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

The nearest approaches therefore of the soul to God; Its most intimate union with him, and entire subjection to him, in its glorified state, makes its liberty consummate. Now is its deliverance complete, its bands are fallen off, tis perfectly disentangled from all the snares of death, in which it was formerly held; 'tis under no restraints, oppressed by no weights, held down by no clogs. It hath the free exercise of all its powers; hath every faculty and affection at command. How unconceivable a pleasure is this! With what delight doth the poor prisoner entertain himself, when his manacles and fetters are knocked off! when he's enlarged from his loathsome dungeon, and the house of his bondage, breaths in a free air! ⟨p. 140⟩can dispose of himself, and walk at liberty whither he will. The bird escaped from his Cage; or freed from his Line, and Stone, that resisted its ruin and too feeble strugglings before, how pleasantly doth it range, (with what joy doth it clap its wings, and take its slight! A faint Emblem of the joy, wherewith that pleasant cheerful note shall, one day, be sung and chanted forth. Our soul is escaped, as a bird out of the snare of the Fowler, the snare is broken, and we are escaped. There is now no place for such a complaint. I would, but I cannot, I would turn my thoughts to glorious objects, but I cannot. The blessed soul feels it self free from all confinement; nothing resists its will; as its will doth never resist the will of God. It knows no limits, no restraints; is not tied up to this or that particular good, but expatiates freely, in the immense universal all comprehending goodness of God himself.

The nearest approaches therefore of the soul to God; Its most intimate union with him, and intire subjection to him, in its glorified state, makes its liberty consummate. Now is its deliverance compleat, its bands are fallen off, tis perfectly disentangled from all the snares of death, in which it was formerly held; 'tis under no restraints, opprest by no weights, held down by no cloggs. It hath the free exercise of all its powers; hath every faculty and affection at command. How unconceivable a pleasure is this! With what delight doth the poor prisoner entertain himself, when his manacles and fetters are knockt off! when he's enlarged from his loathsom dungeon, and the house of his bondage, breaths in a free air! ⟨p. 140⟩can dispose of himself, and walk at liberty whither he will. The bird escaped from his Cage; or freed from his Line, and Stone, that resisted its ruine and too feeble struglings before, how pleasantly doth it range, (with what joy doth it clap its wings, and take its slight! A faint Emblem of the joy, wherewith that pleasant chearful note shall, one day, be sung and chanted forth. Our soul is escaped, as a bird out of the snare of the Fowler, the snare is broken, and we are escaped. There is now no place for such a complaint. I would, but I cannot, I would turn my thoughts to glorious objects, but I cannot. The blessed soul feels it self free from all confinement; nothing resists its will; as its will doth never resist the will of God. It knows no limits, no restraints; is not tyed up to this or that particular good, but expatiates freely, in the immense universal all comprehending goodness of God himself.