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MONGST all the duties I formerly mentioned, I omitted one, that now I look upon as chief and choice of all the reft: this is the duty I call Looking unto Jefus, and if I muft difcover the occafion of my falling on it, I fhal do it truly and plainly, and in the fimplicity of the gofpel. As thus, in the Spring 1653, I was vifited with a fore sicknef, and as the Lord began to restore my health, it came into my thoughts what Jeins had done for my foul and what he was doing, and what he would do for it, till he faved to the uttermoft. In my conceptions of these things, I could find no beginning 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 fhould be unmade: only betwixt these two extremities, I apprehended various tranfactions of Jefus Chrift, both paft, prefent, and to conie. In the multitude of thefe thoughts within me, my foul delighted itself, and that delight firring up in me other affections, (for one affection cannot be alone) I began to confider of thofe texts in fcripture, which feemed at first to im ple the working of my affections on fo bleffed an object, as a golpel-duty; then I refolved, if the Lord Jefus would but reftore my health, and prolong my life, I would endeavour to difcover more of this gofpel-duty than ever yet I knew and that my pains therein might not hinder my other neceffary labours, my purpose was to fall on this fubject in my ordinary preaching, wherein I might have occa fon both to fearch into fcriptures, feveral authors, and my own heart. In procefs 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 church's good. In the progrefs of my labours, I found a world of fpiritual comfort, both in refpect of the object that I handled, Jefus Chrift, and in refpect of the act, where in confilled my duty to him, in looking unto Jefus. 1. For the object, it was the very fubject whereon more efpecially I was bound to preach," Chrift in you, the hope of glory," (faith Paul to the Coloffians) and he immediately adds, 66 whom we preach," Col. i. 27, 28. And unto me who am lefs than the leaft of all the faints, is this pace given," what grace? That I fhould preach among the Gentiles the unfearchable riches of Chrift," Eph. iii. 8. Minifters ought in duty more abindantly to preach Jefus Chrift. Dr Sibbs is clear, "That the fpecial office of the miniftry of Chrift, is to lay open Chrift, to hold up the tapestry, and to unfold the hidden myfteries of Chrift," And therefore he exhorts, That we fhould labour to be always fpeaking fomewhat about Chrift, or tending that way; when we peak of the law, let it drive us to Chrifts when of moral duties, let them teach us to walk worthy of Chrift: Chrift, or fome what tending to Chrift, fhould be our theme and mark to aim at, Sibbs Cantic. P. 428." And I may feelingly fay, it is the fwceteft fubject that ever was preached on; Is it not as an ointment poured forth," whofe (mell is fo fragrant, and whofe favour is fo fweet, that "therefore all the virgins love him?" Is it not comprehenfive of all glory, beauty, excellency, whether of things in heaven, or of things on earth? Is it not a mystery, fweet and deep? Surely volumes are writ of Jefus Chrift: there is line pon line, fermon upon fermon, book upon book, and tome upon tome, and yet fich is the mftery, (as one fpeales plainly) that we are all but, as yet at the firft fio of the fingle Catechifm of Jefus Chrift: yea, Solomon, was but at What is is name? And I fear many of us know neither name nor thing. It is a worthy y to make farther and farther difcovery of this bleffed myftery; and it were to be wifhed that all the minifters of Chrift would spend themfelves in the fpelling, and reading, and understanding of it. Look as fome great point doth require the abilities of many fcholars (and all little enough when joined together) to make a good difcovery thereof: fuch is this high point, this holy, facred, glorious myftery, 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 fome measure endea voured in the following Treatife) they fhould find ftill but a little of this mystery known, in comparison of what, remains, and is unknown; only this they fhould know, Quod difficili intellectua, dilectabile inquifitu, (as Bernard faid,) "That

which is hard to understand, is delightful to be dived into," and fo I found it. 2. For the act of looking unto Jefus, as it is comprelienfive of knowing, deiring, hoping, believing, loving, fo allo of joying how then thould I bu: be filled with joy unfpeakable and glorious, whilft I was ftudying, writing, and elperity acting my foul in the exercife of this looking? If there be any duty on earth, res g in Chrift, and on fembling the duty of the faints in heaven, I dare fay, this is it. Mr Riberford in his epiftle to Chrift dying, writeth thus, "An act of living Chrift, in the acts of feeing, enjoying, embracing, loving, refting on his, is that noou-day divinity, and theology of beatifical vifion; there is a General Affembly of immediately illuminated divines round about the throne, who ftudy, lecture, preachi, praife Chrift night and day; oh! what rays, what irradations and dartings of intellectual fruition, beholding, enjoying, living in him, and fervour of loving come from that face, that God-vifage of the Lord God Almighty, and of the Lamb that is in the midst of them? And, oh! what reflections and reaching forth of intellectual vifion, embracing, loving, wondering, are returning back to him again, in a circle of glory?" Now, if this be the faints duty, who are perfect in glory? Do not we imitate them, and feel fomething of heaven in our imitation, in our looking alfo unto Jefus? I write what in fome meature I have felt, and of "and finell the which I hope to feel yet more and therefore, whoever thou art that readeft, I befeech thee, come, warm thy heart at this blefied fire! O come, precious ointments of Jefs Chrift!" O come," and fit under his hadow with great delight!" oh! that all men, (efpecially into whofe hands this book fhail come) would prefently fall upon the practife of this gofpel art of looking unto Jefus !" if herein they find nothing of heaven, my fkill will fail me; only let them pray, that as they look to him, fo virtue may go out of him, and fill their fouls.

Reader, one thing more I have to fay to thee, if thou wouldst know how to carry on this duty conftantly, as thou doft thy morning and evening prayer: it were not amifs every day, either morning or evening, thou wouldst take fome part of it at one time, and fome part of it at another time, at least for fomne fpace of time together. I know feme, that in a conftant daily course carry on in fecret thofe two neceffary duties of meditation and prayer: what the fubject-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 fin, or be it grace, or be it what it will, if we be in the exercife of the felf-fame fubject, either conftantly or frequently, we are apt to grow remifs, or cold, or formal; and the reafon is, One thing tires quickly, unlefs that one be all: now, that is Chrift, for he is all," Col. ii. 11. If then but once a day thou wouldst make this Jefus Chrift, thy fubject to "know, confi der, defire, hope, believe, joy in, call upon, and conform unto," in his feveral refpects of plotting, promifing, performing thy redemption in his birth, life, death, refurrection, afcenfion, feffion, interceffion, and coming again; and that one of thefe particulars might be thy one days exercife, and to every day thou wouldit proceed from firft to lalt, in thus "looking unto Jefus," I fuppofe thou wouldít never tire thyfelf; And, why fo? O there is a variety in this matter to be looked unto, and there is a variety in the manner of looking on it. Ex. gr. One thou mighfest act thy "knowing of Jefus," in carrying on the great work of thy falvation in his eternity, the next day theu inighteft confider Jelus in that refpect; and the next day thou mighteft"defire after Jelis" in that refpeet, and the next day thou mighteft" hope in Jefus" in that refpect; and fo on till thou comelt to the laft day of the work, which (befides the object handled at large in every period, in thefe very actings upon the object) would in all amount to the number of eighty one days. Now, would not this variety delight? It is the obfervation of Mr Lockyer on Col. i. 16. that "an holy foul cannot tire itfelf in the contemplation of Jefus." How much lefs can it tire itfelf in "looking unto Jetus," which

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*fuppofe the reader will, at laft once read over the whole book; and then, for his confiant daily exercife, during eighty one days in a year, I leave the object in every period to be read, or not read, as he pleafeth; unlefs it may in whole, or in conduce any thing to that one act of knowing Jefus, in fuch or tuch a part, A 3 respect.