Looking Unto Jesus, Book 3 · Chapter 2 · Section
SECT. Of knowing Jeſus, as carrying on the great work of our Salvation from the Creation until his firſt Coming.
LOoking comprehends knowing, conſidering, deſiring, &c. as you have heard; and accordingly that we may practiſe.
1. We muſt know Jeſus carrying on the great work of our Salvation in the beginning, and from the beginning of the World: Come let us learn what he did for us ſo early in the morning of this World: He made it for us, and he made us more eſpecially for his own Glory; but preſently after we were made, we ſinned and marred the Image wherein God made us; this was the ſaddeſt Act that ever was; it was the undoing of man, and (without the mercy of God) the damning of all Souls, both of men and women to all Eternity; and, O my Soul, know this for thy ſelf, thou waſt in the loins of Adam at that ſame time, ſo that what he did, thou didſt; thou waſt partaker of his Sins, and thou waſt to partake with him in his puniſhment: but well maiſt thou ſay, Bleſſed be God for Jeſus Chriſt; at the very inſtant when all ſhould have been, damned, Chriſt intervened; a Covenant of Grace is made with man, and Chriſt is the Foundation, in and through whom we muſt be reconciled unto God: Come ſoul, and ſtudy this Covenant of grace in reference to thy ſelf; had not this been, where hadſt thou been? nay, where had all the World been at this day? Surely it concerns thee to take notice of this great Tranſaction. After man had fallen by Sin, Chriſt is promiſed; & that all the Saints might partake of Chriſt, a Covenant is entred; this at the beginning of the World, was more dim, but the nearer to Chriſts coming in the Fleſh, the more and more clearly it appeared: Howſoever dimly, or clearly, thus it pleaſed God in Chriſt to carry on the great work of our Salvation at that time, viz. by a Promiſe of Chriſt, and by a Covenant in Chriſt, and for thy better knowledge of it, ſtudy the Promiſe made to Adam, and Abraham, and Moſes, and David, and Iſrael. Come Soul, ſtudy theſe ſeveral breakings out of the Covenant of Grace;Col. 1.26 it is worth thy pains, it is a Myſtery which hath been hid from Ages, and from Generations, but now is made manifeſt to the Saints. Here lies the firſt and moſt firm Foundation of a Chriſtians comfort; if thou canſt but ſtudy this, and aſſure thy ſelf of thy part in this, thou art bleſſed for ever; O how incomparably ſweet and ſatisfying is it to a ſelf-ſtudying Chriſtian, to know the faithful engagements of the Almighty God, through that Son of his Loves, in a Covenant of Grace.