Sermons Upon John 1 — Anthony Wotton

Sermons Upon John 1 · Anthony Wotton

THE FIFT SERmon, vponupon the firſt Chapter of IOHN.

Verſe 4.

—And that life was the light of men. And the light ſhineth in darkneſſe, and the darkneſſe comprehended it not.

THey that take vponupon them to write the liues of famous men, ſuch as the world admires, either for their goodneſſe, or greatneſſe, ordinarily deliuer ſome generall deſcription of them, in the beginning of their hiſtories. Theſe deſcriptions vſually containe either a reherſal of their pedegree, and deſcent, together with the place, time, and other matters concerning their birth, and ſuch like; or a commendation of them, for ſome eſpeciall vertues. Wee hauehave examples of both theſe kindes in the Scripture. t1. …. 1. 1. 2He, that was the holy Ghoſts Secretarie, in penning the hiſtorie of Samuell, begins his booke with a recitall of his genealogy, a deſcription of his parents, and diuers other points touching his conception, birth, and education. uIob. 1. 1. 2.Another, whome it pleaſed the ſame ſpirit of God to imploy in writing the life of Iob, makes the entrance into his hiſtorie, by commending him for an vpright and iuſt man, one that feared God, and eſchewed euill. Our Euangeliſt intending to ſet forth the life and death of our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt; as the partie, he writes of, was extraordinarie: ſo doth he extraordinarily ioyne both together. And becauſe two other Euangeliſts, xM…. 1. 1. 2. 3. &c.Saint Mathew, & yLuk. 3. 50. 31 &c.Saint Luke, had already ſet out his humane pedegree, both for ſucceſſion in the kingdom, & fornaturall deſcent, Saint Iohn leauing them vntoucht, betakes himſelf to the declaring of his diuine eſtate: Firſt, what he was in himſelf; eternall, with God the Father, & himſelfe very God: Secondly, what he was to vsus; a Creator, in making all things for vsus; a Sauiour, in giuing life, euen ſpirituall life; life of grace, & pardō, life of immortality, & glory. So that whether we reſpect his greatnes. or his goodnes, neuer was any mā ſo worthy the writing of, neuer any mā ſo worthy the knowing, & following.

His greatneſſe was magnified in the power of creation: his goodneſſe ſhewes it ſelfe eſpecially in the work of regeneration. Wherein firſt, the Euangeliſt declares what he is, and doth: then how he is intertaind. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. What doth hee? According to the nature of light, Hee ſhines in darkenes. But the darkeneſſe will not bee inlightned. Of the firſt of theſe points concerning life in him, I ſpake in my laſt Sermon: now let vsus proceede to that, which followes touching light. And therein (keeping our former courſe of handling the Clauſes ſeuerally, as they lye) wee muſt firſt labour to vnderſtand the words, then ſeeke out the Euangeliſts meaning. The wordes direct vsus to inquire what life it is, that is heere ſpoken of; to conſider what is ſaide of it: that it is light, and the light of men. For the firſt worde, a little labour will ſerue: becauſe there would hauehave beene no doubt of the meaning, but for the needleſſe curioſitie of ſome, that make themſelues worke, where they finde none. What reaſonable man would make any queſtion, but that the Euangeliſt in both clauſes ſpeakes of the ſame life? In him was life. What followes? And that life was the light of men. What life thinke you? Any other, then that he named preſently, yea immediatly before? I, ſay theſe mē; elſe, why hath hee added the article in this later part, which he had omitted in the former? what needs all this adoe about the Article? How vaine and falſe the obſeruation is, that hath no better ground, then the preſence or abſence of the article, I ſhewed in expounding the firſt verſe, againſt the Arians. Here is leſſe colour for the profe of any difference. Firſt, the courſe of writing, which the Euangeliſt hath hitherto kept, in the beginning of this Goſpell, makes it euident, and certaine, that the ſame life is meant in both places. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God. It is ridiculous to imagine, that the word, which was in the beginning, ſhould be any other word, then that, which was with God. By him were all things made, & without him was nothing made, that was made. Without whom was nothing made? without him, by whom all things were made. So in this verſe the repeating of the ſame word teacheth vsus, that the ſame life, and no other, is ſignified. Secondly, there may ſufficient reaſon be giuen, why it was requiſite, if not neceſſary, to adde the article, in the later part. Let vsus make the Euangeliſt ſpeake without it. In him was life. What then? And life was the light of men. Who can reaſonably conceiue, what life he meanes? In the firſt verſe I ſhew'd that there was good reaſon to place the Article before word, that it might the eaſilier appeare, whether the Euangeliſt intended to ſay, The word was God, or God was the Word. The caſe is much a like. Take away the Article, and wee may well thinke, that Saint Iohn tels v…, that the light was life, rather then that the life was the light of men. Hee could not then ſpeake otherwiſe, if hee would ſpeake plaine: In him was life, and that life was the light of men. As for his omitting it in the firſt place, it is vſuall with all our authors both diuine and humane, to put it in, or leaue it out, at their pleaſure.

The ſame life then, which was in the Word, was alſo the light of men. But, what light was that? For the word may bee taken in diuers ſenſes. The moſt proper, and ordinarie vſe of light, is to ſignifie that viſible creature, made by God, *Gen. 1. 3.the firſt day of the creation, by which all things afterward to bee created, might be ſeene, and they that had eyes might ſee. But of this light there is no occaſion to ſpeake in this place; neither was it in the Meſſiah, and it is common to all creatures, that can ſee, as well as to men. From this proper ſignification, the word is applyed, by a certaine reſemblance, to note out the inſtructing, and teaching of the minde, which is as i… were inlightned with knowledge, whereby the vnderſtanding is fitted to iudge of truth, as the bodily eye, diſcerneth colours. This our Sauiour himſelfe decleares. both for the proper and figuratiue vſe of the word. I thinke it is not amiſſe to recite the place at large. The light of the bodie aLuk. 11. 34.(ſayeth hee) is the eye. Not as the fountaine, or ſpring of light, but as the pipe, which receiues, and conueyes it to the vſe of the body. Therefore, when thine eye is ſingle, then is they whole bodie light. As the water, that is taken out of the Well, where it ariſeth pure, and cleane, is ſo brought to the Ciſterne, if the pipe bee ſweete, and without filth: ſo if the eye bee not dimd, nor tainted with any euill humor, the whole body receiues the light, as it is bright, and cleare. But if thine eye bee euill (ſayth the text) then the body is darke. A Ver. 34.bad ſight changeth light into darkeneſſe, or at the leaſt diſcernes not the brightneſſe of it. Take heede therefore (ſayth Chriſt) that the light which is in thee, bee not darkened. What is the light, that is in a man, but the vnderſtanding? Therefore alſo it is often called by the name of eyes. bPal. 19. 8.The Commandement of the Lord is pure, and giueth light vntounto the eyes. The Sunne inlightens the eyes of the body: but the knowledge of the wil of God is that which maketh the vnderſtāding ſee. Open mineeies (ſaith the cPſal. 1 19. 18.Prophet) that I may ſee the wonders of thy law. That the eyes of your vnderstanding may be lightned (d… ph. 1. 18. ſayth the Apoſtle) that yee may knowe, what is the hope of his calling. This is that, the Iewes commonly bragd of, though falſely, eRom. 2. 19.That they were guides of the blinde, alight to them which are in darkenes: namely, in the darkneſſe of igno…ance, not vndeſtanding the true way of righteouſnes.

Now this light, by which the vnderſtanding is inabled to knowe, and iudge, is of two kindes; naturall or ſupernatural, which we alſo call ſpirituall. The naturall light, is that, which we hauehave from God, by nature; either bred in vsus with reaſon, or gotten by reading, hearing, obſeruation, ſtudying, and ſuch other meanes. Of this ſpeakes fEceleſ. 1. 13.the wiſe King; I gaue heart (ſayth hee) to ſearch, and finde out wiſedome by all things, that are done vnderunder the heauen. This is that wiſedome of the Aegyptians, gAct. 7. 22.wherein Moſes was learned. The ſupernatural light, is that knowledge of matters concerning euerlaſting life, which wee receiue frō God in the ſcriptures, or by the miniſtery of men, according to the trueth therein reuealed. We ſpeak e the wiſedome of God in a mysterie (ſayth h1. Cor. 2. 7.the Apoſtle) euen the hidden wiſedome, which God had determined, before the world, to our glory. Theſe are the treaſures of wiſdome, and knowledge, al which iCol. 2. 3.the Apoſtle ſaith, are hidin Chriſt, who hath ſent his Apoſtles and Miniſters, To make cleere vntounto all men, (as kEph. 39.Saint Paul ſayth) what the fellowſhip of the myſterie is, which from the beginning of the world, hath beene hid in God, who hath created all thinges by Ieſus Chriſt; to the intent, that now vntounto principalities and powers in heauenly places might be knowne, by the Church, the manifold wiſdom of God. Theſe are the two kindes of light whereby the vnderſtanding of man is inlightned, and inſtructed. The queſtiō is, whether of theſe two, the holy Ghoſt meaneth in this place.

A queſtion eaſie to bee aunſwered, will ſome man ſay. For ſeeing it was proued, that by life in the former part of the verſe, not the naturall, but the ſupernaturall life was ſignified; who can doubt but the light in this later part, is of the ſame nature? It is ſo, doubtleſſe; and therefore wee ſhall neede to ſtand the leſſe while, vponupon the proofe thereof. Yet becauſe it is (for the moſt parte) otherwiſe vnderſtood, and that one eſpeciall ground of interpreting that life, to bee the ſupernaturall, or ſpirituall life, was fetcht out of this place; I thinke it will not bee amiſſe to ſay ſomewhat, for the better clearing of the matter. Firſt then, the light, here ſpoken of, muſt bee conceiued to bee ſuch, as the Scripture otherwhere ordinarily ſignifieth by the ſame word. For it were ſtrange, and againſt reaſon, to giuegive the worde ſuch a ſenſe, in this place, as it hath not any where elſe in the whole volume of the Bible. I denye not, but it is poſſible, that ſome one place may hauehave a word in ſuch a meaning, as is not elſewhere to bee found. But this I ſay, that hee, which will aduenture vponupon any ſuch vnvſuall, and rare expoſition, had neede bee ſure, that the place will not admitany ordinarie interpretation of the word. Here is no ſuch neceſſitie. All things are agreeable to the Euangeliſts purpoſe, and circumſtances of the text, if wee take the word light in that ſenſe, which it commonly beares euerie where in the Scripture. Let vsus inquire then, how it is ordinarily taken. Surely, for that ſupernaturall light, which the Lord reuealeth, for the making knowne of the meanes, whereby hee hath appointed to bring vsus to ſaluation.

It were too much to recite all. I will name ſome principall places, by which you may iudge of the reſt. With thee is the well of life (ſayth lP…l. 36. 9.the Prophet) and in thy light ſhall wee ſee light: Life, and light both in one verſe, both of one nature, both ſupernaturall. mPſal. 42. 3.Send out thy light & thy truth, let them leade me. The light of nature, is neuer called the light of God: the truth of God is that, which himſelfe hath reuealed by his word. But what doe I expounding it? The next wordes put the matter out of doubt. Let them bring mee vntounto thy holy Mountaine, and to thy Tabernacle. Can naturall wiſedome guide vsus thither? Canne the light of humane learning ſhew vsus that way? n1. Cor. 1. 21.The world in the wiſedome of God knew not God by wiſedome. It is the word of God, oPſal. 119. 105that is a lanterne to our feete, and a light to our pathes. pPro. 6. 23.Salomen beares witneſſe to the ſame truth. The commaundement is a lanterne, and inſtruction a light. Therefore doth qIſay. 2. 5.the Prophet Eſay exhort the Iſraelites, to walke in the light of the Lord. And in rChap. 60. 1.another place he comes neerer to the light, that Saint Iohn in this place holds out vntounto vsus. Ariſe O Ieruſalem, (ſayth hee) be bright: for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is riſen vponupon thee. For beholde, darkeneſſe ſhall couer the earth, and groſſe darkeneſſe the people: but the Ver 2.Lord ſhall ariſe vponupon thee. And his glorie ſhall be ſeene vponupon thee And the gentiles ſhall walke in thy light, and Kings at Ver. 3.the brightneſſe of thy riſing vp. What is this darkeneſſe, but the ignorance of the way to ſaluation? What the light, but the manifeſting, and ſhewing of that way, by the miniſtrie of the Goſpell? ſChap. 9. 2.The people, that walked in darkeneſſe, hauehave ſeene great light; they, that dwelt in the land of the ſhadowe of death, vponupon them hath the light ſhined. Which prophecy as the Euangeliſt ſayth, was then fulfild, tMat. 4. 14.when our Sauiour preached the Goſpell in Galilee.

Therefore alſo is hee himſelfe called A light. uLuke. 2. 32.A light to bee reuealed to the Gentiles. And himſelfe called his Apoſtles xMat. 5. 14The light of the world. Yea, all Chriſtians, truly inlightned by Ieſus Chriſt, are called the children of of light. The children of this world (y… …uk 16. 8. ſaith Chriſt) are wiſer in their generation, then the children of light. To conclude God himſelfe is ſaid to be *Iam. 1. 17.the father of lights, from whom eueryevery good, and perfect gift commeth. To be light, and that without all kinde of darkneſſe. a1 I Io…. 1. 5.God is light; and in him is no darkneſſe, Them, that beleeue, bI. Pet. 2. 9.He hath called out of darkneſſe, into his maruelous light. But what ſtand I reciting ſo many particular places? The new Teſtament is full of the like. As for the other ſignification of the worde, that by light, natural reaſon or knowledge ſhould be meant, I am certainly perſwaded, that it is not once to be found in the whole courſe of the ſcripture. What other proofe of this point ſhall I neede, then that they, which expound this place of ſuch naturall light, can alleadge no text, but one, that may ſeeme to make any thing for that purpoſe? And the moſt that can be gathered out of that too, is but a ſeeming, or ſhew; cPſal. 4. 6.Lordlift vp the light of thy countenance vponupon vsus, Who is ſo deſirous to hauehave light, taken for reaſon, that he can thinke, the Prophet ſpeaks of it in that place? He compares the wiſhes of worldly men, with the deſires of the faithfull. Many ſay, who will ſhew vsus any good? Who will teach v… how we may gather goods? But what doe the godly pray for? That the Lord would giuegive them an increaſe of humane wiſedome? Indeede this praier had not bin vnfit for a Philoſopher, who knew nothing better, nor eſteemed any thing more, then ſuch manner of knowledge. But the thoughts of Gods children are raiſed higher, and their happineſſe is of an other kinde. The knowledge, and fauour of GOD, are the matters, they labour for. That is the light, which they would hauehave to ſhine vponupon them, and in them; without which they account themſelues to bee in palpable darkneſſe, though they had more knowledge of all other matters, then al men in the world beſide. This was fit to bee oppoſed to the vaine wiſhes of carnall worldlings.

If then the worde be ordinarily taken for ſupernaturall, or ſpirituall light, ſeldome or neuer for the naturall light of reaſon, and humane knowledge; how ſhould wee vnderſtand it, in this place, but according to the generall vſe of it in the ſcripture, for that light which we receiue from God by reuelation? Whereof that wee may be the better perſwaded; let vsus conſider the ſignification of the worde, as it is commonly vſed by dIoh. 3. 19. 20. 21.this writer. This is condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loued darkneſſe rather then light. So in the two next verſes. What is this light? not naturall reaſon, nor any knowledge obteined by it; but the myſterie of redemption; which carnall men cannot fancie, becauſe it ouerthrowes all opinion of any goodnes in man. Let vsus goe forward. Iohn (ſaith eChap. 5. 35.Chriſt) was a burning, and a ſhining candle. Not for any extraordinary knowledge in humane learning, whereof he was vtterly voide, as his bringing vp ſhews; but for his innocēt life & preaching of the Meſſiah, of whom (as fChap. 1. 7.our Euangeliſt ſaith) he came to beare witneſſe: and that was the light, wherein, as it followeth, gChap. 5. 35.the Iewes for a ſeaſon would hauehave reioic…d; namely in taking him for the promiſed ſeed ſent from heauen, for their deliuerance, hChap. 1. 19.as it appeareth in this firſt chapter. I am the light of the world ſaith our Sauiour. As long as I i Chap 8. 12.am in the world, I am the light of the world. What? To ſhew kChap. 9. 5.them the way to the wiſdome of this world? No ſuch matter. The things, that our Sauiour declared, lLuk. 10. 21.were hid from the wiſe, and men of vnderſtanding, and reuealed to the ſimple, that had no learning. I will not weary you too much with turning your books, or ſtuffing your memories: looke ouer the whole Goſpell, & the Epiſtles of this Euangeliſt, & Apoſtle, at your leaſure; you ſhal neuer find the word otherwiſe vſed, vnleſs perhaps once or twice, for the outward light of the ſunne, or a torch, or candle.

Whom may not theſe obſeruations ſuffice? If need be, there is yet more proofe left, and ſomwhat more direct, if any thing can be more direct, to the place in queſtion. For Saint Iohn proceeds to expound that, he had ſaid, of the light, Iohn the Baptiſt came to beare witneſſe of the light m Ioh. 1. 7.Of what light, but that which was mentioned preſently before? And what light was that? The ſupernatural light, which is not to be ſeene with the eies of the body, not vnderſtood by the diſcourſe of reaſon, but beleeued by the vertue of faith. He came for a witneſſe, to beare witneſſe of the light, that all men through him might beleeue. Beleeue what? nChap. 12. 1…While yee hauehave light, beleeue in the light, that yee may bee the children of the light. Is it not as cleere as the ſunne-ſhi…e, that the light Saint Iohn ſpeakes of, is neither the ſunne nor naturall reaſon; but more excellent, and glorious then either of theſe in their greateſt height and perfection? Shall I goe yet one ſtep furder? Follow me, I pray you a little way, and I ſhall bring you, where you may reſt your ſelues after this long trauell. Where may that be? but in the ſame ſignification of light, which before, I gaue in particular of the life, that was affirmed to be in Chriſt. The life of grace or ſanctification, which is the fountaine of holines in vsus, appears euidently in the light of our conuerſation. God is light, and in him is no darknes. If wee ſay that wee hauehave fellowſhip with him, and 1. Ioh. 1. 5.walke in darknes, wee lye, and doe not truely. But if we walk …er 6.in the light as hee is in the light, wee hauehave fellowſhip one with an other, and the bloud of IESVS CHRIST his ver. 7.Sonne cleanſeth vsus from all our ſinnes. Would you ſee thi more particularly? For the enlightning of the vnderſtanding, call to mind that the Apoſtle Saint Paul, labouring to draw the Heathen out of their ignorance, to the knowledge of GOD to their ſaluation, tells them that hee was ſent to open their eyes, that they may Act. 26. 18.turne from darkneſſe to light. The reforming of the flection is ſignified by the ſame kinde of ſpeech. Yee were once darkneſſe, but are now light in the Lord: Walk … 5. 8.as the children of light. So is the out ward conuerſation alſo. The night is paſt, and the days is at band: Let vsus Rom. 13.therefore caſt away the workes of darkneſſe, and put vponupon vsus the armour of life: So that wee walke honeſtly as in the Verſe. 13.day: not in gluttonie and drunkenneſſe, neither in Chambering and wantonneſſe, nor in ſtrife and enuying. But eut you on the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, and take no thought for …14.the ſleſh, to fullfill the Iusts thereof. I confeſſe, the life of glory in heauen is not ſo plainely expreſt by the name of light; yet both God is ſaid to dwell in light, which no man 1 Tim. 6. 16.may come vntounto: and the place of torment is called darkneſſe; whereby wee are giuen to vnderſtand, that the contrarie to is light, and brightnes. The children of the kingdome ſhall be caſt out into vtter darkneſſe. They are wandring vat. 8. 12.ſtarres (ſaith the Apoſtle Iude, of certaine wicked men) to whom is reſerued the blackneſſe of darkneſſe for euer. Iude ver. 13.And this may ſuffice to ſhew, that by light in this place ſupernaturall light, and not naturall light is ſignified.

Which being granted, we may by it diſcerne, why it is called the light of men; which was the ſecond thing to bee conſidered in this point. They, that by light vnderſtand Auguſt in Ioan. tract. 1. Beda m loan 1.naturall reaſon, can giuegive no ſufficient ſatisfaction, why the Euangeliſt ſhould make mention of men, rather then of Angels; who are furniſht with that vertue, no leſſe, if not more, then men. Expound it of ſupernaturall light, and the reaſon is euident. For the redemption, which is by Chriſt, is proper to men, and belongeth not to the Angels; who (as S. Peter teacheth vsus) are eaſt 2. pet. 2. 4.downe into hell, and deliuered into chaines of darkeneſſe, to bee kept vntounto damnation, namely vntounto the iudgement of the Iude ver 6.great day. To Abraham, and his ſeed were the promiſes made. Not to the Angels. For he in no ſort tooke the Angels, but Gal. 3 16. Heb. 2. 16.he tooke the ſeede of Abraham. Therefore is he called the light of men, not of Angels, nor any other creatures, who hauehave no need, or no part of the ſpirituall life, and light, which is by, and in him. Looke not, that I ſhould magnifie the mercy of God toward mankind, in this reſpect; or ſo much as put you in minde, how infinitely wee are all beholding to his Maieſtie, for ſo vnſpeakeable, and vndeſerued a fauour. Of that in due place: as yet wee hauehave but ſearched out the true ſenſe of the words.

From which, I paſſe now to deliuer the Euangeliſts meaning, conteined in them. And that life was the light of men. What is it, that the holy Ghoſt would teach vsus, by this kinde of ſpeech? Doubtleſs, either hee ſets out the benefits, wee reape by our Sauiour, in an other particular; or els he intends to ſhew vsus, how we come to the obteyning of them. I will ſpeake ſhortly of both. Life is the chiefeſt of all outward bleſſings; as vponupon which all the reſt ſo farre depend, that without it, they ceaſe to bee, What doth any man injoy in this world apperteining to his beeing, or well beeing here, which receiues not end with this preſent life? Health, wealth, friends, beauty, wiſdome, learning, valour, and whatſoeuer els belongeth to the comfort, or ornament of man, in this world, is bounded on eueryevery ſide with the limits of this naturall life. Therefore is the commandement of not killing ſet in the firſt place, of all matters that concerne ordinarie men; becauſe hee, that taketh away life, ſpoiles a man at one ſtroke, of all things appeartaining to this preſent world. Yet many a man enjoyeth life, who hath little ioy of any thing in life; and to ſpeake according to the point in hand, who lackes a chiefe comfort of life, the ſight either of bodie, or of minde, or of both. Therefore although the Euangeliſt had told vsus before, that life was in CHRIST, then which nothing is more excellent: yet hee truely conceiued, that a farther benefit might be added, namely light. So doth our Sauiour ſometimes ſpeake of himſelfe, heaping vp as it were one bounty vponupon an other, and ſetting forth in diuers ſimilitudes, the blesſings wee receiue by beleefe in him. I am the way, the truth, and the life. And in one place, to amplifie Ie…. 14 6.the greatnes of the blesſing, hee ioineth light and life together. I am the light of the world: hee, that followeth & 8. 12.mee, ſhall not walke in darkneſſe, but ſhall hauehave the light of life. It is much to hauehave light, whereby a man may bee guided in his ordinarie courſe of trauarle; and hee that wants it, wandring in the night, is in the danger of ſtumbling, & 11. 9. 10.and falling. But it is a bleſſing aboue the conceit of man, to hauehave ſuch a light held out vntounto him, as ſhall direct him to euerlaſting life: that ſhall not onelyonly make him able to ſee the way, that lies before him, but ſhall goe before him as a guide in the way, to the end of ſo happie a iourney. This is that then, which Saint Iohn inſtructeth vsus in, that our Sauiour Chriſt is not onelyonly the fountaine of life, which ſtreameth, and …ſſueth forth to all them, that by faith cleaue vntounto him; but that hee is alſo the light, that leades, and vſners vsus as it were, into the palace of heauen. Thou liueſt in him, and by him: Thou haſt thy vnderſtanding inlightned with the true knowledge of God, and cleere ſight of the certaine way to ſaluation. I can hardly ſtay my ſelfe from falling into ſome earneſt exhortation, when I conſider theſe wonderous blesſings, that are to bee had in Chriſt. But I muſt of necesſitie forbeare it, till I hauehave ended the expoſition.

Which may reaſonably bee thus deliuered; that the Euangeliſt, in theſe words, giues vsus to vnderſtand, that the life, which hee ſaid was in CHRIST, is conueyed to men, by a certaine inlightning of them, with the ſauing knowledge of GOD in CHRIST. As if hee ſhould hauehave ſaid, Whereas all men naturally are dead in ſinne, and by reaſon of ſinne, liable to eternall damnation; and alſo are farder ouerwhelmed with the miſt of ignorance in darkneſſe, that they cannot diſcerne of the way, that leads to true happineſs; He that firſt created the world, and all therein of nothing, hath taken a ſecond paines to reuiue them, that are voide of life, and to inlighten them, which are couered with darkneſſe; that as hee hath prouided meanes of life for them: ſo they may ſee, what thoſe meanes are, and ſeeing attaine vntounto them. So that whatſoeuer may bee needefull to the obtaining of euerlaſting life; all that, our Sauiour hath gratiouſly, a…d bountifully prouided. Art thou dead? In him is life. Art thou ignorant that thou canſt not deſcerne of the way to life? That life, which is in him, is the light of men. If hee had not brought the former, it would neuer hauehave come. If he had brought it, and not ſeconded that faucur with a farder kindnes, to make vsus ſee our owne death, and life in him, all had bin to no purpoſe. For who will ſeeke for that, whereof (in his owne conceit) he hath no neede, not vſe? who will ſpend his time about the ſeeking of that, which he hath no po…ſibility to find, or gheſſe at? Therefore although the maine blesſing, & end of all, be life in Chr. yet the diſcouering of this life is ſo neceſſary that without it we ſhould be neuer a whit the better for the other, thē we are for thoſe riches, & treſurs, which are hid in the fardeſt parts of the world, vnſeen, & vnknown to vsus.

Hence it is, that our Euangeliſt addes light to life; following the example of his Lord, and maiſter, who makes ſo often, and ſo honorable mention of the light. This is Ioh 3 19.condemnation, that light is come into the world, & men loued darknes better then light. Marke, I beſeech you: the refuſall of the light is the great cauſe of damnation to the world. Therefore doth he exhort thē, To belecue in the light, & 12. 36.while they hauehave the light. And leaſt this ſame light ſhould ſeeme vntounto them a matter of ſmall account, hee tells them, both that he himſelfe is the light, and that they ſhall not alwaies hauehave it ſhining to them, as they had then, when perſwaded them to make a right vſe of it. I am (ſaith he) the light of the world; he that followeth & 8 12.mee, ſhall not walke in darknes, but ſhall hauehave the light of life: As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world: walk … 9. 5.while yee hauehave light; leaſt the darknes come vponupon you. For hee that walketh in the darke, knoweth not whither he goeth. … 11. 35.This is the commendation of the light, not much inferior to that of the life it ſelfe. For it little auailes a man to hauehave an earneſt deſire to go to any place, if he know not, nor can learne the way, that ſhould bring him thither. The Athenians had an altar built, and dedicated to the vnknowne God. Were they ought the better for it? They A…. 17. 23.worſhipt they knew not what: as our Sauiour ſaith of the … 4. 22.Samaritans. The Apoſtle brings them light. Whom you ignorantly worſhip, him I ſhew vntounto you. But they loued darknes better then light, and ſo came not to life. Now, that wee may not bee guiltie of the ſame ſinne, and fall into the ſame damnation; Let vsus ſtirre vp our dead hearts, by the conſideration of the doctrine herein deliuered.

That life was the light of men: that is, according to the former expoſition; The ſame worde or Mesſiah, that is the autor of life, is alſo the fountaine of light vntounto vsus. Without life, what are wee but dead carkaſſes? without light, what are we but blind beetles? Light without life can no more quicken vsus, then the fiſh in the ſea, or the beaſts in the forreſt nouriſh vsus. Life without light can no more guide vsus to happineſs, then a good appetite without meate feede vsus. If either faile, neither auailes. But if that life be the light of men; both the end and the way are ready for vsus, and open to vsus. Refine thy thoughts, to meditate on ſo high a fauour. Inlarge thy heart, to conceiue ſo great a kindneſs. Was it not enough for IESVS CHRIST to bring life into the world, but that hee muſt alſo light vsus the way to finde it? Had it not bin more then extraordinary louelove, to lay it before vsus, though hee had not as it were thruſt, and forced it vponupon vsus? Muſt hee giuegive thee both meate to feede thee, and ſtomack to eat it? O incredible fauour! O more then admirable kindneſs! Hee offers thee life. Thou neither regardeſt it, nor ſeeſt it. I would we did not turne away our faces from it. He opens thine eyes, and makes thee ſee it. Wilt thou ſhut them againe, and bee wilfully blind? S…y not in thy wretched vnthankfull heart; Who will ſhew me the way to life? Behold, the autor of life ſpreads the beames of light round about thee. The darknes is great, and thick; but the light doth pearce, and ſcatter it. There is nothing wanting but a willingnes to ſee. What if it were farre off, that it could hardly bee diſcerned? Couldeſt thou reaſonably excuſe thy ſelfe, by a feare of ouer-ſtrayning thy ſight? It is life thou lookeſt at. If thou ſhouldeſt breake thine eye-ſtrings with thy earneſtneſs in looking, would any man ſay, it was not worth the venturing? It is better to goe blind into heauen, then hauing full ſight of both eyes to be caſt into hell fire. I was purpoſed to hauehave ſpent this exhortation in kindling, or inflaming our affection if I could, with the louelove of him, that hath ſo carefully, gratiouſly, and bountifully prouided for vsus: and muſt I bee faine to beſtow my time, and paines in perſwading you to accept of ſo rare a courteſie? But what ſay I curteſie? Kindnes, fauour, louelove, the moſt affectionate, and forcible words, that can be deuiſed, are too cold, and weake, to ſignifie, I will not ſay to expreſſe ſuch vnſpeakable bounty.

But let vsus make as light reckoning as poſſibly we can, of being inlightened. Let vsus account it a ſmall fauour to ſee, that wee are guided in the way to happineſs. Let vsus deſpiſe the pleaſure we may take, by knowing what wee hauehave eſcap't, and what wee ſhall come too. At the leaſt, though we care not to know our happineſs, ver let vsus not bee ſo ſenſeleſs, as not to care whether we be hap…ie, or no. The life, which we can not chooſe but deſire, is not found, but by the light, which we looke not after. He that walkes in the darke knowes not whither he Ioh. 12. 36.goes. Yet perhaps he may light vponupon the place, hee ſeekes …or. O miſerable hazard! will any man ſo aduenture his eternall ſaluation? How ſhall hee know it, when hee comes to it? Hee may ouer-ſhoote his Port. Hee may fall ſhort of it. Hee may bee caried captiue into samaria, … King. 6. 13. 19.while hee puzzles in the darke to beleger Dothan. Beſide, if hee were ſure to arriue at the place, hee goes for, he may hauehave exceeding much foule wether, that hee ſhall neuer know where is; nor beleeue that, which, at his firſt putting to Sea, hee ſeemed to bee aſſured of. If a man walke in the night (ſaith our Sauiour) hee ſtumbleth. Well, let all this bee nothing; though hee can be no wiſe man, that will beare ſuch an aduenture, when he need not: But let it (as I ſaid) be nothing. It is ſomthing to loſe or miſſe of felicitie, and life; howſoeuer the danger of loſing, or miſſing it may be thought a matter of ſmall importance. So a man hauehave it at the laſt, it skills not perhaps how hardly, or ſlowly he come by it.

Be it ſo. But what if it will not bee had at all, without light? While ye hauehave light, beleeue in the light, that ye may be Ioh. 12. 35.the children of the light. Marke ye what he ſaies, that hath life in him? Ye muſt be children of the light, by beleeuing in the light; how ſhall that bee, if yee deſpiſe the light? Would you attaine to life? Take the light with you, that may ſhew you where it is, The firſt ſtep to life, is turning from darknes to light. The Lord ſends the Apoſtle Paul to the Gē …ils, that by his miniſtery they may be brought …o life. How is the courſe of this work deſcribed? He muſt Act. 26. 18.open their eies, that they may turne from darknes to light, & from the power of Satan to God. While we are in darkneſs, we are alſo in the power of Satan; when we approche to God, we come out of darknes. After that, followes forgiuenes of ſinnes; that is, life in this world, and in heritance among them, which are ſanctiſied by faith in Chriſt; that is, glory in the world to come. Knowledge enters vsus into the way of life; faith ſettles our ſteps in it, that we neither turne aſide out of it, nor run backward, whence we came. He, that neuer ſets foote in the way, can not goe forward in it. He, that knowes not, what is to be beleeued, can not beleeue. Let a man runne neuer ſo hard, if he be out of the race, he ſhall neuer come to the gole, Look vponupon the Apoſtle Phil. 3. 5 6.Paul; ſee what paines he takes, how temperately he liues, how religiouſly he worſhips, how zealouſly he purſues, Act. 26 9. 10. 11.& perſecutes thē, whō (in his ignorance) he took to be enemies to God. At your leaſure conſider his behauiour, as himſelfe hath ſet it out; What was he the neerer to true happineſs, for al this adoe? He found at the laſt, that his beſt righteouſnes was no better thē dung, & al the reward his zelous perſecuting could procure him, was faine to be giuē ouer, for the purchaſe of the pardon therof. So little can it auaile a mā, to make al the ſpeed, that may be, whē he is out of the way. Therfore if any man be deſirous to become partaker of the life, which is in Chriſt, he muſt of neceſſity be directed, & guided by the light, that from him ſhines vntounto vsus. If thou wilt liue, thou muſt be inlightned. Will life, think'ſt thou, be found in darknes? no more thē light is in death. Is it not ſtrange then, yea admirable, & incredible, that they which profeſſe, they ſeeke for life, ſhould wilfully cōtinue in darknes? And yet me thinks it is more ſtrange, if more may be, that thoſe mē ſhould perſwade thēſelues, they are in poſſeſſiō of life, who feel thē ſeluesſhut vp faſt in darknes. Who is ther in this cōgregation, I had almoſt ſaid in this whole nation, that doth not flatter his own hart with an opiniō of life by Chriſt? That life is the light of men. GiueGive me leaue now, after lōg time of error, to aduiſe with thee of that, which thou ſhouldeſt hauehave bin fully reſolvd of, a gret while ſince. Thou ſaiſt, the life that is in Chriſt hath quickened thee. Thou art queſtionleſs inlightened. Shall I make bold to aske thee a …ew queſtions, concerning the myſterie of thy redemption; the roote, whereon the life, thou talkeſt of, groweth? Wilt thou not abide to be queſtioned with of theſe points? Heare me a little; I doe it not to appoſe thee, but to inſtruct thee. At the leaſt, if thou wilt not anſwere mee, yet giuegive mee the hearing, while I open this great ſecret vntounto thee. Not that neither? Shall thy pleaſure lull thee a ſleepe, that thou canſt not heare? Shall thy profit carry thee away, that thou wilt not ſee? I were as good hold my peace, as ſpeake, and not bee heard. All men are willing, and ready to conſer of that, whereof they hauehave skill, and experience. Thou canſt not doe a ſouldiour a greater pleaſure, then to put him into ſome diſcourſe of warre. How gladly doth a Mariner take occaſion to intreat of nauigation? So all profeſſions, and trades, eaſily fall into ſpeech of that, wherein they hauehave beſt knowledge. OnelyOnly in the profeſſion of chriſtianitie, the caſe is otherwiſe. You ſhall finde many a one, (I would I might not truely ſay very many, I am ſure I may ſay ouer many) that can not indure to ſpeake themſelues, or heare other men enter into any diſcourſe of life in CHRIST. Tell me I pray you, what is the reaſon, why other ſorts of profeſſions are ſo forward in talking of their artes, and trades? Is it not becauſe they make account they hauehave ſome good skill in them? Could Chriſtians be ſo backward to reaſon of matters touching their ſaluation, but that they are priuie to their owne ignorance in ſuch caſes? Shall a ſmith, or a ſhoomaker, delight to ſpeake of his craft, becauſe he is skilfull in it? and ſhal we hold off, and ſhunne ſpeech of our glorious redemption, becauſe; but I will ſay no more for very ſhame of the world. It were not posſible we ſhould auoide ſuch communication, if we knewe how to carry our ſelues in it, without bewraying our ignorance. How then ſtands the caſe with vsus? Are wee not inlightened? Then are we not quickened. If wee bee in darkeneſſe, we are in death too. This, this (it is be feared) is the caſe of many of vsus. There is no life in vsus, becauſe there is no light in vsus: With this light wee may ſearch our hearts, and diſcerne, whether we be indeede aliue, or dead, What know I, concerning mine owne naturall eſtate? What hauehave I learned of my firſt tranſgreſſion in Adam? What feeling am I come to of the horrible corruption, where with my ſoule, and body are defiled? What vnderſtand I of Ieſus Chriſts natures, and offices? HaueHave I conſidered the infiniteneſs of the louelove of God, in ſending his owne, and onelyonly ſonne to be my ſauiour? Am I well inſtructed in the doctrine of his ſufferings? Is the value of his inualuable ſacrifice magnified by me, though not comprehended? Let me yet come a little neerer. How many are there that do not ſo much, as know what Ieſus Chriſt was? what it is to bee iuſtified; what it is to beleeue? We are buried in the darkneſſe of death; hauing nothing in vsus, but the bare conceipt of life. I appeale to thine owne ſoule, whoſoeuer thou art, that wouldeſt be ſaued: I deſire thee not to let mee ſee the light, that is in thee, but to looke into thine owne heart, whether therebe any there, or no. The triall is betwixt God, and thee. It is in vaine to ſay, thou art inlightened. For he knows, what is in thee, better then thou dooſt thy ſelfe. And there is no greater argument of thy blindneſſe, then that thou dooſt not ſee it. He, that begins to ſee, perceiues hee wants a great deale of ſeeing perfectly. But he, that was borne blind, and continues ſo, knows not that there is any ſuch thing as ſight to bee had, but onelyonly as hee heares other men talke of it: Such is the eſtate of many profeſſed Chriſtians. They hauehave heard I know not what rumours of Adam, and his fall; of CHRIST, and his death, and ſuch other matters: But they know no one point, or other, ſoundly; and throughly, either to their humiliation, or conſolation.

And yet (for I muſt repeate it againe, and often) without light, there is no life, to be had in Ieſus Chriſt. How long, then will you wander in darkneſſe? When will you approche to life? Let it ſuffice vsus, that we hauehave hitherto continued in ignorance: yet the light ſhines vntounto vsus. Who can tell how ſoone the Lord will bee weary of waiting on vsus, and holding out the light of ſaluation to them, that will not ſee? Deceiue not your owne ſelues with a vaine hope of life, as if it could be ſeized on, by groping in the darke. Be not wanting to your ſelues, and aſſuredly yee ſhall be ſaued. Chriſt Ieſus hath prouided life ſor you. The ſame Chriſt Ieſus is ready to ſhew you the way to it; nay, hath ſhewed it to you already, if you would hauehave vouchſaf't to looke toward it. And becauſe you are not blind onelyonly, but dead alſo, he hath ſent vsus his ſeruants, and miniſters, to call vponupon you, to cry out vntounto you, to intreat you, that you would open your eies, and ſee the light. It lies ſhining vponupon your eie-liddes; do but lift them vp, and it will enter. What ſhall you loſe by receiuing ſight? What will it hurt you to be ſaued? Is any man ſo hardly intreated to his owne good? You ſhall not trauaile alone, in the way to life. Behold heere is company on eueryevery ſide. I, and my brethren the Miniſters will carry the light before you; do but follow it, and the light will bring you to life. If any man, for all this, will rouſt in darkneſſe; though hee refuſe to ſee the light, yet ſhall that diſcouer him both to God and men. Art thou not aſhamed to know, that ſo many ſee thy blindneſſe? Art thou not affraid, that the Lord himſelfe will caſt thee into eternall darkneſſe, ſince thou takeſt no pleaſure in light? Rowſe vp thy ſelfe, and ſhake off this drowſineſſe, that CHRIST IESVS may giuegive thee light. If thou wilt not, neuer preſſe into this, and the like places. God is not deceiued. Thou makeſt a ſhew of louelove to the light, when thou comeſt hither, where it ſhines. Is thy ſight dim? The light will cleere it. Haſt thou no ſight at all? The light will giuegive thee eies to ſee withall. The light of the ſunne appeares not, but where there are eies alreadie, and thoſe open too. But the light of life which is in CHRIST, makes eies where it is deſired, and cauſeth life in all, that are willing to hauehave it.

Whereof if any man doubt, let our Euangeliſt reſolue him: who, proceeding to ſhew vsus the effect of the light, tells vsus, that it ſhines in darkneſſe; as it were offring it ſelfe to diſperſe, and ſcatter whatſoeuer hindereth or ſtaieth our full inlightning. For though it follow in the later part of the verſe, that the darkneſſe comprehends it not: Yet the force of the light appeares in ſome, who by it attaine to knowledge, and ſaluation. But this belongs to an other place and diſcourſe: let vsus go forward in our expoſition. Wherein we are firſt to conſider the words, then to deliuer the ſenſe. The words are not ſo doubtfull in themſelues as the varietie of interpretations hath made them: which indeede is ſo great, that if I ſhould handle them at large, both you and I ſhould be ſooner wearied, then edified. I will therefore content my ſelfe with ſome little ſpeech concerning the diuerſitie of the expoſitions. And therein firſt wee muſt ſee what light it is, the Euangeliſt ſpeakes of: then what hee ſaies of it; that it ſhineth in darknes. By light, generallie CHRIST, or his doctrine, or both, are thought to bee ſignified. The variety of opinions principallie conſiſts in the diuers reſpects in which hee may bee conceiued to bee ſpoken of. All which may bee referred to theſe two heads; his diuine Nature, or his Perſon. And ſo much of theſe reſpects in generall: the particulars I muſt needs reſerue, till I hauehave ſhewed what is meant by darknes, and not comprehending; for without the knowledge of them, this cannot be vnderſtood. In the meane while. wee may eaſily gheſſe at the Euangeliſts meaning if wee aſſure our ſelues, as there is good cauſe wee ſhould, that the light here is all one, with that in the former verſe. Whereof who can reaſonably make any doubt? Hath not the Euangeliſt held the ſame courſe before? One and the ſame worde was in the beginning, was God, was with God. By the ſame word, were all things made: nothing was made without him. In him was life: and that life, which was in him, was the light of men. And the light ſhineth. What light, but that which he named, in the clauſe before?

Now, that both the perſon and the doctrine may well bee vnderſtood, by this light; it is cleare by that, which our Sauiour often ſaith of himſelfe in this Goſpell… I am Ioh. 8. 12. & 1. 46.the light of the world. I am come a light into the world. And that this belongs to his perſon, it is manifeſt, becauſe he reſtraines this light to his continuance in the world. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world. walk while yee hauehave the light; while ye hauehave the light, beleeue in the & 9. 5. & 12. & 35. 36.light. But what neede I goe any further then this chapter? What was Iohns witneſſe, but that Ieſus was the Lambe of Ioh. 1. 6. 7. Ver. 29. Ver. 33.God that takes away the ſinnes of the world? That hee was the Mesſiah, whome the father had ſent? Therefore doth hee as it were point him out: Iohn ſeeth Ieſus comming vntounto him; and ſaith: Behold the Lambe of God. And Ver. 29. Ver. 36.he beheld IESVS walking by and ſaid; Behold the Lamb of God. What ſhould I vſe many words? It not his perſon ſignified, when Saint Iohn ſaith, In him was Ver. 4.life? It is then truely ſaid of our Sauiours perſon, that hee is light, and ſhineth. But how is our Sauiour light? Not onelyonly as by his diuine power he giues vsus light, through the worke of his Spirit in our hearts, whereof in this place our Euangeliſt doth not ſpeake; but alſo in regard of the doctrine of euerlaſting life, which hee preached in his owne perſon, while hee liued here amongſt men, and now teacheth dayly by thoſe whome hee hath made his Ambaſſadors, to intreat men on his behalfe, and in his name, that they 2. Cor. 5. 19.would bee reconciled vntounto God. Let vsus ſee howe this may bee prooued. Light is come into the world (ſaith Ioh. 3. 19.our Sauiour) and men loued darkneſſe, more then light. What light? Namely, the true knowledge of ſaluation; whereof our Sauiour had diſcourſed before to Nicodemus, not without his wonder, and aſtoniſhment. How Ver. 4.can a man be borne which is olde? ſayd Nicodemus, when Chriſt preached to him of regeneration by water, and the ſpirit, without which, no man can enter into heauen. Afterward, when he labord to inſtruct him, in the knowledge of his corrupt naturall eſtate, and ſhewd him, that the ſpirit inlightens whome hee pleaſeth, as the winde blowes where it liſt; How can theſe things be? ſayd Nicodemus. Ver. 9.The world can not abide this light, which diſcouers the ſhame, and miſerie of her darknes. Men had rather continue a good opinion of their owne vertue, and holines, though with error, then forgoe that proud conceit, they hauehave naturally of themſelues; by ſeeing their ſinnes layde open by the light of truth. Thus was Chriſt the light of the world, while he was in the world; becauſe Ioh. 9. 5.he preacht the Goſpell to as many, as would heare it. And this was the light, which ſhuld not, as he threatens them, alwaies be with them. So then by light the doctrin of the Goſpell, and knowledge of euerlaſting, life is vnderſtood, and the perſon of our Sauiour there by ſignified, ſo farre as concernes his deliuering and teaching of that myſtery.

This being thus conceiued, it is no hard matter to knowe, what is ment by ſhining. What elſe, ſhewing and manifeſting it ſelfe, ſo that they which wil may ſee it, and by it ſee the way to euerlaſting life: No man lighteth Mat. 5. 15.a candle to put it vnderunder a buſhel, but to ſet it on a Candleſticke, that it may giuegive light to all, that are in the houſe. Let your light ſo ſhine before men (ſaith our Sauiour, applying the former ſimilitude) that they may ſee your good workes. … le ſi …. Arian. … 3. cap. 3.They, that would hauehave the place vnderſtood of that inlighting, by which Chriſt makes vsus diſcerne the truth of that which is taught vsus, doe not put any difference betwixt ſhining, and inlighting; whereas it is plaine, that the holy Ghoſt, in this place, intends not to entreat of the effect, in the hearts of men, but of the natural property, and immediate act of the light. Neither doth this ſenſe of word wel agree with that, which followeth; And the darkneſſe comprehended it not. Is not this contrary to the former? If the light ſhine, ſo that it inlighten the darkneſſe, how can it bee ſaid, that the darkneſſe doth not comprehend it? For it will appeare anone, that by not comprehending, not acknowledging, or not receiuing the light, is ſignified. But although the darknes bee not cleered and made bright by the light; yet the light it ſelf ſhineth; that is, caſteth, and ſpreadeth abroad his beams. Doth not the Sun ſhine, but when it is ſeene? Shines it not vponupon the blind? Euen ſo the light of truth gliſtereth brightly, though it be not diſcernd by thē on whō it fals.

But this (as I noted before) is eaſily acknowledged; the greateſt doubt is, why the euangeliſt changeth his manner of ſpeech, and ſpeakes of the perſent time; The light ſhineth. We hauehave had nothing hitherto, but of the time paſt. The word was in the beginning, was with God, was God; were made, was made, was life; was light; All of that, which is paſt, according to the ordinary courſe of an Hiſtory. So in the clauſe, that followes, Comprehended not. Only heere, The light ſhineth, not ſhined. That our Sauiours continuall inlightning vsus from heauen is not ſignified, it appeared before, becauſe of the difference betwixt that, and ſhining. Adde thereto, that if Chriſt inlighten, the darkneſſe is inlightned, & ſo comprehends the light. But the Darkneſſe ſayth our Euangeliſt did not comprehend it. Shall we refer it to the whole time, ſince our Sauiours incarnation? Indeed the light hath ſhined euer ſince, and doth, & ſhal ſhine. If that had beene the meaning, it had been fitter to hauehave ſayd; The darknes cō prehendeth it not, then comprehended it not; vnleſs we think that the darknes is leſſe dark now then it was, when the Apoſtle writ this Goſpell. And in that place, which is brought to proue this expoſitiō, there is no ſuch diuerſitie of time, but al runs alike. That which was frō the beginning, which we hauehave heard, hauehave ſeene, hauehave looked vponupon, hauehave 1. Ioh. …. ….handled; The life appeared, & we have ſeene it. We ſhal come neerer to the point, if we vnderſtand it of that continua… Ver. 2.light, which ſhineth to vsus, by the miniſtery of the word. Yet wil not the former doubt be remov'd why the Euā geliſt ſaith not comprehendeth, and ſo includes the preſent alſo, which is as vnable and vnwilling to comprehend the light, as the former times hauehave beene.

What may then be thereaſō, why the holy ghoſt ſpeaketh after this ſort? The light ſhineth. It ſeemes to mee, ſauing other mens better iudgement, that this ſpeech cō cerns the generall nature of the light, to which the ſh… ning of our Sauiour, & his doctrine is reſembled. Al mē know that light properly ſignifieth that by which wee are inabled to ſee with our bodily eyes: & by a reſem blance thereunto, that which informeth the iudgement. & inſtructeth the vnderſtanding, is called by the ſame name, whether it bee done by naturall, or ſupernatural, means. The Euāgeliſt thē hauing giuen this name to our ſpiritual inlightning by Chriſt, & to the ſhining of that ſupernatural light vpō vsus, ſpeaks in theſe words of light in general, as if the ſhould hauehave ſayd: It is the nature of al light to ſhine, as of water to moyſten, & of fire to burn Therefore doth the Sunne continually …end foorth his beames, and as ſoone ſhall hee ceaſe to bee, as to ſhine. For, ſeeing light is as natural to him, as reaſon, and life are to men, and beaſtes; as they leaue to be that they are, whē theſe actiōs hauehave an end. ſo doth the ſun periſh. whenſoeuer he giues ouer ſhining. What is this to the iupernaturall light, which comes from our Sauiour, by his word and doctrine? may ſome men ſay, I will tell thee. The holy Ghoſt will hauehave vsus by this former part of the ſimilitude, to gather, and vnderſtand the later, in this …ort. The life that is in Chriſt (ſayth Saint Iohn) is that, which inlightens men; giuing them, or at the leaſt affording, & offring them the knowledge of their blindnes, and deadnes, and of light, and life to bee had by, & in Chriſt. Now it is well knowne, that the light, according to the nature thereof, ſhines in darkenes; ſo did, doth, and will, this ſupernaturall light, alwayes ſhewe it ſelfe to them, that looke after it.

This (I take it) is that, which our Euangeliſt intendes, and implyes, though hee expreſſe it not. Since wee perceiue, that the light muſt needes ſhine, and vnderſtand that the life in Chriſt is the light of men; how canne wee chooſe but conclude, that certainely the light did ſhine, while our Sauiour was in the world?

So then, the light ſhineth alwayes by nature; But where ſhineth it? Surely in darkenes. For there is no vſe of light, but in reſpect of darkeneſſe: and whereſoeuer any light ſhines, there is darkneſſe, without that light, naturally, and ordinarily. What darkneſſe is it, wherein this ſupernaturall light ſhineth? Queſtionleſſe, a darkneſſe ſutable to that light. For the Sunne in his greateſt brightnes, at high noone in ſummer, ſhines not to the ſoule, but to the body of man; & the excellē teſt knowledge, & cleereſt light of reaſō, helps nothing to the inlightning of our bodily darknes: but the ſimpleſt idiot, if his ſight be good, wil ſee as wel, as the wiſeſt man in the world, if he hauehave the ſun light. This then muſt be layd, as the foundation of the building; that by darknes, not the abſence of naturall light, but the want of ſpirituall knowledge is ſignified. And as by light wee vnderſtand the perſon of the Meſſiah, together with the doctrine hee taught, concerning our ſpirituall ſaluation; ſo by darkeneſſe wee muſt in like ſort conceiue the ignorance of him, and of that knowledge, which hee imparted to the world, whereby onelyonly euerlaſting life can bee attained to. What then is this darkeneſſe, wherein the light ſhineth? what elſe, but the blindneſs of men, by which they are vnable to ſee, and knowe, what belongs to their eternall ſaluation; the infidelity of men, whereby they are hindred, and withheld from acknowledging the meanes of it, when they are offred?

Of the doctrine anone; as yet I am in ſearch for the meaning of the word. Which, as all men know, & confeſſe, ſignifie… properly the abſēce of this out ward light, to which it is contrary. It is needleſs to proue this point by example. Take one for all, in the beginning of the ſcripture. Darkneſs was vponupon the deep. And God ſayd, Let Gen. 1. 2. 3. 4.there be light. And God ſeparated the light from the darkneſſe. Wee ſee cleerely, what darkenes Moſes ſpeakes of; that it needes not my expoſition. From hence the word is taken, and applyed, to note out the puniſhment of ſin, and ſin it ſelfe: The puniſhment in this life, aduerſity & affliction. He hath ſet darkneſſe in my pathes, ſayth Iob; Iob. 19. 3.meaning that the Lord had laid greeuous afflictions vphim. If they look vntounto the earth (ſayth I ſay) behold darknes, Iſay. 5. 30. & 8. 22.and ſorrow, & the light ſhall be darkened in their skie. Darknes is without comfort, and affords a man no ſight of any meanes for his deliuerance. Therefore the vſe of the word reacheth farther; euen to death, and damnation. Before I goe, and ſhall not returne (ſayth Iob) to the land of Iob. 10. 21. ver. 22.darkneſſe, and ſhadow of death, Into a land, darke as darknes it ſelfe, into the ſhadow of death, where there is no order, but the light is as darkeneſſe; Of damnation our Sauiour often ſpeaketh, when hee names, caſting into vtter darknes. The children of the kingdome ſhall be caſt out into vtter Mat. 8. 12. & 22. 13. & 25. 30.darkeneſſe. Take him away, and caſt him into vtter darknes. This, Iude calleth the blackenes of darknes. For whom, is Iad. ver. 13.reſerued the blacknes of darkenes for euer.

When the word is vſed for ſinne, it ſignifieth either the ignorance of the minde, and vnderſtanding, or the Rom. 2. 19.wickednes of the heart, and conuerſation. Thou perſwadeſt thy ſelfe (ſayth the Apoſtle to the Iewes) that thou art a guide of the blind, a light of them, which are in darknes: namely in ignorance. To this purpoſe the ſame Apoſtle ſayth of the Epheſians, before they had been taught by Eph. 4. 18.the Goſpell, that Their cogitation was darkened. This is Mat. 4. 16.that Darkenes, in which the people ſate, til by our Sauiours preaching (as Saint Mathew tels vsus) They came to ſee light. That the wickednes of our heart, and the leudnes of our actions are ſignified by the ſame word, it may Rom. 13. 12.appear by theſe places. Let us caſt away the works of darknes, and let us put on the armor of light. What theſe workes of darknes are, the Apoſtle ſheweth in the next verſe: Ver. 13.Gluttony, drunkennes, chambering, wantonneſs, ſtrife, and enuying: and generally in the verſe following, To fulfill the Ver. 14. Ephe. 5. 8.luſts of the fleſh. In this reſpect he tels the Epheſians, that they were once darkenes. And a little after, hee forbids them Ver. 11.to hauehave any fellowſhip with the vnfruitfull workes of darknes. But no man ſpeakes more plainely, or more fully to this purpoſe then S. Iohn himſelfe. God is light, and in him is no 1. Ioh. 1. 5.darknes; that is no kind of euill. If we ſay, that we hauehave fellowſhip with him and walke in darkeneſſe, wee lye, and do & ver. 6. 2. 11.not truely. He that hateth his brother, is in darkenes, & walketh in darknes: is in the corruptiō of nature, & behaues himſelfe according therunto. And of the word this may ſuffice, cōcerning the ordinary vſe of it in the Scripture.

For this place, wee muſt needes take it generally, as wee did light, and ſo apply it to the particular in hand. The light naturally ſhines in darkenes; and bodily light in bodily darkeneſſe, the ſpirituall in ſpirituall. So did the Meſſiah ſhine in the ignorance, and wickedneſſe of men. So did the doctrine of ſaluation ſhew it ſelfe, in the blindneſſe, and naughtineſſe of the world. The former point of the natural, & bodily light ſhining in darkenes, is not any matter of diuinity; & beſides ſo well knowne to children, that it were loſt labour to ſay any thing of it. Let vsus keepe our ſelues to the Euangeliſts meaning; and after wee hauehave a little proued the doctrine, conſider the matter for our farther inſtruction, and edification. And that the truth may the rather bee acknowledged, let vsus call to minde, that the Prophet Iſay, many hundred ye…res before, gaue notice of this light, and the ſhining thereof: and not of the ſhining onelyonly, but alſo of a farther effect, the inlightning of them, that were in darkeneſſe. Let vsus heare himſelfe ſpeake. The people, that walked in darkeneſſe, hauehave ſeene a Iſay. 9. 2.great light; they that dwelt in the Land of the ſhadowe of death, vponupon them hath the light ſhined. My warrant to expound this prophecy, of the light, in the miniſtery of our Sauiour Chriſt, is from the authoritie of the holy Ghoſt, in Saint Mathewes Goſpell. Ieſus leauing Nazareth Mat. 4. 13. 14. 15went, and dwelt in Capernaum, which is neere the Sea, in the borders of Zabulon, & the Land of Nepthalyn by the way of the Sea, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people which ſate in darkeneſſe &c. I ſpake of this before in expounding the words: the naming of it, this ſecond time, is ſufficient. Let me ſecond it with an other prophecy out of the new Teſtament. Olde Zacharie, the Father of Saint Luk. 1. 67.Iohn Baptiſt, being filled with the holy Ghoſt, foretold this ſhining. Through the tēder merciemercy of our God, the day-ſpring Ver 78. Ver. 79.(ſayth hee) from an high, hath viſited vsus; to giuegive light to them, that ſit in darkeneſſe, and in the ſhadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace. This day. ſpring, Simeon in few words tearmeth alight to bee reuealed to the & 2. 32.Gentiles; He mentioneth not the darkenes. True: but we hauehave learned, that the Gentiles were in darknes; as wel by that of Eſay, as by the teſtimony of Saint Paul: Walke not (ſayth he to the Epheſians, turned from Gentiliſme) as other Gentiles walked, hauing their cogitation darkened, Eph. 4. 17. 18.and being ſtrangers from the life of God, through the ignorance, that is in them, becauſe of the hardneſſe of their hart: But the brightnes of this light, and the glorious ſhining thereof, is no where more cleerely to be diſcernd, then in the courſe of this Goſpell: wherein ſo many ſecrets of God, of the Meſſiah, of the holy ſpirit, and comforter, of freedome from ſinne, of deliuerance from damuation, and of euerlaſting life are ſet foorth, & commended to vsus.

The doctrine then is eaſie, and certaine; that our Sa…iour, being the ſupernaturall light, ſhined to the world, and ſhineth ſtill, and euer, in the knowledge of eternall ſaluation. Let not the manner of ſpeech trouble any mā; becauſe the Euangeliſt ſayeth, that The light ſhineth in darkeneſſe. You will aske me, how this can be. If the light ſhine, there is no darkenes. It there bee darkneſſe, the light ſhines not. How then can the light ſhine in darkeneſſe? Is it all one, as if hee ſhould hauehave ſayde, The Ma'd …nat. ad hunc lo cum.light inlightneth the darkeneſſe, ſcattering, and diſperſing it? But ſhining, and inlightning (as I ſhewd before) are diuerſe; the former reſpe…ting the nature of the light, the other a ſecond arie effect of the light in things inlightned. Neither may wee forget, that the darkenes was not inlightned. The darkeneſſe (ſayth Saint Iohn) omprehended it not. How, then, doth the light ſhine in …rkeneſſe? Surely, as the Sunne in the firmament, ſhines …ongſt a company of blind men. The Sunne indeede …nes; but the darkeneſſe to blinde men is neuer a whit …he loſſe. So our Lord, & his doctrin ſhined moſt brightly in the midſt of the blind Scribes, and Phariſes; yet were they ſtill in darkeneſſe. The naturall light doth his office, & ſhewes his nature, by ſpreading his beams all about, that all men may ſee: ſo doth the ſupernatu…al light, deliuering the knowledge of God, & Chriſt; to ſaluatiō; yet to the blind the darknes cōtinues: & thogh… the darkneſſe continue, yet the light ſhines; ſo the light ſhines in darkneſſe.

The ligh in darkneſſe? what light? What darkneſſe? Is not the light, you ſpeake of, a dim glimmering? or rather is it not as a candle waſted, and ſpent to nothing? Is not Chriſt, the light you brag of? Is not this light put out? You preach Chriſt crucified. What light is there in death? What ſhining, when the Sun is ſet? Where is the darkneſſe, you vpbrayd the world withall? Is not this Chr. crucified, which in your cōceit ſhines ſo brightly, a ſtumbling block to the Iewes, and fooliſhnes to the Gentiles? 1. Cor. 1. 23.Are all theſe in darknes? Nay rather, is not your light a falſe fire, that flaſhes, and vaniſhes? Theſe, theſe are the proud conceits of the ignorant world. Not without ſome ſhew I confeſſe; (for the deuill muſt deceiue with ſome colour) but yet without ſubſtance. The ſhew is great; both in reſpect of the aduerſaries themſelves, & for the continuance of the errour. Multitude beares a great ſway; and like a mightie land-water caries a waie all it meetes with. But if it come once to bee the greater part, it ſeemes to challenge allowance and conſent; not ſo much by force, as by equity and reaſon. What if it proue generally; yea ſo generall that it compriſe all within it? One or two may be deceiu'd; but that, which all men agree of, muſt of neceſſity be true. And that theſe men may not be thought to preuail by nūber of voices, but by waight of reaſon, they are content to argue the matter with vsus; Iewes, & Gentiles each a part for themſelues. For though they be at deadly fewd one with another; yet they all ioyne in one againſt God, that wee may be ſure they are in darkneſſe: but let vsus heare their ſeuerall pleas, for the cleering of themſelues. Suppoſe then that Zedekiah Ahabs Prophet, or if you will Caiphas, 1. King. 22. 24. Ioh. 11. 49. 50.who liu'd in the office of the high Prieſt, when this light was to be ſeene, and felt almoſt with mens fingers, ſhould ſtart vp in defence of his nation, of which he was ſo careful, and ſpeake in this ſort; What is he, that accuſeth the Iewes of blindeſſe? Is not Abraham Ioh. 8. 33. & 5. 45.their Father? Is not Moſes their teacher? Did not God deliuer the knowledge of his will vntounto them? Hee hath Pſalm. 147. 20.not dealt ſo with eueryevery nation, neither hauehave they knowne his ludgements. Were not all the Prophets ſent, from time Icr. 7. 25.to time, for their inſtruction? Are not they a guide of the blind, a light of them, which are in darkneſſe? Doe not the Rom. 2 19. Mal. 2. 7. Mic. 4 2. Ioh. 4. 22.Prieſt lips preſerue knowledge? Muſt not all men ſeeke the law at his mouth? Doth not the law goe forth of Sion, and the word of the Lord from Ieruſalem? for ſaluation is of the Iews. How then are they in darkneſſe? All the land of Aegypt may be couered with darkneſſe, but the children of I ſraell Exod. 10. 23.hauehave light, where they dwell. Thus hath Caiphas cleerd the Iewes (as he thinks) of the imputation of ignorance, which was laid vponupon them. But what ſaith Saint Paul, Iew, and a Phariſe? There is none that underſtandeth, there Rom. 3. 11. 12. Pſal 13. 3.is none that ſeekes after God; They are all gon out of the way. Neither ſpeakes he this, of himſelfe; but alleageth it out of the Iewes owne records. Indeed he brings it againſt the Iewes; and hee giues a ſufficient reaſon of his ſo doing. VVe knowe(ſaith hee) that whatſoeuer the Lawe ſaith, Rom. 3. 19.it ſaith it to them, which are vnderunder the law. How many witneſſes might I bring in to bee depoſed of this truth? which of the Prophets hath not accuſed them as greeuouſly? Their writings abound with ſuch complaintes. The Oxe knoweth his owner, and the Aſſe his Masters crib; Eſay. 1. 3.But Iſraellhath not knowne, my people hath not vnderſtood. The Lord hath a controuerſie with the Land (ſaith another Oſe. 4. 1.Prophet) becauſe there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the Land. But let vsus grant as much as they deſire, that the Oracles of God were committed to them. Doth not this proue, that, of themſelues, they were as blind, as other nations? Is not this the word of the Prophets 2. Pet. 1. 19.which (as S.Peter ſaith) is a light ſhining in a darke place? was this any other thing, then the dawning of the dav. before the riſing of the Sunne of righteouſneſſe? But I ſhould ſhew my ſelfe to be too blind, if I ſhould ſpende time to diſcouer their darkneſſe. Their greateſt Rabbies the Scribes, and Phariſes, were blind leaders of the blind: Mat. 15. 14.who profeſſing themſelues to bee maſter builders, had not ſo much skill, as to know the head ſtone of the corner; without which, all, that they ſet vppe, could Mark. 12. 10.not chuſe but fall to ruine, as wee ſee it is come to paſſe,

Let vsus then leaue the Iewes in their ignorance, that we maie incounter the Gentiles, euen the Grecians, the 1. Cor. 1. 22. 23wiſeſt of them; whoſe profeſſion it is, to ſeeke after wiſedome, and who therefore deſpiſe the Goſpell, becauſe it is fooliſhnes. Theſe men think foule ſcorne to be coū ted ignorant. If knowledge were loſt, & the bookes of learning burnt vp, it might be found among them, & would flame vp, at their blaſt, out of thevery aſhes. HaueHave not they clim'd vp into heauen, & brought downe from thence the admirable knowledge of the motions, & influences of the ſtarrs? HaueHave not they taken a full ſurvey of eueryevery Region of the Ayre, & obſeru'd the cauſes; and breeding of Coluds, raine, hail, ſnowe, Comets, blazing ſlarrs, froſt, dew and all ſuch wonders? Who hath ſounded the depth of the Sea, and diſcouered the hidden ſecrets of the ſaltneſſe, & ebbing & flowing there of, but the Grecians? who hath rak't, into the bowels of the earth, and fetcht out the treaſures of it for the vſe of men but the Grecians? Their Philoſophy hath taught Princes, how to manage, affairs of State. Of them, maſters of families hauehave learned, how to order their houſholds. Among them military diſcipline was bred, and nouriſht. They hauehave inſtructed men, how to make themſelues vertuous. They hauehave ſhewed men how to attaine to happines. To conclude, all learning, all vertue, all wiſedome, hath flowed out of their fountaines, and watered all the world with ſtreames of knowledge, & Iudgement. As for Religion, where had God more Temples, more Prieſts, more altars? Where was more coſt beſtowed on his worſhip? Where was more wit ſhew'd in the deuiſing of it? The like plea make the Romans: who although they cannot deny, that they receiu'd theſe things, at the ſecond hand, of the Grecians: yet (in their conceyts) all knowledge, and vertue, eſpecially religion, had her full growth, and perfection amongſt, and from them.

What ſhall we ſay to theſe men; and how ſhall wee aunſwere them? if wee deny them to bee learned, all the world will condemne vsus of ignorance, or enuy? Shal we grant, that they ſhine with learning, & yet accuſe them, as hidden in darkneſſe? What is light, but knowledge? What is darkneſſe, but ignorance? Either they are in darkneſſe, becauſe they want knowledge; or if they hauehave knowledge, they are not in darknes. How ſtands the caſe then? HaueHave we accuſd them vniuſtly? That were to condemne the holy Ghoſt of falſhood; as if hee had made them worſe then they are, that he might magnify our Sauiour Chriſt the more. What if wee proue their knowledge in the things, they moſt brag of, to be vnperfect? Cicer. in Acad. & Socrat. apud Plato.We ſhal ſay no more, then many of themſelues doe, who yet are learned; nor bring any proofe of the light, that ſhines in darknes. For, the doctrine of the Goſpel, doth not perfit the learning, whereof the Grecians boaſt, but teach an other kinde of knowledge, then euer they dreamt of. But that wee may, if not giuegive them full ſatiſfaction, yet at the leaſt ſtop their mouthes; let vsus honor them with the reputation of learning, and if they wil needes hauehave it ſo, with the commendation thereof to: yet with this prouiſo that euen in that knowledge, wherein they hold themſelues ſo skilfull, they may eaſily be proued to hauehave err'd often, & groſſely. But let vsus take no aduantage of thoſe errors: lette them al bee wiſe Stateſ-men, expert warriers, greate Clarkes, deepe naturaliſts, temperate moraliſts, cunning artificers, good common-wealths-men for the publike benefit, good huſbands for their priuat eſtates: for all this, they are in darkneſſe, and ignorance. For what are they but ignorant, that knowe not the true God; nor how he is to bee worſhipt? What light is there in them, that ſee not the way to their owne happineſs, nor vnderſtand where it is to be had? I ſhould neuer done, if I ſhould, let me not ſay refute, but recite their manifold errors, touching God himſelfe, the foundation of all religion. GiueGive mee leaue therefore I pray you to omit them all, ſaue a very few of the moſt principall. Firſt, whereas there is but one God, as the very light of Nature ſheweth, they ſet vp, in their blind fancies, infinit multitudes of Gods, & Goddeſſes, to the number of I wot not how many (I am ſure a greate many) thouſands; that, as the Prophet ſaith of the Iewes, according to the number of their Cytties (yea Ier. 2. 28.and far aboue it too) ſo were their Gods. Yet had this bin the more tolerable (though indeed it were moſt intolerable) if they had not added a ſecond errour, worſe, if worſe may be, then the firſt. Bee it, that they could not content themſelues with one God, but muſt needs hauehave heapes of them for fayling; was it poſſible, they could be ſo abſurde, and ſenſleſſe, as not to deuiſe them all of one kinde, and nature? Say there was ſome colour, for to imagin there ſhould bee a difference of ſexe, and ſo hee Gods, and ſhee Gods: yet was there not any the leaſt ſhewe of reaſon to conceiue, they might bee of diuerſe natures. There is wonderfull variety of nations, & people in the world: yet all are of one kind; of the ſame proportion of body, of the ſame nature of the ſoul. But the Gods of the heathen, many of them (can they heare it without bluſhing?) are vtterly of a diuerſe kind one frō another. Some of them were Gods both by the Father, amd Mother, ſome only by the Fathers ſide, ſome by the mothers, ſide only, ſome by neither. What ſay you to the Sunne the Moone, & diuerſe ſtarrs? Could theſe be of the ſame kind with the former? Certainely beaſts, foules, fiſhes, creeping things, onions, garlicke, I am aſham'd to ſay all I could, were Gods of an other nature then thoſe before mentioned. Do you think theſe mē, that made themſelues ſuch Gods, had any ſpark of light in them? Is it not pitty, but theſe companions ſhoulde be held to be wiſe, & learned? What dreames of a ſick mans diſtempered braine, what old wiues fable, what idle fancy of a child, that builds Caſtles in the aire, is either ſo abſurde, or ſo impious? And ſuch as their opinions were of their Gods, ſuch was their worſhip; By murders, adulteries, inceſts, filthy ſpeeches, abhominable geſtures, ſorceries, coniurations. The leaſt ſinne of this kinde, was their doating Idolatry; that hee, which only made an idoll of God, and did him no farder diſhonour, might well be counted a holy man, amongſt a route of ſuch prophane miſcreants.

Could theſe men (let them boaſt of their knowledge as much as they liſt) could theſe men, I ſay, know wherin their owne happineſſe conſiſted, or how they might attaine vntounto it? How ſhould he, that is ignorant of God from whom all things receiue as their being, ſo their well being, euer vnderſtand what felicity is, or how it may be come by? There needes no other, nor can bee any better proofe of their ignorance, in this point, then the multitude of diuerſe and many contrary opinions. One of the heathen a learned Roman hath left vsus record Varro, apud Aug. de cruitder.of almoſt 300. ſeueral conceits touching the ſoueraingne good, or felicity of man. It were a hard matter for a man to chuſe among ſo many, eſpecially where hee hath no certaine marks, whereby to direct him in his choiſe. But what a miſery is it, for one to vex, and tire himſelfe in ſeeking, when the thing, he ſeekes for, is not neere the place of his ſearch? To examine the opinions ſeuerally were more labour then profite, I wil only point at …ome maine errors, as in the other part of their ignorance, concerning God. Firſt then, what true knoweledge can be lookt for at their hands, touching perſite happineſſe, whoſe bſe thoughts hauehave impriſoned thē ſelues within the narrow compaſs of this ſhort, and vncertaine life? wherein, there is ſo little quietneſſe to bee found, and ſo much miſery to be indur'd, that their own Cicer. Tuſcul quaeſt. lib. 1.Gods, as they ſay, hauehave counted it a mans greateſt felicity, either neuer to hauehave bin borne, or to dye quickly: yea, hauehave beſtowed death on their fauorits, as the richeſt reward they could giuegive them. And if any of them tooke a conceit of the immortality of the ſoule: yet they ſpoiled man of one part of his happineſs, by leauing the body void of al poſſibility to liue again. Yea what was the felicity they allowed the ſoule, but ſuch a kinde of vaine pleaſure, as the mind of a natural wiſe mā, would rather deſpiſe, then delight in? But theſe alſo were very few; the greateſt part, not of the commō ſort only but of the Philoſophers too, either denying, or doubting of the immortality of the ſoule. How ſhould ſuch blinde men, knowthe way to true felicity? Or if they might hauehave lighted on it by chance, how could they hauehave perceiu'd it? Well: let vsus take pitty of their ignorance, & ſhew thē, that true happineſſe is only in the inioying of God. What are they the neerer? Al their learning wil not teach thē how to find him. The beſt they can imagin, is to procure his fauor by ſacrifices, or to deſerue his louelove by their ſhadow of vertue. Alas poore wretches! How highly ſoeuer they value this their painted vaine glory; he, that ſearcheth the hearts, condemnes it of hypocriſy. To whō doſt thou offer thy ſacrifices? Which of thy Gods is it, thou wouldſt faineſt pleaſe? Art thou not afraid, leaſt while thou doſt thy whole in deauour to ſerue one, all the reſt thinke themſelues neglected; Or canſt thou hauehave ſo baſe an eſtimation of their excellency, or ſo proude a conceit of thine owne worth, as to imagine that thou canſt doe them all ſeruice, to their likeing? Art thou ſo farre in louelove with thy owne ſelfe, that thou neuer perceiu'ſt, wherein thou offend'ſt any of them? Let me come neerer to thee; Doth not thy hart tell thee, that the greateſt motiue, thou haſt to vertue, is the praiſe, and applauſe of men? Thou haſt it: and in it, thou haſt thy full reward.

It is pitty, I confeſſe, to leaue a man in this deſperate eſtate, if he wil be content to receiue better inſtruction. But it fareth with the wiſe men of this worlde, in this matter, as it doth with ſome melancholie perſon; whō if a Phyſician offer to cure, hee wil not bee perſwaded, that he ſtandes in neede of helpe: but if you bee earneſt with him in the buſineſſe, he will take on againſt you, as againſt a foole, or one that meant to murder him. VVee preach Chriſt crucified (ſaith the Apoſtle) to the Iewes a 1 Cor. 1. 23.ſtumbling block, & to the Grecians fooliſhneſſe. To the ignorant, you wil ſay, and vnlearned; not of iudgement, and knowledge. What ſay you to the Epicures, and Stoiks? were they void of learning, and vnderſtanding? I doubt me you wil finde but a very fewe men worthy to bee counted learned, if you condemne them of ignorance? How did they entertaine the doctrine of the Goſpell, brought vntounto them by the learned, and eloquent Apoſtle Saint Paul? They diſputed againſt him, they called him Act. 17. 28.babbler, they tooke him for a ſetter out of ſtrange Gods. Yea the greateſt fauour, he could find amongſt the Athenians, in a learned Vniuerſity was this, that ſome mocked, others ſaid, Wee will heare thee againe of this thing. Some in. Verſe. 32.deede claue vntounto him, whereof one was a Iudge in the Citty; but neither was his learning the reaſon of his Verſe. 34.yeelding, and what is one amongſt ſo many thouſands? The naturall man (ſaith S. Paul) perceiueth not the things of the ſpirit of God; for they are fooliſhneſſe vntounto him; neither 1. Cor. 2. 14.can he knowe them, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned, And is he not then blind, and ignorant, if he neither do, nor can perceiue the ſecrets of God, touching his owne ſaluation? Me thinks I diſcerne a certaine cheerefulnes in your countenances, ariſing (as I verely perſwade my ſelfe) from the ſenſe of the knowledge you hauehave, in this greate myſtery of your redemption. It will ſaue mee ſome labour, that the reſt of this ſhort time remaining, may be beſtowed vponupon the later part of this verſe. Only giuegive me leaue in two words, both to abate the pride of our nature, by ſhewing our ignorance, and to increaſe the joy of the ſpirit, by looking on the light, that ſhines about vsus, and in vsus. There is no one ſin, to which we are naturally more ſubiect, then pride; no pride that doth ſooner, or more puffe vsus vp, then the opinion of knowledge. For ſince the vnderſtanding is the moſt principall part of the ſoule; how can it bee, but a man muſt principally delight in that, which is the cheefeſt perfection therof? What ſhould then, in reaſon, bee of greater force, to make vsus ſtrike the ſaile of pride, then the conſideration of our ignorance. EueryEvery one of vsus is ready to ſay to himſelfe; HaueHave not I ſharpneſſe of witte; ſoundneſſe of iudgement; a quick conceit, to apprehend what I heare; a deepe reach to compaſſe what I diſire? I ſay nothing of extraordinary learning, becauſe it concernes not eueryevery man. And is this that, which makes thee proud? Let me queſtion with thee a little. Art thou indeed ſo ſharpe, ſo ſound, ſo quicke, ſo deepe? Make proofe of theſe excellent parts in a matter, that concerns thee neerely, and imports thee much. Canſt thou, by the ſharpneſſe of thy wit, cleere thy ſelfe, againſt the accuſation of thy conſcience? Canſt thou, by the ſoundneſſe of thy iudgement, determine wherein true ſelicity conſiſts? Canſt thou, by the quicknes of thy conceit, venderſtand readily the whole doctrine of ſaluation? Canſt thou, by the depth of thy reach, procure a place for thy ſelfe in heauen? What? none of al theſe? Cal thy wits together; beate thy braines about the matter; Let thy conceit work vponupon whatſoeuer, nature, or humane learning can teach thee: de…iſe plot contriue. Comes all to nothing? O the ignorance, and blindneſſe of men! Let vsus bee as wiſe, and skilfull in worldly matters, as we conceiue ourſelues to be: in true wiſedom, and knowledge, we are fooles, and blind. Darkneſſe, palpable darknes, nothing but darkneſſe. I make challenge here to all the learned of the world, that euer were, are, or ſhall bee, to ſhew their skil, and learning, either in deuiſing a means to bring a diſtreſſed ſoule to quietneſſe, and comfort, or in diſprouing the meanes diſcouered by the Goſpel, or in prouing the truth of it, as it is reuealed. If they can doe none of all theſe, let them confeſſe, as they muſt needes, that they are indeed blind, and ignorant.

This being confeſt, as it cannot be denied; let vsus ſee now, what meanes they are are able to procure of inlightning, and inſtruction. Nature affords them none; for if it did, ſome man, or other, in all this time, would hauehave hit vponupon it. Will learning helpe them? It is not poſſible it ſhould. For what is learning, but the perfection of nature? If the foundation bee weake, the building muſt needes bee ruinous. The light of nature may ſhew thee many defects, and faults, many vices, and vnruly affections: the knowledge of Philoſophy may confirme this Iudgement of nature, and adde much to the heape, that thou maiſt be ouerwhelmed with the conſideration of thy wickedneſſe, and wretchedneſſe. But neither can both theſe, by any ſtudy, and meditation, fully informe thee of thy miſerable, and damnable eſtate: and when they hauehave done all, they poſſibly can, they wil either leaue thee deſperate, to conſume thy ſelfe with ſorrow, or bring thee into a fooles paradiſe, and lead thee gaily to deſtruction, as an Oxe with guilded hornes, & ſweet Garlands, to be ſlaughtered in ſacrifice. How then ſhal we get out of this darkneſſe? Who wil ſhew vsus the way to knowledge? O that there were this hart in vsus indeed! O that wee were as truly deſirous to find the right way, as we are aſham'd to be thought ignorant of it! How eaſie were it for vsus to be ſaued! The light ſhines in darkneſſe. That thou ſeekeſt for, if thou ſeeke it in truth, as thou doſt in ſhew, is neere thee, is about thee, is vponupon thee, I had almoſt ſaid, is in thee. If thou wilt read… the Scriptures, it wil thruſt in by thine eies. If thou wilt heare the Scriptures, it will winde it ſelfe in, through thine eares. The light that ſhines in darknes, wil make thy darknes light. Only be contented to be inlightned.

But alas we are not ſo affected. We deſpiſe the light: we delight in darkneſſe, we hate him that ſhould drawe vsus out of it. Neither can our owne miſery driue vsus, nor his kindneſſe allure vsus to him. O that wee woulde but a little conſider, how extraodinarily we are beholding to this light, that ſhines in darknes! Let vsus take ſome view of it, in a like matter. Imagine that thou wert wandring, thou knowſt not whither, all alone, naked, and comfortleſſe, the darkneſſe being ſo great, that thou couldſt not ſee thy hand, the winde blowing through thee, the raine powring downe vponupon thee, the colde ſtriking to thy very heart, the way ſo ſlippery, that thou couldſt not ſtande vpright, ſo full of deepe holes, that eueryevery ſtep, thou ſhouldſt bee in daunger of breaking thy leggs, or armes: at the end of thy trauaile, when thou ſhouldſt come to reſt, ſuppoſe there were al kinde of torments, and tortures prepared for thee, which thou couldſt by no meanes eſcape: tel mee now, canſt thou poſſibly conceiue, how infinitly thou ſhouldſt be boūd to him that ſhould bring thee a light, ſhewe thee the perils of thy iourney, the certaine deſtruction in the end thereof; that ſhould ſet thee in a plaine & eaſy path, ſhould cloth thee, comfort thee, keep thee company, & bring thee to a place, or palace rather of al pleaſure, and happines? What is that darknes to the blindnes of thy ſoule? What compariſon is there betwixt the danger of breaking an arm or a leg, & the hazard of falling into the pit of hel? The glorious brightnes of the Sun doth not ſo …xceed the dimme light of a watching ruſh candle; as the knowledge of ſaluation by Chriſt, excelleth all the …arning, and wiſedome of the world. And yet do wee …rne away our faces from this brightneſſe? Doe wee …hut our eies againſt this light? I would this were the worſt, though it bee too too bad. Nay we thruſt it a way …rom vsus: we run away from it; we diſdaine it, we hate it, we doe all that lies in vsus, to put it quite out. But do what we can, the light ſhines in darkneſſe; As I ſaid once be…ore in a former Sermon, if wee will not bee inlightned, yet ſhall our blyndnes and darknes bee diſcoue…ed, whether wee will or no; God, his holy Angells, and bleſſed Saintes ſhall ſee our ſhame, and rei…ce at our iuſt confuſion for continuing in wilfull blindneſſe.

I … ſlipt, I knowe not how, into the later part of this verſe before I was aware, concerning the intertainment, that the light found in the worlde: The darkneſſe comprehended it not. The light ſhines, and the darkneſſe wil not bee inlightned. It will bee worth the dooing, to conſider the point more fully. Which that we may lee the better, ſomewhat muſt bee ſaid of the wordes, or rather of that one worde Comprehended. For where-as ſome men ſeeke a new meaning of the worde Darkneſſe, and wil not hauehave it taken in the ſenſe, it had in the former clauſe, there is more curioſity, then truth in their ſpeculation. VVho can imagine, that the Evangeliſt woulde vſe a worde in two diuerſe ſenſes, without giuing any notice or inkling of ſuch a chaunge? Is it not contrary to the reſt of his courſe, wherein the ſame vvorde hath the ſame ſignification? The VVorde was in the beginning, The VVorde vvas vvith GOD, The VVorde vvas GOD; Still the ſame VVorde. But I ſhewed this ſufficiently before; and there is no reaſon to be alleadged, why S. Iohn ſhould differ in this verſe from the former; al things agreeing ſo wel, if we retaine the ſenſe, as it was formerly deliuered, and vnderſtood. Wherefore, vnderſtanding, by Darkneſſe, man in his naturall eſtate, without any ſupernaturall grace; let vsus enquire what the Euangeliſt meanes, when he ſaith, that the darkneſſe did not comprehend the light. Firſt, what is it, to Comprehend? Variety of opinions, breedes doubtfulnes in reſoluing. I will draw all to two principall heads, and in the handling of them diſcharge my promiſe, concerning the diuerſe interpretations of the light. The word, that is heere vſed by the Euangeliſt, ſignifies in the Scripture, either an vnderſtanding and attaineing to ſome thing, for our owne knowledge or benefit; or an apprehending, & taking of ſomewhat. to the hurt, or diſgrace thereof: Of the former ſignification is the word in this, and ſuch like places; Of a truth I Act. 10. 34.vnderſtand or perceiue, that God is no accepter of perſons. That yee may be able with all Saints to conceiue or apprehend, Eph. 3, 18.what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height &c: The Gentiles which followed not righteouſnes, hauehave attained Rom. 9. 30.vntounto righteouſnes. Of the later theſe may bee examples; Ioh 8. 3. & 12. 35. 1. Theſl 5. 4.The Scribes and Phariſes brought unto him a woman taken in adultery. Walke while yee hauehave the light, leaſt the darkneſſe come or ſeiſe vponupon you. Yee (brethren) are not in darknes, that that day ſhould come vponupon you as it were a theefe. According to theſe 2 ſignifications, ſo are the interpretations of the word in this Text. Some, acknowledging the light to Greg. Naziac. orat. 4. Theol. O…igen. in Ioa. l. …. Chryſoſt in Ioa. hom. 4.be in Chriſt, will hauehave the darkneſſe to be the Deuill, & perſecutiō; which could not, ſay they, ouercome Chriſt. But though they could not vtterly ſubdue him, yet they did ſeiſe on him to his diſgrace, and death, in the world: which is as much, as the ſignification of the worde w…l… Apud. Theo…hilact. ad. huno ocum.beare. Other, that will hauehave the light to ſignifi… Chriſt, in reſpect of his diuine nature, by Darkneſſe vnderſtand his manhood, which coulde not ſo obſcure the other, but that it ſtill ſhined, and ſhewed it ſelfe. VVhere ſhall wee finde warrant for this interpretation of Darkeneſſe? And what is this elſe, but that, which the Evangeliſt ſaith in the fourteenth verſe at large? The words became fleſh, and wee ſaw the glory thereof &c. It is vſuall with the ſpirit of GOD in the Scripture, to call man-kinde, fleſh, becauſe the body is one part, whereof they conſiſt: but Darkneſſe it is neuer called; vnleſſe it bee with reſpect to the corruption thereof, which our Sauiour tooke not with our nature. Fulgēt. ad T…aſi. lib. 2.The ſame anſwere may ſatisfie them, who takeing light in the ſame ſenſe, for the diuine nature, make all things elſe darkneſſe; which (ſay they) coulde not taint or defile the light. But where is the word Comprehended euer vſed ſo? Therefore they alſo are deceiued, Ma. bom. 2. de paſe & hom. …. de pentecoſt.that thinke our Euangeliſt by not beeing Comprehended, notes our Sauiours being free from ſinne. The worde hath no ſuch ſignification any where.

Let vsus come to the other meaning of it. by which it ſignifies to vnderstand or attaine to ſomewhat, for our knoweledge, or benefite. The light is Chriſt; the darkneſſe, in the opinion of moſt men, the nature Tatian. orat. ontra gentes.of man corrupted: which (ſaye ſome) doth not ſo comprehend CHRIST, but that ſtill in compariſon of him, it continues darkeneſſe. But the Euangeliſt ſpeakes not of compariſon: neither was it, or coulde it bee lookt for, that men ſhould become equall in knoweledge to the light, that ſhone vponupon them. If they had acknowledged it, and followed the direction of it to ſaluation, they had don as much, as reaſonably coulde bee required at their handes. That is more likely, and yet not the Leontius ad hunc locum.true meaning of the Text, that the Godhead of our Sauiour Chriſt ſhineth in the creatures, though men in their blindneſſe diſcerne it not. But neither can the knowledge of the creatures teach vsus the diſtinction of the perſons, but only the being, power, and wiſedome of the diuine nature; and if it could, yet might wee bee in darkeneſſe, concerning ſalvation, for all that knowledge. It remaines then, that wee take the worde in the ordinary ſignification thereof; and accordingly vnderſtand the Euangeliſt, as if hee had ſaid in plaine tearmes, that our Sauiour Chriſt, by the doctrine of the Goſpell, which hee preached, and by the miracles, which hee daiely wrought, ſhewed himſelfe to bee the light of the world, and the true meanes of ſaluation; but men being blind in their iudgement, and peruerſe in their affections, would not acknowledge him for their Sauiour, that they might come to life by him. And for the meaning of the worde, let that, which hath bin ſaid, ſuffice.

If any man be deſirous to knowe the reaſon, why the holy Ghoſt changeth his maner of ſpeech, and whereas in the next words hee had ſayd Shineth, and not Shined, he now ſaith Comprehended, and not Comprehendeth: hee muſt remember, that in the former clauſe, as wee heard, the generall nature of the light is expreſt, and the particular ſhineing of this ſupernaturall light implied therein. After this manner; the Euangeliſt hauing told vsus, that our Sauiour was the light of men, proceeds to ſhewe what hee did for the inlighting of them, & what they refuſed to doe, that they might bee inlightned: as if hee ſhould hauehave ſaid; The light naturally ſhineth in darkneſſe, and ſo did that light I ſpeake o', but the darkeneſſe woulde not receiue it, to bee inlightned. VVee muſt farder conceiue, that it ſhineth continually, and is ordinarily refuſed of blinde, and ignorant men: but it ſeemes moſt likely, that the Euāgeliſt had ſpecial reſpect to them, that liued in our Sauiors daies, while he was conuerſant vponupon the earth amongſt men; who notably bewrayed their blindneſſe by not deſcerning, and acknowledging ſo cleere a light; whereof if it pleaſe GOD …eereafter in this Chapter more particularly, and largely. Now to the doctrine.

There are 2 things, that diſcouer the blindneſſe and folly of mankind vntounto vsus. The former, that hauing ſo great a conceit of our naturall parts, and ſuch eſpeciall helpes of education, and inſtruction, wee ſhoulde notwithſtanding be vnable to deuiſe, & determin, how we might attaine to the cheefe point of happineſſe, that we are capable of: the later, and more ſhamefull of the 2 is this, that we are ſo full of darkeneſſe, and peruerſeneſſe, that we neither will, nor can learne, what belongs to our felicity, when it is kindely, and plainely taught vsus. The leſiod. & A…ſt. Ethic.heathen were wont to make 2 degrees of wiſedome: the one was, for a man to be able to aduiſe himſelfe, what was beſt, and fitteſt for him; the other, if he could not attaine to that height, yet to follow good counſaile, when it was giuē him. If there were any man, that came ſhort of this later, him they wholly condemn'd of extreame folly. And can we thinke our ſelues wife, yea bragge of our learning, and knowledge, when wee are not able to ſet one foote vponupon this firſt, & loweſt ſtep to wiſdome? Doe we thinke much to be charg'd ſo deepely with ignorance? He, that knowes vsus better, then wee doe our ſelues, hath long ſince giuen this teſtimony of vsus; The naturall man perceiueth, or rather receiueth not the things 1. Cor. 2. 14.of the ſpirit of God. Doſt thou marke, what he ſaith? Hee findes not fault with the ſloweneſſe of thy imagination, that thou canſt not of thy ſelfe, by naturall witte, or learning finde out, what is true happineſſe, and how to attaine vntounto it. but he ſhewes thy dulneſſe, & blindneſs, that thou knoweſt it not, when it is lay'd before thee. I would it were not worſe then ſo. Yes yes: it is a degree lower. Thou canſt neither direct thy ſelfe in the way of life, nor if thou be ſet in it, perceiue when thou art right, nor by any rea on bee perſwaded to acknowledge it, though a man ſhould ſhew thee, which it is.

Nay (ſayth ſome man) you ſhall neuer make mee hauehave ſo all an opinion of my ſelfe. Perhaps indeede, I ſhould hardly hit on that waie, without a guide; becauſe I hauehave not gone it at any time heeretofore: and therefore I grant alſo, that it is poſſible I ſhould not knowe it, when I were in it; but I would not hauehave you thinke me ſo vnreaſonable, that I ſhould refuſe to learn that, whereof I am ignorant. Wel ſayd: I perceiue thou haſt a good conceit of thy ſelfe: and I will not preſſe thee too far in thine owne particular; but rather ſhewe thee thy caſe in an other mans example. And that I may not ſeeme to diſparage thee in thy wit, and iudgement, by any baſe compariſon, let me offer to thy conſideration the whole people of the Iewes; not as they are now in the ſtate of bondage and miſerie, but as they were in that time, when the light we ſpeake of ſhone amongſt them. I will not ſtand to magnifie their excellent parts of nature, and learning: I will ſay nothing of their Scribes and Phariſies; I will not mention their Prieſts, and Leuites: what they were for their imagination, and vnderſtanding, the learned know, the vnlearned may gheſſe by the report of them, that hauehave trade and trafficke with them daily, euen now when their wits are dulled, and their hearts as it were broken, with the continuall ſenſe of their bondage, and miſery Surely there is no great reaſon, why any man ſhoulde thinke ſo highly of himſelfe, or ſo meanely of them, as to preſume of his owne skill, where their iudgement hath fayled them. Eſpecially in a matter of this nature, concerning God, and euerlaſting life; wherein they were extraodinarily inſtructed by him, that only could teach them. Match thy ſelfe with them for ſufficiencie of naturall gifts, equall them in helps of learning: yet certainly thou muſt needes come …ehinde them in that ſupernaturall knowledge, which is gotten by reuelatiō from God, bevond the reach of art, and nature. Let vsus then make one labour of two; and in ſhewing the truth of that, which our Euangeliſt ſayth particularly, touching the Iewes, that they acknowledged not the light, proue withall the generall ignoraunce, and inſufficiency of all men to comprehend that ſecret myſterie. Firſt, that wee may knowe what to looke for afterwarde, the Prophets foretell vsus, how the matter would fall out. Lord (ſayeth Iſay) who hath beleeued our report? or to whome is the Arme of the Lorde reuealed?Iſay. 53. 1.

And in another place, he brings in our Sauiour himſelfe, complaying of the ill ſucceſſe of his miniſtery. I hauehave laboured in vaine, I hauehave ſpent my ſtrength in vaine. & 494.and for nothing. Yea the builders, the great learned men among the Iewes, refuſed the headſtone of the corner, ſaith Pſal. 118. 22.another Prophet. As it was proheſied, ſo it came to paſſe. Let themſelues giuegive euidence. When the Meſſiah was come, and had prooued his calling by many admirable, and glorious miracles, and had offred them ſaluation with all kindneſs, and authoritie, what inſued? Heare them ſpeaking in a Councill. Doth any of the Rulers or the Phariſes beleeue in him? Some of the Ioh. 7. 48.common ſort flockt after him, but the great men, and Rabbins regarded him not: or if any of them had any better conceite of him, then the reſt, hee durſt not be knowne of it; but (as it appeared by Nicodemus) was & 3. 1. 2.glad to ſteale into his company in the darke night. Nay it was not enoughe for them to reiect him, but they perſecuted him, and all that fauoured him, accounting & 7. 49. & 9. 34. & 12. 10. 11. & 19. 12.of them as of men accrſed; caſting them out of their Synagogues, ſeeking to make them away, and accuſing them as enemies to Caeſar, as they beganne to charge Pilat himſelfe, for ſpeaking in his behalfe. Neither ſtayed their malice here, but proceeded without ende, or reſt till they had murdered the Lorde of life, A… 3 14. 15.with all the diſgrace, that poſſibly they could do him. I doe now but point at theſe thinges: which, if it pleaſe God, ſhall hereafter bee handled at large. This may ſuffice; eſpecially the time being paſt, and occaſion of the like diſcourſe offring it ſelfe often times in this Goſpell, to ſhewe with what obſtinate blindneſſe our Sauiour was withſtood, and reiected by the Iewes, and to teach vsus, what intertainement wee are like to giuegive him, if wee bee not other wiſe taught and inclined by his holy ſpirit. To whome with the Father, and the Sonne, one God bee all glorie, &c,

Sermons Upon John 1, Sermon 5

p. 202THE FIFT SERmon, vponupon the firſt Chapter of IOHN.

THE FIFT SERmon, vponupon the firſt Chapter of IOHN.