The divine life in three treatises

5. An habitual intending God as our End, and depending on his support, and subjection to his Government, will carry on the soul in a sincere and constant course of Godliness, though the actual most observed thoughts of the soul, be fewer in number about God, than about the means that lead unto him, and the occurrences in our way: The soul of man is very active and comprehensive, and can think of several things at once: and when it is once clear and resolved in any case, it can act according to that knowledge and resolution, without any present sensible cogitation; nay while its actual most observed thoughts, are upon something else. A Musician that hath an habitual skill, can keep time and tune while he is thinking of some other matter: A Weaver can cast his shuttle right, and work truly, while he is thinking or talking of other things. A man can eat ⟨p. 226⟩and drink with discretion while he talks of other things. Some men can dictate to two or three Scribes at once, upon divers subjects: A Traveller can keep on his way, though he seldom think distinctly of his Journeys end, but be thinking or discoursing most of the way, upon other matters: For before he undertook his Journey he thought both of the end and way, and resolved then which way to go, and that he would go through all both fair and foul, and not turn back, till he saw the place: And this habitual understanding and resolution, may be secretly and unobservedly active, so as to keep a man from erring, and from turning back, though at the same time the Travellers most sensible thoughts and his discourse may be upon something else. When a man is once resolved of his End, and hath laid his design, he is past deliberating of that, and therefore hath less use of his cogitations thereabout: but is readier to lay them out upon the means, which may be still uncertain, or may require his frequent deliberation. We have usually more thoughts and speeches by the way, about our company, or our Horses, or Inns, or other accommodations, or the fairness or foulness of the way, and other such occurrences, than we have about the place that we are going to: And yet this secret intention of our end, will bring us thither.

5. An habitual intending God as our End, and depending on his support, and subjection to his Government, will carry on the soul in a sincere and constant course of Godliness, though the actual most observed thoughts of the soul, be fewer in number about God, than about the means that lead unto him, and the occurrences in our way: The soul of man is very active and comprehensive, and can think of several things at once: and when it is once clear and resolved in any case, it can act according to that knowledge and resolution, without any present sensible cogitation; nay while its actual most observed thoughts, are upon something else. A Musician that hath an habitual skill, can keep time and tune while he is thinking of some other matter: A Weaver can cast his shuttle right, and work truly, while he is thinking or talking of other things. A man can eat