The divine life in three treatises

8. The Godly themselves are very much wanting in the holiness of their thoughts, and the liveliness of their affections. ⟨p. 228⟩Sense leadeth away the thoughts too easily after these present sensible things; while faith being infirm, the Thoughts of God and heaven are much disadvantaged by their invisibility. Many a gracious soul crieth out, O that I could think as easily and as affectionately and as unweariedly about the Lord and the life to come, as I can do about my friends, my health, my habitation, my business, and other concernments of this life! But alas such thoughts of God and Heaven have far more enemies and resistance, then the thoughts of earthly matters have.

8. The Godly themselves are very much wanting in the holiness of their thoughts, and the liveliness of their affections. ⟨p. 228⟩Sense leadeth away the thoughts too easily after these present sensible things; while faith being infirm, the Thoughts of God and heaven are much disadvantaged by their invisibility. Many a gracious soul cryeth out, O that I could think as easily and as affectionately and as unweariedly about the Lord and the life to come, as I can do about my friends, my health, my habitation, my business, and other concernments of this life! But alas such thoughts of God and Heaven have far more enemies and resistance, then the thoughts of earthly matters have.

9. It is not distracting, vexatious thoughts of God, that the holy Scriptures call us to; but it is to such thoughts as tend to the healing and peace and felicity of the soul; and therefore it is not to a melancholy, but a joyful life. If God be better then the world, it must needs be better to think of him. If he be more beloved then any friend, the thoughts of him should be sweeter to us. If he be the everlasting hope and happiness of the soul, it should be a foretaste of happiness to find him nearest to our hearts. The nature and use of holy thoughts, and of all Religion, is but to exalt and sanctify and delight the soul, and bring it up to everlasting Rest: And is this the way to melancholy or madness? Or is it not liker to make men melancholy, to think of nothing but a vain, deceitful and vexatious world, that hath much to disquiet us, but nothing to satisfy us, and can give the soul no hopes of any durable delight?