The blessedness of the righteous discoursed from Psal. 17, 15 /The blessednesse of the righteous discoursed from Psal. 17, 15 /

And surely it is of equal necessity to the souls blessedness, to partake the glory of God, as to behold it; as well to have the divine-likeness imprest upon it as represented to it. After so contagious and over-spreading a depravation as sin hath diffused through all its powers: it can never be happy without a change of its very crasis and temper throughout. A diseased ulcerous body would take little felicity in gay and glorious sights: no more would all the glory of heaven signify to a sick, deformed, self-loathing soul.

And surely it is of equal necessity to the souls blessedness, to partake the glory of God, as to behold it; as well to have the divine-likeness imprest upon it as represented to it. After so contagious and over-spreading a depravation as sin hath diffus'd through all its powers: it can never be happy without a change of its very crasis and temper throughout. A diseased ulcerous body would take little felicity in gay and glorious sights: no more would all the glory of heaven signifie to a sick, deformed, self-loathing soul.

It must therefore be all glorious within, have the Divine nature more perfectly communicated, the likeness of God transfused and wrought into it. This is the blessed work begun in Regeneration; but how far it is from being perfected, we may soon find by considering how far short we are of being satisfied in our present state, even in the contemplation ⟨p. 50⟩of the highest and most excellent Objects. How tasteless to our souls are the thoughts of God! How little pleasure do we take in viewing over his glorious Attributes! the most acknowledged and adorable excellencies of his Being! And whereto can we impute it but to this, that our spirits are not yet sufficiently connaturallized to them? Their likeness is not enough deeply instamped on our souls: nor will this be, till we awake; when we see better, we shall become better: When he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

It must therefore be all glorious within, have the Divine nature more perfectly communicated, the likeness of God transfus'd and wrought into it. This is the blessed work begun in Regeneration; but how far it is from being perfected, we may soon find by considering how far short we are of being satisfied in our present state, even in the contemplation