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

It must to this purpose be considered, that this holy delight is twofold, according to a ⟨p. 144⟩two-fold consideration of the delectable object; into which, what was formerly said about it may be reduced.

All delight in God supposes, as hath been said, some communication from him.

That communication is either of light, whereby his Nature and Attributes are in some measure known; or of operative influence, whereby his Image is imprest, and the Soul is framed according to his will. And so 'tis partly mental or notional (I mean not merely notional, but that hath with it also an aptitude to beget a correspondent-impression on the Soul, and not engage it in some speculations concerning him only), and partly real, that actually begets such an impression it self. It is partly such as may be understood, and partly such as may be felt; the manifestation of his Love partly belongs to the one of these, and partly to the other.

That communication is either of light, whereby his Nature and Attributes are in some measure known; or of operative influence, whereby his Image is imprest, and the Soul is fram'd according to his will. And so 'tis partly mental or notional (I mean not meerly notional, but that hath with it also an aptitude to beget a correspondent-impression on the Soul, and not engage it in some speculations concerning him only), and partly real, that actually begets such an impression it self. It is partly such as may be understood, and partly such as may be felt; the manifestation of his Love partly belongs to the one of these, and partly to the other.