The light of Christ part 1

Here we shall show how Christ is the same to our souls as light is to our bodies.

First. 'Tis the property of light to make manifest; that is, to cause things to appear and be seen: without light, nothing can be seen; all things lie hid; nothing can be discerned by the most piercing sight without some light. But when light comes, then things are made to appear; then things may be seen distinctly as they are in their various forms, figures, and colors. 

So Jesus Christ enlightens the soul that comes unto him, makes glorious things manifest to him that he never saw before. 

When a man is enlightened savingly by Christ, he is as it were brought into a new world; he may say, "Once I was blind, but now I see." 

He sees then that he was in darkness before; though he was not sensible of it till now, he is like one that was born and brought up in a cave, where is nothing but darkness, but now is brought out into the lightsome world, enlightened by the beams of the sun, and greatly admires and wonders at those things which he never saw before, looks and gazes with sweet astonishment on the pleasing variety of things that are discovered by the light unto him. 

He now sees things in their true shapes and colors that he never saw before: how he sees his own vileness and filthiness, which he had often heard of before but never believed. He now sees plain enough the glory of Christ: he, while in his dark cave, had been often told what a glorious thing [the] sun was, but he had no notion of it till now. But now he sees with his own eyes, how doth he delight to behold the beauties of this light of the world!

He had often before heard many discourses about religion, about God and Jesus Christ, heaven and hell, free grace and mercy, the excellency of religion and the glorious mysteries of the gospel, but it all seemed as a strange thing to him before; but now he is enlightened by Christ, he sees with his own eyes and admires and is astonished, as being really sensible of the truth of these things.

approving or condemning all in the lump

The great weakness of the bigger part of mankind, in any affair that is new and uncommon, appears in not distinguishing, but either approving or condemning all in the lump. 

They that highly approve of the affair in general, can't bear to have anything at all found fault with; and on the other hand, those that fasten their eyes upon some things in the affair that are amiss, and appear very disagreeable to them, at once reject the whole; both which errors oftentimes arise from want of persons' due acquaintance with themselves. 

It is rash and unjust when we proceed thus in judging either of a particular person, or a people, or of such an affair as the present wonderful influence on the minds of the people of this land.

They that are true saints

They that are true saints are most inexcusable in making a great difficulty of a great deal of blindness, and many sinful errors in those that profess godliness. 

If all our conduct, both open and secret, should be known, and our hearts laid open to the world, how should we be even ready to fly from the light of the sun, and hide ourselves from the view of mankind! 

And what great allowances would it be found that we should need, that others should make for us?—perhaps much greater than we are willing to make for others.

light and influence and comforts from heaven

When any profess to have received light and influence and comforts from heaven, and to have had sensible communion with God, many are ready to expect that now they appear like angels, and not still like poor, feeble, blind and sinful worms of the dust. 

There being so much corruption left in the hearts of God's own children, and its prevailing as it sometimes does, is indeed a mysterious thing, and always was a stumbling block to the world; but won't be so much wondered at by those that are well versed in, and duly mindful of, two things: viz. first, the Word of God, which teaches us the state of true Christians in this world; and secondly, their own hearts, at least if they have any grace, and have experience of its conflicts with corruption. 

unjustly judging of the whole by a part

Another foundation error of those that reject this work, is their not duly distinguishing the good from the bad, and very unjustly judging of the whole by a part; and so rejecting the work in general, or in the main substance of it, for the sake of some things that are accidental to it, that are evil. 

They look for more in men that are divinely influenced, because subject to the operations of a good spirit, than is justly to be expected from them for that reason, in this imperfect state and dark world, where so much blindness and corruption remains in the best. 

a strange stupor

We have long been in a strange stupor; the influences of the Spirit of God upon the heart have been but little felt, and the nature of them but little taught; so that they are in many respects new to great numbers of those that have lately fallen under them. 

And is it any wonder that they that never before had experience of the supernatural influence of the divine Spirit upon their souls, and never were instructed in the nature of these influences, don't so well know how to distinguish one extraordinary new impression from another, and so (to themselves insensibly) run into enthusiasm, taking every strong impulse or impression to be divine?

The happiness we were created for

I am convinced that God is willing to be reconciled to man, and has a design to advance him to the happiness he was created for, by the tokens of his good will in the creation and common providence; and that he therefore would give us those advantages, which are necessary to a holy life and salvation.

And I am convinced of the necessity of a revelation, by considering how negligent, dull and careless I should be, if there were no revelation about a future happiness but I was left to work it out by unassisted reason; especially if there were no revelation at all about what is pleasing to God, how he accepts it, after what manner he loves his servants, how he will pardon sin, etc.

living fountains of waters

And the nature of this glory of Christ that they shall see, will be such as will draw and encourage them, for they will not only see infinite majesty and greatness; but infinite grace, condescension and mildness, and gentleness and sweetness, equal to his majesty. 

For he appears in heaven, not only as "the Lion of the tribe of Judah," but as "the Lamb," and "the Lamb in the midst of the throne" (Revelation 5:5–6); and this Lamb in the midst of the throne shall be their shepherd, to "feed them, and lead them to living fountains of waters" (Revelation 7:17); so that the sight of Christ's great kingly majesty will be no terror to them; but will only serve the more to heighten their pleasure and surprise.

unspeakably more fit

For they shall be unspeakably more fit for it, and Christ in more fit circumstances to bestow on them this blessedness. Their seeing the great glory of their friend and Redeemer, will not awe them to a distance, and make them afraid of a near approach; but on the contrary, will most powerfully draw them near; and encourage and engage them to holy freedom. For they will know that it is he that is their own Redeemer, and beloved friend and bridegroom; the very same that loved them with a dying love, and redeemed them to God by his blood; Matthew 14:27,

a greater intimacy

Though Christ be there in a state of glorious exaltation, reigning in the majesty and glory of the sovereign Lord and God of heaven and earth, angels and men; yet this will not hinder intimacy and freedom of intercourse, but rather promote it. For he is thus exalted, not only for himself, but for them; he is instated in this glory of head over all things for their sakes, that they might be exalted and glorified, and when they go to heaven where he is, they are exalted and glorified with him; and shall not be kept at a more awful distance from Christ, but shall be admitted nearer, and to a greater intimacy.

the most perfect converse

They then go to dwell with Christ, constantly to enjoy the most perfect converse with him. Christ conversed in the most friendly manner with his disciples on earth; he admitted one of them to lean on his bosom: but they are admitted much more fully and freely to converse with him in heaven. 

Ocean of love

Thus they shall eat and drink abundantly, and swim in the ocean of love, and be eternally swallowed up in the infinitely bright, and infinitely mild and sweet beams of divine love; eternally receiving that light, eternally full of it, and eternally compassed round with it, and everlastingly reflecting it back again to the fountain of it.