The Soul's Conflict with Itself

Sometimes also, God suffers men to ¹be disquieted for want of employment, who in shunning labour, procure trouble ⟨p. 33⟩to themselves; and by not doing that which is needful, they are troubled with that which is unnecessary. An unemployed life is a burden to it self. God is a pure Act, always working, always doing: and the nearer our soul comes to God, the more it is in action, and the freer from disquiet. Men experimentally feel that comfort in doing that which belongs unto them, which before they longed for, and went without; a heart not exercised in some honest labour works trouble out of it self.

Sometimes also, God suffers men to ¹be disquieted for want of imployment, who in shunning labour, procure trouble ⟨p. 33⟩to themselves; and by not doing that which is needfull, they are troubled with that which is unnecessary. An unimployed life is a burden to it selfe. God is a pure Act, alwayes working, alwaies doing: and the neerer our soule comes to God, the more it is in action, and the freer from disquiet. Men experimentally feele that comfort in doing that which belongs unto them, which before they longed for, and went without; a heart not exercised in some honest labour workes trouble out of it selfe.

1. 110. Want of employment.10. Want of imployment.

Again, Omission of duties and offices ¹of love, often troubles the peace of good people; for even in the time of death when they look for peace and desire it most, then looking back upon their former failings and seeing opportunity of doing good wanting to their desire; (the parties perhaps being deceased to whom they owed more respect) are hereupon much disquieted, and so much the more, because they see now hope of the like advantages cut off.