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the reason our hearts are so dull, careless and wandering, when we come to hear or pray, but because there have been such long intermissions in our communion with God, by reason whereof the heart is out of a praying frame? If that spiritual warmth, those holy impressions, we car ry from God in one duty, were but pre served to kindle another duty; it would be of marvellous advantage to keep the heart intent and serious with God.

To this purpose those intermediate eja culations, betwixt stated and solemn du ties, are of most sweet and excellent use; by these, one duty is, as it were, linked to another, and so the soul, as it were, wraps up itself in a chain of duties. That christian seldom misses his mark in solemn duty, that shoots up many of these darts in the intervals of duty. It is an excel lent commendation Christ bestows upon the spouse, Cant. iv. 11. Thy lips O my spouse drop as the honey-comb: upon which text one gives this sweet note, the honey-comb drops actually but sometimes, but it always hangs full of sweet drops ready to fall; if our ejaculations were more, our lamentations on this ac count would be fewer,

6 Help. Endeavour to engage and raise thy affections to God in duty, if thou

wouldst have thy distractions, cured. A dropping eye, and a melting heart, are seldom troubled as others, upon this account when the soul is intent about any work, it gathers in its strength, and bends all the thoughts about it: and when it is deeply affected it will be intent; the affections command the thoughts to go af peter them: deadness causes distraction, and distraction increases deadness. Could you t you but look upon duties as the galleries of communion in which you walk with God, where your souls may be filled with those ravishing and matchless delights that are in his presence, your soul would not offer to stir from thence.

It is with the heart in duty, as it is with those that dig for gold ore; they try here, and, finding none, try there, and so go from place to place, till at last they hit upon the rich vein, and there they sit down. If thy heart could but once hit the rich vein in duty, it would dwell and abide there with delight and constancy; O how love I thy law! it is my meditation day and night, Psal. cxix. 97. soul could dwell day and night upon its knees, when once its delights, loves, and desires are engaged. What is the reason your hearts are so shuffling, especially in G

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secret duties? Why are you ready to be gone almost as soon as you are come into the presence of God, but because your af fections are not engaged?

7 Help. Mourn over the matter to God, and call in assistance from heaven, when vain thoughts assault thy heart in duty.

When the messenger of satan buffeted Paul by wicked injections, as is supposed, he goes to God and mourns over it before him, 2 Cor. xii.8. Never slight wandering thoughts in duty as small matters; follow every vain thought with a deep sigh; turn thee to God with such words as these, Lord, I I came hither to speak with thee, and here a busy devil and a vain heart, conspiring together, have set upon me. Ο my God, what an heart have I ! Shall I never wait upon thee without distraction! When shall I enjoy an hour of free communion with thee? Help me, my God, this once; do but display thy

glory before mine eyes, and my heart shall quickly be recovered: thou knowest I came hither to enjoy thee, and shall I go away without thee? See how the heart of thy poor child works towards thee, strives to get near thee, but cannot ! My heart is aground; come thou, north wind, blow, south wind; O for a fresh gale now from

thy spirit, to set my affections afloat! Couldst thou but thus affectionately bewail thy distractions to God, thou mightest obtain help and deliverance from them: He would say to satan, and thine imperious lusts, as Ahasuerus said of Haman, what! will he force the queen before my face? Who are these, that set upon my child in my work and presence ?

8 Help. Look upon the Success and sweetness of thy duties, as very much depending upon the keeping of thy heart a close with God in them.

These two things, the success, and sweetness of duty, are as dear to a christian as his two eyes; and both of these must necessarily be lost, if the heart be lost in duty, Job. xxv. 13. Surely God heareth not vanity, neither doth the Almighty regard it: the promise is made to an heart engaged, Jer. xxix. 13. Then shall you seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your hearts. Well then, when thou findest, thy heart under the power of deadness and distrac tion, say to thy soul, O what do I lose by a careless heart now! My praying times are the choicest parts, the golden spots of all my time could I but get up this heart with God, I might now obtain sucla"

mercies as would be matter for a song to

all eternity.

9 Help. Look upon it as a great discovery of the sincerity, or hypocrisy of your hearts, according as you find them careful, or careless in this matter.

Nothing will startle an upright heart more than this: what, shall I give way to a customary wandering of heart from God? Shall the spot of the hypocrite appear upon my soul? They indeed can drudge on, in the round of duty, never regarding the frames of their hearts, Ezek. xxxiii. 31, 32. but shall I do so? When men come into the presence chamber, and the King is not there, they bow to the empty chair. O never let me be satisfied with empty duties; never let me take my leave of a duty, until mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.

10 Help. Lastly, it will be of special use to keep thine heart with God in duties, to consider what influence all thy duties have into thy eternity.

These are your seed times; and what you sow in your duties in this world, you must look to reap the fruit of it in another world, Gal. vi. 7, 8. If you sow to the flesh, of that you shall reap corrup tion ; but if to the spirit, life everlas.ing. 0 iny soul, answer seriously: wouldst thou be willing to reap the fruit