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

The redress must be more in our own doing (striving with our souls and with God for them) then in what any man can say. Most of the considerations under the foregoing rule are with little variation applicable to this present purpose. I shall here annex only some few subordinate directions; which may lead us into this blessed state of life, and give us some joyful foretasts of the future blessedness, according as our spirits shall comply with them. But expect not to be cured by prescriptions without using them: or that heavenly joy can be the creature of mortal unregarded breath; we can only prescribe means, and methods through which God may be pleased to descend, and in which thou art diligently to insist and wait. And because I cannot well suppose the ignorant where much is said to this purpose; I shall therefore say little.

The redress must be more in our own doing (striving with our souls and with God for them) then in what any man can say. Most of the considerations under the foregoing rule are with little variation applicable to this present purpose. I shall here annex only some few subordinate directions; which may lead us into this blessed state of life, and give us some joyful foretasts of the future blessedness, according as our spirits shall comply with them. But expect not to be cured by prescriptions without using them: or that heavenly joy can be the creature of mortal unregarded breath; we can onely prescribe means, and methods through which God may be pleased to descend, and in which thou art diligently to insist and wait. And because I cannot well suppose the ignorant where much is said to this purpose; I shall therefore say little.

1. Possess thy soul with the apprehension that thou art not at liberty in this matter; but that there is a certain spiritual delectation, which is incumbent on thee as indispensable duty. Some whose moroser tempers do more estrange ⟨p. 364⟩them from delights, think themselves more especially concerned, to banish every thing of that kind from their religion and fancy it only to consist in sour and rigorous severities. Others seem to think it arbitrary and indifferent; or that, if they live in a continual sadness and dejection of spirit, 'tis only their infelicity not their fault, and apprehend not the obligation that is upon them, by a divine Law otherwise to manage and order their spirits. But what then? are such words thought to be spoken at random,