Let us therefore set our selves to this soul-ravishing, and God-exalting work, the consideration of the works of God: And we are the more engaged to do it, because God hath fitted man, among all creatures in this lower world, (and he hath only fitted man) to give him glory by considering his works. The beasts of the earth cannot glorify God by considering his works; 'tis true, both they, & the fowls of the air, with the fish of the sea, according to their kind, praise God; but man only is fitted and furnished with an intellect or understanding faculty to consider, and so to draw out from all the works of God, those peculiar excellencies which make his Name glorious: Now, for man to leave such a faculty unexercised and unacted, (as they who consider not the works of God do) is not only a dishonour to God, but a degradation of himself. As it is the privilege and happiness of a man to enjoy the benefit of the works of God, so it is his holiness and his duty to consider the beauty of them. And to all who brutishly lay by the works of God without consideration, let me add this consideration; God considers all your works or ways, and will not you consider the works, the ways of God! Of this be sure, whether you consider the ways of God, his Word-ways, or Work-ways (of this be sure) God will consider your ways, certainly he will; those ways of yours which in themselves are not worth the considering or looking upon, your sinful ways, though they are so vile, so abominable, that if your selves did but look upon them and consider them, you would be utterly ashamed of them, yea though they are an abomination to God while he beholds them, yet he will behold and consider them. The Lord who is of purer eyes then to behold any the least iniquity, to approve it, will yet behold the greatest of your iniquities, and your impurest ways to consider them. Thou (saith David, Psal. 10.14.) Thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it: God beholdeth the foulest dirtyest ways of men, their ways of oppression and unrighteousness, their ways of intemperance and lasciviousness, their ways of wrath and maliciousness, at once to detest, detect ⟨p. 718⟩and requite them. If the Lord thus considereth the ways of men, even these filthy and crooked ways of men; should not men consider the holy the just and righteous ways of God?
Let us therefore set our selves to this soul-ravishing, and God-exalting work, the consideration of the works of God: And we are the more engaged to do it, because God hath fitted man, among all creatures in this lower world, (and he hath only fitted man) to give him glory by considering his works. The beasts of the earth cannot glorifie God by considering his works; 'tis true, both they, & the fowls of the ayr, with the fifh of the sea, according to their kinde, praise God; but man only is fitted and furnished with an intellect or understanding faculty to consider, and so to draw out from all the works of God, those peculiar excellencies which make his Name glorious: Now, for man to leave such a faculty unexercised and unacted, (as they who consider not the works of God do) is not only a dishonour to God, but a degradation of himself. As it is the priviledge and happiness of a man to enjoy the benefit of the works of God, so it is his holiness and his duty to consider the beauty of them. And to all who brutishly lay by the works of God without consideration, let me adde this consideration; God considers all your works or wayes, and will not you consider the works, the wayes of God! Of this be sure, whether you consider the wayes of God, his Word-wayes, or Work-wayes (of this be sure) God will consider your wayes, certainly he will; those wayes of yours which in themselves are not worth the considering or looking upon, your sinful wayes, though they are so vile, so abominable, that if your selves did but look upon them and consider them, you would be utterly ashamed of them, yea though they are an abomination to God while he beholds them, yet he will behold and consider them. The Lord who is of purer eyes then to behold any the least iniquity, to approve it, will yet behold the greatest of your iniquities, and your impurest wayes to consider them. Thou (saith David, Psal. 10.14.) Thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it: God beholdeth the foulest dirtyest wayes of men, their wayes of oppression and unrighteousness, their wayes of intemperance and lasciviousness, their wayes of wrath and maliciousness, at once to detest, detect ⟨p. 718⟩and requite them. If the Lord thus considereth the wayes of men, even these filthy and crooked wayes of men; should not men consider the holy the just and righteous wayes of God?
