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94.
,THE
SOGL L1`.AWING
NEAR
.T()
GOD.
[
SERb1.
V.
spoils the devotion, and
almost destroys
the,
pretence to
any
sublime
degrees of
it. Such
persons
liad
need look
well
to
themselves,
and
make a
narrow
search within,
whether their
hearts
be
sincere with
God or
no,
lest
they build
all
their
hopes
upon the
flashy
efforts
of
ani-
mal
nature, coupled
with
the thoughts
of
some
sacred
objects,
and tacked
on.
to
a
divine meditation.
REFLECTION.
What
a wretched hindrance
is
this world
to our
chris.
tian profit and pleasure
!
How often does
it
keep the
soul
at
a sad
distance
from
God
!
With
what
difficulty
and
uneasy reluctance, are
we
sometimes drawn,
or
rather
dragged into retirement,
that
the
soul
may
seek
after God
there
!
How many excuses
does
the
flesh
'borrow
from
the
cares and necessities
of
this
life,.
to
de-
lay,
or
to
divert the duty
of
prayer
?
Our
memory,
our
imagination, and
our
senses,
are faithful purveyors and
treasurers
for the world
;
they
are ever representing
to
us the things
of
this
present
state,
the
trifles
or the busi-
nesses,
the cares
or
amusements
of
it,
the labours
or
delights
which
relate
to this
life;
and
thereby,
we
are
diverted and separated
from
Gad,
and
called away
from him often,
as
soon as
we
begin to
approach
his
presence.
What
a
pernicious
enemy
is
this
flesh
to the soul,
both
in
the pleasures and the
pains
of it!
and
this world,
both
in
the flatteries
and the
frowns
of
it,
and
even in
its
necessary cares
!
When
we
would
give
our God
the
upper
-room
in
our
.hearts,
how
is
this world
ready
to get
the
ascendant
!
How often does it
break
in
upon our
most sacred retirements, and
thrust
itself, with all
its
impertinencies,
into
our
holy
meditations!
How often
does it
spread
a
carnal
scene all over
our thoughts
at
.
once, and. spoil
our devoutest hours
!
"
I
cannot
dwell
so,
long
in my
closet
as
I
would,
says
a christian,
the
world has such
importunate
demands .upon
me."
The
world
follows
us,
into
our
places
of retirement;
the ex-
change,
or
the
shop, presses
into the temple, and robs
God
even,
to
his face.
Let
us then have
a care
of
the
flesh
;
let
us
have
a
care
of
this
world;
we
must
be watchful over
them
as
our
most subtle and dangerous
enemies,
if
we
would keep
our
souls
near
to
God,
or,
often enjoy
this divine privi-