Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of…

4. They have not that sense of Christs love, which those that exercise this Duty have; whilst the soul neglects Christ, it cannot possibly discern the love of Christ; it perceives not Christ applying the Doctrines of his love to the conscience: Christ appears not in his banqueting house, he enables not the soul to pray with confidence, he makes it not joyful in the house of prayer. And hence it is, that such souls move so slowly in Gods service; they are just like Pharaohs chariots, without wheels; O they perceive not the Love of Christ, either in the clear revelation of his secrets, or in the free communication of his graces, or in the sanctifying and sweetening of their trials, or in sealing up the pardon of their sins: O they feel not those ravishing comforts, which usually Christ speaks to the heart, when he speaks from his heart in love. O the want! O the misery of this want!

4. They have not that sense of Christs love, which those that exercise this Duty have; whilest the soul neglects Christ, it cannot possibly discern the love of Christ; it perceives not Christ applying the Doctrines of his love to the conscience: Christ appears not in his banquetting house, he enables not the soul to pray with confidence, he makes it not joyful in the house of prayer. And hence it is, that such souls move so slowly in Gods service; they are just like Pharaohs charrets, without wheels; O they perceive not the Love of Christ, either in the clear revelation of his secrets, or in the free communication of his graces, or in the sanctifying and sweetning of their tryals, or in sealing up the pardon of their sins: O they feel not those ravishing comforts, which usually Christ speaks to the heart, when he speaks from his heart in love. O the want! O the misery of this want!

5. They have not that experience of the power of Christ, which they have that are in the exercise of this Duty. Would you know wherein lies the power of Christ? I answer, in casting down the strong holds of sin, in overthrowing Satan, in humbling mens hearts, in sanctifying their souls, in purifying their consciences, in bringing their thoughts to the obedience of Christ, in making them able to endure afflictions, in causing them to grow and increase in all Heavenly graces; and this power they partake of, who rightly and experimentally look up to Christ. But if this Duty be neglected, there is no such thing; hence we call this, the Duty of Duties, the chief Duty, the especial Duty; and for all other Duties, Means, Ordinances, if Christ be not in them, they are nothing worth; In every Duty this is the essential part, that we look through all, unto Jesus; it is only from Christ, that Virtue and Efficacy is communicate in spiritual Ordinances; there were many people in a throng about Christ, but the infirm woman that touched him, was she alone that felt efficacy come from him; we see many attend the Ordinances, frequent the Assemblies, but some few only find the inward power of Christ derived unto their souls. They that neglect, or are grossly ignorant of this great mystery of looking unto Jesus, are no better then strangers to the power of Christ.