A44666:745
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 discoursed from Psal. 17, 15 / by John Howe ...The blessednesse of the righteous discoursed from Psal. 17, 15 / by John Howe ...
printed by Sarah Griffin for Samuel Thomson, 1668
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. As to the former. Let us bethink our selves, can we answer it to God, or to our own souls; that we should indulge our selves in a continual negligence of our eternal blessedness? A blessedness, consisting in the Vision, and Participation of the Divine Glory?
Have we been dreaming all this while, that God hath been revealing to us this glorious state? and setting this lovely prospect before our eyes? Did it become us not to open our eyes, while he was opening Heaven to us, and representing the state which he designed to bring us to? or will we say we have seen it, and yet desire it not? Have we been deaf and dead, while he hath been calling us into eternal glory? have all our senses been bound up all this while? Hath he been speaking all along to senseless Statues, to Stocks, and Stones, while he expected reasonable, living souls should have received the voice, and have returned an obedient, complying answer? And what answer could be expected to such a call, (a call to his Glory) below this. We desire it Lord, we would fain be there.
Have we been dreaming all this while, that God hath been revealing to us this glorious state? and setting this lovely prospect before our eyes? Did it become us not to open our eyes, while he was opening Heaven to us, and representing the state which he designed to bring us to? or will we say we have seen it, and yet desire it not? Have we been deaf and dead, while he hath been calling us into eternal glory? have all our senses been bound up all this while? Hath he been speaking all along to sensless Statues, to Stocks, and Stones, while he expected reasonable, living souls should have received the voice, and have returned an obedient, complying answer? And what answer could be expected to such a call, (a call to his Glory) below this. We desire it Lord, we would fain be there.
And if, we say we have not been all this while a sleep, we saw the light that shone upon us, we heard the voice that called to us; wherewith shall we then excuse our selves, that our desires were not moved? that our Souls were not presently in a flame? was it then that