Looking Unto Jesus, Title page – Dedication
LOOKING UNTO JESUS.
A VIEW OF THE Everlaſting Goſpel: OR, THE SOULS EYING OF JESUS.
As carrying on the great Work of Mans Salvation from Firſt to Laſt.
By ISAAC AMBROSE, Miniſter of the GOSPEL.
Iſaiah 45.22. Look unto me, and be ye Saved all the Ends of the Earth.
LONDON, Printed for Richard Chiſwel, Benj. Tooke, and Thomas Sawbridge, 1680.
To the Right Honourable WILLIAM Earl of BEDFORD, Lord RUSSEL, Baron of THORNEHAƲGH.
Right Honourable,
ONce I made bold to prefix an Epiſtle to Your Honour, before my Book entituled Ultima, ſince which time, You have continued with increaſe Your wonted favours; As the Sun that rejoyceth to run his race, and is unwearied after his many revolutions; ſo Year after Year, have You indefatigably expreſſed Your great Bounty, whereby both my ſelf and family have been exceedingly refreſhed. As I cannot but in way of thankfulneſs acknowledge thus much; So I ſhall be a ſincere Remembrancer both of your Honour, and Your neareſt Relations at the Throne of Grace.
My Lord, I have now compoſed this Work, containing a neceſſary practice and high priviledge of every Chriſtian; it is by way of ſupplement to the other duties ſet down in my Book call'd Media, but becauſe of my large handling it, I reſerved it for a tract by it ſelf. Indeed of all other duties, I prefer it as the chief, and I exceedingly wonder that before this time, it hath not been undertaken by ſome abler hand. Chriſtians ordinarily go to Prayer, Sacraments, Hearing, Reading, and Meditation of the Word; and ſometimes (though more ſeldom) they ſet on the exerciſe of other Duties, as ſelf-trial, ſelf-denial, the improving of experiences, the clearing of evidences, extemporary and deliberate meditation, &c. but in the mean time how is the main, the prime employment, even the duty of duties, of Looking unto Jeſus, wholly neglected? If many, or moſt have been ignorant of it hitherto, I think it is high time, to diſcover it to the ſleepy world; and it may be when day is clear, they will walk in the light, and bleſs God for finding out a way, wherein they may more immediately have commerce with Jeſus Chriſt. I could have wiſhed that others more able had appeared in this ſervice, in a particular handling of this excellent ſubject, I find it in print wiſht for by a godly Brother, where he complains that Chriſt's love had been ſo little ſtudied. Men have been very ſwift in ſearching after other truths, but ſlow in ſearching after this, An ample exact diſcovery of this love of Chriſt, I ſay of this love (in carrying on our ſouls ſalvation from firſt to laſt) may well be ſet down amongſt the deſiderata, the deſirables of Divines, it having been ſo little handled (unleſs in ſome parts or pieces) by any: Surely it is very ſad to think, that the knowledge of this love of Chriſt (in a continued ſeries) being of ſuch neceſſary and high concernment hath been ſo little enquired into. O what a gallant Goſpel-deſign were it for ſome one who is acquainted with the Spirit in a large meaſure, to go over the whole Hiſtory of the Goſpel (of the everlaſting Goſpel of Jeſus) and to obſerve the glorious ſhinings of the love of Chriſt to Believers in all! it would be precious if ſome would take it in hand, and perfect it to the purpoſe, but it is ſad to think it hath been neglected ſo long. As the Lord hath enabled, I have adventured; and if for my raſhneſs in not waiting any longer, to ſee if any Star of a greater magnitude would have appeared, I muſt be cenſured, I fly to your Honour for Patronage. Nor only for Patronage, but I humbly heg of You, and Yours, to peruſe and practiſe this ſlender Work; who can tell but ſome of the golden Oile of Grace may come out of Jeſus Chriſt the true Olive-tree, even through theſe Pipes? and if ſo, your own experiences will be ſatisfactory anſwers to all other cenſures. Sure I am in this exerciſe (however the directions may be weak) you will find the advantage of lying at the well-head, and ſo you may drink more ſweetly than others that make uſe only of the ſtreams. That you (my noble Lord) and your vertuous Lady, with your hopeful Iſſue, may receive ſpiritual good by this Treatiſe, and all other helps which God's good providence, may put into your hands. Is the hearty prayer, My Lord,
Of your Honours thankful, faithful, though very unworthy, ſervant, ISAAC AMBROSE.