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

And if it have not over-born you into what you should have understood to have been your duty, but have upon your untractableness retired and withdrawn from you; Do not therefore make the less reckoning of the matter, but the more rather; this carries more in it of awful consideration to you, and smarter rebuke that He desisted. You must consider him as a free Agent, and who works to will and to do of his good pleasure. His influence is retractable, and when it is retracted, you ought in this case to reckon it signifies a resentment of your undutiful and regardless carriage towards him. And ought you not to smite upon the thigh then, and say, What have I done? You have striven against the Spirit of the most High God; You have resisted him in the execution of his Office, when you were committed to his Conduct and Government; you have fallen out and quarrelled with your merciful Guide, and slighted at once both his Authority and Love. This could be no small offence. And you are also to consider, that when such a Province was assigned him in reference to you, and such as you; and the great ⟨p. 273⟩God set his Spirit on work about you. It was with a special end and design, being the determination of most wise Counsel.

And if it have not over-born you into what you should have understood to have been your duty, but have upon your untractableness retired and withdrawn from you; Do not therefore make the less reckoning of the matter, but the more rather; this carries more in it of awful consideration to you, and smarter rebuke that He desisted. You must consider him as a free Agent, and who works to will and to do of his good pleasure. His influence is retractable, and when it is retracted, you ought in this case to reckon it signifies a resentment of your undutiful and regardless carriage towards him. And ought you not to smite upon the thigh then, and say, What have I done? You have striven against the Spirit of the most High God; You have resisted him in the exeeution of his Office, when you were committed to his Conduct and Government; you have fal'n out and quarrelled with your merciful Guide, and slighted at once both his Authority and Love. This could be no small offence. And you are also to consider, that when such a Province was assigned him in reference to you, and such as you; and the great ⟨p. 273⟩God set his Spirit on work about you. It was with a special end and design, being the determination of most wise Counsel.