Ver. 46. xxvth. Chapter of St. MATTHEW. 2 15 (e.) Seriouffly confider of thefe things: The Scripture every where calleth for Con - fideration : Pfal. 5o. ea. Confider this, ye that forget God. Ifs. s. ;. My People will no confider. Many that have Faith, ,do not fet it a -work by lively Thoughts : Knowledge is afleep, and differeth little from Ignorance and Oblivion, till Conlideration awaken it. If we were at leifure to think of Eternity, it would do us good to think of this double Motive : That every man muff be judged to everlafting foy, or ever- lafting Torment. Thfe things are propounded for our Benefit and InftruEtion : We are guarded on both fides ; We have the Bridle of Fear, and the Spur of Hope :. If God had only terrifyed us from Sin; by mentioning unexpreffible Pains and Horrours we might be frighted, and ftand at a diftance from it : But when we have fuel's Encouragements to good, and God propoundeth fuck unfpeakable Joyes, this fhould quicken our Diligence. If God had only promifed Heaven, and threat - ned no Hell, wicked men would count it no great matter to lofe Heaven, pro- vided that they might be Annihilated ; but feemg there is both, and both for ever, (hall we be cold and dead ? We are undone for ever, if wicked : Bleffed for ever, if Godly. What fhould we not doe, that we may be everlaftingly Bleffed, and avoid Everlafting Mifery ! Well then, let this be confidered by us ferioufly and often, and deeply : That everlafting Woe and Weal is in the Cafe : Meat well chewed, nourifheth the more, but being fwallowed whole, breedeth Crudities. So when we fwallow Truths without rumination, or Confideration, we do not feel the Virtue of them: They do not excite our diligence, nor break the force of Temptations. O that they were wife, that they anderflood this, that they would confider their latter end. Deut. 3-2. ay. I have read of a Prodigal Prince, that when he had given away a huge film of Money, they laid all the Money into an heap before him, that he might fee and confider what he had given away, to bring him to retra&, or in part to leffen the grant: So it is good for' us to confider what we lofe in lofing Eternity ; what we part with for theft vile and perifhing things. T E
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=