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

If therefore it be inquired, Wherein the delight of this more imperfect sort doth consist?

I answer, In the Souls sensation and relish of sweetness in the holy quickening communications of God unto it, by which he first forms it for himself, and in the operations which it is hereby enabled to put forth towards him, while it is in the infancy or childhood of its Christian state.

Nor, while we say the delight of this kind doth more properly belong to the younger and more immature state of Christianity, do we thereby intend wholly to appropriate or confine it to that state: For as when a Child is grown up to the capacity of exercising reason, it doth not then give over to use sense, but continues the exercise of it also in its adult state, even as long as the person lives; only, in its infancy and childhood its life is more entirely a life of sense, though there are early buddings of reason, that soon come to be intermingled therein; notwithstanding which▪ the principle that rules and is more in exercise, more fitly gives the denomination: So it is in this case also; that is, though there ⟨p. 149⟩are sensations of Delight and pleasure in Religion (yea, and those more quick, confirmed and strong in more grown Christians), yet these sensations are more single and unaccompanied (though not altogether) with the exercise of spiritual reason and judgment, and do less come in that way with Christians in their minority, than with others or themselves afterwards.

Nor, while we say the delight of this kind doth more properly belong to the younger and more immature state of Christianity, do we thereby intend wholly to appropriate or confine it to that state: For as when a Child is grown up to the capacity of exercising reason, it doth not then give over to use sense, but continues the exercise of it also in its adult state, even as long as the person lives; only, in its infancy and childhood its life is more intirely a life of sense, though there are early buddings of reason, that soon come to be intermingled therein; notwithstanding which the principle that rules and is more in exercise, more fitly gives the denomination: So it is in this case also; that is, though there