A44697:446
A treatise of delighting in God from Psal. xxxvij. 4. Delight thy self also…
A treatise of delighting in God from Psal. xxxvij. 4. Delight thy self also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. In two parts. By John Howe, M.A. sometime fellow of Magdalen College, Oxon.
London: printed by A. Maxwell for Sa. Gellibrand, 1674
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
They therefore make a fair hand of their Religion, who are so far from pleasing God by it and advantaging themselves, that they wound their own Souls (as they are most like to do that handle so awkwardly such an edged tool) and render God their most avowed enemy. The Religion then which hath no delight in it hath so much of folly, incommodity and mischief, that measuring it by the Rules which were premised, we may see sufficient reason why such a Religion should not be chosen or rested in. And that we are concerned to look further.
They therefore make a fair hand of their Religion, who are so far from pleasing God by it and advantaging themselves, that they wound their own Souls (as they are most like to do that handle so awkardly such an edg'd tool) and render God their most avowed enemy. The Religion then which hath no delight in it hath so much of folly, incommodity and mischief, that measuring it by the Rules which were premised, we may see sufficient reason why such a Religion should not be chosen or rested in. And that we are concerned to look further.
Wherefore we proceed next,
2. To the other Head we proposed, The positive judgment we are to make, What Religion is fit to be chosen, and wherein we may safely acquiesce; whereof we shall only give the account which the subject we have in hand allows to be here given, i. e. That it be such as is in it self rationally and justly delectable. And though Religion is not to be chosen only, or chiefly, for the delightfulness of it; yet since, as we have seen, only that Religion is true which is delightful; that only which is delightful is fit to be chosen. So that this is a certain character (though not the chief cause) of the eligibleness of Religion. And when it is so expressly enjoined us as a duty, To delight our selves in the Lord; If, as hath been shown, this be within the meaning of the Precept, That, in the general, we delight our selves in a way and course of Religion; It is plain, such Religion only can be meant or intended, as can afford us matter of delight, or as is in it self truly and really delectable.