Knowledge and Practice, Part 2 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Of Conſideration.
1.AT convenient times uſe to be alone; and laying aſide all worldly cares & buſineſſes, ſpend now and then a ſecret hour in ſtrict Self-examining, and Conſidering, how the caſe ſtands between God and thy ſoul. Ask thy ſelf theſe two ſerious Queſtions:
Firſt, What is it thy heart is moſt ſet upon? What is thy great care, thy main deſigne? What is it that doth moſt deeply and moſt frequently poſſeſſe thy thoughts? What is it that thou doſt moſt love, and prize? and moſt deſire to enjoy? Is thy mind ſo ſpiritually inlightened as to ſee the lovelineſſe of God, and the greatneſſe, and excellency of that Glory, that is to be had with him? ſo as the main drift and bent of thy heart, is after the enjoyment of God, and to be happy with him forever? Or doſt thou find, that the main bent of thy heart is to the things of this World, to the Profits, the Pleaſures, the ſenſual ſatisfactions of this life; and theſe things thou moſt mindeſt, regardeſt, and laboureſt for; theſe thy thoughts, and heart moſt run upon.
Secondly, Ask thy ſelf, whether ever thou didſt feel, and apprehend thy ſelf in a loſt, and undone condition by reaſon of thy ſins? Haſt thou not ſeen thy ſelfe in danger of everlaſting miſery? Haſt thou ever put this ſerious queſtion to thy ſelfe, what ſhall I do to be ſaved? Haſt thou in this or the like manner ever diſcourſed with thy ſelf?
O my ſoul, how ſtands the caſe with me? What am I? Am I a true Convert? a real Penitent, a new Creature, one born again? Have I an intereſt in Chriſt? And is my peace made with God through him? or am I as yet in the ſtate of Nature, under the guilt of all my ſins, with the wrath of God abiding on me? If ſo, is this a Condition to be reſted in?
Let me adviſe thee, as thou loveſt thy ſoul, to deal faithfully, and in good ſadneſſe with thy ſelf: Let me adviſe thee to review, and ſeriouſly to reflect upon the whole courſe of thy life paſt; And (beſides thy natural vileneſſe) Conſider, how many actual ſins, failings, miſcarriages, and violations of Gods righteous Law, omiſſions of good, commiſſions of evil, thou haſt been guilty of, in the ſeveral parts of thy life, and in the ſeveral places where thou haſt lived. Believe it, few people do reckon up one ſin of ten that they are guilty of. Allow thy Conſcience therefore, a liberty to ſpeak freely to thee, and to ſet thy ſins in order before thee. And if thou findeſt thy ſelf for the preſent in a bad condition, and that the caſe is not with thee as it ſhould be, conſider whether it will not be an extream folly and madneſſe, to go on in that courſe, not minding, nor regarding ſpeedily to turn to God, and to ſettle the great affairs of thy ſoul, while thou haſt time? O Remember, remember, thou haſt a precious and immortal ſoul, that muſt be ſhortly either in Heaven, or Hell; either in unconceiveable Joyes, or in endleſſe, eaſeleſſe, and remedileſſe torments. Doth it not therefore concern thee to conſider, and caſt about, how to attain the one, and eſcape the other? Doth it not behoove thee to look to the ſecuring of the main Chance, and to deliver thy ſelf from the wrath to come? Believe it, nothing undoes mankind more, than want of due and ſerious Conſideration; than want of frequent examining the ſtate of their Conſciences, and often pondering and thinking of their everlaſting Concernments.
2 Cor. 13.5. Examine your ſelves, whether ye be in the Faith, prove your owne ſelves; know ye not your owne ſelves, how that Jeſus Christ is in you, except ye be Reprobates?
Pſal. 119.59. I thought on my waies; and turned my feet unto thy Teſtimonies.
V. 60. I made haſt, and delaied not to keep thy Commandements.
Iſa. 1.3. The Oxe knoweth his owner, and the Aſs his maſters Crib, but Iſrael doth not know, my people doth not Conſider.
Deut. 32.29. O that they were wiſe, that they underſtood this, that they would Conſider their latter end.
Hag. 1.5. Now therefore, thus ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, Conſider your waies.
Lam. 3.40. Let us ſearch and try our waies, and turn again to the Lord.
Gal. 6.4. —Let every man prove his owne work, and then ſhall he have rejoycing in himſelf, and not in another.
V. 5. For every man ſhall bear his owne burden.
Pſal. 77.6. I call to remembrance my ſong in the night, I commune with mine own heart, and my Spirit made diligent ſearch.
Rom. 14.12. So then every one of us ſhall give account of himſelf to God.
Ezra 8.22. —The hand of our God is upon all them for good that ſeek him: but his power, and his wrath is againſt all them that forſake him.