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

Methinks thy very shame should compel thee to quit the name of a Saint, or a Man. To forbear numbering thy self with any that pretend to immortality; and go seek Pasture among the Beasts of the Field, with them that live that low animal life, that thou dost, and expect no other.

Methinks thy very shame should compel thee to quit the name of a Saint, or a Man. To forbear numbring thy self with any that pretend to immortality; and go seek Pasture among the Beasts of the Field, with them that live that low animal life, that thou dost, and expect no other.

And while thou so fallest in with the world, how highly dost thou gratify the pretending, and usurping God of it? The great fomentor of the sensual worldly genius; The Spirit it self that works in the children of disobedience, ¹and makes them follow the course of the world; hold them fast bound in worldly lusts, and leaves them captive at his will; causes them (after his own Serpentine manner) to creep, and crawl in the dust of the Earth. He is most ⟨p. 346⟩intimate to this apostate world, informs it (as it were) and actuates it in every part;² i• even one great soul to it. The whole world lies in that wicked one (as the body, by best Philosophers, is said to be in the Soul.) The world is said to be convicted, ³when he is judged. He having fallen from a state of blessedness in God, hath involved the world with himself in the same Apostasy and Condemnation; and labours to keep them fast in the bands of death. The great Redeemer of Souls makes this his business,⁴ to lose, and dissolve the work of the Devil. With that wicked one thou complyest against thy own Soul, and the Redeemer of it; while thou neglectest to desire and pursue this blessedness. This is thy debasement, and his triumph; thy vile succumbency gives him the day, and his will upon thee. He desires no more, then that he may suppress in thee all heavenly desires; and keep thee thus a slave, and a prisoner (confined in thy Spirit to this low, dark dungeon) by thy own consent. While thou remainest without desire after Heaven, he is secure of thee, as knowing then thou wilt take no other way, but what will bring thee unto the same eternal state with himself in the end. He is jealous over thee, that thou direct not a desire, nor glance an eye Heaven-ward: while thou dost not so, thou art entirely subject, and givest as full obedience to him; as thy God requires to himself, in order to thy blessedness. But is it a thing tolerable to thy thoughts, that thou shouldst yield that heart obedience to the Devil against God?