at they shall be constrained to
forbear; yea, to lay aside all thoughts of going about any such duty.

This is a very dead-like condition,--what can be the causes or occasions
thereof?

I answer, (and this is the _second_ particular,) some or all of these
things may be considered as having a hand in this:

1. No care to keep up a tender frame of heart, but growing slack, loose,
and careless, in going about Christian duties, may bring on such a
distemper.

2. Slighting of challenges for omission of duties, or leaving duties
over the belly of conscience, may make way for such an evil.

3. Giving way to carnality and formality in duties, is a ready mean to
usher in this evil. For when the soul turns carnal or formal in the
discharge of duties, duties have not that spiritual lustre which they
had, and the soul becometh the sooner wearied of them, as seeing no such
desirableness in them, nor advantage by them.

4. When people drown themselves in cares of the world, they occasion
this deadness to themselves; for then duties not only are not gone about
heartily, but they are looked on as a burden, and the man becometh
weary of them; and from that he cometh to neglect them; and by
continuing in the neglect of them, he contracteth an aversion of heart
for them; and then an utter unfitness and indisposition for discharging
of them followeth.

5. Satan hath an active hand here, driving on with his crafts and wiles
from one step to another.

6. The hand also of a sovereign God is to be observed here, giving way
to this, yea, and ordering matters in his justice and wisdom so, as such
persons shall come under such an indisposition, and that for wise and
holy ends; as, (1.) That by such a dispensation he may humble them, who
possibly were puffed up before, as thinking themselves fit enough to go
about any duty, how difficult or hazardous soever, as Peter, who boasted
so of his own strength, as he thought nothing to lay down his life for
Christ, and to die with him; and yet at length came to that, that he
could not, or durst not speak the truth to a damsel. (2.) That he may
punish one spiritual sin with another. (3.) To give warning to all to
watch and pray, and to work out their salvation with fear and trembling,
and not to be high-minded, but fear. (4.) That thereby, in his just and
righteous judgment, he may lay a stumbling-block before some, to the
breaking of their neck, when they shall, for this cause, reject and mock
a