The deceitfirinefè of Mans heart. the /lipperineffe of cur hearts whereby is comes to The affe that they give ,both God and our felves the nn the ! > > neí% in flip, whilefi they are in the performance of good very ad of exercifes. As when in prayer,meditation, and hea- performance. ring of the Word they fliy fteale away,and play the fugitive , carried away with idle, and wandring imaginations. This deceitfulneffe the moll holy have miferable experience of; their hearts herein !dealing with them , as if our fervant, employed in forne bufaneffe,together with ourfelves.in the mid - deft of the work íhould privily flealeaway,wenot marking, or minding of him. That holy Father Aífien felt this, and bewailed it in himfelfe , that in Confetrae.g, his moll ferious meditations of heavenly things, his minde was eafily diflraûed by the flighteft occafi ons. Concerning the which hee thus writeth; " Let every man therfore marke and confider cc what doings there are within in the heart, how cc oftentimes our prayers themfelves are interrup- " ted with vaine thoughts, fo that our heart can = hardly (land (till with God: Though yet it would r: lay.hold on it felfe,and fo make it fel fe to ftay with a him , yet in a fort it flyeth away as it were from it 'C felfe, neither can it finde any bounds whereby it may keep in it felfe, from flying away in her wan - " dring motions, that fo tarrying (till with the Lord " it may be refrefhed with fweet delights by him. Cc Hardly among many of our prayers meet we with " fuch a prayer. Every one would be ready to fay " that this were fo only with him, and that others " were not troubled in like manner, unleffe we had a heard David is a certain place raying : Therefore In Pfai.8.9. " thy 271
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=