LOOKING UNTO.· · JESUS The fidl: Book. HEBR. 12. 2. Lool;jng unto JcfHs, th'e beginner; andfinij!Jer of om· Faith. CH A P. I. Tbe Proem, Diviflon , and ;opening of tbe Words• .,.,.....,..... ~~-:::--::-o-'!ial H E mofl: exc.ellem fubjeCl: to difcourfe, or write of, is {efur Cbrijl. .Augujline having readCicero's works commended Duletsnon them for their eloquence, bur he pa!fed this femence upon funr • q;i• them, they are n•tfweet '. bec.au(e the name of Jefus i; not in ~::~fl i1~n;,, them. And Bernards faymg IS near the fame; ifthou writtjf, Aug. it doth net relijh with me,•mlefs I retfdJef us there;ifthou difpu- Si fcribas!non tejl, 0 r conferrejl, it doth not reli[h well with me, unlefs Jefus fap1t mrh1, !''· (oundthere: Ind~ed .all we fay is but unfavory, ifit be not 1:~~:.o•ht feafoned With thiS fait. I determrncd not to /cnow any thing si difputeo among )'DU (faith Pmel)[1we Jeflu Chrijl: and him cmcificd: aut conf<ru, he refolved with himfelf before he preached among theCo- non fapit mi· . rinthians, that this lhould be the only point of knowledge hr,nrG fonu<• tlm he would profe(, himfelf to h~ve skill in, and that in the courfe of his Minilbry he~;,:~~~~:~.~: would labour to bring them to : this hemade the bredth, andlcrrgth,and depth,andheight of h,, k!Jorvledge ; .rea doubJ!ejj (faith he) arid I .count all things but loffi for the e.wellency of rhel:powirdoe of C!Jrijl: Jr{ttS my Lord: In tlus knowledge ofChrtlt there is an excellency F.~hef. 3.18. above all o~her knowlcdge'in the world; there is nothing more pleafing and comfortable, Phl1.3.8. riwre animating and enlivening, more ravifl1ing and foul-co!!teming; only Chrifl: is the fmnme ond center ofall divine re,·eaied truths; we can preach nothing elfe as the objeCl: ofou:· faill1, as the nece!fary element ofour fouls falvation, which doth not fome way or th<'r either meet in Chrifl:, or refer to Chrifl:; only Chrifl: is the whole of mans happi– ne(,; the Sun to illighten him, the Phyfician to heal him, the Wall of lire to defend him, the· h iend to comfort him , the Pearl to enrich him, the Ark to fupport him, the Rock to l~uiain ~im under the heaviclt prdfures; As an hiding pl.1Ce from the wind, and a covert Ifqz.z. ]"iartnhe Tempejl ~ arri1.1etJ of rv.1ters in a dryplace, and as the j1Jadow ofa gret!t rock._in a l'Vea- '" l."•d. Only Chritt is th~t ladder betwixt earth and heaven, the Mediatour betwixt Gt>d .and mm, a my~eq:which the Angels ofheaven deftre to~'/· an~ peep, t:.nd loo/z.jnto. 1 Pet.r.u: H;r: .' a bldfed fubJe,twdeed, who would not be glad to pry rnro tt , to be acquatnted "mh It I 7his is l:f<'cttm•l to kzlow Cod,and Jefw Chrijl: whom he IHth font: Come then, Joh.q 3 , · kt u. Iodz.on this Sunof righteouf~efs. we cann0t receive barmc, but good by fuch·a loo/z.· indeed by lookjr1~ ~ong on the natur;l Sun we may have our eyes da~!ed, and our face; hi!r~ned; bm by loA:i"g umo Jefl<s Chri(/', 'YC i1ra\l have our eyes clearer, ~nd our f1ces ' B (airer;
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