JLoolttng unto 'jjefu.s. Book I. fence of Chrift, how comfortably fhould we maintain and encreafe our communi on with' Chri!l. · . " Confider rhar your daily necelfnies call for a frequent lookJng up IJnto Jefus; you ha;; need ofChrirt, you have need that he pray in you, and need that he pray for you ro our heavenly Flrher ; you have need rhar be work in you, and need rhar he work for ~ou his own b!elfed will; you have need that he prefenr you and yours.blamdefs before his Fathers prefence in life, and death, and at the judgment day.; there s nor a moment in your life, wherein you fl:andnor tn conttnUll need o~Jefns Clmft; . And can ahung~y man forger his bread I can the ,heart that pants for thtrft for~ct the nver I can a man m bonds forger freedome I c~n a clu!J 111 dr~refs forget a father 111 ho~our and wealth? Oh rhen let your necelftties drtve you to ~hnfl, and mmd you ofClm(l; .rs not he the foun– tain rbar fupplies all wants? Clmfttans! confulr your own Expenences ; when you look.J<p 10 Jefus, and !cane on Jefus, are you not bell: ar reft? 0 then why do you not alwayes rell: and leane upon him? fometime you fay, his bread is [weet, t<nd hiJ.cup io pleafant, how 11miable whw prefence r at fuch a ttme you have. t~ever done wondermg at · him. 0 the fweer impreffion? that are even rhen on your fpmts l why do you not then alwa'ycs loo/z.unto him? or at leaft, why are. you not frequent in his difciples pofture, Mt.. to. who /ook!d {letifafily towardt heaven as Chrift wmt up? how mhly mtght your tdle · hours, aud fpare time be laid out here to the fupply of all necelfiries, bodily, or fpi~ ritual? , 3. Confider rim an eye, an heart on Chrift is one of your moll: unquefl:lonable Evidences of fincerity. where yom· trea{i~re io, therewillJMr hearts be ~lfo. If Chrift be your Matth.6,u. treafure, your hearrs will be on Chrift; and furely an heart fer upon God in Chrill: is a true evidence of f~ving grace. External actions are cafiefi difcoverd, but thofe of the heart are furefi evidences : when thy learning will be no good proofofthy grace, when thy arguments from thy tongue and hand may be confuted, yer then will this argumeQt from the bent of thy heart prove thee fiocere. Take a poor Chriftian that bath a weak judgenient,a failing memory'·a. ftammering tongue, yet if~tis heart be fet on <::hrift, I bad rather die in thts mans condmon, and have my foulmlus fouls cafe, then m the cafe of him without fuch an heart, though he had the moll: eminent gifts, and pans, and abilities of any in the world. Chriftians! as you would have a fure tefrimony of the love of God, and a fure proof of your title to glory, labour to get your hearts on Chrift, 0 /oo/z.on 7efiu. YoU maybe fure C~trift will acknowledge that you really love him, when he f<es your hearts are fet upon h1m. · 4. C0nlider that your looking on Jefus will frrengthen patience under the crofs of Chrifr. This is the very particular Motive of the Text , Let m run with patience the Htb,n.t, 2,3• race that is [et before w, 103kjng UNto Jefus, the Author and (irrijher of ourfaith, whofor the joy that wAs[et before him enduredthe crofs, defpifing the fhame; alld is[et down at the right handof the throne ofGod; for confider him that enduredJiteh contradirfion offinmYJ againft him(elf, leftye be wearie~".nd faimin:{our w:ind. It is froried of a ~artyr, that having o.~ered h1m a cup o~fp1rrrs ro fuframe htm, whrn he feemed to famt under his greatrfc mal, he returned tlus anfwer, My Lord t<nd M after hadgall and vinegar given him to drin/z.; as ifhe had been aftonifhed tO fee himfdffare better ihen J efus Chrifr. How may it f,rengthen your patience in fulferings to think of Chrifts patience ? What, are you ferved till ay but Jefus Chnft was notferved fo well ; 1 can you ftiffer fo much as he bath done? Ite/ty.ounay. 0 then do you fr~y your murmurings andrepinings, bear with pattence the lmk you endure; and to tillS end Confider him that harh mduredthe contradiflion sofJinners. · · 5. Confider that a through-light of Chrift will encreafe your inward joy in Chrilt, Tot~r.Jather Abraham Yf]oyred to fee my day, otndhe [aw it, ""d IVM:lad. A right fight of Chrtfl, wtl! make a nght-fighted Ghriftian glad at heart; I wonder not that you walk Jo.S.~I. uncorrabl¥, tf you never ~rted rh1s ~rt of Chrifl:·contemplarion; can you have comfort from Chnft, and never tlunk ofChr1ft I doth any t~ingin the world glad you, when you do not reme'?ber tt? tf j:'OU were polfefled of all the treafure in the earth, ifyou had urle to the htghell: dtgntttes, and never thought of them, fure they would neverrejoyce rou. Come loo/z.up ~<nto {e[ltf, fi1<e your eyes, thoughts, and hearts on that blelfed obJects, and then you may expe;'t Davids experience,"') momh Jhall prt~i[e thee with jojf"l ltps, when. I remembe; thee upon my bed, and meditate ofth<t in the night watches. A fre- Pfai.6J·f; quem accefs to Cltrtft 111 a way of meditation cannot but warme the foul in fpiritilal igmftrrs. When the Sun 10 the fpring ·draws near our parr of the emh, how do all D :e · - · things
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