The Sacred Diary, Section 4
SECT. IV. At the Dawning of the Day, and Riſing of the Day-Star.
MEditate how the Goſpel is tanquam foreign, as a Day-Star; and the Work of the Spirit enlightning the Mind, is as the dawning of the Day, or riſing of the Day-ſtar in the Heart of a Chriſtian. So St. Peter commends thoſe to whom he writeth for making uſe of the Old Teſtament, (of the Truth whereof they were aſſured) in the mean time, 2 Pet. 1.19.until by a further Work of the Spirit of Illumination, their Hearts and Minds are more effectually inſtructed, and more ſtrongly aſſured of the Truth of the Goſpel of Chriſt. The Old Teſtament is as a Torch-light in a dark Room; the New Teſtament revealed by the Spirit is as the Dawning of the Day, or Riſing of the Day-Star, in compariſon of that Light which ſhall appear at Chriſt's ſecond Coming, which ſhall be as the bright Riſing of the Sun of Righteouſneſs.
Conſider, that as the Dawning of the Day is in reſpect of the Night, ſo is a Soul enlightned with the ſaving Knowledg of the Goſpel to one in his natural Blindneſs. And,
Firſt, If we compare ſuch a Soul to thoſe poor Creatures that want the outward Means of Knowledg, it is manifeſt; for theſe have no Light offered them, whereby to come to know God in a ſaving way; therefore in reſpect of this Knowledg there is a meer Night of Ignorance among them. The Condition of thoſe that want the Means of Knowledge is plainly expreſſed by the Apoſtle, Eph. 4.17, 18. where he ſheweth, that the Gentiles walk in the Vanity of their minds, having the Ʋnderſtanding darkned, being alienated from the Life of God, through the Ignorance that is in them, becauſe of the blindneſs of their Heart. Where you may conſider, that they are ſo far from having ſuch knowledge as doth guide them unto Life and Salvation, that they are alienated from the Life of God through the Ignorance that is in them. 1 Cor. 1.21. It is ſaid, that the World by wiſdom knew not God. They had a kind of Wiſdom wherein many of them excelled, whereby they knew many Secrets of Nature, many Affairs of State and Government, &c. But all their Wiſdom for want of the Word did not teach them the right Knowledg of God in a ſaving way.
Conſider alſo, that as the Heathens that wanted the Word, ſo the Unregenerate, that live under the Miniſtery of the Word, do remain in darkneſs, the Day doth not dawn unto them, nor doth the Day-Star ariſe in their Hearts, or elſs, if the Day do dawn in their Brains, it is dark Night in their Hearts; if they do get ſome knowledg of the Goſpel, and Myſteries of Salvation, yet this Light doth not pierce ſo as to win them to the Love of that Truth and Light which appeareth unto them, and to ſubject their Hearts unto the Power of it.
Now in the Regenerate, the Goſpel being revealed to them by the Spirit, is as the dawning of the Day, and the riſing of the Day-Star in their Hearts, in compariſon of that Night of Blindneſs, which was in themſelves before Regeneration, and is yet in others that are unregenerate; for firſt, the Day dawns in their Underſtandings, and then the Day-Star ariſeth in their Hearts; then the Night begins to wear away, and the Day breaks and dawns upon them, then they begin to ſee what they could not ſee before, and to ſee that far more clearly and effectually, which they ſaw in ſome imperfect meaſure before. Now the Spirit having cauſed the Day to dawn in their Underſtandings, he proceedeth alſo to enlighten the lower Region, and to cauſe the Day-Star to ariſe in their Hearts; as in the Night time, when the Sun is on the other ſide of the Earth, it ſhineth brightly, and enlightneth the Stars, as we ſee, yet the Body of the Earth being between the Sun and us, maketh it dark here below; ſo when the Spirit enlightens the Underſtanding of an unregenerate Man with the knowledge of the Goſpel, even at the ſame time there is a Body of Death in his heart, and a Maſs of ſinful Corruptions, which caſts a Shadow, and keeps the Heart and Affections in miſerable darkneſs. Now as every Coruption is a degree of Darkneſs, ſo every Grace is a Beam of heavenly Light; for God is Light, and every Grace is a Part of the Image and Likeneſs of God, and ſo is Lumen de Lumine, Light iſſuing from the Fountain of Light. Conſider what St. Paul ſaith to the faithful Epheſians, Epheſ. 3.8.Ye were ſometimes Darkneſs, but now ye are Light in the Lord, their preſent Condition. Ye were Darkneſs, dark all over, dark Underſtandings, dark Judgments, dark Hearts and Affections; they had a dark Vail of natural Blindneſs upon their Judgments, a dark Cloud of worldly and fleſhly Luſts and Corruptions upon their Hearts: but now they are Light in the Lord, lightfom Underſtandings, and lightſom Hearts and Affections.