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

And let us bethink our selves how high the provocation is: Either we design to please, honour and enjoy him by that irrational and undelightful course of Religion, or we do not; If we do not, This signifies nothing but highest contempt and defiance of him; and that we care not for his favour, nor fear his displeasure: Yea, inasmuch as such Religion is pretended as an homage to him, it is nothing really but most profane and insolent mockery; as if we would join in the same breath and in the same act, Hail Jesus and Crucify him; and at once invest him with the purple Robe, and spit in his Face: But if we have such a Design, and do really think to please him by such trifling with him; and that these vain fancies and formalities shall make amends for all our neglects of him through the whole course of our lives besides; Then how vile thoughts have we of him! what do we make of the God we serve? How justly may that be applied to us, Ye worship ye know not what! ¹Who gave us our Idea of that ever blessed Being? It is not God, but a despicable Idol of our own creating we are thinking to please. We may see how well he ⟨p. 198⟩is pleased with the external show and the appendages of Religion (which being his own appointments would in conjunction and in subserviency thereto have signified somewhat, but disjoined from it, and accompanied with the neglect and abandoning of real piety, and righteousness signified nothing but an affront to him) in that remonstrance by the Prophet; He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; ²he that sacrificeth a lamb as if he cut off a dogs neck; He that offereth an Oblation as if he offered swines blood; He that burneth Incense as if he blessed an Idol. He is pleased with their Religion as he would be with murder, profaneness and Idolatry. And is it strange this should be his estimate, when he is hereby practically represented as such a one that will not be displeased with real wickedness, and that will be pleased with the thinnest and most superficial show of Devotion?

And let us bethink our selves how high the provocation is: Either we design to please, honour and enjoy him by that irrational and undelightful course of Religion, or we do not; If we do not, This signifies nothing but highest contempt and defiance of him; and that we care not for his favour, nor fear his displeasure: Yea, inasmuch as such Religion is pretended as an homage to him, it is nothing really but most profane and insolent mockery; as if we would join in the same breath and in the same act, Hail Jesus and Crucifie him; and at once invest him with the purple Robe, and spit in his Face: But if we have such a Design, and do really think to please him by such trifling with him; and that these vain fancies and formalities shall make amends for all our neglects of him through the whole course of our lives besides; Then how vile thoughts have we of him! what do we make of the God we serve? How justly may that be applied to us, Ye worship ye know not what!