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

But yet this natural consequence is little understood. And the common ignorance or inadvertency of this, hath made it necessary to insist the more largely (though but little have been said in respect of what might) on this part of the delectable communication wherein God offers himself to his peoples enjoyment. For from the not-knowing, or not-considering of this way of enjoying him, this twofold mistake (the one of very dangerous, the other of uncomfortable importance and tendency) hath arisen.

1. That some have thought they have enjoyed God when they have not; having only had their imaginations somewhat gratified, by certain, either false or ineffectual notions of him. In which they have rested, and placed the sum of their Religion and Happiness. Never aiming, in the mean time, to have their spirits reformed according to that pure and holy Image and Exemplar which he hath represented in the Gospel of his Son; the impression whereof, is, Christ formed in us.

1. That some have thought they have enjoy'd God when they have not; having only had their imaginations somewhat gratified, by certain, either false or ineffectual notions of him. In which they have rested, and placed the sum of their Religion and Happiness. Never aiming, in the mean time, to have their spirits reformed according to that pure and holy Image and Exemplar which he hath represented in the Gospel of his Son; the impression whereof, is, Christ formed in us.

2. That others have thought they have not enjoyed God when they have; supposing there was no enjoyment of him, but what consisted in the rapturous transporting apprehension and persuasion of his particular love to them; and slightly overlooking all that work he hath wrought in their Souls, as if it were nothing to be accounted of, not allowing themselves to reflect on any thing in themselves, but what was still amiss; and vainly seeking with much anxiety and complaint