as in cold weather Men do not get themselves a heat by a step or two, but by fuch exercises as put the Body into violent Motion, fo neither will a careless Thought now and then heat the Heart within; but Confideration, which puts the Soul into a strong and vigorous motion or agitation is that which muft kindle the Holy Fire and shed abroad Life in all the Faculties of the inward Man.

Not to mention here that the Word was originally used to express the industry of Astronomers, who, by diligent contemplation, and obfer vation of the Stars, their Motion, Pofition, Conjunction, Influences, &c. gave a judgment of the feveral Phænomena, or appearances they met withall, from whence it was afterwards applied to Men,who seriously and attentively ponder things of moment, whether Civil or Sacred; The Scripture ufually exprefes it by laying our Hearts clofe to our Haggai 1.5, 7. Ways, as if it were with Confideration, as it is with Men's liftning to a confused noife, and laying their ear close to a Wall, with defign to get a more diftinct knowledge of it.

ער דרכיכם

And indeed, without Confideration, Eternal Life, and our Duties, in order to it, appear no very great attractive. Confideration clears up thofe Notions, difpels the Clouds and Mifts that dwell upon our Reason, wipes away the Duft, discovers unknown Worlds, and makes even fuch things as were Vulgar and obvious before, look with a new Face, they being found, upon Confideration, things of greater Confequence, of greater Com

fort

fort, of greater Neceffity, of greater Virtue and Efficacy, than before they were believed to be. So have I seen an old Picture thrown by, and buried among Rubbish, which afterwards being washed, hath proved to be a coftly Original done by a curious hand, and that which at first, while fullied with dirt and duft, was worth nothing, hath appeared to be of extraordinary Value. Confideration is that Spunge that washes the beautiful Picture of Grace and Glory, and now the curious Lines appear, the lively ftroaks of our Great Masters hand are seen, the fweeter Lineaments discover themselves, and make the Soul enamoured with the Spectacle.

It is much with Confideration, as it is with Microscopes and Magnifying-Glaffes; what contemptible Creatures do fome little Animals, and fmaller forts of Plants appear, while beheld with our naked Eye, but viewed through Dioptrical Glaffes, what curious Fabricks do we fpy? How inconfiderable an Infect is a Gnat? How defpicable a Creature is a Mite? Yet he that through fuch Glaffes beholds in them all the Perfections of the largest Animals, the multiplicity of their Parts, the variety of their Motions, and how curioufly every Limb is wrought, how Mathematically all their little Members are framed and fet together, cannot but like the great Physician, wonder at the Spectacle, and break forth into admiration of the immense Wisdom of their Maker. Who would believe there fhould be plumes of Feathers in the painted Wings of a Butterfly? Who would fufpect fuch things as Needles, or C

Galen

fharp

fharp tranfparent Pikes in a Nettle leaf, or think that any glittering drawn fwords and Daggers fhould be found there; Who would take an Atom of Quickfilver to be a Globular lookingGlafs? Or the Sand we ftrow upon Paper to be like Fragments of Chryftal, or lumps of AlIum? Yet through fuch Glaffes, these Objects appear with a different fhape from what they did before.

Confideration is that Glafs which represents Spiritual Objects in other colours, than before were observed and detected in them. Sin that looked but with a faint Red before, through this Glafs, appears all Scarlet and Crimson. God's Laws which before were hardly regarded fo much as humane Injunctions, through this Glafs appear fo beautiful, fo rational, fo wife, fo wonderfull,fo fuitto an intelligent Nature, that a Man with David cannot hold, but muft cry out, 0, how I love thy Law, it is my meditation all the day, I have feen an end of all perfection, but thy commandment is exceeding broad. The New Jerufalem which looked but like an ordinary Building before; when viewed through this Glafs, the Towers and Bulwarks of it are seen glittering afar off, the Pearls and Precious Stones, it's paved withal, fhine with more than ordinary Luftre; and that which looked but dull and weak before, now dazles the Spectators Eyes with its oriental brightness. Till Confideration came in, the Prodigal faw little. He heard Men talk of the Beauty of God's ways; but alas! he faw no fuch thing. To him they looked as the ways of Sion, rugged, uneven, and unfrequented; and the Fruits

of

of the Spirit appeared unpleafant, and ill-tafted, fitter for the Rabble, and fcum of Mankind, than Men of a brisk airy temper: But he no fooner opens the Window, and lets in thefe Beams of Confideration, but all thofe fancies, as Witches at the Name of Jefus,vanish; and he is wrapt into that high esteem of the ways of God, that he prefers being but a Door-keeper in the House of God, before the Office of Grand Vifter at the Court of Abafuerus.

But this will further appear, if we enquire into the Effential Parts, or neceffary Ingredients of these Spiritual Opticks. Confideration, as it is the Sun that enlightens this Microcofm, Man,and irradiates the benighted Faculties of the Soul, fo that it may have this virtue, there is required (and it cannot be Confideration, without it) Self Examination, Expoftulation, and strong Refolutions.

I. Self Examination. That Man who examines not his Spiritual Eftate or Condition, whether he is that Sinner that fhall be everlastingly miferable? Whether the threatnings of the Gospel concern him? Whether he finds thofe qualifica tions in himself, which the Son of God requires of all that shall be Heirs of Glory? Whether he feels those things in his Soul, which Men that have a Title to the great Inheritance are fenfible of? And whether he walks in that ftrait way and ftrives to enter in at that narrow Gate, the Holy Ghost doth speak of?

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He that, with Gallio, cares for none of these things, is fo far from confidering, that he doth not believe the Immortaliy of his Soul, or anoC 2

ther

ther World. For were his Heart seasoned with a found belief of that future State, he could not but enter into his Closet, and reflet. In this Bible, in this Book, which, I do believe, contains the Oracles of God, and his Peremptory Will, concerning the Salvation of Men, I find stubborn, careless, unconverted Sinners, adjudged to Eternal Torments; I find God proteft, he will know none in the laft Day, fo as to fhew them favour, but fuch as dare deny themselves for Heaven, and heartily endeavour to do the Will of their Father which is in Heaven; I find God fwear, that Men who prefer their Farms and Oxen, and Secular Concerns, before his Injunctions and Commands, fhall never taste of the great Supper of the Lamb.

Am I one of these ftubborn, unconverted, careless Men, or no? Why fhould I be afraid to ask fuch a Question, when there is no less than Eternity in the Cafe? I am not afraid to look into my Account-Book, to know, what my Debts are, and what is owing to me; whether I am behind, or before-hand in the World, whether I thrive or decay, whether I get or lofe? And fhall I be afraid to know, whether I am a wife Man, or a Fool; a Friend, or an Enemy of God; a Favourite, or a Reprobate? Whether the portion of Lazarus, or the lot of Dives, will fall to my Aare? Lord, when I hear and read, that Men, who are ftrangers to Righteoufnefs and Holiness, fhall be tormented with Fire which is not quenched, is it not worth, is it not juft, is it not reafonable, I should ask, whether I am not that

Man?