BOOK 7. THE RESURRECTION.
CHAPTER 2.
7.2.1. Of Knowing Jesus as carrying on the great work of our Salvation in his Resurrection.
Of Knowing Jesus as carrying on the great work of our Salvation in his Resurrection.
That in all respects we may look on Jesus.
Let us know Jesus carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in his resurrection, and during the time of his abode upon the earth after his resurrection. This is worth the knowing, on it depends our justification, sanctification; "for if Christ be not risen we are yet in our sins, and our faith is in vain, and our hope is in vain:" little hope have we either of heaven, or of resurrection, if Christ be not risen; of all men we are most miserable that believe in Christ, if he whom we believe in be not risen again. O! my soul study this point; many take it up in gross, they can run over this article of their creed, "the third day he rose again from the dead;" but for a particular understanding of it in respect of the time, or the end, or the manner, or the certainty, how many are to seek? I shall appeal to thyself, are not many discoveries already made, which before thou never tookest notice of? And if thou wouldst but study this point, how much more might yet appear? Especially, how much more might yet appear as to thine own good? It is not enough to know Christ's resurrection, unless thou know it for thyself. Be sure thou hast this in mind, "that Christ rose again," but what is that to me? Saving knowledge is ever joined with a particular application, if Christ be my head, then he could not rise, but I rose with him and in him; and thus, O my soul, look on Christ, and thus search into every particular of Christ's resurrection; come study when he rose, study the arguments that make out Christ's resurrection sure and certain; study all the apparitions of Jesus Christ: Oh what delightful studies are these? Hadst thou been with them to whom Christ appeared, would not thy heart have leaped with joy? Come, study it close, for the benefit of these apparitions extend to thee, the fruit of Christ's resurrection is thine, even thine as well as theirs, "Know this for thyself," Job v. 27.