I00 The ltfefulnefr of Confideration., Vol. II. future Confequence ofit: and there is no greaterArgument of an imprudent Man, than to gratifie himfelffor the prefent in the doing of a thing, which will turn tohis greater Prejudiceafterwards; efpecially if the future Inconvenience be great and intolerable, as it is in the Cafe we are fpeaking of. For eternal Happinefs or Mifery depends upon the A&ions of this prefent Life, and according as we be- have our felves in this World, it will go well or ill with us tor ever ; fo that this is a matter ofvaft importance, and deferves our most ferions thoughts; and inmatters ofmighty confequence, a wife Man will take all things into Confide- ration, and look before him as far ashe can. And indeed this is the Reafon why thingsof great moment are faid to be things of Confequence, becaufe great things depend and are likely to follow upon them : and then furely thatis thegreatef con cernment upon which not only the Happinefs of this prefent Life, but ourHappi- nefs to all eternity does depend ; and if the good and bad A&ions of this Life be of that confequence to us, it is fit every Man should confider what he does, and whither the Courfe of Life he is engagedor about to engage in, will lead him at last. For this is true Wifdom, to look to the end of things, and to think ferioufly beforehand, what is likely tobe the event of fuch an A&ion, of fucha Courfe of Life : if we ferve God faithfully and do his Will, what will be the confequence of that to us in this World, and the other : And on the other hand, if we live wickedly, and allow our felves in any unlawful and vicious Pra&ice, what will be the end of that Courfe. And to any Man that confults theLawofhis own Nature, or the Will of God revealed in Scripture, nothing can be plainer than what will be the endof thefe feveral ways. Godhath plainly told us, and our own Confciences will tell us the fame, That, Ifwe do well, we Pall be accepted of God, and rewardedby him : but if we do ill, the end of thefe things is Death, that indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguijh will be upon every foul of Man that clothevil ; but honour and glory and peace to every Man that doth good, in the daywhen God fhalijudge the fecrets ofmen by JefusChrifl, according to the Gofpel. So that God hath given us a plain profpef of thedifferent Iflàes of avirtu- ous and a wicked Life, and there wants nothing but Confideration to make us to attend to these things, and to lay them ferioufly to heart. For while men are in- confiderate, they go on ftupidly in an evil way, and arenot fenfible of the dan- ger of their prefentCourfe, becaufe they do not attend to the confequenceof it: but when their Eyes areonce opened by Consideration they cannot but be fadly ap- prehenfive of the mifchiefthey are running themfelves upon. Ifmen would take but a ferious and impartialview of their Lives and A&ions, if they would confi- der the tendency ofa finful Courfe, and whither it will bring them at last ; if the vicious and diffolute Man would but look about him, and confider how many have been ruined in that very way that he is in, howmany lie Jlain and wounded in it ; that it is the way to Hell, and leads down to the Chambers ofDeath ; the fe- rious thought of this could not but checkhim in his Courfe, and make himrefolve upon a better Life. If men were wife, they would confider the confequenceof their Allions, and upon Confideration would refolve upon that which they are convinc'd is bell. I proceed to the III. Thing I propounded, which was, that Confideration of the Confequence of our A&ions, is an excellent means to prevent the Mischiefs which otherwife we should run into. And this is neceffarily implyed in the Wifh here in the Text, that if we would but confider these things, they might be prevented. For how can anyMan, who hath any love or regard for himfelf, any tendernefs for his own Intereli and Happinefs, fee Hell and Deftru&ion before him, which if he hold on in his evil Courfe, will certainly (wallow him up, and yet venture to go on in his Sins "? Can any Man that plainly beholds Misery hafining towards him like an armed Man, and Deflruc`lion coming upon him as a whirlwind, think himfell unconcerned to prevent it and Aie from it ? The molt dull and ftupid Creatures will flail backupon the fightof prefent danger. Balaam's Afs, when she faw the Angel of the Lord handing in the way, with his Sword drawn ready to (mite her, (tarts afide, and could not be urgedon. Now Godbath given us, not only Senfe
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=