Tempt. X. He would make you bring a divided, distracted heart to duty, that is half about your worldly business.
Direct. X. Remember God is jealous, your business with him is great, much lieth on it; call off your hearts, and let them not stay behind: all the powers of your souls are little enough in such a work, Ezek. xxxiii. 31.
Tempt. XI. Ignorance, unskilfulness, and unacquaintedness with duty, is a great impediment to most.
Direct. XI. Learn by study joined with practice. Be not weary, and difficulties will be overcome.
Tempt. XII. Putting duty out of its place, and neglecting the season that is fittest, makes it oft done slightly.
Direct. XII. Redeem time, and despatch other business, that idleness deprive you not of leisure; and do all in order.
Tempt. XIII. Neglecting one duty is the tempter's snare to spoil another. If he can keep you from reading, you will not understand well what you hear. If he keep you from meditating, you will not digest what you hear or read. If he keep you from hearing, you will want both matter and life for prayer, and meditation, and conference. If he keep you from godly company, you will be hindered in all, and in the practice: no one is omitted, but you are disadvantaged by it in all the rest.
Direct. XIII. Observe how one duty helpeth another, and take all together each one in its place.
Tempt. XIV. Sometimes the tempter doth call you off to other duty, and puts in unseasonable motions to that which in its time is good; he interrupts prayer by meditation, he sets seeming truth against love, and peace, and concord.