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

We have hitherto discoursed of the pleasure of being like God, as that is apprehended, by a spiritual sensation, a feeling of that inward rectitude, that happy pleasure of souls now perfectly restored? We have yet to consider a further pleasure, which accrues from the souls animadversion upon it self; its contemplating its self thus happily transformed. And though that very sensation be not without some animadversion (as indeed no sensible perception can be performed without it) yet we must conceive a consequent animadversion, which is much more explicit, and distinct; and ⟨p. 147⟩which therefore yields a very great addition of Satisfaction and delight. As when the blessed soul shall turn its eye upon it self, and designedly compose, and set it self to consider its present state and frame, the consideration it shall now have of it self, and this likeness imprest upon it, may be either Absolute, or Comparative & respective.

We have hitherto discoursed of the pleasure of being like God, as that is apprehended, by a spiritual sensation, a feeling of that inward rectitude, that happy pleasure of souls now perfectly restored? We have yet to consider a further pleasure, which acrews from the souls animadversion upon it self; its contemplating its self thus happily transformed. And though that very sensation be not without some animadversion (as indeed no sensible perception can be performed without it) yet we must conceive a consequent animadversion, which is much more explicite, and distinct; and ⟨p. 147⟩which therefore yields a very great addition of Satisfaction and delight. As when the blessed soul shall turn its eye upon it self, and designedly compose, and set it self to consider its present state and frame, the consideration it shall now have of it self, and this likeness imprest upon it, may be either Absolute, or Comparative & respective.

1. Absolute. How pleasing a spectacle will this be, when the glorified soul shall now intentively behold its own glorious frame? When it shall dwell in the contemplation of it self? view it self round on every part, turn its eye from glory to glory, from beauty to beauty, from one excellency to another; and trace over the whole draught of this image; this so exquisite piece of divine workmanship, drawn out in its full perfection, upon it self. When the glorified eye, and divinely enlightened, and inspirited mind shall apply it self to criticize, and make a judgment upon every several lineament, every touch and stroke, shall stay it self, and scrupulously insist upon every part? view at leisure every character of glory the blessed God hath instamp't upon it; how will this likeness now satisfy! And that expression of the blessed Apostle (taken notice of upon some other occasion formerly) [The glory to be revealed in us] seems to import in it a reference to such a self intuition. What serves revelation for, but in order to vision? What is it but an exposing things to view? and what is revealed in us, is chiefly exposed to our own view.