets, Prov. 26.13. yet if there were a Lyon in the way to Heaven, thou must rather run upon him, than run from God. There is a worse Lyon will meet you in the way to Hell. No, no; its not the danger without, but the dulness and slothfulness within, that Creates the impossibility. How many hundreds out of fearfulness and idleness, have restrained Prayer before God; till being soundly awaken'd they set about prayer; and found it both feasable and delightful? Religion in the power of it, is a work of pains. If you will not sweat for Heaven, you must never have it: try but the next duty with your best Diligence, and you shall find it possible to the power of Grace, which looks impossible to the strength of Nature.
SECT. II.
Obj. 2. It is difficult: §. 2. Its Difficulty.if it be not impossible, yet its very hard, Its a lesson for the upper form in the School of Iesus Christ. We mean schollars need not attempt it, because we cannot attain it: as good to sit still, as rise up and fall. This is too hard for us.
Answ. 1.Answ. 1. This argues the excellency of it, the more hard, the more honourable, and therefore this should rather whet, than dull thy courage. If you except all hard points out of the practice of piety, you will leave but few to be practised; It is the idle Schollar, that skips over the hardest words of his lesson, but the rod must fetch him back unto them: neither must you expect that God will take any notice of your easie duties, if you turn off the hard; he could have servants enough to do his easie work, but Religion must go all together, and almost Christianity will not serve the turn.
2. The way to Heaven is hard,Answ. 2. and this you were told at first: Mat. 7.14. Because strait is the Gate and narrow is the way, that leadeth unto life. If you like it not, let it alone, but see you exchange for the better. To get a Kingdom is not easie, its easie to lose one. Who gets a race without sweating, or a victory without bleeding, or Heaven without striving? Hence Mr. Latimer to one that objects against the duty he was pressing, (which was that Landlords should send for their Tenants and end differences among them) that this were a good work indeed, but marvellous hard. O saith he, my friend, It is an hard matter to be a Christian. Heaven was never gotten yet without violence, and there is no new way found of coming there. But if Christ Iesus had not done harder work than this for thee, thou must never have come there.
Answ. 3.3. And is there no hardship in attending upon sin? Is it an easie thing to serve the Devil? Wise Solomon saith, Prov. 13.15. The way of Transgressors is hard. Our love to it blinds our eyes, or else he serves an hard service, that dances attendance on any sin; The Lascivious man swallows many difficulties, perhaps weeks and months together, to continue the pleasure of an hour. How many dark nights doth the Drunkard walk, and hard words indure, and hard shift make to feed that sensless lust! who would digest the life of a covetous worldling? hard fare, hard work, hard journeys, for what may be consumed in two hours; to say nothing of the life of the envious, the ambitious, the malicious man, whose daily bread is mingled not only with sweat, but gall and bitterness; and yet who hears them complain of difficulty, or throw off their designs for hardness. And is it not far better to conquer difficulties for Heaven than Hell, and venture upon hardship for Christ and thine own soul, than for Satan and thy damnation? especially when Love to the service of God would make this yoke as easie, as transgressors labour is to them.
4. Though it be hard to keep off these Distractions,Answ. 4. yet it is necessary, It must be done. Good Mary would not by any business be Distracted in her attendance on Christ, Luk. 10.42. and He resolves therein, that she did the One needful thing. Poor men find it hard to work six dayes together, but there being a necessity of it, there's no excuse; they could find twenty put offs, but it must be done, work or starve. We have the same Dilemma, Pray or perish, and that's not half a Prayer, that's fill'd with Distractions.
Answ. 5.5. Though it be hard, yet it is sweet, Prov. 3.17. Her wayes are wayes of Pleasantness; and this is one of them. You shall ever observe, the more wandring the heart, the more wearisome the Duty; a Divided heart can taste but partial comfort, and fulness of joy follows, where the full bent of the soul goes before. Our common experience tells us, what peace, what joy, what confidence, what suavity fills the heart, when we have (though with some difficulty) approached the Lord, enjoyed him, and attended on him without Distraction *The fineness which a Hymne or Psalm affords Is, when the Soul unto the lines accords. Herbert.. What is more hard to the brain and body, than study? for pains, a Schollar would choose the Plough before it; the brain, the back, the heart and spirits are pained and spent: yet no employment so sweet, the mind and brain and heart refreshed, and a right Schollar would hardly change employments with a Prince; so sweet; so ravishing is this hard employment. Even so it is with Prayer or any holy Ordinance, the sweetness of a watchfull serious frame, doth fully compensate the difficulty thereof.
6. Custome and Practice will make it much easierAnsw. 6. *Non quia difficilis est non audemus, sed quia non audemus, difficilis. Seneca.; He that executes the law on vagrants, though at first he were pestred with them, will after a while with ease be delivered of them: so that resolved Christian, who keeps up his watch and ward awhile, shall find it each day easier than other, to attend on God without these vagrant thoughts. Use and custome makes the hardest things easie. As a wise man that converses in the midst of his observing enemies, by use is inured to all caution, and can easily avoid all dangerous words or behaviour; though it be hard, he is used to it; so practice will wonderfully facillitate this hard duty. You once thought it impossible for you to Pray, but practice hath made you perfect. The same spirit, by the same help, can and will perfect you in this. This is one of those Infirmities the spirit of God will help.
SECT. III.
Object. 3. THe Commonness of these Distractions;§. 3. Their Commonness. No man but is full of them, All serious Christians complain of them. What is so ordinary cannot be very evil, these vanities that every one hath, I cannot expect to be without, and therefore must be content.
Answ. 1.Answ. 1. This must be answered with Grief. Every man is full of them, and every Good man is sick with them. If every mans body were gone after his soul, this would sometimes be an empty Congregation. Every solemn look hath not a serious heart, and there are but few that make a business of Prayer; And this is a lamentable thing, that we can hold a discourse with man, or crave a kindness, or drive a bargain without a wandring thought: till our face be set towards God, and that we begin a duty of Worship, and then or ever we are aware, our Soul is slipt off her Chariot wheels, and our sight of God is lost.
Answ. 2.2. And yet some watchful Christians (as we observed before) have got a good riddance of them, to accuse others is a poor excuse to you. As their humility teaches them to complain of the worst, so your charity should cause you to think the best: no doubt they that are sick of them, do by degrees get Physick against them, and grow better.
3. By this Plea all sins might be justified;Answ. 3. Thus swearing might be advanced before Praying, for it is more common than Prayer; Revenge is more common than Forgiveness, but this is no excuse for it. He that will do as the most do, must go whither most go, Exod. 23.2. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil, no nor to think evil. If thou wilt be Christ's Disciple, thou must be serious and attentive, though the whole Congregation trifle. True sanctity is not grounded on mens practice, but on Gods precept. Make no apologies but such as you can stand to before the face of God. What a poor plea will it be to say, I was drunk for company, I stragled from God for company, Get thee to Hell for company; that which will be no mitigation of your pain, is no extenuation of your crime. If many displease the Lord, you have more need to please him, if many play, you have more need to work, and rather choose to be saved with a few, than damned with a crowd.
Answ. 4.4. In such an universal loytering, thy care will be more acceptable; Loyalty is doubly valued and rewarded, where Rebellion is general; and one dutiful Child is cherisht among many disobedient. Isa. 66.2. To this man will I look, to him that is poor and contrite and trembleth at my word. The Great Iehova there overlooks Heaven and Earth, and the House of his rest, to fix his blessed eye on this man or woman, that when he comes to a Sermon doth not, dare not trifle, but trembles at the word, and that feels every sentence at his heart. When Gallants come into the Congregation then Man looks, but when the poor trembling Hearer comes in, then God looks; The Angels gaze at such guests, as vain people do at Silks and Fashions. O its a rare sight to see a Christian in earnest, to behold an humble man converse with God, the Host of Heaven rise up and are taken with it. If therefore it be so common to be distracted in Duties, do thou disdain to be in the common fashion, get quickly into the Mode of Heaven.
SECT. IV.
Object. 4. GOd will accept the will for the Deed;§. 4. Gods accepting the Will for the Deed. I would be free from these temptations, but in this life I cannot, and therefore shall sit down content. God is merciful, though you are strict. And he hath said, 2 Cor. 8.12. If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
Answ. 1.Answ. 1. This axiom and Scripture were never intended as a pillow for the lazy, but a support to the weary; nor to exempt us from our duty, but to comfort us under our weakness. What Parent will accept this answer from a negligent Child? or what Master will be content of this excuse, from a slothful servant? offer it now to you Governour, and imagine not, it will pass with God, which would be counted a mockery with men.
2. God never accepts the Will for the Deed,Answ. 2. when the Deed may be done; when the Idem cannot be paid, the Tantundem shall serve; yea and so far as the Deed can be done, the will without it, is but a mockery unto God. But wherein an upright heart hath done its utmost in the use of all means, and would do more, this will is accepted for the Deed, even as if thou hadst perfectly obeyed; And so that Scripture cited is express in the case of charity; It is accepted according to that a man hath. So that a man must give according to that he hath, or else his willing mind stands for nothing. Now have you done your utmost against Distractions! can you do no more? If Death stood at the end of the Duty, you could double your watch. Plead not this till you have done your best.*He who craves all the Mind And all the Soul & strength and time If the words only rhyme Justly complains that somewhat is behind To make his Verse, or write a hymn in kind. Mr. Herbert.
3. It is far from the quality of grace, to sit down content in any defect or sin,Answ. 3. or to vouch the mercy of God to secure the soul in any transgression; who when he is drest in his richest garments of mercy, Exod. 34.7. Yet will not by any means clear the guilty. No, it is the Genius of true Grace to be restless under his de…ects, if he cannot be rid of them: to rowle up the stone, though it tumble still upon him, and cry out and roar under those diseases that are uncurable. After the Apostle had told us, Rom. 7.19. The good I would, I do not, but the Evil that I would not, that I do. He lyes not down, and resolves to let it run, but fights, and strives, and cryes, O wretched man that I am. Vers. 24. Si dixisti sufficit periisti. If thou once sit down, be content, and say, I'le strive no more, thou givest the field. The Spirit withdraws with tears, and Satan goes away with triumph.
4. The Great Iehovah is so far from being content with such a frame,Answ. 4. that he hath plainly cursed all such as do the work of the Lord negligently, or deceitfully, Jer. 48.10. Though you neglect not the work of the Lord, yet if you do it negligently, you are in danger of the curse. Every Distraction is a neglect, in each wandring you deal deceitfully with God, and for every of these in a Duty, Gods Law pronounceth a Curse. And is the Divine Curse inconsiderable with you? who could digest an hundred curses, though pronounced at your door by a provoked neighbour? O how much more intolerable is it, to be obnoxious to an hundred Curses from Heaven, justly deserved and infallibly inflicted, if Repentance prevent not. It is not the work of the Lord will excuse you; Nadab shall perish with his strange fire, as well as if he had offered nothing at all. Take heed of forgiving your selves, when God forgives you not, A negligent Duty is abomination to God.
And thus you have the most material Objections answered, which is the fifth Point handled.