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

This you see is the initial leading thing in this blessedness of heaven. So it must have also a prime ingrediency into our heaven on earth. It is a part of celestial blessedness; but it is not peculiar to it. The present blessedness the righteous enjoy here is a participation of heaven. It hath something in it of every thing that is ingredient into that perfect blessedness. Our present knowledge of God is often expressed by vision, or sight, as we have ⟨p. 306⟩had occasion to observe in many passages of Scripture. He hath given us such a visive power and made it connatural to that heavenly creature begotten of him in all the true subjects of this blessedness.¹ We know that we are of God, and presently it follows, he hath given us an understanding to know him, that is true. This new man is not born blind. The blessed God himself is become liable to the view of his regenerate intellectual eye, clarified and filled with vigour and Spirit from himself. He therefore that hath made (that hath new formed) this eye shall not he be seen by it? shall not we turn it upon him? Why do we not more frequently bless our eye, with that sight? This Object (though of so high excellency and glory) will not hurt but perfect, and strengthen it. They are refreshing vital beams that issue from it. Sure we have no excuse that we eye God so little, i. e. that we mind him no more. Why have we so few thoughts of him in a day? What, to let so much time pass, and not spare him a look? a thought? Do we intend to employ our selves on eternity in the visions of God, and is our present aversion from him, and intention upon vanity, our best preparation thereto? This loudly calls for redress. Shall God be waiting all the day as on purpose to catch our eye? to intercept a look? and we studiously decline him, and still look another way, as of choice? and what is it but choice? can we pretend a necessity to forget him all the day? How cheap is the expense of a look? how little would it ⟨p. 307⟩cost us, and yet how much of duty might it express, how much of comfort and joy might it bring into us?

This you see is the initial leading thing in this blessedness of heaven. So it must have also a prime ingrediency into our heaven on earth. It is a part of celestial blessedness; but it is not peculiar to it. The present blessedness the righteous injoy here is a participation of heaven. It hath something in it of every thing that is ingredient into that perfect blessedness. Our present knowledge of God is often exprest by vision, or sight, as we have