A divine looking-glass, or, The third and last testament of Our Lord Jesus Christ whose personal residence is seated on his throne of eternal glory in another world : being the commission of the spirit, agreeing with, and explaining of the two former commissions of the law and Gospel, differing only in point of worship : set forth for the tryal of all sorts of supposed spiritual lights in the world, until the ever-lasting true Jesus, the onely high and mighty God, pesonally appear in the air with his saints and angels / by John Reeve and Lodowick Muggleton ...

CHAP. XLVIII.

1 Of the first Resurrection, 2 and what it is by several Questions and An∣swers.

IN the next place give me leave to write a little of the new birth, or first resurrection from a glorified Christ.

2 What is this first resurrection, that who ever hath part in it is blessed and holy, and the second death hath no power? Truly it is the enjoyment of a divine light in the understanding which a man hath received by inspiration from the spirit of a personal Christ on a throne of glory in the third Heavens.

3 How shall a man truly know whether he hath this light in him or no, or when he received it? He that hath this light of Christ in him, his very thoughts, desires, and affections, are by the power of it wholly bent upon all spiritual and natural purity whatsoever.

4 So that the Scriptures imputes Justice, Righteousness, Holiness, or Perfection unto that man onely which hath this light in him, be∣cause he is principally guided by a light which he hath received from the glorious God of all divine perfections without him.

5 Moreover, this light of Christ sometimes is known by a glorious voice to the hearing of the ear, through which a man is so full of in∣ward joy, glory, or majesty in himself, that he knows not for that present whether he be in the condition of a God, or a man; this I certainly know, yet I believe few of the Saints themselves have ta∣sted of this condition.

6 Furthermore, this light of Christ conveys it self so secretly in∣to the understandings of most of his redeemed ones, by a low voice of his most Holy Spirit, that oftentimes they know not the time thereof; onely after this light of life hath once appeared, the soul is so delighted with it, that it thinks it can never have too much of it, or hardly enough of it; therefore like a woman in travail, it is full of hungring or thirsting after the knowledge of that Fountain of Glories from whence its light and joy proceeded.

7 Again, he that hath this light of Christ in him, is not onely full of longings after more of it, but his soul is also full of that new song of praise, honor, power and glory unto the infinite unknown God, until he doth in some measure truly know him.

8 Moreover, he that hath this new and true light, is not rash in judging divine things he knows not, but by vertue of that light of life, he is preserved with a meek and patient spirit to wait the Lords leisure for manifesting the truth thereof.

9 Furthermore, he that hath received this white Stone, or new Name of Christ to the purpose, sees all the speakings or writings of non-commissionated men but meer literal or notional emptiness, in comparison of that joy or glory that he possesseth from the invisible motions of the divine Majesty himself.

10 Again, by vertue of this light he is made able to discern whe∣ther mens speaking or writings proceed from a literal, notional, or spiritual Christ▪ or no.

11 Moreover, he that hath this light of Christ thus grounded in

him, doth not lie doting upon mens invisible God, Christ, Spirit, Light, Life, Love, Joy, Beauty, Vertue, Power, or Glory, of meer words onely; but nothing will satisfie his new-born hungry spirit but a divine embracing of a personal God of spiritual substance, yea too transcendently glorious for men or Angels to be capable of the in-dwelling of his eternal Spirit, but of the in-shining vertues or motions onely.

12 So much at present concerning the first resurrection or new birth, from a personal substantial God or Christ on the Throne of E∣ternity in the high heavens, in opposition of a supposed new birth from a notional inward Christ, or literal outward Christ onely.