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

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 ⟨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.

But do we indeed pretend to such an expectation? Can we think what God is, and what we are in our present state, and not confess these words to carry with them an amazing sound, we shall be like him! How great an hope is this! How strange an errand hath the Gospel into the world! How admired a design! to transform men and make them like God! Were the dust of the earth turned into stars in the firmament, were the most stupendous poetical transformations assured realities, what could equal the greatness and the wonder of this mighty change? Yea, and doth not the expectation of it seem as presumptuous, as the issue it self would be strange? Is it not an over bold desire? too daring a thought? a thing unlawful to be affected, as it seems impossible to be attained?