Chap·j.::eCl:}. But firllin the work o?fervethofetwo parrs ofthe text, the act and ob;t\~i; looi{_ing unto; an~ tlreobJeC!Js_lefu:. r. By looi?Jng unto,. we mean (as you have heard) and mwatd expenmental k;}owmg,aefinng, hopmg ; beltevwg, loving, calling on JejitS d ~o11jormin~. to 'jefiu : !t is not a ~are fwtming kno~vledge of Chrill, it is not a bare tl;i~%m~ ofC.flftll; as Chn/l: bath varwus excell.<nnes mhunfelf, fo hath he formed the foul wtth a power of d1ve~fe wayes apprehendmg , that fo we might be capable of enjoyina thofe divers excellennes that are mChnfl; even as the crearures having their feveralt ~ " God hath accordingly given us feveral fenfes, rhat fo we might enjoy the de!igh/, e~f them all:. what the better had we been for pleafant odonferous Rowers , or fweet per– fumes , 1f we had not poffeft the fenfe .of fmelling? or what good would language mufick have done us, ir God had not given m the fenfe of h:aring ? or what delig~~ lbould ·we have f~und mmeats, or dnnks, or fweetefi rlungs, 1fwe had been deprived of the fenfe of tafhng? fo what pleafure 010uld we have had even .in the ooednefs and perf.Chon of God and Chrifl, ifwe had been withouc the faculty and powe~ ofk._nowing, defir.ml: ,h~pmg, beluvmg, lovmg, JOJmg, anden;oying ? as the fenfesare to 1 he body, fo are thefe fptnrual fenfes, powers, affections to the foul the very way by which we mull re– ceive fweernefs and firength from the Lord J efu;. 2. By fe{UI, who is the object of this act, we meane a Saviour, Cllrryinff on the grrat work.. of mansfalvati•n from .firft to/aft; hence we lhall follow this method, t~look on this Jefiu as our Jefiu in thefe feveral periods. r. In that eternity before all time until the creation. z. In thecreatiol) the beginning oftime until his coming. 3. In his fir!l co– ming the fulnefs of time until his coming again. f. In his coming again the very end of rime to all eternity. In every ofthefe periods, oh what a bleffed object is before u 1 ! Oh what wonders of love have we to look upon! Before I direct you how to look on him in thtfe refpects, I mull in the firfl place propound the object: llill we mufllay the co– lours of this admirable beauty before your eyes, and then tell you the arr how you are to look ..ppon them. You may objeCI:, the Apo!lle in this text refers this look onely to the paffion and fef. ~=~;. Ser on lion of Chrilt. But a worthy Inter'preter tells you out of thefe words , That Chrift 01 rr ble!Jed Saviour isto belook!don at a// times, and in all afls; though indeed, then, and inthoji afls more efpecia/ty. Befides, we are to look_unto ]efus, as the .Aifthor andfinijher of 01 rr faith ; and why as the Author and _finifher of our faith, but ro hint out to us that we are to !land frill , and to behold, as wnh a fiedfaft eye, what he Is from firfl to lafl? You have called us hither (fay they in Canticles) to fee your Shulamite , What flM/1wefee in him.? What faith the Spoufe,but as rhetrmrp(UIJ .j two armies? that is, many legions of good fights; an Ocean ofbottomlefs depths of manifold high perfections. Or if thefe words be underfiood ofthe fpoufe, and not ofChrifi, yet how many words do we find in Camicles expreffing in him many goodly llghts? .Myrrhe, .Aloes, and Cin~~mon, 1111 tht trees of Frankf:ncenfe, all the p•wders ofthe .Merchants are in 'him ; he u alto,l{ethtr ID"'iy! be is.all every whit of bimdefireable, he is not one tingle llar, but aconllellauon ; there is in him a confluence, a bundle, an army ofglorious lights, all in one clufler, meeting and growing upon one f!alke. There's many glorious:'fl_(lhts in Je[u,·, I /hall not therefore limit my felf to thofe two efpecial ones, but take :ill thofe before me I have now pro– pounded. And ·now, ifever, ftirupyourhearrs. Say to all worldly bufinefs and thoughts, as Matth 2~.36. Chrift to the Difciples, Sit you here while lgo andpr"y yonder. Or as -"~raham when he went to facrifice Jf,.ac, left his fervants and Affe below the Mount, faytng, Stay yoK here,and1and theladl~i/1goyonder,andworjhip,and come agam toyo~t; fo fay to all worldly rhoughts, .Abidey•u below, while I go up to Chrift, andthen I Will retume r. you agam. Chriftians I yourfelvesmay be welcome,but fuchfollower~ may not. .... ~ BOOK
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