the most joyful News affect him that does not hear it; but Confideration prefents to our View thofe Things which were as abfent, and brings them to the Eye and Ear of the Soul. Are not Chrift and Glory affecting Objects? Would they not work Wonders upon the Soul, if they were but clearly difcovered, and our Apprehenfions of them were in fome Meafure anfwerable to their Worth? It is Confideration that prefents them to us: This is the Chriftian's Perspective, by which he can fee from Earth to Heaven.

§ 5. (3) Confideration also prefents the most important Things in the most affecting Way. Confideration reafons the Cafe with a Man's own Heart. When a Believer would reafon his Heart to heavenly Contemplation, how many Arguments offer themselves from God and Chrift, from each of the divine Perfections, from our former and prefent State, from Promifes, from prefent Sufferings and Enjoyments, from Hell and Heaven? Every Thing offers itself to promote our Joy, and Confideration is the Hand to draw them all out; it adds one Reason to another, till the Scales turn: This it does, when perfuading to Joy, till it hath filenced all your Diftrust and Sorrows, and your Caufe for rejoicing lies plain before you. If another's Reasoning is powerful with us, though we are not certain whether he intends to inform, or deceive us; how much more fhould our own Reafoning prevail with us, when we are fo well acquainted with our own Intentions? Nay, how much more should God's Reafoning work upon us, which we are fure cannot deceive, or be deceived? Now Confideration is but the Reading over, and repeating God's Reasons to our Hearts. As the Prodigal had many and ftrong Reasons to plead with himfelf, why he fhould return to his Father's House; fo have we to plead with our Affec

Affections, to perfuade them to our Father's everlasting Manfions.

§ 6. (4) Confideration exalts Reason to its just Authority. It helps to deliver it from its Captivity to the Senfes, and fets it again on the Throne of the Soul. When Reafon is filent, it is ufually fubject; for when it is afleep, the Senses domineer. But Confideration awakens our Reason, till, like Sampfon, it rouzes up itself, and breaks the Bonds of Senfuality, and bears down the Delufions of the Flefh. What Strength can the Lion exert while afleep? What is à King, when depofed from his Throne, more than another Man? Spiritual Reafon excited by Meditation, and not Fancy or fleshly Sense, must judge of heavenly Joys. Confideration exalts the Objects of Faith, and comparatively difgraces the Objects of Senfe. The moft inconfiderate Men are the moft fenfual. It is too eafy and common to fin againft Knowledge; but against fober, ftrong, perfevering Confideration, Men feldom offend.

$7. (5) Confideration makes Reason ftrong and active. Before, it was as a standing Water, but now as a Stream, which violently bears down all before it. Before, it was as the Stones in the Brook, but now like that out of David's Sling, which fmites the Goliah of our Unbelief in the Forehead. As wicked Men continue, wicked, because they bring not Reafon into Act and Exercife; fo godly Men are uncomfortable, because they let their Reafon and Faith lie afleep, and don't ftir them up to Action by this Work of Meditation. What Fears, Sorrows, and Joys, will our very Dreams excite? How much more then would ferious Meditation affect us?

§ 8. (6) Confideration can continue and persevere in this rational Employment. Meditation holds Reason and Faith to their Work, and blows, the Fire till it

tho

thoroughly burns. To run a few Steps will not get a Man Heat, but walking an Hour may; and tho' a fudden occafional Thought of Heaven will not raife our Affections to any fpiritual Heat, yet Meditation can continue our Thoughts till our Hearts grow warm. Thus you fee the powerful Tendency of Confideration to produce this great Elevation of the Soul in heavenly Contemplation.

--

9. (II) Let us next fee how this heavenly Work is promoted by the particular Exercife of the Affections. It is by Confideration that we firft have Recourfe to the Memory, and from thence take those heavenly Doctrines, which we intend to make the Subject of our Meditation; fuch as, Promifes of eternal Life, Descriptions of the Saint's Glory, the Resurrection, &c. &c. &c. We then prefent them to our Judgment, that it may deliberately view them over, and take an exact Survey, and determine uprightly concerning the Perfection of our celeftial Happiness, against all the Dictates of Flefh and Senfe, and fo as to magnify the Lord in our Hearts, till we are filled with a holy Admiration.But the principal Thing is to exercife, not merely our Judgment, but our Faith in the Truth of our everlafting Reft; by which I mean, both the Truth of the Promifes, and of our own perfonal Intereft in them, and Title to them. If we did really and firmly believe, that there is such a Glory, and that within a few Days our Eyes fhould behold it; O what Paflions would it raife within us! What aftonishing Apprehenfions of that Life would it produce! What Love, what Longings, would it excite within us! O how it would actuate every Affection! How it would transport us with Joy, upon the leaft Affurance of our Title! Never expect to have Love and Joy move, when Faith stands ftill, which muff lead the Way. Therefore daily exercife Faith, and

fet

fet before it the Freeness of the Promife, God's urging all to accept it, Chrift's gracious Difpofition, all the Evidences of the Love of Chrift, his Faithfulness to his Engagements, and the Evidences of his Love in ourfelves; lay all these together, and think, whether they do not teftify the good Will of the Lord concerning our Salvation, and may not properly be pleaded against our Unbelief.Thus when the Judgment hath determined, and Faith hath apprehended, the Truth of our Happiness, then may our Meditation proceed to raise our Affections, and particularly,- -Love, Defire,- -Hope, -Courage or Boldness, and Joy.

§ 10. (1) Love is the firft Affection to be excited in heavenly Contemplation. The Object of it is Goodnefs. Here, Chriftian, is the Soul-reviving Part of thy Work. Go to thy Memory, thy Judgment, and thy Faith, and from them produce the Excellencies of thy Reft; prefent thefe to thy Affection of Love, and thou wilt find thyfelf, as it were, in another World. Speak out, and Love can hear. Do but reveal these Things, and Love can fee. It is the brutish Love of the World that is blind; divine Love is exceeding quick fighted. Let thy Faith take hold of thy Heart, and fhew it the fumptuous Buildings of thy eternal Habitation, and the glorious Ornaments of thy Father's Houfe, even the Manfions Chrift is preparing, and the Honours of his Kingdom; let thy Faith lead thy Heart into the Prefence of God, and as near as thou poffibly canft, and fay to it, "Behold the An

tient of Days, the Lord Jehovah, whofe Name is, "I AM: This is He, who made all Worlds with

His Word, who upholds the Earth, who rules the "Nations, who difpofes of all Events, who fubdues "His Foes, who controuls the fwelling Waves of "the Sea, who governs the Winds, and caufes the

-Sun

"Sun to run its Race, and the Stars to know their "Courses: This is He, who loved thee from ever"lafting, formed thee in the Womb, gave thee this "Soul, brought thee forth, fhewed thee the Light, "and ranked thee with the chief of his earthly "Creatures, who endued thee with thy Understand"ing, and beautified thee with His Gifts, who "maintains thy Life and all its Comforts, and diftin"guifhes thee from the most miserable and vileft of "Men. O here is an Object worthy thy Love! "Here fhouldft thou even pour out thy Soul in Love! "Here it is impoffible for thee to love too much! "This is the Lord, who hath bleffed thee with His "Benefits, fpread thy Table in the Sight of thine Ene"mies, and made thy Cup overflow! This is He whom "Angels and Saints praife, and the heavenly Hoits " for ever magnify!" Thus do thou expatiate in the Praises of God, and open His Excellencies to thine Heart, till the holy Fire of Love begins to kindle in thy Breaft.

SII. IF thou feeleft thy Love not yet burn, lead thy Heart farther, and fhew it the Son of the Living God, whofe Name is, Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlafting Father, the Prince of Peace fhew it the King of Saints on the Throne of his Glory, the First and the Laft; who is, and was, and is to come; who liveth, and was dead, and behold, He lives for evermore; who hath made thy Peace, by the Blood of His Crofs, and hath prepared thee with Himfelf an Habitation of Peace; His Office is the Great Peace-Maker; His Kingdom is the Kingdom of Peace; His Gospel is the Tydings of Peace; His Voice to thee now, is the Voice of Peace: Draw near, and behold Him. Doft thou not hear His Voice? He that bid Thomas come near, and fee the Print of the Nails, and put his Finger into His Wounds; He

Ŏ 2

it