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

But how remote are the generality of them that profess themselves God's Children from that pious ingenuity. We have taken root in the earth and forgotten our heavenly originals and alliances. We are as inhabitants here, not pilgrims; hardly persuaded to entertain with any patience the thoughts of leaving our places on earth; which yet, do we what we can, shall shortly know us no more.

But how remote are the generality of them that profess themselves God's Children from that pious ingenuity. We have taken root in the earth and forgotten our heavenly originals and alliances. We are as inhabitants here, not pilgrims; hardly perswaded to entertain with any patience the thoughts of leaving our places on earth; which yet, do we what we can, shall shortly know us no more.

In short then; that vile temper of Spirit against which I professedly bend my self in the following discourse is; when men, not out of any sense of duty towards God, or solicitude for their own Souls, but of a mere sordid ⟨p. 401⟩love to the body, and affixedness of heart to the Earth, and terrene things, cannot endure the thoughts of dying. And that, which I persuade to, is, That having the true prospect of the future blessedness before our eyes, and our hearts possest with the comfortable hope of attaining to it, we shake off our earthly inclinations; and expect with desire and joy the time of our dismission hence, that we may enjoy it, which is the design of what was promised in the next place. Viz.

In short then; that vile temper of Spirit against which I professedly bend my self in the following discourse is; when men, not out of any sense of duty towards God, or sollicitude for their own Souls, but of a meer sordid ⟨p. 401⟩love to the body, and affixedness of heart to the Earth, and terrene things, cannot endure the thoughts of dying. And that, which I perswade to, is, That having the true prospect of the future blessedness before our eyes, and our hearts possest with the comfortable hope of attaining to it, we shake off our earthly inclinations; and expect with desire and joy the time of our dismission hence, that we may enjoy it, which is the design of what was promised in the next place. Viz.