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

2. Nor for the same reason can it be a lasting thing. For it wants what should maintain it. It will, as a vesture, wear and grow old; or, being as a cloak put on to serve a present turn, is, when that turn is served, as easily thrown off, i. e. being found to be more cumbersome than useful. What hath living Union with a mans own self, it's neither his ease nor convenience; he neither affects, nor can endure to lay it aside.

2. Nor for the same reason can it be a lasting thing. For it wants what should maintain it. It will, as a vesture, wear and grow old; or, being as a cloak put on to serve a present turn, is, when that turn is served, as easily thrown off, i. e. being found to be more cumbersom than useful. What hath living Union with a mans own self, it's neither his ease nor convenience; he neither affects, nor can endure to lay it aside.

It is given as a character of an hypocrite (one who therefore must be understood to carry with him some show and face of Religion, and to want the living Root and Principle of it) that he is inconstant in his Religion;¹ will he at all times call upon God? or will he be constantly religious? The interrogative form of speech implies more than a mere negative; That is, doth not only say that he will not at all times call upon God, but that 'tis absurd to say or think that he will. For it is an appeal to common reason in the case; as if it had been said, Can any man think that such a ones Religion will be lasting? It imports a disdain it should be thought so. What? he call upon God at all times; a likely thing! no; the matter is plain, his Religion is measured by his secular interest, and he will only be so long Religious as will serve that purpose. And the reason is plainly assigned in the foregoing words, Will he delight himself in the Almighty? His Religion hath no delight with it; 'tis a languid faint spiritless thing, a dead form. If it had life, it would have pleasure in it; ⟨p. 193⟩