"-~---- -·-··---------------- James J, x8 Book IV. Chap.2.Seet~ 9 a Iook~ng glaffe cannot be expofed to the fun, but it will thine lik~ the fame; fo God receives none to contemplate his face but he transformes them into his own likenelfe by the irradiatio~ of his fight, and Chrifi: hath none that dive into thefe depths of his glor,ious an~ bleffed incarnation, ~u~ they carry along with them . Iw~ec , tmprelfions of an abtdtng and; transforming nature, Come then let us once more looluo 'fefm ·in his iQcarnati9n, that we may cqnforme, and be like to Jefus in that refpeH. Eut wperein lies this conformity or likenefs to Jefus ? I anfwer in thefeand the like particulars.- ' 1. Chrifi:was conceived in UJ.fary by the holy Ghoft, fo muft Chriil: be conceived in us by the fame holy Ghoft. To this purpofe is the feed of the Word caft in, and principles ofgrace are by the holy Gho£1: infLJfed; he hath 6egotten us by the Word faith the A pof.l:le, [ames I. 1 8. how meane, contemptible, or'impotendnen,rrnty[effeem it, yet God hath appointed no other means to convey fi.ipernaturallife, but after this manner: where no vijion is the people perijh ~ where no preaching is, there is a worfe judgement then that of Eg7pt, ~h.en there was one ~ead in every family. By the Word and Spmr, the feeds.ofall grace are fown in die heart at'9nce,and the heart clo!lng·witli' it,immediately Chrift i~ concei.ved in the heart. " . Concerning this fpiritual conception or reception of Chrift in Ui there is a great queil:ion,Whether it be poffi<ble for any man to difcerne how it is wrought? but for the negative are thefe texts, our life u hid·with Chrift in God, Col. 3. 3. alild the winde bloweth where it lijftth, and thou hum~ the found thereof, but (anft not tell whence it cometh, or whit~er it goetb, Joh. 3. 8. It is a wonderful hidden and fecret concCiption. The holy Gboft fets out that fiate ofunregeneracy, in which ChriH: findes us by the name of death, Ephef. 2. I . fo that it muft needs be as impoffible for us to di{- cover how it is wrought, as it is impoffible for one to know how he receives his own life. Some fay the firft act of infu!lng or receiving Cbrift, or grace, (they are all one) is wrought in an inllant, and not by degrees, and therefore it is impoffible codifcerne the manner; And yet we grant that we may difcerne both the preparations to grace, and the firft operations ofgrace. I • The·preparations to grace are difcernable; fuch are thofe · · - ·· - terrors
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