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

9. That yet such a degree of it, as is necessary to a comfortable serving of God in our stations being afforded; such superadded degrees, as whereby the Soul is in frequent raptures and transports, are not to be thought withheld penally, in any peculiar or remarkable respect, (or otherwise than it may be understood some way a penalty, not to be already perfectly blessed). For it is certain, that such rapturous sensations, and the want of them, are not the distinguishing characters ⟨p. 132⟩of the more grown, strong, and excellent Christians, and of them that are more infirm, and of a meaner and lower pitch and stature. Yea those extatical emotions, although they have much of a sensible delectation in them (as more hereafter may be said to that purpose); and though they may, in part, proceed from the best and most excellent Cause, do yet, if they be frequent (which would signify an aptitude thereto), import somewhat of diminution in their subject, and imply what is some way a lessening of it; that is, they imply the persons that are more disposed this way, to be of a temper not so well fixed and composed, but more volatile and airy; which yet doth not intimate, that the chief Cause and Author of those motions is therefore mean and ignoble; nay, it argues nothing to the contrary, but that the Holy Spirit it self may be the supreme Cause of them. For admitting it to be so, it doth not alter mens natural tempers and complexions; but so acts them, as that they retain (and express upon occasion) what was peculiar to their temper notwithstanding. The work and office of the Holy Ghost, in its special communications, is to alter and new-mould men in respect of their moral dispositions, not those which are strictly and purely natural; the subject is in this regard the same it was; and whatsoever is received, is received according to the disposition of that; and it gives a tincture to what supervenes and is implanted thereinto; whence the same degree of such communicated influence ⟨p. 133⟩will not so discernibly move some tempers, as it doth others; as the same quantity of fire will not so soon put solid wood into a flame, as it will light straw.

9. That yet such a degree of it, as is necessary to a comfortable serving of God in our stations being afforded; such superadded degrees, as whereby the Soul is in frequent raptures and transports, are not to be thought withheld penally, in any peculiar or remarkable respect, (or otherwise than it may be understood some way a penalty, not to be already perfectly blessed). For it is certain, that such rapturous sensations, and the want of them, are not the distinguishing characters