The Cure of Distractions, To the reader
TO THE READER.
Reader!
IT is a Subject of the higheſt conſequence, and in which all are concerned, that I Diſcourſe of in this Treatiſe; and I deſign ſome relief againſt that which is the general Complaint of ſerious Chriſtians, who would fain offer to God more Spiritual and well pleaſing Sacrifices, but are hindred by the remaining Sin and Vanity of their own Minds. They are called indeed the Habitations of God through the Spirit; but theſe Habitations are haunted with diſtracting Thoughts, and vain Imaginations, to their great grief and diſturbance. The Work and Service of the God of Heaven, is the foreign, principal buſineſs every one has to do in this World; and though no Duties are to be ſlightly done to Man, which are done for the Lord's ſake; yet in attendance upon himſelf, and in thoſe Duties which more immediately we perform to him, an holy Awe becomes us; our Hearts ſhould be immoveably fixed, and we ſhould exert the utmoſt Vigour of our Spirits. To trifle with a Jealous God, whoſe All-ſeeing Eye ſtrictly obſerves the whole we do, and wherein ſoever we fail, is to deſpiſe him to his Face, and to act to the great peril of our own Souls.
Our God, ſays the Apoſtle, is a conſuming fire; and Nadab and Abihu, the Sons of Aaron, ſound him ſo, to their coſt and ſorrow, when they offer'd ſtrange fire, ſuch as he commanded, them not. We muſt do what God commands, and as he commands, elſe what we call our Religious Duties, will be look'd upon by him as acts of Diſobedience.
The Mind of Man ever ſince the firſt Man parted from God, is notoriouſly fickle and wavering, being unſetled by Sin, it roves up and down the Earth from one Vanity to another; but how hardly is it brought back to God! And though it is engaged to approach near to him, yet if it be not narrowly watched, in the twinkling of an Eye, it ſtarts back and is gone away from him. To keep our Hearts with all diligence, is our Duty, but they will not be held in from wandring by our moſt careful Cuſtody. It is the Hand of that God alone, by which the whole Ʋniverſe conſiſts, and is kept from diſſolution, that can fix the Mind of Man, and hinder its being diſtracted in his Service.
There is a great deal of Pains taken in the World to little purpoſe: All things, ſays Solomon, are full of labour, Man cannot utter it; and yet he affirms that there is no profit under the Sun▪ But 'tis lamentable to think that in the Church, there ſhould be ſo much labour in vain. Diſtraction of Mind keeps the Heart away from God and from the Duty that ſeems to be performed to him; it hinders the ſtirring of holy Affections, the acting of ſaving Grace; and turns Religion into a meer foreign, Bodily Exerciſe: and how can that be profitable to the Soul, which is a great way off, and ſo little regards what is done? How can it be acceptable to God, who is a Spirit, and will be worſhipped in Spirit and in Truth?
The Church of Rome is for implicit Faith, for blind Obedience, and for Worſhip in an unknown Tongue. How diſtracted muſt that Worſhip needs be? How can the Peoples Thoughts be intent upon what they do not underſtand? Too many Proteſtants in their Devotions mind what themſelves ſay, as little, as if they did not underſtand the words they ſpake; and truly the latter ſin with greater aggravation, becauſe having means of better inſtruction, their Duties are no better performed.
The Cure of Diſtraction in Religious Services, is very difficult; ſome think light of the Diſeaſe, and imagine the Cure needleſs; others are diſcouraged from ſtriving againſt Diſtraction, as if it were impoſſible to overcome them, but nothing is too hard for the great Phyſician, he can heal the Mind's Vanity, bring the Heart into God's Preſence; he is able to caſt down Imaginations, and to hinder them from riſing again, and to bring Thoughts into Captivity and Obedience.
A Senſe of my own Wandrings in thoſe Ordinances I adminiſter, and engage in, has put me upon a more ſerious ſtudy how to prevent them. And I would be the firſt and beſt Follower my ſelf, of that Counſel, which I give to others. And if the Lord is ſerved with greater Attention and Spirituality; and if the Hearts of thoſe who ſhall read this Treatiſe, are more than ever in the Work of God, and more benefited by doing it, the great End is obtained, which is deſigned by
Nathanael Vincent.