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

And that there should be such an inward manifestation of divine love superadded to the public and external declaration of it (which is only made indefinitely to persons so and so characterized) the exigency of the case did require; That is, wherein it was necessary his love should be distinctly understood and apprehended, it was so far necessary this course should be taken to make it be so. A mere external revelation was not sufficient to that end; Our own (unassisted) reasonings therefrom were not sufficient. As other Truths have not their due and proper impression, merely by our rational reception be they never so plain, without that holy sanctifying influence before insisted on; so this Truth also of Gods love to this person in particular hath not its force and weight, its efficacy and fruit answerable to the design of its discovery, unless it be applied and urged home on the Soul by a communicated influence of the Spirit to this purpose: Many times not so far as to overcome and silence tormenting doubts, fears and anguish of spirit in reference hereto, and, where that is done, not sufficient to work off deadness, drowsiness, indisposition to the doing of God cheerful service, not sufficient to excite and stir up, love, gratitude, admiration and ⟨p. 117⟩praise. How many (who have learned not to make light of the love of God as the most do) who reckon in his favour is life, to whom it is not an indifferent thing whether they be accepted or no; who cannot be overly in their enquiry, nor trifle with matters of everlasting consequence, who are not enough Atheists and Sceptics to permit all to a mad hazard, nor easy to be satisfied, walk mournfully from day to day with sunk, dejected spirits, full of anxiety, even unto agonies under the clear (external) discovery of Gods love, to persons of that character, whereof they really are? such as observe them judg their case plain, and every one thinks well of them, but themselves; yea their mouths are sometimes stopped, by such as discourse the matter with them, but their hearts are not quieted: or, if they sometime are, in a degree, yet the same doubts and fears return with the former importunity, the same work is still to be done, and 'tis but rolling the returning stone:

And that there should be such an inward manifestation of divine love superadded to the publique and external declaration of it (which is only made indefinitely to persons so and so characteriz'd) the exigency of the case did require; That is, wherein it was necessary his love should be distinctly understood and apprehended, it was so far necessary this course should be taken to make it be so. A meer external revelation was not sufficent to that end; Our own (unassisted) reasonings therefrom were not sufficient. As other Truths have not their due and proper impression, meerly by our rational reception be they never so plain, without that holy sanctifying influence before insisted on; so this Truth also of Gods love to this person in particular hath not its force and weitht, its efficacy and fruit answerable to the design of its discovery, unless it be appied and urged home on the Soul by a communicated influence of the Spirit to this purpose: Many times not so far as to overcome and silence tormenting doubts, fears and anguish of spirit in reference hereto, and, where that is done, not sufficient to work off deadness, drowziness, indisposition to the doing of God chearful service, not sufficient to excite and stir up, love, gratitude, admiration and