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

THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE RIGHTEOUS.

THE BLESSEDNESSE OF THE RIGHTEOUS.

A Proemial Discourse to the intended Subject.

The continual mixture of Good, and Evil, in this present state of things; with its uncertain fluctuations, and subjection to perpetual changes; do naturally prompt a considering mind to the belief and hope of another; that may be both more perfect, and more permanent. For certainly it could never be a design adequate (or any way agreeable) to the Divine Wisdom and goodness, that the blessed God should raise such a thing, as this lower Creation out of nothing; Only to give ⟨image 10⟩himself the temporary pleasure of beholding (the alternate Joys and Sorrows of the best part thereof) his reasonable creature seated in it. Nor a delight at all proportionable to an eternal happy being; when he hath connaturalliz'd such a creature to this sensible world; only to take notice how variously the passions he hath planted in him may be moved and stirred by this variety of occasions, which he shall thence be presented with. And what sudden, and contrary impressions may be made upon his easy passive senses, by the interchanged strokes and touches of contrary objects. How quickly he can raise him into a transport of high contentment, and pleasure; and then how soon he can again reduce him to a very Paroxysm of anguish and despair. It would discover us to have very vile and low thoughts of God, if we did not judge it altogether unanswerable to his perfections, to design no further thing in creating this world, and placing such a creature as man in it; then only to please himself for a while with such a spectacle, and then at last clear the Stage, and shut up all again, in an eternal Silent darkness. If we could suppose a man furnished with such power, he would surely add little to the reputation of his being wise, or good beyond other men, by a design so to use it.