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

And that it is in it self so delightful, if you had nothing to inform you but the report of such as profess to have tried and found it so, methinks that at least should provoke you to try also. How sluggish a temper doth it argue, not to be desirous to know the ⟨p. 231⟩utmost that is in it! It were even a laudable curiosity to resolve upon making trial; to get into the inmost centre of it; to pierce and press onward till you reach the seat of life, till you have got the secret, and the very heart of Religion and your heart do meet and join in one. Did you never try experiments for your pleasure? Try this one. See what you will find in withdrawing your self from all things else, and becoming entirely devoted to God through the Redeemer, to live after his will, and in his presence. Try the difference between viewing Truths to please your genius, or using Divine Ordinances to keep up the custom, to conform your self to those you live among, and help to make a solemn show; And doing these things with a serious design to get into an acquaintance with God, to have your Soul transformed into his Image, that you may have present and eternal fellowship with him. Try how much better it is, to have your lives governed by an awful and dutiful respect to God, than to follow your own wild and enormous inclinations: And whether it be not better, what good things soever you do, to do it for the Lords sake, than from base and sordid motives.

And that it is in it self so delightful, if you had nothing to inform you but the report of such as profess to have tried and found it so, methinks that at least should provoke you to try also. How sluggish a temper doth it argue, not to be desirous to know the ⟨p. 231⟩utmost that is in it! It were even a laudable curiosity to resolve upon making trial; to get into the inmost center of it; to pierce and press onward till you reach the seat of life, till you have got the secret, and the very heart of Religion and your heart do meet and join in one. Did you never try experiments for your pleasure? Try this one. See what you will find in withdrawing your self from all things else, and becoming entirely devoted to God through the Redeemer, to live after his will, and in his presence. Try the difference between viewing Truths to please your genius, or using Divine Ordinances to keep up the custom, to conform your self to those you live among, and help to make a solemn shew; And doing these things with a serious design to get into an acquaintance with God, to have your Soul transformed into his Image, that you may have present and eternal fellowship with him. Try how much better it is, to have your lives governed by an awful and dutiful respect to God, than to follow your own wild and enormous inclinations: And whether it be not better, what good things soever you do, to do it for the Lords sake, than from base and sordid motives.