Looking Unto Jesus, To the reader
TO THE READER.
AMongſt all the duties I formerly mentioned, I omitted one that now I look upon as chief and choice of all the reſt: This is the duty I call Looking unto Jeſus, and if I muſt diſcover the occaſion of my falling on it, I ſhall do it truly and plainly, and in the ſimplicity of the Goſpel, as thus. In the Spring 1653. I was viſited with a ſore ſickneſs, and as the Lord began to reſtore my health, it came into my thoughts what my Jeſus had done for my ſoul, and what he was doing, and what he would do for it, till he ſaved it to the uttermoſt. In my conceptions of theſe things I could find no begining of his actings, but in that eternity before the world was made; nor could I find any end of his actings, but in that eternity after the world ſhould be unmade; only betwixt theſe two extremities I apprehended various tranſactions of Jeſus Chriſt, both paſt, and preſent, and to come. In the multitude of theſe thoughts Within me, my ſoul exceedingly delighted it ſelf, and that delight ſtirring up in me other affections (for one affection cannot be alone) I began to conſider of thoſe texts in Scripture, which ſeemed at firſt to impoſe the working of my affections on ſo bleſſed an Object, as a Goſpel-duty: then I reſolved, if the Lord Jeſus would but reſtore my health, and prolong my life, I would endeavour to diſcover more of this Goſpel-duty, than ever yet I knew: and that my pains therein might not hinder my other neceſſary labours, my purpoſe was to fall on this ſubject in my ordinary preaching, wherein I might have occaſion both to ſearch into Scriptures, ſeveral Authors, and my own heart. In proceſs of time I began this work, begging of God that he would help me to finiſh, as he inclined me to begin, and that all might tend to his glory, and the Churches good. In the progreſs of my labours I found a world of ſpiritual comfort, both in reſpect of the object that I handled, Jeſus Chriſt, and in reſpect of the act, wherein conſiſted my duty to him, in Looking unto Jeſus. 1. For the Object, it was the very ſubject whereon more eſpecially I was bound to preach; Chriſt in you the hope of glory (ſaid Paul to his Coloſians) and he immediately adds, whom we preach, Col. 1.27, 28. and unto me, who am leſs than the leaſt of all the Saints, is this grace given; what grace? that I ſhould preach among the Gentiles the unſearchable riches of Chriſt, Eph. 3.8. Miniſters ought in duty more abundantly to preach Jeſus Chriſt. Doctor Sibbs is clear, that the ſpecial office of the miniſtry of Chriſt is to lay open Chriſt, to hold up the tapiſtry, & to unfold the hidden miſteries of Chriſt: and therefore he exhorts that we ſhould labour to be alwayes ſpeaking ſomewhat about Chriſt, or tending that way: when we ſpeak of the law, let it drive us to Chriſt: when of moral duties, let them teach us to walk worthy of Chriſt: Chriſt, or ſome what tending to Chriſt, ſhould be our theme, and mark to aime at. Sibbs Cantic. p. 428. And I may feelingly ſay, it is the ſweeteſt ſubject that ever was Preached on; is it not as an ointment poured forth, whoſe ſmell is ſo fragrant, and whoſe ſavour is ſo ſweet, that therefore all the Virgins love him? is it not comprehenſive of all glory, beauty, excellency, whether of things in Heaven, or of things on Earth? is it not a myſtery ſweet and deep? ſurely Volumes are written of Jeſus Chriſt, there is line upon line, Sermon upon Sermon, Book upon Book, and Tome upon Tome, and yet ſuch is the myſtery (as one ſpeaks plainly) that we are all but as yet at the firſt ſide of the ſingle Catechiſm of Jeſus Chriſt: yea, Solomon was but at What is his Name? and I fear many of us know neither Name nor thing. It is a worthy ſtudy to make further and further diſcoveries of this bleſſed Myſtery, and it were to be wiſhed, that all the Miniſters of Chriſt would ſpend themſelves in the ſpelling, and reading, and underſtanding of it. Look as ſome great point doth require the abilities of many Scholars (and all little enough when joyned together) to make a good diſcovery thereof; ſuch is this high point, this holy, ſacred, glorious Myſtery, worthy of the pains of all the Learned; and if they would all bring their notes together, and add all their ſtudies together (which I have in ſome meaſure endeavoured in the following Treatiſe) they ſhould find ſtill but a little of this Myſtery known, in compariſon of what remains and is unknown; only this they ſhould know, Quod difficily intellectu, dilectabile inquiſitu (as Bernad ſaid) That which is hard to underſtand, is delightful to be dived into; and ſo I found it. 2. For the act of looking unto Jeſus, as it is comprehenſive of knowing, deſiring, hoping, believing, loving, ſo alſo of joying; how then ſhould I but be filled with joy unſpeakable and glorious, whilſt I was ſtudying, writing, and eſpecially acting my Soul in the exerciſe of this Looking? If there be any Duty on Earth reſembling the Duty of the Saints in Heaven, I dare ſay, this is it. Mr. Rutherford in his Epiſtle to Chriſt dying, writeth thus, An act of living in Chriſt, and on Chriſt, in the acts of ſeeing, enjoying, embracing, loving, reſting on him, is that noonday Divinity, and Theology of Beatifical Viſion: there is a general aſſembly of immediately illuminated Divines round about the Throne, who ſtudy, lecture, preach, praiſe Chriſt night and day: Oh what rays, what irradiations and dartings of intellectual fruition, beholding, enjoying, living in him, and fervour of loving, come from that face, that God-viſage of the Lord God Almighty, and of the Lamb that is in the midſt of them? And, Oh what reflections, and reachings forth of intellectual Viſion, embracing, loving, wondering, are returning back to him again in a circle of Glory? Now if this be the Saints Duty, who are perfect in glory; do not we imitate them, and feel ſomething of Heaven in our imitation, in our looking alſo unto Jeſus? I write what in ſome meaſure I have felt; and of which I hope to feel yet more; and therefore whoever thou art that readeſt, I beſeech thee, come, warm thy heart at this bleſſed fire! O come, and ſmell the precious ointments of Jeſus Chriſt! O come, and ſit down under his ſhadow with great delight! Oh that all men (eſpecially into whoſe hands this Book ſhall come) would preſently fall upon the practice of this Goſpel-art of looking unto Jeſus! if herein they find nothing of Heaven, my skill will fail me; only let them pray, that as they look to him, ſo vertue may go out of him, and fill their ſouls.
Reader, One thing more I have to ſay to thee; if thou wouldeſt know how to carry on this Duty conſtantly, as thou doſt thy morning, and thy evening prayer; it were not amiſs if every day, either morning, or evening, thou wouldſt take ſome part of it at one time, and ſome part of it at another time, at leaſt for ſome ſpace of time together. I know ſome, that in a conſtant daily courſe carry on in ſecret thoſe two neceſſary duties of meditation and prayer; what the ſubject matter of their meditation is, I am not very certain; only our experience can tell us, that be it heaven, or be it hell; be it ſin, or be it grace, or be it what it will; if we be in exerciſe of the ſelf-ſame ſubject either conſtantly, or frequently, we are apt to grow remiſs, or cold, or formal; and the reaſon is, one thing tires quickly, unleſs that one be all: now that is Chriſt, for He is All, Col. 3.11. if then but once a day thou wouldſt make this Jeſus Chriſt thy ſubject to know, conſider, deſire, hope, believe, joy in, call upon, and conform unto, in his ſeveral reſpects of plotting, promiſing, performing thy redemption in his Birth, Life, Death, Reſurrection, Aſcenſion, Seſſion, Interceſſion, and coming again; and that one of theſe particulars might be thy one dayes exerciſe, and ſo every day thou wouldeſt proceed from firſt to laſt, in thus looking unto Jeſus, I ſuppoſe thou wouldſt never tire thy ſelf; and why ſo? O there is variety in this matter to be looked unto, and there is variety in the manner of looking on it. Ex. gr. one day thou mightſt act thy knowing of Jeſus in carrying on the great work of thy ſalvation in his Eternity; the next day thou mighteſt conſider Jeſus in that reſpect; and the next day thou mightſt deſire after Jeſus in that reſpect; and the next day thou mightſt hope in Jeſus in that reſpect; and ſo on, till thou comeſt to the laſt day of the work; which (beſides*I ſuppoſe, the Reader will, at leaſt, once read over the whole book; and then for this conſtant dayly exerciſe, during eighty one dayes in a year, I leave the object in every period to be read, or not read, as he pleaſeth; unleſs it may, in whole, or in part, conduce any thing to that one act of knowing Jeſus in ſuch or ſuch a reſpect. the object handled at large in every period, in theſe very actings upon the object) would in all amount to the number of eighty one dayes. Now would not this variety delight? It is the obſervation of Mr. Lockyer, on Col. 1.16. that an holy ſoul cannot tire it ſelf in the contemplation of Jeſus: how much leſs can it tire it ſelf in Looking unto Jeſus, which is far more Comprehenſive than contemplating of Jeſus? come, try this Duty, and be conſtant in it at leaſt for eighty one days in one year, & ſo for eighty one days in every year during thy life; and then for thy meditations on any other ſubject I ſhall not take thee quite off, but leave the remainder of the year, which is above three parts more, to thy own choice. If thou art ſo reſolved, I ſhall ſay no more, but the Lord be with thee, and if ſooner or later thou findeſt any benefit by this work, give God the glory, and remember him, in thy prayers, who hath took this pains for Chriſt's honour, and thy ſouls good. So reſts
Thy Servant in Chriſt Jeſus, I. A.