Miscellanea philo-theologica, or, God, & man A treatise compendiously describing the nature of God in his attributes, with a lively pourtraiture of his wisedome in ordering, and disposing of the celestiall, and terrestriall bodies. Containing much variety of matter ... and apt applications singular for brevity, and perspicuity. By Henry Church.

[Sect. 4] Fourthly, Applications.

1. THis should provoke us, and stirre us up to use our best endeavours, to attaine to the view of the blessednesse of God. The Queene of Sheba tooke a long journy, and was at great cost to see the wisedome; happinesse, and royalty of Solomon, and afterward she saw more than she expected: So if wee contemplate the blessednesse of God, we shall perceive more at the last, than at the first.

2. We are to acknowledge this blessednesse of God as David did; Psal. 119.12. else wee shall be worse than the wicked Priests. Marke 14.6••. All Gods excellen∣cies are to be acknowledged, and published; this will cause those that are miserable to flye to him, because hee hath enough for himselfe, and all that doe come unto him.

3. To sue and intreate for his favour: All desire to be happy, and they sue to have relation to great ones, whom they judge to be in felicity; and if they can get to be retemers, or houshold servants, they thinke them∣selves in a happy condition, especially if they can get the affection of their Lord towards them above others: Gaine this, and gaine all, namely, the favour of this blessed God; then all that we have shall be sweete, all that wee want shall be supplyed with the sence of his love: wheresoever we are, wee are happy; whatsoever we doe, we shall be blessed in our deed, doing it in way of obedience.

4. This shews us, who are the truely blessed and hap∣py ones, those that are the children of the blessed God: A blessed Father he is, and his children must needs be bles∣sed. They are the blessed of the Lord that made Heaven and Earth. Psal. 115.15.

1. They are all of them blessed. Psal. 128.1.

2. They are assuredly blessed. Psal. 128.4.

3. Sometimes they are apparantly blessed, which is evident by their unexpected conversion, their eminent graces, and famous deliverances.

4. Sometimes they are sensibly blessed, this is known to themselves by their sweet consolations, and to others by their fervent praising of God.

5. They shall be eternally blessed; the perfection and consummation of blessednesse shall come upon them to their happinesse. Mat. 25.34.

Fifthly, this should informe us to seeke blessednesse af∣ter a right manner.

1. Let us lay the foundation of our happinesse in the pardon of our sinnes. Psal. 32.1, 2.

2. Seeke blessednesse by beleeving, Luke 1.55. Bles∣sed is hee that beleeved. Galat. 3.9. They that are of Faith, are blessed with faithfull Abraham: No faith, no Christ; no Christ, no blessednesse. Happinesse is by be∣ing united to Christ by faith.

3. Labour for divine qualifications, to evidence to our selves, and others, that we are blessed here, and prepa∣red for blessednesse hereafter: As these,

1. Poverty of spirit.

2. Purenesse of heart.

3. Meeknesse to beare wrongs.

4. Patience to suffer.

5. Spirituall hunger and thirst, Matth. 5.4. the be∣ginning.

6. The feare of God. Psalme 128.1.

7. Meditation in Gods Law. Psalme 1.2.

8. Diligence in our places. Mat. 24.46.

9. Obedience to the Truth preached to us. Luk. 11.28

10. To be raised from our sinnes. Revel. 20.6.

11. To give to others. Acts 20.25.

12. To doe that our consciences call for, and avoide that which our consciences cry against. Rom. 14.22.

13. To struggle with our tentations to victory. James 1.12.

14. To be very watchfull & circumspect. Rev. 16.15