thofe Notions, difpels the Clouds and Mifts that dwell upon our Reafon, wipes away the Duft, difcovers 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 comfort, of greater neceffity, of greater Vertue and efficacy, than before they were believed to be. So have I feen 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 firft, 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 strokes 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 view'd 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 largect Animal, the Multiplicity of their parts, the variety of their motions, and how curiously every limb is wrought, how

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Galen.

how Mathematically all their little Members are framed and set together, cannot but, like the great Phyfician, wonder at the fpectacle, and break forth into admiration of the immenfe 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 fharp transparent Pikes, in a Nettle-Leaf, or think that any glittering drawn Swords and Daggers fhould be found there. Who would take an Atom of Quickfilver to be a Globular Looking Glafs, or the Sand we ftrow upon Paper to be like Fragments of Crystal, or Lumps of Allom? yet through fuch Glaffes, these objects appear with a different fhape from what they did before,

Confideration is that Glafs, which represents fpiritual objects in other colours, than before were obfery'd and detected in them. Sin, that look'd 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 to beautiful, fo rational, fo wife, fo wonderful, fo fuited to an intelligent Nature, that a Man with David cannot hold, but must cry out, O how I love thy Law, it is my meditation all the day. The New Jerufalem, which look'd but like an ordinary Building before, when view d through this Glafs, the Towers and Bul

warks

warks of it are seen glittering afar off, the Pearls and precious Stones, it's pav'd withal, shine with more than ordinary luftre; and that which look'd 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 look'd as the ways of Sion, rugged, uneven and unfrequented, and the fruits of the Spirit appear'd unpleasant, and ill-tafted, fitter for the rabble and fcum of mankind, than men of a brisk and airy temper: But he no fooner opens the Window, and lets in these Beams of Confideration, but all thofe fancies, as Witches at the Name of Jefus, vanish, and he is wrapt into that high efteem of the ways of God, that he prefers being but a Door-keeper in the House of God, before the Office of Grand Vizier at the Court of Ahasuerus.

But this will further appear, if we enquire into the effential parts, or neceffary ingredients of thefe fpiritual Opticks. Confideration, as it is the Sun that enlightens this Microcofm, Man, and irradiates the benighted faculties of the Soul, so that it may have this virtue, there is required (and it cannot be Confideration without it) Self-Examination, Expoftulation, and strong Re solution.

I. Self-Examination. That man, who examines not his fpiritual estate or condition, whether he is that Sinner that shall be everlastingly miserable>

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miferable? whether the threatnings of the Gofpel concern him? whether he finds those qualifications in himself, which the Son of God requires of all that fhall be Heirs of Glory? whether he feels thofe things in his Soul, which men that have a Title to the great Inheritance are fenfible of? and whether he walks in that strait way, and ftrives to enter in at that narrow Gate, the Holy Ghoft doth speak of?

I

He that with Gallio cares for none of these things, is fo far from confidering, that he doth not believe the immortality of his Soul, or another World. For were his heart seafon'd with a found belief of that future ftate, he could not but enter into his Clofet, and reflect. In this Bible, in this Book, which I do believe contains the Oracles of God, and his peremptory Will, concerning the falvation of men, find stubborn, careless, unconverted Sinners adjudg'd 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 Heayen; I find God fwear, that men who prefer their Farms, and Oxen, and fecular Concerns, before his Injunctions and Commands, fhall ne ver taste of the great Supper of the Lamb.

Am I one of these stubborn, unconverted, careless men, or no? Why should I be afraid to ask fuch a Question, when there is no less than Eternity in the Cafe? I am not afraid to look in

to

what my

to my Account-Book to know 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 fhare? Lord, when I hear, and read, that men, men, who are Strangers to Righteoufnefs and Holiness shall 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? If I am none of this number, What

means the bleating of Sheep, and the 1 Sam. 15.14. lowing of Oxen in mine ears? What

means my earthly mindednefs? What means my living in wilful contempt of fo many commands of the Son of God? I take no pains to be fav'd; fome little formalities and complements of Religion ferve my turn, and fatisfie my Confcience. I can put off the greatGod of Heaven with the Worlds leavings, and throw him a dull heartless prayer at night, when I have been wallowing in Sin all day. I am for no devotion that's either expensive or troublesome to flesh and blood, and fuch ejaculations as do not moleft me in my pleafures, and as my flesh can eafily fpare, without any detriment in its fatisfaction, I am willing to lay upon God's Altar. I feel little or

no