A treatise of delighting in God from Psal. xxxvij. 4. Delight thy self also…

The continual exercise of good conscience towards God, hath great pleasure in it. Hereby our way and course is continually reviewed, and we pass censures upon our selves, and upon that account survey our own works. And by how much the more carefully and often this is done, so much the more delectable it will be; that is, the more approvable we shall find them upon review. For we shall order our course the more warily, as we reckon upon undergoing an inquisition and search; wherein an apprehensive serious heart well understands it is not it self to be the supreme Judg. How blessed an imitation might there here be of the blessed God himself, who we find beheld his six days works, and lo they were all very good; whereupon follows his delightful day of rest; So we shall, in some degree of conformity to him, finding our works to be in that sort good, as that he will by gracious indulgence accept them as such, have our own Sabbath, a sweet and peaceful rest in our own spirits. Though we can pretend no higher than sincerity only, yet how sweet are the reflections of a well-instructed conscience upon that! when our hearts reproach us not, and we resolve they shall not as long as we live; we are conscious to our selves of no base designs, we propose nothing to our selves, wherein we apprehend cause to decline Gods eye; we walk in the light, and are ⟨p. 60⟩seeking no darkness or shadow of death, where (as workers of iniquity) we may hide our selves from him; Can implore him as an assistant, and appeal to him as a Judg in reference to our daily affairs and wonted course: Is this without pleasure! This is our rejoicing, ¹saith the Apostle, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God we have had our conversation, &c.

1. 12 Cor. 1. 12.