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

Let us therefore make this our present business much to acquaint our selves with God. We count upon seeing him face to face, of being always in his presence, beholding his glory that speaketh very intimate acquaintance indeed. How shall we reach that pitch? what to live now as strangers to him? Is that the way?¹ The path of the righteous is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto perfect day. The text shows us the righteous mans end, to behold the glory of Gods face, &c. 'tis easy to apprehend, then his way must needs have in it a growing brightness, as he comes still nearer this end. Every nearer approach to a lucid thing infers (to us) an increase of light from it. We should therefore be following on to know the Lord; and we shall see his going forth will •e before us as the morning. ²He will be still visiting us with renewed increasing light, (for such is morning light, fresh and growing light) and ere long it will be perfect da•. Labour we to improve our knowledge of God to such a degree of acquaintance, ⟨p. 301⟩as our present state can admit of. To be as inward with him as we can, to familiarize our selves to him. His Gospel aims at this to make those that were afar off nigh. Far-distant objects we can have no distinct view of. He can give us little account of a person that hath only seen him afar off; so God beholds the proud afar off. That is, he will have no acquaintance with them. Whereas with the humble he will be familiar,³ he will dwell, (as in a family) with them. So the ungodly behold God till he brings them in, and make them nigh: then they are no longer strangers but of his family, and household, now throughly acquainted. Several notes there are of a through acquaintance which we should endeavour may concur, in our acquaintance with God, in that analogy which the case will bear.

Let us therefore make this our present business much to acquaint our selves with God. We count upon seeing him face to face, of being alwayes in his presence, beholding his glory that speaketh very intimate acquaintance indeed. How shall we reach that pitch? what to live now as strangers to him? Is that the way?