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

5. With reference to all their own expectations and endeavours. When it shall be considered by a Saint in glory; the attainment of this perfect likeness to God, was the utmost mark of all my designs, and aims; the term of all my hopes and desires. This is that I longed, and laboured for, that which I prayed and waited for; which I so earnestly breathed after, and restlessly pursued. It was but to recover the defaced image of God. To be again made like him, as once I was. Now I have attained my end; I have the fruit of all my labour and travels; I see now the truth of those (often) encouraging words, Blessed are they that hunger, and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Be not weary of well doing, for ye shall reap, if ye faint not. What would I once have given for a steady abiding frame of holiness, for an heart constantly bent and biassed toward God; constantly serious, constantly tender, lively, watchful, heavenly, spiritual, meek, humble, cheerful, self-denying. How have I cried and striven for this to get such an heart! such ⟨p. 155⟩a temper of spirit! how have I pleaded with God, and my own soul in order hereto. How often over have I spread this desire before the Searcher and Judge of hearts; Turn me out of all my worldly comforts, so thou give me but such an heart; Let me spend my days in a Prison, or a Desert, so I have but such a heart; I refuse no reproaches, no losses, no tortures, may I but have such a heart. How hath my soul been sometimes ravished with the very thoughts of such a temper of Spirit, as hath appeared amiable in my eye, but I could not attain? and what a torture again hath it been that I could not? What grievance in all the world, in all the days of my vanity; did I ever find comparable to this; To be able to frame my self by Scripture, and rational light and rules, the Notion and Idea of an excellent temper of spirit, and then to behold it, to have it in view, and not be able to reach it, to possess my soul of it? What indignation have I sometimes conceived against mine own soul, when I have found it wandering and could not reduce it; hovering, and could not fix it; dead, and could not quicken it; low, and could not raise it! How earnestly have I expected this blessed day, when all those distempers should be perfectly healed, and my Soul recover an healthy, lively spiritual frame?

5. With reference to all their own expectations and indeavours. When it shall be considered by a Saint in glory; the attainment of this perfect likeness to God, was the utmost mark of all my designs, and aims; the term of all my hopes and desires. This is that I long'd, and laboured for, that which I pray'd and waited for; which I so earnestly breath'd after, and restlestly pursu'd. It was but to recover the defaced image of God. To be again made like him, as once I was. Now I have attained my end; I have the fruit of all my labour and travels; I see now the truth of those (often) incouraging words, Blessed are they that hunger, and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Be not weary of well doing, for ye shall reap, if ye faint not. What would I once have given for a steady abiding frame of holiness, for an heart constantly bent and biassed toward God; constantly serious, constantly tender, lively, watchful, heavenly, spiritual, meek, humble, chearful, self-denying. How have I cryed and striven for this to get such an heart! such