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

¹Christ undergoes this restraint that all sorts of persecution might be sanctified to us by his susception. Again, Christ was faster bound with his cords of Love, than with Iron fetters; his love was strong as death; it overcame him who is invincible, and bound him who is omnipotent; the Jews cords were but the Symbols and Figures; but the dear love, the tender bowels of Jesus Christ were the Morals, and things signified: ⟨p. 353⟩Again, Christ was bound that we might be free: the Cords of Christ were so full of virtue, that they loosed the Chains of our sins, and tied the hands of Gods Justice, which were stretched out against us for our sins. Again, he was bound for us, that so he might bind us to himself. I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of Love. ²A strange thing it was, to see the King bound for the Thieves offence; but such was Christ's Love, that he might draw sinful mankind to the Love of him again. Lastly, one good Lesson we may learn from wicked Judas; take him, and lead him away safely:— hold him fast. Come Christians! here's good counsel from a Judas; like another Caiaphas; he Prophesies he knows not what; take him, and lead him away, and hold him fast. It is of necessity that those which spiritually seek after Christ, should take him by Faith, and hold him fast by Love: I will rise now, (saith the Spouse) I will seek him whom my soul loveth; and anon, I found him whom my soul loveth, I held him, ³and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my Mothers House, into the Chambers of her that conceived me. We must arise out of the bed of sin, we must seek Christ in the use of Ordinances, and there if we find him, we must take him, lay hold on him by the hands of Faith, and not let him go; but lead him safely until we have brought him into our Mothers House, into the Assemblies of his people; or if you will, until we have brought him into our souls, where he may sup with us, and we with him.

¹Christ undergoes this restraint that all sorts of persecution might be sanctified to us by his susception. Again, Christ was faster bound with his cords of Love, than with Iron fetters; his love was strong as death; it overcame him who is invincible, and bound him who is omnipotent; the Jews cords were but the Symboles and Figures; but the dear love, the tender bowels of Jesus Christ were the Morals, and things signified: