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

And both these may fitly be understood to be within the meaning of this Text; which therefore we shall now consider apart and severally; though both of them very briefly.

And we begin with the latter of them. For though the former have, in some respect, an excellency in it above the latter; yet as the progress of Nature in other Creatures is by way of ascent, from what is more imperfect to what is perfecter and more excellent: So is it with the communicated Divine Nature in the new creature, which puts it self forth, first in more imperfect operations, the buddings, as it were, of that tree of life which hath its more florid blossoms, and at length its ripe and fragrant fruit afterwards; Or (to come nearer the case), inasmuch as the latter sort of delight (according to the order wherein we before mentioned them) hath more in it of the exercise of spiritual sense; the other more of spiritual reason; Since humane Creatures, that have Natures capable of both sorts of functions, do first exercise sense, and by a slower and more gradual process, come on to acts of ratiocination afterwards. So it is here, The Soul in which the Divine life hath taken place, doth first exercise it self in spiritual sensations: So that though, in the matter of delight, it is not destitute of the grateful relishes of things truly and spiritually delectable; yet the more ⟨p. 148⟩formed and designed acts of holy delectation, in the highest object thereof, distinctly apprehended and pitched upon for that purpose, do follow in their season; and these are preparations, and the essays of the new creature, gradually and more indistinctly putting forth it self in order thereto; The Embryo's of the other.

And we begin with the latter of them. For though the former have, in some respect, an excellency in it above the latter; yet as the progress of Nature in other Creatures is by way of ascent, from what is more imperfect to what is perfecter and more excellent: So is it with the communicated Divine Nature in the new creature, which puts it self forth, first in more imperfect operations, the buddings, as it were, of that tree of life which hath its more florid blossoms, and at length its ripe and fragrant fruit afterwards; Or (to come nearer the case), inasmuch as the latter sort of delight (according to the order wherein we before mentioned them) hath more in it of the exercise of spiritual sense; the other more of spiritual reason; Since humane Creatures, that have Natures capable of both sorts of functions, do first exercise sense, and by a slower and more gradual process, come on to acts of ratiocination afterwards. So it is here, The Soul in which the Divine life hath taken place, doth first exercise it self in spiritual sensations: So that though, in the matter of delight, it is not destitute of the grateful relishes of things truly and spiritually delectable; yet the more