There are three ways of looking at Christ: as dead and risen; as ascended and seated on high; as coming again. Now of these three great branches of christian truth-justification through the death and resurrection of Christ, the formation of the church in connection with Christ ascended and the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, and the second coming of Christ to receive His saints and judge the world—the Reformation did not go beyond the first, the preaching of justification by faith. The last two were not even touched, so to speak. Similarly, Christians in general do not see these truths at the present day. Neither the distinctive calling of the church, nor the character of the Lord's coming again for us, is entered into beyond sayings and opinions. These are the great truths to present to their apprehension, rather than to begin with ways of meeting....
[1864.]