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

And yet the good which hath hence ensued, is not to be referred to the particular principles of Idolatry, which were false; but to the more general principles of Religion, which were ⟨p. 183⟩true. Yea, and though such false principles viewed alone, and by themselves, may possibly infer somewhat of good; yet that is by accident only, and through the short-sightedness and ignorance of them with whom they obtain; who, if they did consider their incoherence with other common notions and principles most certainly true, would receive by them (if thought the only Principles of Religion) so much the greater hurt, and become so much the more hopelessly and incurably wicked: As most manifestly the principles which (looked upon by themselves) while they are reckoned true, do lead to Idolatry, and consequently, by that mistake only, to some Religion; do yet, being really false, lead to Atheism, and of themselves tend to subvert and destroy all Religion. Therefore such Doctrines as cohere not with the general frame of Truth, whatever their particular aspect may be, considered apart and by themselves, are yet in their natural tendency opposite and destructive to the true design of Religion, and the pleasure which they can any way afford, is only stolen and vain; such as a person takes in swallowing a potion that is pleasant, but which, if it perform what belongs to it, he must with many a sickly qualm refund and disgorge back again.

And yet the good which hath hence ensued, is not to be refer'd to the particular principles of Idolatry, which were false; but to the more general principles of Religion, which were ⟨p. 183⟩true. Yea, and though such false principles viewed alone, and by themselves, may possibly infer somwhat of good; yet that is by accident only, and through the short-sightedness and ignorance of them with whom they obtain; who, if they did consider their incoherence with other common notions and principles most certainly true, would receive by them (if thought the only Principles of Religion) so much the greater hurt, and become so much the more hopelesly and incurably wicked: As most manifestly the principles which (lookt upon by themselves) while they are reckon'd true, do lead to Idolatry, and consequently, by that mistake only, to some Religion; do yet, being really false, lead to Atheism, and of themselves tend to subvert and destroy all Religion. Therefore such Doctrines as cohere not with the general frame of Truth, whatever their particular aspect may be, considered apart and by themselves, are yet in their natural tendency opposite and destructive to the true design of Religion, and the pleasure which they can any way afford, is only stol'n and vain; such as a person takes in swallowing a potion that is pleasant, but which, if it perform what belongs to it, he must with many a sickly qualm refund and disgorge back again.