Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of…

SECT. II. Of considering Jesus in that respect.

2. WE must consider Jesus, carrying on this work of salvation in that eternity. It is not enough to study, and know him, but according to the measure of ⟨p. 39⟩Knowledge we have attained, we must ponder, and muse, and meditate and consider of him: now consideration is an expatiating, and enlarging of the mind and heart on this or that subject: consideration is a fixing of our thoughts, a steadfast bending of our minds to some spiritual matter, till it work on the affections, and conversation. We may know, and yet be inconsiderate of that we do know; but when the intention of our mind and heart is taken up about some one known object, and other things are not for the present taken notice of, this is consideration. O that, if it were possible, we could so consider Jesus in this first period of eternity, as that for a while at least we could forget all other things! Christians! I beseech you be dead to the world, be insensible of all other things, and look only on Jesus; it is said that men in a frenzy are insensible of what you do to them, because their minds are taken up about that which they apprehend so strongly; and if ever there was any object made known to take up the mind of a spiritual man, it is this, even this: not but that other objects may be deeply and seriously minded of men; it is reported of Archimedes, who was a great Mathematician, that when the City was taken wherein he was, and the warlike instruments of death clattering about his ears, and all was in a tumult, yet he was so busy about drawing his lines, that he heard no noise, nor did he know there was any danger: but if such objects as those could take up the intention of his mind, so as not to regard other things, how much more should this consideration of Christ? If a carnal heart, a man that minds earthly things, be so taken up about them, because they are an object suitable to him, how much more should a gracious heart, that can see into the reality of these things of God & Christ from everlasting, be so taken up with them as to mind nothing else? come then, O my soul, and set thy consideration on work, as thus.—