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

6. That while we cannot as yet attain the mark and end of our desires,¹ we yield not to a comfortless despondency in the way, but maintain in our hearts a lively joy, in the hope that hereafter we shall attain it.

6. That while we cannot as yet attain the mark and end of our desires,¹ we yeild not to a comfortless despondency in the way, but maintain in our hearts a lively joy, in the hope that hereafter we shall attain it.

1. 1Rule 6.

We are not all this while persuading to the desire and pursuit of an unattainable good. Spiritual desires are also rational and do therefore involve hope with them; and that hope ought to infer and cherish joy. Hopeless desire is full of torment, and must needs banish joy from that breast which it hath not the possession ⟨p. 358⟩of. Tis a disconsolate thing to desire what we must never expect to enjoy, and are utterly unlikely ever to compass. But these desires are part of the new creature, which is not of such a composition, as to have a principle of endless trouble, and disquiet in it self, The Father of mercies is not so little merciful to his own child; to lay it under a necessity from its very natural constitution, of being for ever miserable by the desire of that which it can never have. It had been very unlike the workmanship of God, to make a creature to which it should be necessary to desire, and impossible to enjoy the same thing.

We are not all this while perswading to the desire and pursuit of an unattainable good. Spiritual desires are also rational and do therefore involve hope with them; and that hope ought to infer and cherish joy. Hopeless desire is full of torment, and must needs banish joy from that breast which it hath not the possession