spirituall out of troubles into peace In the world babes of Christ shall have trouble but in him they shal have peace which passeth Ioh. 16. understanding Now tell me you wise virgins whether Martha or Mary ha's chosen the better part Whether Heavens quietnesse bee not better then earth's cumbrances whether interest in Christ and by that a right title to the creatures bee not better then a portion in the creatures by usurpation without Jesus Christ By the spirituall birth priviledge you inherit all things by the naturall nothing although you possesse something You have seen what the spirituall birth is by its likenesse and vnlikenesse to the naturall wee 'l now shew you how God brings in and brings up returning sinners Thus. First He principles them Secondly acts them Thirdly builds them And fourthly confirmes them First God is said to principle man when by uniting himselfe to the soule by his Spirit he do's invisiblie sow the seeds of all grace in the heart at once grace is called the seed of God Union disposeth for communion communion corroborates union Ioh. 3. 9. 'T is a passive reception of Christ that now I meane that whereby a principle is begotten in the will Christ joynes the meanes and end together so should the godly doe Election vocation Justification Sanctification Humiliation then comes the end which is glorification Secondly Christ acts them drawes out those principles also First his first act is illumination he shines out from Heaven with a cleare light upon the hearts of men and upon their wayes Light was the first thing that appeared in the old Creation and 't is the first that appears in the new Creation also Light Gen. 1. 1. was the first ornament of the world wherewith the Lord decked it as with a garment * Answ and this light is Christ For yee were once darknâ—sse but are now Light in the Psal 104. 2. Eph. 5. 8. Lord Light discovers darknesse Regeneration is a translation from darknesse into light True Converts how like you that his light discovers sinne all the closest secrets of closest hearts and Justice incensed against the sinner Light discovers the unevenesse of a mans way and what it is in the account of Justice it selfe Ioh. 1. 9. This light 's immediate Christ in you the hope of glorie it ha's no meanes of conveyance but acts like it selfe scrutinously the light of this Sunne like the wise mens starre never leaves a soule till 'tas lead it to a Saviour a meanes of escape from all sinnes evill Divine light informs men on whom the Lord hath laid help 2 Cor. 4. 6. even on one that 's mighty and able to save that 's the next act of illumination viz a discovery of the sufficiencies as well as the efficiencies of a Jesus that he 's able to save to the utmost all that come unto God by him and that he can in no wise cast out them that come unto him it brings glad tidings to sad soules sinne may bee mightie but Christ is mightier will subdue it sins may be many but Christ's mercies are more sinnes may be greatlie incensing but Christ is greatlie pleasing unto an offended Majestie and sinners in the Sonne cannot bee displeasing unto the Father he loves light for hee dwells in it this divine light reveales 1 Tim. 6. 16. all Returning sinner why droopest thou Can thy sinne undoe thee when 't is laid on Christ sad soule why weepest thou as one without hope canst thou bee worse then whom God ha's pardoned and Christ ha's purchased cleansed and sav'd Thinke not so least thou sinne against the remedie it selfe Light from Heaven will reveale Christ to thee and thee to thy selfe thou sinking soule thy wants and Christ's supplies shall meet together then doe not distrust of that Secondly Chri'sts second act in man by which hee drawes out his owne principles is humiliation begetting in the subject low thoughts of selfe and all selfes worth shall I tell you what they say sincerelie whom God and Christ by the Spirit ha's humbled 't is this I am a worme and no man I am not worthie to be call'd a sonne make me as a hired servant I am the least of all the Saints yea the least of all thy mercies Oh! that I were but a doore keeper in thy house Christ humbles whom hee will exalt Gods method is first to lay low and after to set aloft yet note you 't is truth in the inward parts he chiefly aimes at some are so graduall in putting upon much that they prove irregular in discouraging little though truth of grace selfe-loathing also for selfe-defilements joynes hands with this grace would you know how Christ humbles breakes the heart kindlie 't is thus by setting himselfe with his wounds open before their eies as peirced by their sinnes I will powre upon my people a spirit of grace and supplication marke that and then they shall looke on him whom they have pierced and mourne for him as one mournes for the losse of a first borne Can you looke on a pierced Zech. 12. 10. Christ you flintie hearts and not be broken pierced your selves if you doe 't is because the Spirit of grace is not poured out upon you When Peter set forth a crucified Christ were not Acts 2 36.37 his hearers pricked at the heart when they beleeved through grace given that they were the verie men the preacher meant Could his lookes fetch teares from Peters eyes and will not his wounds doe the like to others what hinders This is Christ's way to abase men kindlie and who more kindled in love to Christ than such who are so laid low you see his acts and his wayes to effect his blessed will on man Christ ha's his ends too in humbling such as he 'l save we 'l shew what his ends be as briefly as may be First Christ humbles that hee may inhabit he dwells in the highest Heavens with him also that is oâ— a contrite humble and low spirit to revive him And as it is uncomfortable not Isa 57. 15. to dwell in God so in like manner 't is disconsolate not to have a God dwelling in us are not Cities and Kingdomes without Inhabitants verie solitarie even so is a soule without God verie dismall verie uncheerefull Christ's presence is reviving this Christ knowes and thus hee humbles that hee may inhabit make the heart his mantion dwelling place God dwells in highest heavens and lowest soules Secondly Christians are humbled to make them lovely in the sight of the Lord An humble soule is a comelie one meeknesse is a great inward ornament is in the sight of God of great price a 1 Pet. 3. 4. proud heart is void of Christ's comelinesse weares not his robe of graces Consider Do's God prize greatly prize the meeke in heart the quiet in spirit then you that studie to bee esteem'd of him covet to bee humbled by him Thirdly Christ humbles
onely God-man the man Christ Jesus is found worthy as Gods equall to mediate betwixt an offended Lord and offending man Blessed Messiah thou art a sutable good to thine in this respect Christ is the medium to this glorious object of spirituall sight Christians you may have food from Heavens store-houses but then forget not to bring the Lord's Benjamin with you for if so you may not see his face you may see God and take him in also into your spirits but it must be in the name and strength of Jesus Christ in whom the Father is reconciling soules to his blessed selfe and then 't is but aske and receive seeke and find knock and it shall be opened to you When you draw neere to God Onely Christ is the way to life and to * Iter od gratiam est gratia the Father of all such mercies for he 's truth and life it selfe with the Father Sensible soules what goe ye out for to see a reed shaken in the wind Is there any vision like this or sight comparable to this what is there so glorious an object or medium in spirituall sight Oâ— the depth of the riches both of the wisdom knowledg of God! how 〈◊〉 searchable are his Judgments and his wayes past finding out Thirdly spirituall sight has a light too a light super-sensuall super-naturall Naturall light may give insight into divine impressions of wisdome power and providence in Creation protection and preservation of outward things but can it reach further Can naturall light give information in things above nature things of Grace Can flesh and bloud reveale God and Christ to a wanting soule Christ saith nay to such a thing Thou art Christ said Peter to Jesus and what was the replie 't was this Blessed art thou and why for flesh and bloud hath not reveal'd this to thee but my Father which is in Heaven 'T is ablessed part of blisse that the invisible God and the invisible good is not to be unfolded by natures light for were it so what poore discoveries then would nature make of mysterious grace spirituall things visions of Christ are foolishnesse to a naturall heart nor can a spirituall object be received by it because 't is spiritually discerned Spirituall things are to a naturall 1 Cor. 1. 14. heart's sight and sense like musick in a dead mans eare which moves him not affects him not What good doth hee find in it what doth he take in of it Surely nothing Onely Christ can reveale himselfe in a soule to that soule As the Sunne raies reveales its owne lustre or as fire reveales its owne heat and vigour by giving heat making hot things held unto it Nature may reveale God as Maker and sustainer of things both above and below but cannot shew you a God reconciling himselfe to your soules in a Christ The best advanced and inlarged spirit of nature is below this great imployment Light is not seen but by the light darknesse cannot discover it the Light may shine in darknesse but Ioh. 1. 5. darknesse comprehends it not so onely grace can discover its own originall Jesus Christ onely something of God in man can discover rightly God himselfe unto man Without holinesse ther 's no sight had of holiest Majestie Heb. 12. 14. true sight of God and Christ is had onely by the light of his own perfections and when wee see light it selfe 't is by and in his owne light as David notes wee Psa 36. 9. our selves alas see Christ obscurely and everie good We are by nature darknesse it selfe which thing shewes that the light of spirituall sight is super-sensuall But would you know the parts of this worthy sight glorious vision then your election's good these times have made Athenians many and the great question that now is is this friends what newes have you but alas for us all that things of Christ are as things unheard of to so many Would you see the sights above the world wee l presse after perfection in the principles thus 1. Right sight of Christ is to see him as he is when Christ appeares he shall be seen as he is The most 1 Joh. 3 2. of men see the Lords Christ promiscuously rudely untowardly These have no right vision Christ ha's an inamouring glorie Christians Is it so in your eyes doth his beautie steale away your hearts have you observ'd him well is he the fairest of ten thousand in your esteeme doth this lovely Lord delight your spirituall sense of seeing why should it not Christians are not filled with heare-saies concerning Jesus Christ they will ascend to live above means in the use thereof David had an Absalom who had no blemish in him from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot and that none in Israel was so much to be prais'd as he for his beautie but was hee like Christ If compared to him he 's nothing ha's no comelinesse at all Beleevers can you see Christ as he is that 's your worke and that 's the sight of worth if you cannot now doe it ere long yee shall when yee come into the Kingdome of your Father What though you doe but see in part now because Messiah's but in part reveal'd It doth not here appeare what Saints shall bee or what Christ is and will be unto them hereafter Glorie must reveale what grace cannot Little children mind these thiags see him as he is see his glorie behold that A child of God will beseech his Father to shew him his glory * Exod. 33.18 So John speaking of Christ saith wee beheld his glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f Verbum non simplieitèr videre significat sed spectare i. c. diligentèr fixè intueri aliquid seu novum admirandum spectaculum Iansen in Concord Evang. Spectavimus seu novum admirandum spectaculum Eras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est cum admiratione stupore in ueti Beza in oecumen Quasi in theatro diligentèr perspicaè hilariter cum dijudicatione dilectatione Loâ—iâ— saw it intentively visibly Christ's Glory is a Christians Crowne and his owne glotie sha 'd serve Christ veile to Christ's glorie as the Angels cover their faces viz. their glorie in the presence of his much glorie gives much light 't is light in darknesse life in death and joy in heavinesse When he shewes you his glorie 't will transport you as Peter in the transfiguration 't will force you to say 't is good to be there where glorie is resplendent 't will cause you to crie out let us make this our mansion pitch our tents here Oblessed Diety humanitie is best lodg'd when most lost in this matchlesse glorie Secondly right sight of Christ is experimentall To see Christ for a mans owne selfe and soule with a mans owne eyes as Job speakes and not another Hearing Iob 19.26 27. of Christ by the eare serves not Saints turnes a heartie feeling of his inward
some how hardly doe they live and how uncheerefull doe they spend their dayes on earth because the Comforter who should releeve their soules is farre from them as the Church once said Others also would be glad at the heart could they graspe Christ in the precious Promise by a precious Faith and what hinders this even this is the thing corruption and carnall reason intervenes comes between the soule and home Hence objections are rais'd against God Gospel Christ Promise selfe and all because the evidence is darkned do's not at all exist To support such build up such it pleaseth the Father of mercies as well as Spirits to convince and perswade the soule that he 'l supplie what 's wanting will heale back-slidings freely worke both will and deed fullie and thus hee sustaines the soule in life raises it up as it were from the grave of despaire and dismall distresse Fourthly Christ help 's some to live above glorious manifestations of his Fathers love 'T is after this sort viz when in the absence of those manifestations just ones are made to live and rejoyce in the invisible essence of God viz. when they live rejoyce in the Lord when they see him not and that with Joy unspeakeable and full of glorie when a Christian can live waiting on him who ha's hid his face from him as the Prophet said hee would doe 't is an easie thing to swimme when the head 's held up but 't is a singular thing to be kept from drowning when the whole man 's kept under water Christians through Christ you may and can doe singular things this is one when the Sunne is no more thy light by day neither for brightnesse Isa 60. 19. doth the Moone give light unto thee yet the unseen Lord's to thee an everlasting light and thy God 's thy glorie When as the Church said Micah 7 8. thou sittest in darknesse yet hast determin'd the Lord shall bee a light unto thee When as Paul said thou seest no light of Sunne Moone or Starres appeare for many dayes and yet canst live like a child of light in thickest darknesse tell me tell me thou spirituall soule is not this to live above even glorious manifestations of dearest love if not what is' t then verilie verilie I say unto thee thou that so livest livest by Christ like Christ with him in him whilst he thus acts in thee for thee and by thee Thirdly Christ builds his and that hee do's by cherishing and nourishing them with heart-ravishing comforts and solicitations Christ's comming into a soule is verie restorative his being solicitous with her is verie instructive when hee comes to her much good comes along with him for he ne'r comes into an emptie heart with an emptie hand He filleth the hungrie with good things Satan's all for emptiing the soule of good things but Christ is all for filling Christ makes his abound towards Heaven and heavenly minds Did you ever see such a guest you keepers of his Temple which is within you which you have of him do's not his custome make you rich to keepe open house for ever Alas my friends and worthies of the other world when hee first used your hearts his house you were worth nothing had nothing but sinne that 's nothing 't is but vanitie emptinesse what insides had you and how uncleane were they and were your outsides ought but bodies of unsanctified parts what were all your members lesse than weapons of unrighteousnesse raised up both against your selves and Saviour also was not your whole man a slave of Satan his captive prisoner now when he repaires you puts a glorie upon you dispossesses Satan in you fills your hearts with himselfe do's hee not then build you up as a spirituall house for himselfe True Converts answer to the question is not this one thing that Christ hath done for you in your conversion from sinne to himselfe is not this course the meanes of bringing and breeding up your soules for the heavenly Academie above is not this to make you fit to be partakers of that inheritance of the Saints in light Do's Col. 1. 12. not this kindnesse deserve a giving thanks to the Father who ha's made you so Fourthly Christ confirmes his even those he will save First by giving them some setlednesse of Spirit concerning their finall condition the knowledge of what a man shall bee in the end and for ever is the great Question and most stated by some and when the Spirit speaks that it shall bee everlastingly well then the soul 's safe What breeds doubts fear 's and distrustings so much as this whence are those cries I am a wretch shall be damned and goe to Hell am a cast-away have deceived many and am deceiv'd my selfe whilest I seem'd what I was not and so beguiled my owne soule There 's no mercie for me I have so sinn'd against it Christ dyed not for mee such a one as I there 's much in God but nothing for mee my heart 's hardned against the use of meanes Is' t not hence their unacquaintance with the certaintie of what their condition shall be for then the Serpent subtilly winds himselfe in and makes the condition of such to be worse than ' t is Now when Christ the Sunne of Righteousnesse doth arise shining into and upon that soule all those mists of ignorance and errour are soone disper'd and then at the last the unsetled soule is made steadie you cannot move it though feares arise and doubts be many and trialls more yet this is the result of all in such a soule well let God doe what hee will with mee I 'le hang on him though he kill mee yet will I trust in him I have many rubs in my heavenly race but I shall get through all at last I am often brought to call in question what my finall estate is but yet I cannot say but God ha's done something in me sure I am I would not allow of sinne for all the world and if my heart deceives me not I would be better then I am would faine love God serve him and feare him that 's my desire and I doe not sinne but I am troubled at it troubled in the actings and it brings me on my knees to the God of pardons Thus it pleaseth Jehovah to work secretlie the soules settlement in a fit season which may fitly bee called Christ's way of bringing up his children Secondly by assuring them of his abilitie and activitie to keep them from a totall Apostasie and fatall destinie Will you know how confirm'd Christians speake 'T is thus When I fall I shall arise God first or last fastens Micah 7. 8. that truth upon the soule which the Psalmist speakes of Viz that though a good man fall he shall not be utterly cast downe and what 's the reason for the Lord upholds him with his hand Feares of falling from Christ in tribulations that attend Christians or towards the close