To the R E A DE R. • • Mongfl: all the duties I formerly mentioned,I omitted one that now I look upon as chiefe and choyee of all the refl: : This is the duty I call lookjng unto [e(m, and ifl muft difcover the occafion ofmy falling on it, I {hall do it truely, a~d plainly, and in the fimplicity of the Gofpel, as thus. In the fpnng I 65 3. I was vifi ted with a fore ficknefs, and as the Lord began to rell:ore my health, it came into my thoughts what my Jefus had do~e fo~ my foul and what he was doing, and what he would do for It, ttll he · faved it to theuttermofl:. In my conceptions of thefe things I ruuld fi nd no beginning of his aCl:ings,but in that eternity before the world was made; nor could I find any end ofhis actings, but in that eternityafter the world fhould be unmade ; only betwixt thefe two extreamities I apprehended variou>tranfactions ofJefus Chrill:, both pall: , and prefent, and to come. In the multitu4e of thefethoughts within me,my foul exceeding-ly delighted ic fel f, and that delight fl:irring up in me other affections (for on~!' affection cannot- be alone) I began to confider ofthofe texts in _Scri . pture, which feemed at firfl: to impofe the working ofmy affeCl:i - ons on fo bleffed an ob jed, as a Gofpel-duty : then I refo~,d,if the Lord Jefus would but rell:ore my health, and prqlong my·Jife, I would endeavour to difcover more of this Gofpel .duty, tha·neveryetl knew : and that my paines therein might not hinder my other neceffary labours, my purpofe was to fall on this fubjecr ia my ordinary preaching, wherein 1 might have occafion both to fea rch into Scri ptures, feveral Authours, and my own heart. In procefs oftime I began this work , begging ofGod that he would help me to finiib, as he enc!ined me to begin, and that all might tend to his glory, and the Churches good. In the progrefs of my lab.ours I found awdrld of fpiritual comfor t,both in refpect ofthe · obJect that Ihandled,{e[Ju Chrifl;&in re fpeer of the act, wherein ~onfified my du ty t? bim,in look}ng unto{efus . r . For the object , 1t was the very fubJ eCl: whereon more efpeciaHyi was bound to preach; Chrift in you thehopeof glory (faid Paul to his c~ollfla ns) and he immediately adds, whom we preach. Col. I .27,28. and unto me, wh§ am lejJ than the leafl ofn/1 the Saints is this grace given, what grace? that I fhou!d pre/lch among the G<'litiles the un[earch- . · aitle ;· -,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=