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

5. Having voided thy mind of what is earthly, and carnal, apply and turn it to this blessed Theme. The most excellent and the vilest objects are alike to thee, while thou mindest them not. Thy thoughts possibly bring thee in nothing but vexation and trouble, which would bring in ⟨p. 370⟩as soon joy, and pleasure, didst thou turn them to proper objects. A thought, of the heavenly glory is as soon thought as of an earthly Cross. We complain the world troubles us, then what do we there? why get we not up in our spirits into the quieter Region? what trouble would the thoughts of future glory be to us? How are the thoughts and wits set on work for this flesh? but we would have our Souls flourish, as the Lilies, without any thing of their own care. Yea, we make them toil for torture, and not for joy, revolve an affliction a thousand times, before, and after it comes; and have never done with it, when eternal blessedness gains not a thought.

5. Having voided thy mind of what is earthly, and carnal, apply and turn it to this blessed Theam. The most excellent and the vilest objects are alike to thee, while thou mindest them not. Thy thoughts possibly bring thee in nothing but vexation and trouble, which would bring in ⟨p. 370⟩assoon joy, and pleasure, didst thou turn them to proper objects. A thought, of the heavenly glory is assoon thought as of an earthly Cross. We complain the world troubles us, then what do we there? why get we not up in our spirits into the quieter Region? what trouble would the thoughts of future glory be to us? How are the thoughts and wits set on work for this flesh? but we would have our Souls flourish, as the Lilies, without any thing of their own care. Yea, we make them toyl for torture, and not for joy, revolve an affliction a thousand times, before, and after it comes; and have never done with it, when eternal blessedness gains not a thought.

6. Plead earnestly with God for his Spirit. This is joy in the Holy Ghost; or whereof he is the Author. Many Christians (as they must be called) are such strangers to this work of imploring, and calling in the blessed Spirit, as if they were capable of adopting these words, We have not so much as heard whether there be an Holy Ghost. That name is with them as an empty sound. How hardly are we convinced of our necessary dependence, on that free Spirit, as to all our truly Spiritual operations? This Spirit is the very earnest of our inheritance. The foretasts, and first fruits we have here of the future blessedness; The joy and pleasure, the complacential relishes, we have of it before hand, are by the gracious vouchsafement and work of this blessed Spirit. The things that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, and which have not entered into the heart of man, are revealed by