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

Yea, when there seems at least to have been a reconciliation wrought, are treacheries, Covenant-breakings, revolts, strangeness, so frequent among men towards one another, as from them towards God? How inconsistent with friendship is it, according to common estimate, to be always promising, never performing: upon any, or no occasion to break off intercourses, by unkind alienations, or mutual hostilities; to be morose, reserved each towards other. To decline▪ or disaffect each others converse. To shut out one another from their hearts, and thoughts. But how common, and unregretted are these carriages towards the blessed God? It were easy to expatiate on this Argument, and multiply Instances of this greater disaffection. But in a word, what observing person may not see, what serious person would not grieve to see, the barbarous sooner putting on civility; the riotous, sobriety; the treacherous, fidelity; the morose, urbanity; the injurious, equity; the churlish, and covetous; benignity, and charity; then the ungodly man piety, and sincere devotedness unto God. Here is the principal wound and distemper sin hath infected the nature of man with: Though he have suffered a universal impairment, he is chiefly prejudiced in regard of his habitude, and tendency ⟨p. 222⟩towards God; and what concerns the duties of the first Table. Here the breach is greatest, and here is greatest need of repair. True it is an inoffensive winning deportment towards men, is not without its excellency, and necessity too. And it doth indeed, unsufferably reproach Christianity, and unbecome a Disciple of Christ; yea it discovers a man not to be led by his Spirit, & so to be none of his, to indulge himself in immoral deportments towards men; to be undutiful towards Superiors; unconversable towards equals; oppressive towards Inferiors; unjust towards any. Yet is an holy disposition of heart towards God, most earnestly, and in the first place to be endeavoured (which will then draw on the rest) as having in it highest equity and excellency; and being of most immediate necessity to our blessedness.

Yea, when there seems at least to have been a reconciliation wrought, are treacheries, Covenant-breakings, revolts, strangeness, so frequent among men towards one another, as from them towards God? How inconsistent with friendship is it, according to common estimate, to be alwayes promising, never performing: upon any, or no occasion to break off intercourses, by unkind alienations, or mutual hostilities; to be morose, reserv'd each towards other. To decline or disaffect each others converse. To shut out one another from their hearts, and thoughts. But how common, and unregretted are these carriages towards the blessed God? It were easie to expatiate on this Argument, and multiply Instances of this greater disaffection. But in a word, what observing person may not see, what serious person would not grieve to see, the barbarous sooner putting on civility; the riotous, sobriety; the treacherous, fidelity; the morose, urbanity; the injurious, equity; the churlish, and covetous; benignity, and charity; then the ungodly man piety, and sincere devotedness unto God. Here is the principal wound and distemper sin hath infected the nature of man with: Though he have suffered a universal impairment, he is chiefly prejudic'd in regard of his habitude, and tendency