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

And thus hath God himself been pleased to express his own Delight, or the Joy which he takes in his people,¹ even by the name of Rest, viz. that of Love. He will rejoice over thee with joy, he will rest in his love. Wherefore delight hath not been unfitly defined, The repose or rest of the desiring faculty of the thing desired.

1. 1Zeph. 3. 17. 18

It is true, that Love, as such, hath ever somewhat of delectation in it; for we entertain the first view of any thing we apprehend as Good, with some pleasedness therein (so far as it is loved), it is grateful to us, and we are gratified some way by it; yea, there is somewhat of this before any emotion by desire towards it; For we would not desire it, ⟨p. 140⟩if it were not pleasing to us; which desire is then continued (as far as love is in exercise) till it be attained for our selves or others, according as the object of our love (i. e. the object for whom as we may call it) is.

Nor is that a difficulty, how yet there may be somewhat of delectation, and even of rest in this love of desire; For the Soul doth in that case, while it is thus desiring, rest from the indetermination of desire: that is, if it have placed Love upon any one (it self or another) upon whom therefore it doth with a sort of pleasedness stay and rest; it doth first in the general desire it may be well with such a one; and then, if any thing occur to its notice that it apprehends would be an advantage to the person loved; though it cease not desiring it, yet it ceases from those its former hoverings of desire; being pitched upon this one thing, as satisfied that this would be a good to him it loves. The appetite stays and insists upon this thing; As the Psalmist, One thing have I desired.