Amongst all the duties I formerly mentioned, I omitted one that now I look upon as chief and choice of all the rest: This is the duty I call Looking unto Jesus, and if I must discover the occasion of my falling on it, I shall do it truly and plainly, and in the simplicity of the Gospel, as thus. In the Spring 1653. I was visited with a sore sickness, and as the Lord began to restore my health, it came into my thoughts what my Jesus had done for my soul, and what he was doing, and what he would do for it, till he saved it to the uttermost. In my conceptions of these things I could find no beginning of his actings, but in that eternity before the world was made; nor could I find any end of his actings, but in that eternity after the world should be unmade; only betwixt these two extremities I apprehended various transactions of Jesus Christ, both past, and present, and to come. In the multitude of these thoughts Within me, my soul exceedingly delighted it self, and that delight stirring up in me other affections (for one affection cannot be alone) I began to consider of those texts in Scripture, which seemed at first to impose the working of my affections on so blessed an Object, as a Gospel-duty: then I resolved, if the Lord Jesus would but restore my health, and prolong my life, I would endeavour to discover more of this Gospel-duty, than ever yet I knew: and that my pains therein might not hinder my other necessary labours, my purpose was to fall on this subject in my ordinary preaching, wherein I might have occasion both to search into Scriptures, several Authors, and my own heart. In process of time I began this work, begging of God that he would help me to finish, as he inclined me to begin, and that all might tend to his glory, and the Churches good. In the progress of my labours I found a world of spiritual comfort, both in respect of the object that I handled, Jesus Christ, and in respect of the act, wherein consisted my duty to him, in Looking unto Jesus. 1. For the Object, it was the very subject whereon more especially I was bound ⟨image 4⟩to preach; Christ in you the hope of glory (said Paul to his Colossians) and he immediately adds, whom we preach, Col. 1.27, 28. and unto me, who am less than the least of all the Saints, is this grace given; what grace? that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, Eph. 3.8.
AMongst all the duties I formerly mentioned, I omitted one that now I look upon as chief and choice of all the rest: This is the duty I call Looking unto Jesus, and if I must discover the occasion of my falling on it, I shall do it truly and plainly, and in the simplicity of the Gospel, as thus. In the Spring 1653. I was visited with a sore sickness, and as the Lord began to restore my health, it came into my thoughts what my Jesus had done for my soul, and what he was doing, and what he would do for it, till he saved it to the uttermost. In my conceptions of these things I could find no begining of his actings, but in that eternity before the world was made; nor could I find any end of his actings, but in that eternity after the world should be unmade; only betwixt these two extremities I apprehended various transactions of Jesus Christ, both past, and present, and to come. In the multitude of these thoughts Within me, my soul exceedingly delighted it self, and that delight stirring up in me other affections (for one affection cannot be alone) I began to consider of those texts in Scripture, which seemed at first to impose the working of my affections on so blessed an Object, as a Gospel-duty: then I resolved, if the Lord Jesus would but restore my health, and prolong my life, I would endeavour to discover more of this Gospel-duty, than ever yet I knew: and that my pains therein might not hinder my other necessary labours, my purpose was to fall on this subject in my ordinary preaching, wherein I might have occasion both to search into Scriptures, several Authors, and my own heart. In process of time I began this work, begging of God that he would help me to finish, as he inclined me to begin, and that all might tend to his glory, and the Churches good. In the progress of my labours I found a world of spiritual comfort, both in respect of the object that I handled, Jesus Christ, and in respect of the act, wherein consisted my duty to him, in Looking unto Jesus. 1. For the Object, it was the very subject whereon more especially I was bound ⟨image 4⟩to preach; Christ in you the hope of glory (said Paul to his Colosians) and he immediately adds, whom we preach, Col. 1.27, 28. and unto me, who am less than the least of all the Saints, is this grace given; what grace? that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, Eph. 3.8.
