Chriftians that apply themselves to this Method, to read fome certain Subject out of a pious good Book, which will furnish their Minds with proper Confiderations for the Exercise of their Wills and Affections; there being few that are able to profecute a Subject from themfelves, and to ftrike all that Light which fhould convince and warm at the fame Time.

III. Fix your Minds upon fuch Confiderations as are proper to your Subject. If it relates to any Virtue or Vice, you must confider, 1. Its Nature, its Object, and its Acts. 2. Its Qualities, the Excellence or Bafenefs of it: the Eafinefs or Difficulty, &c. of this Virtue or that Vice. 3. The Oppofite to this Vice or Virtue. 4. The Advantages of this Virtue, or the Incovenience of that Vice; in refpect of God, yourself, and your Neighbour. 5. The Recompence, or Punishment, in this World and the next. 6. The Reasons for the practising this Virtue, and for avoiding that Vice. 7. The Authority of Scripture concerning this Vice or Virtue, and the Notions good Men entertain about it. 8 The Example of fuch as have practised it, or have avoided it, and what happened to them thereupon; it being probable, that the fame Thing may be our Cafe: 9 The Neceffity in general, and in our particular Actions, of practifing this Virtue, or avoiding this Vice. 10. The Means of acquiring the Virtue,

11. The

Virtue, or of conquering the Vice.
Difficulties that oppofe the Practice of the
Virtue. 12. The Dangers of falling into the
Vice, and of thofe Things that lead to it.

If it relates to any Action, as fuppose of our Saviour; we must confider, 1. The Perfon that performed it, and thofe that were present. 2. The Dignity of the Perfon.. 3. Upon whofe Account the Action was performed.

4. The End for which it was done. 5. The Place and Circumftance. 6. The Fruits and Effects of it.

If it relates to any Doctrine of the Gospel, we muft confider, 1. Its Truth, becaufe God revealed it. 2. The Neceffity of believing it, because made a Condition of our Salvation. 3. The Advantages of it, in regard of God, our Neighbour, and ourselves. 4. The ill Confequences of the contrary in the fame three Refpects. 5. The Motives that enforce it 6. The Means that help it.

It is not always neceffary to make use of all. thefe Confiderations at one Time, neither to excite all the Affections that may be drawn from them; but fome may be chofe at oneTime, and fome at another.

IV. The Understanding being convinced by Confideration, excite your Will and Affections to love and defire, or to hate and fhun the Object. Then Arguments have their due Influence upon us, when they ftir up to practise what they reprefent as amiable and lovely; and

when

when they put us upon avoiding what they convince us to be bad in itself, and prejudicial to our true Interest.

The Exercife of our Affections upon any Doctrine of Chriftian Virtue, confists, 1. In believing the Truth of it. 2. In Thankfulness for the Discovery of it. 3. In Admiration that we ourselves, or others, have fo little confidered the Importance of it, and have practifed it fo imperfectly. 4. In Compaffion to those who are fo unhappy as not to confider it, and neglect the Practice of it. 5. In Sorrow for having given it fo fmall a Share in our Thoughts and Actions. 6. In Humility and Confufion, upon the fame Account. 7. In a Diffidence of our own Strength, acknowledging our Weakness, that without the Grace of God, we can neither think nor do any Thing that is good. 8. In a Confidence in God, who is able to make us confider, and to give us Strength to perform it. 9. In giving Praife to God, if we have in any Meafure performed our Duty, it being owing to his Affiftance. 10. In refolving to practife it. 11. In offering yourself to God, to execute his Will and Pleafure, and to overcome all the Difficulties that oppofe it. 12. In begging the Affiftance of God's Spirit to enable you to hate every Thing that is Evil, and to follow that which is Good.

The Affections that relate to an Action are, 1. Admiration of the Greatnefs of the Action.

2. Love

2. Love of the Perfon who has performed it, efpecially if it was done upon our Account. S. Joy, congratulating him that has done it, being touched with a Senfe of thofe Favours and Privileges he has received. 4. Thankfulnefs to God for the Grace beftowed upon him. 5. Defire to imitate it. 6. Diffidence of ourfelves. 7. Trust in God, by whofe Grace you may be enabled to imitate it. 8. Refolution to imitate it. 9. An Obligation of yourself to God for that Purpose. 10. Prayer to God for his Affiftance.

5. The Confiderations that relate to any Subject, and the Affections excited thereby, must be followed with Refolution. This is the great Defign of entertaining our Minds with fpiritual Subjects, that by converfing with them we may be directed and excited to amend our Lives. When we have been convinced of the Reasonablenefs and Neceffity of any Virtue, we muft form a firm Purpose of Mind to practise it in our Lives and Converfation: When we are poffeffed with the Unreasonablenefs, and with the fatal Confequences of any Vice, we muft refolve to fhun and avoid it. When a divine Doctrine is fufficiently revealed, we muft readily believe and embrace it. When we are acquainted with the great Things Jefus Chrift has done for us, we muft refolve to make him the Returns of our Gratitude and Obedience. This Refolution muft, 1. Extend to all the Parti

culars

culars of our Duty, for they all equally oblige us. 2. To all Times, prefent as well as future, under Temptation, as well as when we are free from it. 3. To the avoiding all Occasions that betray us to the Breach of our Duty. 4. To the Use of all Means that help us to perform it; as Prayer and the frequent Receiving the Holy Sacrament.

VI. Conclude your Meditation with a particular Addrefs to God; that he would be pleafed to affect your Mind with a conftant Senfe of your Duty, in all the Particulars of it; chiefly that he would enable you to practife that Virtue, or to fun that Vice that you have been meditating upon; and that he would ftrengthen you in performing those Refolutions you have made of advancing in Piety and Virtue; that he would not leave you to yourself, nor to thofe Temptations that daily affault you; but that he would fo continually affift you with his Grace, that you may continue his faithful Servant to your Life's End.

You will do very well to retain some particular Thought of your Meditation, as Matter for a pious Ejaculation, which you may frequently repeat in the feveral Intervals all the Day long.