The divine life in three treatises

We must not be strange to him in our Thoughts, but make him the object of our most serious meditations: Its said of the wicked that they are far from God; and that God is not in all their thoughts, Ps. 73. 27. Ps. 10. 4. The thoughts are the ⟨p. 172⟩minds employment. It dwells on that which it frequently thinks of. It is a walk of the Mind, and not of the Body which we are treating of. To mind the world, and fleshly things, is contrary to this walk with God: we are far from him, when our thoughts are (ordinarily) far from him. I know that it is lawful and meet to think of the business of our callings, so far as is necessary to the prudent successful management of them: and that it is not requisite that our thoughts be always actually upon God: but he that doth manage his calling in Holiness, doth all in obedience to Gods commands, and sees that his work be the work of God, and he intendeth all to the glory of God, or the pleasing of his blessed will: and he oft reneweth these actual intentions; and oft interposeth thoughts of the presence, or power, or love, or interest of him whom he is serving: He often lifteth up his soul in some holy desire or ejaculatory request to God: He oft taketh occasion from what he seeth, or heareth, or is doing, for some more spiritual meditation or discourse: so that still it is God that his mind is principally employed on or for, even in his ordinary work, (while he liveth as a Christian.)

We must not be strange to him in our Thoughts, but make him the object of our most serious meditations: Its said of the wicked that they are far from God; and that God is not in all their thoughts, Ps. 73. 27. Ps. 10. 4. The thoughts are the ⟨p. 172⟩minds employment. It dwells on that which it frequently thinks of. It is a walk of the Mind, and not of the Body which we are treating of. To mind the world, and fleshly things, is contrary to this walk with God: we are far from him, when our thoughts are (ordinarily) far from him. I know that it is lawful and meet to think of the business of our callings, so far as is necessary to the prudent successful management of them: and that it is not requisite that our thoughts be alwaies actually upon God: but he that doth manage his calling in Holiness, doth all in obedience to Gods commands, and sees that his work be the work of God, and he intendeth all to the glory of God, or the pleasing of his blessed will: and he oft reneweth these actual intentions; and oft interposeth thoughts of the presence, or power, or love, or interest of him whom he is serving: He often lifteth up his soul in some holy desire or ejaculatory request to God: He oft taketh occasion from what he seeth, or heareth, or is doing, for some more spiritual meditation or discourse: so that still it is God that his mind is principally employed on or for, even in his ordinary work, (while he liveth as a Christian.)