You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
affections did but correspond to the understanding! He is usually the best<br />
scholar, whose apprehension is quick, clear and tenacious; but he is usually<br />
the best Christian, whose apprehension is the deepest and most affectionate,<br />
and who has the readiest passages, not so much from the ear to the brain, as<br />
from that to the heart. And though the Spirit be the principal cause, yet, on<br />
our part, this passage must be opened by consideration.<br />
2. Consideration presents to the affections those things which are most<br />
important. <strong>The</strong> most delightful object does not entertain where it is not seen,<br />
nor the most joyful news affect him who does not hear it; but consideration<br />
presents to our view those things which were as absent, and brings them to<br />
the eye and ear of the soul. Are not Christ and glory affecting objects?<br />
Would they not work wonders upon the soul, if they were but clearly<br />
discovered, and our apprehensions of them in some measure corresponded to<br />
their worth? It is consideration that presents them to us: this is the Christian's<br />
perspective by which he can see from earth to heaven.<br />
3. Consideration, also, presents the most important things in the most<br />
affecting way. It reasons the case with a man's own heart. When a believer<br />
would reason his heart to heavenly contemplation, how many arguments<br />
offer themselves from God and Christ, from each of the divine perfections,<br />
from our former and present state, from promises, from present sufferings<br />
and enjoyments, from hell and heaven! Every thing offers itself to promote<br />
our joy, and consideration is the hand to draw them all out; it adds one<br />
reason to another, till the scales turn: this it does when persuading to joy, till<br />
it has silenced all our distrusts and sorrows, and our cause for rejoicing lies<br />
plain before us. If another's reasoning is powerful with us, though we are not<br />
certain whether he intends to inform or deceive us, how much more should<br />
our own reasoning prevail with us, when we are so well acquainted with our<br />
own intentions! Nay, how much more should God's reasoning prevail with<br />
us, which we are sure cannot deceive, or be deceived! Now, consideration is<br />
but the reading over and repeating God's reasons to plead with himself why<br />
226
Change language