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

or is there any thing so aptly and naturally tending to form the World to sobriety, holiness, purity of conversation, as the discovery of this future state of glory? and since the belief of future felicity, is known to obtain universally among men; who could be the Author of so common a deception. If thou hadst the mind to impose a lie upon all the world, what course wouldst thou take? how wouldst thou lay the design? or why dost thou in this case imagine, what thou knowest not how to imagine? And dost thou not without scruple believe many things of which thou never hadst so unquestionable evidence? or must that Faith which is the foundation of thy Religion, and eternal hopes be the most suspected shaking thing with thee? and have of all other the least stability, and rootedness in thy soul; If thou canst not excuse thy infidelity, be ashamed of thy so cold, and sluggish desires of this glorious state.

or is there any thing so aptly and naturally tending to form the World to sobriety, holiness, purity of conversation, as the discovery of this future state of glory? and since the belief of future felicity, is known to obtain universally among men; who could be the Author of so common a deception. If thou had'st the mind to impose a lie upon all the world, what course would'st thou take? how would'st thou lay the design? or why dost thou in this case imagine, what thou knowest not how to imagine? And dost thou not without scruple believe many things of which thou never had'st so unquestionable evidence? or must that Faith which is the foundation of thy Religion, and eternal hopes be the most suspected shaking thing with thee? and have of all other the least stability, and rootedness in thy soul; If thou can'st not excuse thy infidelity, be ashamed of thy so cold, and sluggish desires of this glorious state.

And doth it not argue a low, sordid Spirit▪ not to desire and aim at the perfection thou art capable of? not to desire that blessedness which alone is suitable and satisfying to a reasonable and spiritual being? Bethink thy▪ self a little, how low art thou sunk into the dirt of the earth? how art thou plunged into the miry Ditch? that even thine own clothes might abhor thee? Is the Father of Spirits thy Father Is the world of Spirits thy Country? Hast thou any relation to that Heavenly Progeny? Art thou allied to that blessed Family? and yet undesirous of the same blessedness? Canst thou savour nothing, but what smells of the Earth? Is nothing grateful to thy Soul, but what is corrupted by so vicious, and impure a tincture? are all thy delights centred in a Dunghill? and the polluted pleasures of a filthy world better to thee then the eternal visions and enjoyments of Heaven? what, art thou all made of Earth? Is thy soul stupefied into a Clod? hast thou no sense with thee of any thing better and more excellent? canst thou look upon no glorious thing with a pleased eye? Are things only desirable and lovely to thee, as they are deformed? O consider the corrupted distempered state of thy Spirit; and how vile a disposition it hath contracted to it self. Thine looks too like the Mundane Spirit.