BOOK 1. THE SUBJECT.
CHAPTER 3.
1.3.8. Use of Direction.
Use of Direction.
Is inward experimental looking unto Jesus a choice or an high gospel-ordinance? why then, some directions how we are to perform this duty. Practice is the end of all sound doctrine, and duty is the end of all right faith; now that you may do what you have heard in some good measure, I shall prescribe the directions in the next part prescribed.
But first in the work observe those two parts of the text, the act, and object; the act is looking unto; and the object is Jesus.
1. By looking unto, we mean (as you have heard) an inward experimental knowing, desiring, hoping, believing, loving, calling on Jesus, and conforming to Jesus. It is not a bare swimming knowledge of Christ, it is not a bare thinking of Christ. As Christ hath various excellencies in himself, so hath he formed the soul with a power of divers ways apprehending, that so we might be capable of enjoying those divers excellencies that are in Christ; even as the creatures having their several uses. God hath accordingly given us several senses, that so we might enjoy the delights of them all: what the better had we been for pleasant odoriferous flowers, or sweet perfumes, if we had not possest the sense of smelling? Or what good would language, or music have done us, if God had not given us the sense of hearing? Or what delight should we have found in meats, or drinks, or sweetest things, if we had been deprived of the sense of tasting? So what pleasure should we have had even in the goodness and perfection of God and Christ, if we had been without the faculty and power of knowing, desiring, hoping, believing, loving, joying, and enjoying? As the senses are to the body, so are these spiritual senses, powers, affections to the soul, the very way by which we must receive sweetness and strength from the Lord Jesus.
2. By Jesus, who is the object of this act, we mean a Saviour, carrying on the great work of man's salvation from first to last: hence we shall follow this method, to look on this Jesus as our Jesus in these several periods.
(a). In that eternity, before all time, until the creation.
(b). In the creation, the beginning of time, until his first coming.
(c). In his first coming, the fulness of time, until his coming again.
(d). In his coming again, the very end of time, to all eternity. In every one of these periods, oh, what a blessed object is before us! Oh what wonders of love have we to look upon! Before I direct you how to look on him in these respects, I must, in the first place, propound the object: still we must lay the colours of this admirable beauty before your eyes, and then tell you the art how you are to look upon them.
You may object, the apostle in this text refers this look only to the passion and session of Christ But a worthy interpreter tells you out of these words, (Andr. Serl.) on the words, "That Christ our blessed Saviour is to be looked on at all times, and in ah acts; though indeed, then, and in those acts more especially." Besides, we are to "look unto Jesus, as the author and finisher of our faith." And why as the author and finisher of our faith, but to hint out to us that we are to stand still, and to behold, as with a stedfast eye, what lie is from first to last? You have called us hither (say they in Canticles) to see your Shulamite. "What shall we see in him?" What saith the spouse, "but as the company of two armies?" that is, many legions of good sights; an ocean of bottomless depths of manifold high perfections. Ox* if these words be understood of the spouse, and not of Christ, yet how many words do we find in Canticles, expressing in him many goodly sights? "Myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon, all the perfumes, all the trees of frankincense, all the powders of the merchants are in him; he is altogether lovely he is all every whit of him a confluence, a bundle, an army of glorious sights; all in one cluster, meeting and growing up on one stalk. There are many glorious sights in Jesus, I shall not therefore limit myself to those two special ones, but take all those before me I have now propounded.
And now, if ever, stir up your hearts. Say to all worldly business and thoughts, as Christ to the disciples, "Sit you here, while I go and pray yonder," Mat. xxvi. 36. Or, as Abraham, when he went to sacrifice Isaac, left his servants and ass below the mount, saying, "Stay you here, and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you;" so say you to all worldly thoughts. Abide you below, while I go up to Christ, and then I will return to you again. Christians! yourselves may be welcome, but such followers may net.