Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of…

Concerning this spiritual Conception or Reception of Christ in us, there is a great question, Whether it be possible for any man to discern how it is wrought? But for the Negative are these Texts, Our Life is hid with Christ in God, Col. 3.3. and the Wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, or whither it goeth, Joh. 3.8. It is a wonderful, hidden and secret Conception. The holy Ghost sets out that state of unregeneracy, in which Christ finds us, by the name of Death, Eph. 2.1. So that it must needs be as impossible for us to discover how it is wrought, as it is impossible for one to know how he receives his own life. Some say, the first act of infusing or receiving Christ or Grace (they are all one) is wrought in an instant, and not by degrees; and therefore it is impossible to discern the manner: And yet we grant that we may discern both the preparations to Grace, and the first operations of Grace. 1. The preparations to Grace are discernible; such are those terrors and spiritual agonies, which are often before the work of Regeneration; they may be resembled to the heating of metals before they melt, and are cast into the Mould to be fashioned; now by the help of Natural Reason one may discern these. 2. Much more may the first Motion and Operations of Grace be discerned by one truly regenerate, because that in them his Spirit works together with the Spirit of Christ; such are sorrow for sin as sin, and seek rightly for comfort, an hungering desire after Christ and his Merits; neither do I think it impossible for a regenerate man to feel the very first illapse of the Spirit into the Soul; for it may bring that sense with it self, as to be easily discerned, although it doth not always see, nor perhaps usually see; it is true that the giving of Spiritual Life, and the giving of the sense of it, are two distinct acts of the Spirit; yet who can deny, but that both these acts may go together; though always they do not go together? Howsoever it is, yet even in such Persons as in the instant of Regeneration may feel themselves in a regenerate estate: this Conclusion stands firm, viz. They may know what is wrought in them, but how it is wrought, they cannot know, nor understand; we feel the Wind, and perceive it in the motions, and operations thereof;

Concerning this spiritual Conception or Reception of Christ in us, there is a great question, Whether it be possible for any man to discern how it is wrought? But for the Negative are these Texts, Our Life is hid with Christ in God,