The divine life in three treatises

But yet because I am sensible that some do here mistake on the other hand, and I would not lead you into any extreme, I shall fully remove the scruple contained in this Objection, by showing you in those following Propositions, in what sense, and how far your thoughts must be taken up with God (supposing what was said in the beginning, where I described to you the duty of Walking with God.)

But yet because I am sensible that some do here mistake on the other hand, and I would not lead you into any extream, I shall fully remove the scruple contained in this Objection, by shewing you in those following Propositions, in what sense, and how far your thoughts must be taken up with God (supposing what was said in the beginning, where I described to you the duty of Walking with God.)

Prop. 1. When we tell you that your Thoughts must be on God, it is not a course of idle musing, or mere thinking, that we call you to, but it is a necessary practical thinking of that which you have to do, and of him that you must love, obey and enjoy. You will not forget your Parents, or Husband, or Wife, or Friend; and yet you will not spend your time in sitting still and thinking of them, with a musing unprofitable thoughtfulness; But you will have such thoughts of them, and so many as are necessary to the Ends, even to the Love and Service which you owe them, and to the Delight that your hearts should have in the fruition of them. You cannot love, or obey, or take pleasure in those that you will not think of: You will follow your trades, or your Masters service but unhappily, if you will not think on them. Thinking is not the work that we must take up with: It is but a subservient instrumental duty, to promote some greater higher duty: Therefore we must Think of God, that we may Love him, and do his Service, and Trust him, and Fear him, and Hope in him, and make him our Delight. And all this is it that we call you to, ⟨p. 224⟩when we are persuading you to Think on God.

Prop. 1. When we tell you that your Thoughts must be on God, it is not a course of idle musing, or meer thinking, that we call you to, but it is a necessary practical thinking of that which you have to do, and of him that you must love, obey and enjoy. You will not forget your Parents, or Husband, or Wife, or Friend; and yet you will not spend your time in sitting still and thinking of them, with a musing unprofitable thoughtfulness; But you will have such thoughts of them, and so many as are necessary to the Ends, even to the Love and Service which you owe them, and to the Delight that your hearts should have in the fruition of them. You cannot love, or obey, or take pleasure in those that you will not think of: You will follow your trades, or your Masters service but unhappily, if you will not think on them. Thinking is not the work that we must take up with: It is but a subservient instrumental duty, to promote some greater higher duty: Therefore we must Think of God, that we may Love him, and do his Service, and Trust him, and Fear him, and Hope in him, and make him our Delight. And all this is it that we call you to,