BOOK 10. THE JUDGEMENT.
CHAPTER 2.
10.2.1. Of Knowing Jesus, as carrying on the great work of our Salvation in his Second Coming.
Of Knowing Jesus, as carrying on the great work of our Salvation in his Second Coming.
What looking is, and what it contains, we have often heard, and that in these respects we may look on Jesus.
Let us know Jesus, carrying on the saints salvation in his second coming, and taking them to heaven. Many glorious excellent things, many precious passages, many high and heavenly carriages are in this transaction: Is it not of high concernment, that he that now sits at God's right hand interceding for us, should thence come again to judge the world, and after judgment take up his saints with him into glory? Can we read of the several actings of this general assize, and not desire to read on still? Nay, is not all our reading mixed with admiration of every passage? Come! wonder, and sit, and pause, and stop at every word; stay, and wonder, and adore that light, which appears in any beam of truth, and in the admiration of that truth which doth appear, cast thyself down at the feet of Christ, and cry out, "O the depth of glory, and majesty, and goodness, and grace in thee! O the riches of love, that thou shouldst let out thyself in these several admirable dispensations!" Come, be exact in this study, gather up all the crumbs and filings of this gold; the least beams of the glory of Christ (especially as it shines and glitters at his second coming) have so much light, and love, and splendor in them, as that they will be very sweet to look upon them: every piece or part of this knowledge will be of very special use and worth; yea, the low and imperfect knowledge of this mystery is of infinite more value than the high and perfect knowledge of ten thousand things besides. And one thing (O my soul!) let me tell thee, it is possible to thee to attain a very sweet and satisfactory degree of this very knowledge. And therefore study close, run over again all that hath been spoken, and dig yet deeper into that glorious mine; content not thyself with a bare discovery of that gold ore, which is only upon the superfices or top of the mine, but go so far as to find out the inward, spiritual, and experimental knowledge, which the saints by the light of the Spirit, may come to attain. O! study Christ in his second coming to judgment.