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

And what are his Commandments, but those expresses of himself, wherein we are to be like him, ¹and conform to his will? The Kingdom of God (that holy order which he settles in the spirits of men; his Law transcribed and imprest upon the soul, which is nothing else but its conformation and likeness to himself) is righteousness, ²and then peace. The [Greek or Hebrew], (That notion, and judgment, and savour of things, that excellent temper of mind and heart (for that is the extent of the expression) whereof the holy Spirit of God is both the author, and pattern) is life, and peace; involves them in it self. When one thing is thus in casu recto, predicated of another, it speaks their most intimate connection, as Rom. 14. 7. above, so 1 Joh. 5. 3. This is love that, &c. So here, such a mind is life, and peace (though the copula be not in the original, it is fitly supplied in the translation) you cannot separate (q. d.) life, and peace from such a mind. It hath no principle of death, or trouble in it. Let such as know any thing of this blessed temper, and complexion of soul; compare this Scripture, and their own experience together, when, at any time, they find their souls under the blessed Empire, and dominion of a Spiritual mind; when wholly spirituality rules and denominates them: are not their souls the very region of life and peace? both these in conjunction, life and peace, not raging life, not ⟨p. 109⟩stupid peace; but a placid peaceful life, a vital vigorous rest and peace; 'tis not the life of a fury, nor peace of a stone: Life that hath peace in it, and peace that hath life in it. Now can the soul say, I feel my self well; all is now well with me, nothing afflicts the Spiritual mind,³ so far, and while 'tis such: 'Tis wrapped up, and clothed in its own innocency, and purity, and hereby become invulnerable, not liable to hurtful impressions; Holiness (under the name of light, for that is by the context the evident meaning of the word there) is by the Apostle spoken of as the Christians armour. Put on, saith he, the armour of light (in opposition to the works of darkness which he had mentioned immediately before) strange armour!