Fifty Sermons, Sermons · Sermon 36
SERMON XXXVI.
Preached at Saint Pauls upon Christmasse day, 1621.
JOHN 1. 8.
He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witnesse of that Light.
IT is an injury common to all the Evangelists, (as Irenaeus notes) that all their Gospels were severally refused by one Sect of Hereticks or other. But it was proper to Saint Iohn alone, to be refused by a Sect, that admitted all the other three Evangelists, (as Epiphanius remembers) and refused onelyonly Saint Iohn. These were the Alogiani, a limme and branch of the Arians, who being unable to looke upon the glorious Splendour, the divine Glory, attributed by Saint Iohn to this Logos, (which gave them their name of Alogiani) this Word, this Christ, not comprehending this Mystery, That this Word was so with God, as that it was God; they tooke a round way, and often practised, to condemne all that they did not understand, and therefore refuse the whole Gospell. Indeed his whole Gospell is comprehended in the beginning thereof. In this first Chapter is contracted all that which is extensively spred, and dilated through the whole Booke. For here is first, the Foundation of all, the Divinitie of Christ, to the 15. verse. Secondly, the Execution of all, the Offices of Christ, to the 35. verse. And then the Effect, the Working, the Application of all, that is, who were to Preach all this, to the ends of the world, the calling of his Apostles, to the end of the Chapter: for the first, Christs Divinity, there is enough expressed in the very first verse alone: for, there is his Eternitie, intimated in that word, In principio, in the beginning. The first booke of the Bible, Genesis, and the last booke, (that is, that which was last written) this Gospell, begin both with this word, In the beginning. But the last beginning was the first, if Moses beginning doe onelyonly denote the Creation, which was not 6000. yeares since, and Saint Iohns, the Eternity of Christ, which no Millions, multiplied by Millions, can calculate. And then, as his Eternitie, so his distinction of Persons, is also specified in this 1. verse, when the Word, (that is, Christ) is said to have been apud Deum, with God. For, therefore, (saith Saint Basil) did the Holy Ghost rather choose to say apud Deum, then in Deo, with God, then in God, ne auferenda Hypostaseos occasionem daret, lest he should give any occasion of denying the same Nature, in divers Persons; for it doth more clearly notifie a distinction of Persons, to say, he was with him, then to say, he was in him; for the severall Attributes of God, (Mercy and Iustice, and the rest) are in God, and yet they are not distinct Persons. Lastly, there is also expressed in this 1. verse Christs Equality with God, in that it is said, & Verbum erat Deus, and this Word was God. As it was in the beginning, and therefore Eternall, and as it was with God, and therefore a distinct Person, so it was God, and thereforre equall to the Father; which phrase doth so vexe and anguish the Arians, that being disfurnished of all other escapes, they corrupted the place, onelyonly with a false interpunction, and broke of the words, where they admitted no such pause; for, they read it thus, Verbum erat apud Deum; (so far, well) Et Deus erat. There they made their point; and then followed in another sentence: Verbum hoc erat in principio, &c.
The first part then of this Chapter, (and indeed of the whole Gospell) is in that 1. verse the manifestation of his Divine Nature, in his Eternitie, in the distinction of Persons, in the equalitie with the Father. The second part of the Chapter layeth downe the Office of Christ, his Propheticall, his Priestly, his Royall Office. For the first, the Office of a Prophet consisting in three severall exercises, to manifest things past, to foretell things to come, and to expound thing present, Christ declared himself to be a Prophet in all these three: for, for the first, he was not onelyonly a Verball, but an Actuall manifester of former Prophecies, for all the former Prophecies were accomplished in his Person, and in his deeds, and words, in his actions and Passion. For the second, his foretelling of future things, he foretold the state of the Church, to the end of the world. And for the third (declaring of present things) He told the Samaritan woman, Iohn 4. 19.so exquisitely, all her own History, that she gave presently that attestation, Sir, I see that thou art a Prophet: so his Propheticall Office, is plainly laid down. For his second Office, his Priesthood, that is expressed in the 36. verse, Behold the Lambe of God; for, in this, he was our Priest, that he was our Sacrifice; he was our Priest, in that he offered himselfe for our sinnes. Lastly, his Royall Office was the most naturall to him of all the rest. The Office of a Prophet was Naturall to none; none was born a Prophet. Those who are called the children of the Prophets, and the sonnes of the Prophets, are but the Prophets Disciples. Though the Office of Priesthood, by being annexed to one Tribe, may (in some sense) be called Naturall, yet in Christ it could not be so, for he was not of that Tribe of Levi: so that he had no interest in the legall Priesthood, but was a Priest according to the Order of Melchisedec. But his Title to be King, was naturall, by descent, he was of the bloud Royall, and the nearest in succession; so that he, and onelyonly he, had, De Iure, all the three unctions upon him. David had two; he was both a Prophet, and a King; he had those two capacities; Melchisedec had two too; he was both a King and a Priest; he had two: OnelyOnly Christ had all three, both a Prophet, and Priest, and King.
In the third part of the Chapter, which is the calling of foure of his Apostles, we may observe that the first was called, was not Peter, but Andrew; that there might be laid at first some interruption, some stop to their zealous fury, who will still force, and heap up every action which any way concerns Saint Peter, to the building up of his imaginary primacy, which primacy, they cared not though Peter wanted, if they could convey that primacy to his Successor, by any other Title; for which Successours sake it is, and not for Saint Peters own, that they are so over diligent in advancing his prerogative. But, it was not Peter, that was called, but Andrew. In Andrews present and earnest application of himself to Christ, we may note, (and onelyonly so) divers particulars, fit for use and imitation. In his first question, Master, where dwellest thou? there is not onelyonly, (as Cyrill observes) a reverent ascribing to him a power of instructing in that compellation, Master, but a desire to have more time afforded to hearken to his instructions, Where dwellest thou, that I may dwell with thee? And as soon as ever he had taken in some good portion of knowledge himselfe, he conceives presently a desire to communicate his happinesse with others; and he seeks his brother Peter, and tells him, Invenimus Messiam, we have found the Messias; which is, (as Saint Chrysostome notes) vox quaerentis: In this, that he rejoyces in the finding of him, he testifies that he had sought him, and that he had continued in the expectation of a Messias before. Invenit Messiam, he had found the Messias; but, saith the Text, Duxit ad Iesum, he brought his brother the glorious newes of having found a King, the King of the Jewes, but he led him to Iesus, to a Saviour; that so, all kinds of happinesse, temporall and spirituall, might be intimated in this discovery of a King, and of a Saviour; What may not his servants hope for at his hands, who is both those, a King and a Saviour, and hath worldly preferments, and the Glory of Heaven in his power?
Now, though the words of this Text, (He was not that light, but was sent to beare witnesse of that light) are placed in the first part of the Chapter, that which concernes Christs Divine nature, yet they belong, and they have a respect to all three; To his Divine nature, to his Offices, and to his Calling of his Apostles: For, first, light denotes his Divine nature; secondly, the testimony that is given of him by Iohn Baptist, (of whom the words of our Text are spoken) declares him to be the Messias, and Messias, (which signifies anointed) involves all his Offices, are his three Offices, are his three vocations; and thirdly, the Application of this testimony, given by Iohn Baptist here, by the Apostles and their Successors after, intimates or brings to our memory this their first vocation, in this Chapter. So that the Gospel of Saint Iohn containes all Divinity, this Chapter all the Gospell, and this Text all the Chapter. Therefore it is too large to goe through at this time; at this time we shall insist upon such branches as arise out of that consideration, what, and who this light is, (for, we shall finde it to be both a personall light, (it is some body) and, otherwise too, a reall light, (it is some thing) therefore we inquire, what, this light is, (what thing) and who this light is, (what person) which Iohn Baptist is denied to be. Hereafter we shall consider, the Testimony which is given of this light; in which part in due time, we shall handle, the person of the witnesse Iohn Baptist, in whom we shall finde many considerable, and extraordinary circumstances: and then, his Citation, and calling to this testimony; and thirdly, the testimony it selfe that he gave: and lastly, why any testimony was requisite to so evident a thing as light. But the first part, who, and what this light is, belongs most properly to this day, and will fill that portion of the day, which is afforded us for this exercise. Proceed we therefore to that, Iohn Baptist was not that light, who was, what was?
Though most expositors,1 Part. as well ancient, as modern agree with one generall, and unanime consent,Quis lux. that light in this verse is intended and meant of Christ, Christ is this light, yet in some precedent and subsequent passages in this Chapter, I see other senses have been admitted of this word, light, then perchance those places will beare; certainly other then those places need: particularly, in the fourth verse (In it was life, and that life was the light of men) there they understand life, to be nothing but this naturall life which we breath, and light to be onelyonly that naturall life, naturall reason, which distinguishes us men, from other creatures. Now, it is true that they may have a pretence for some ground of this interpretation in antiquity it selfe, for, so says Saint Cyrill, Filius Dei Creativè illuminat, Christ doth enlighten us, in creating us. And so some others of the Fathers, and some of the Schooles, understand by that light naturall Reason, and that life, conservation in life. But this interpretation seemes to me subject to both these dangers, that it goes so farre, and yet reaches not home. So far, in wresting in divers senses into a word, which needs but one, and is of it selfe cleare enough, that is light, and yet reaches not home, for it reaches not to the essentiall light, which is Christ Iesus, nor to the supernaturall light, which is Faith and Grace, which seemes to have been the Evangelists principall scope, to declare the comming of Christ, (who is the essentiall light) and his purpose in comming, to raise and establish a Church, by Faith and Grace, which is the supernaturall light: For, as the holy Ghost himselfe interprets life to be meant of Christ,1 Ioh. 5. 12. (He that hath the Sonne hath life) so we may justly doe of light too, he that sees the Sonne, the Sonne of God hath light. For, light is never, (to my remembrance) found in any place of the Scripture, where it must necessarily signifie the light of nature, naturall reason; but wheresoever it is transferred from the naturall to a figurative sense, it takes a higher signification then that; either it signifies Essentiall light, Christ Jesus, (which answers our first question, Quis lux, who is this light, it is Christ, personally) or it signifies the supernaturall light of Faith and Grace, (which answers our second question, Quid lux, what is this light, for it is the working of Christ, by his Spirit, in his Church, in the infusion of Faith and Grace, for beliefe, and manners) And therefore though it be ever lawfull, and often times very usefull, for the raising and exaltation of our devotion, and to present the plenty, and abundance of the holy Ghost in the Scriptures, who satisfies us as with marrow, and with fatnesse, to induce the diverse senses that the Scriptures doe admit, yet this may not be admitted, if there may be danger thereby, to neglect or weaken the literall sense it selfe. For there is no necessity of that spirituall wantonnesse of finding more then necessary senses; for, the more lights there are, the more shadows are also cast by those many lights. And, as it is true in religious duties, so is it in interpretation of matters of Religion, Necessarium & Satis convertuntur; when you have done that you ought to doe in your calling, you have done enough; there are no such Evangelicall counsailes, as should raise workes of supererogation, more then you are bound to doe, so when you have the necessary sense, that is the meaning of the holy Ghost in that place, you have senses enow, and not till then, though you have never so many, and never so delightfull.
Light therefore,Illa lux. is in all this Chapter fitliest understood of Christ; who is noted here, with that distinctive article, Illa lux, that light. For, non sic dicitur lux, sicut lapis; Christ is not so called Light, Augustin.as he is called a Rock, or a Cornerstone; not by a metaphore, but truly, and properly. It is true that the Apostles are said to be light, and that with an article, the light; but yet with a limitation and restriction, Mat. 5.the light of the world, that is, set up to convey light to the world. It is true that Iohn Baptist himselfe was called light, and with large additions, Lucerna ardens, a burning, Ioh. 5.and a shining lampe, to denote both his owne burning zeale, and the communicating of this his light to others. It is true,Ephe. 5. that all the faithfull are said to be light in the Lord; but all this is but to signifie that they had been in darknesse before; they had been beclouded, but were now illustrated; they were light, but light by reflexion, by illustration of a greater light. And as in the first creation, vesper & mane dies unus, The evening and the morning made the day, evening before morning, darknesse before light, so in our regeneration, when wee are made new Creatures, the Spirit of God findes us in naturall darknesse, and by him we are made light in the Lord. But Christ himselfe, and hee onelyonly, is Illa lux, vera lux; that light, the true light. Not so opposed to those other lights, as though the Apostles, or Iohn Baptist, or the faithfull, who are called lights, were false lights; but that they were weake lights. But Christ was fons lucis, the fountaine of all their light; light so, as no body else was so; so, as that hee was nothing but light. Now, neither the Apostles, nor Iohn Baptist, nor the Elect, no nor the virgin Mary (though wee should allow all that the Roman Church aske in her behalfe) for the Roman Church is not yet come to that searednesse, that obduratenesse, that impudency, as to pronounce that the virgin Mary was without originall sinne, (though they have done many shrewd acts towards it, to the prejudice of the contrary opinion) yet none of these were so light, as they were nothing but light. Moses himselfe who received and delivered the law, was not so; and to intimate so much, there was an illustration, and irradiation upon his face, but not so of all his body. Nay, Christ Iesus himselfe, who fulfilled the law, as man, was not so; which he also intimated in the greatest degree of glorification which he accepted upon earth, which was his transfiguration, for, though it be said in that, That the fashion of his Countenance was changed, and his garment was white, and glistered, Luke …. 27.yet, lineamenta Petro agnoscibilia servavit, Tertull.hee kept that former proportion of body, that Peter could know him by it. So that this was not a glorifying of the body, and making it thorough light; but hee suffered his Divine nature to appeare and shine thorough his flesh, and not to swallow, or annihilate that flesh. All other men, by occasion of this flesh, have darke clouds, yea nights, yea long and frozen winter nights of sinne, and of the works of darknesse. Christ was incapable of any such nights, or any such clouds, any approaches towards sinne; but yet Christ admitted some shadowes, some such degrees of humane infirmity, as by them, he was willing to show, that the nature of man, in the best perfection thereof, is not vera lux, tota lux, true light, all light, which he declared in that Si possible, and that Transeat calix, If it hee possible, let this cup passe; words,Mat. 26. 39. to which himselfe was pleased to allow so much of a retractation, and a correction, Veruntamen, yet Father, whatsoever the sadnesse of my soule have made mee say, yet, not my will but thine be done; not mine, but thine; so that they were not altogether, all one; humane infirmity made some difference. So that no one man, not Christ, (considered but so as man) was tota lux, all light, no cloud. No not mankinde, consider it collectively, can bee light so, as that there shall bee no darknesse. It was not so, when all mankind was in one person, in Adam. It is said sometimes in School, that no man can keep the commandements, yet man, collectively, may keep them. They intend no more herein, but that some one man may abstaine from doing any act against worshipping of Images, another from stealing, another from adultery, and others from others. But if it were possible to compose a man of such elements, as that the principallest vertues, and eminencies of all other men, should enter into his composition, and if there could bee found a man, as perfect in all particular vertues, as Moses was in meeknesse,Numb.12. (who was a meeke man, above all the men that were upon the earth) yet this man would not bee vera lux, tota lux, true light, all light. Moses was not so meeke, but that hee slew the Egyptian, nor so meek, but that hee disputed and expostulated with God many times, passionately. Every man is so far from beeing tota lux, all light, as that he hath still within him, a darke vapor of orginall sinne, and the cloud of humane flesh without him.
Nay not onelyonly no man, (for so we may consider him in the whole course of his life) but noone act, of the most perfect, and religious man in the world, though that act employ but halfe a minute in the doing thereof, can bee vera lux, true light, all light, so perfect light, as that it may serve another, or thy selfe, for a lanthorne to his, or thy feet, or a light to his, or thy steps, so that hee or thou may thinke it enough to doe so still. For, another man may doe so good works, as it may justly work to thy shame, and confusion, and to the aggravating of thy condemnation, that thou livest not as well as hee, yet, it would not perchance serve thy turne, to live but so well; for, to whom God gives more, of him he requires more. No man hath veram lucem, true light, thorough light; no man hath meridiem, Augem, that high point that casts no shadow, because, besides originall sinne, that ever smoakes up, and creates a foote in the soule, and besides naturall infirmities, which become sinnes, when wee consider Grace, no man does carry his good actions to that heighth as, by that grace, which God affords him, hee might doe. Slacker men have a declination even in their mornings; a West even in their East; coolings, and faintnesses and after-noones, as soon as they have any dawnings, any breake of day, any inchoation of any spirituall action or purpose. Others have some farther growth, and increasing, and are more diligent in the observation of spirituall duties; but yet they have not their meridiem, their Augem, their noon, their south point, no such heighth, as that they might not have a higher, by that grace which they have received. In the best degree of our best actions, particularly in this service, which wee doe to God at this houre, if we brought with us hither a religious purpose to sanctifie this festivall, if wee answer to the callings of his most blessed Spirit, whilest wee are here, if wee carry away a detestation of our sinnes, and a holy purpose of amendment of life, this is a good degree of proficiency, and God bee blessed, if any of us all arrive to that degree; but yet, this is not vera lux, true light, all light; for, who amongst us can avoid the testimony of his conscience, that since he begun this present service to God, his thoughts have not strayed upon pleasures and vanities or profit, and leapt the walls of this Church, yea, perchance within the walls of this flesh, which should bee the Temple of the holy Ghost? Besides, to become vera lux, tota lux, true light, thorough light, requires persebrrance to the end. So that till our naturall light goe out, wee cannot say that wee have this light; for, as the darknesse of hell fire is, so this light of this heavenly fire, must bee everlasting. If ever it go cleane out, it was never throughly kindled, but kindled to our farther damnation; it was never vera lux, true light, for, as one office of the law is, but to show sinne, so all the light of grace may end in this, to show me my desperate estate, from the abuse of grace. In all Philosophy there is not so darke a thing as light; As the sunne, which is fons lucis naturalis, the beginning of naturall light, is the most evident thing to bee seen, and yet the hardest to be looked upon, so is naturall light to our reason and understanding. Nothing clearer, for it is clearnesse it selfe, nothing darker, it is enwrapped in so many scruples. Nothing nearer, for it is round about us, nothing more remote, for wee know neither entrance, nor limits of it. Nothing more easie, for a child discerns it, nothing more hard, for no man understands it. It is apprehensible by sense, and not comprehensible by reason. If wee winke, wee cannot chuse but see it, if we stare, wee know it never the better. No man is yet got so neare to the knowledge of the qualities of light, as to know whether light it selfe be a quality, or a substance. If then this naturall light be so darke to our naturall reason, if wee shall offer to pierce so far, into the light of this text, the Essentiall light Christ Iesus, (in his nature, or but in his offices) or the supernaturall light of faith and grace, (how far faith may be had, and yet lost, and how far the freewill of man may concur and cooperate with grace, and yet still remaine nothing in it selfe) if wee search farther into these points, then the Scripture hath opened us a way, how shall wee hope to unentangle, or extricate our selves? They had a precious composition for lamps, amongst the ancients, reserved especially for Tombes, which kept light for many hundreds of yeares; we have had in our age experience, in some casuall openings of ancient vaults, of finding such lights, as were kindled, (as appeared by their inscriptions) fifteen or sixteen hundred years before; but, as soon as that light comes to our light, it vanishes. So this eternall, and this supernaturall light, Christ and faith, enlightens, warmes, purges, and does all the profitable offices of fire, and light, if we keep it in the right spheare, in the proper place, (that is, if wee consist in points necessary to salvation, and revealed in the Scripture) but when wee bring this light to the common light of reason, to our inferences, and consequencies, it may be in danger to vanish it selfe, and perchance extinguish our reason too; we may search so far, and reason so long of faith and grace, as that we may lose not onelyonly them, but even our reason too, and sooner become mad then good. Not that we are bound to believe any thing against reason, that is, to believe, we know not why. It is but a slacke opinion, it is not Beliefe, that is not grounded upon reason. He that should come to a Heathen man, a meere naturall man, uncatechized, uninstructed in the rudiments of the Christian Religion, and should at first, without any preparation, present him first with this necessitie; Thou shalt burn in fire and brimstone eternally, except thou believe a Trinitie of Persons, in an unitie of one God, Except thou believe the Incarnation of the second Person of the Trinitie, the Sonne of God, Except thou believe that a Virgine had a Soone, and the same Sonne that God had, and that God was Man too, and being the immortall God, yet died, he should be so farre from working any spirituall cure upon this poore soule, as that he should rather bring Christian Mysteries into scorne, then him to a beliefe. For, that man, if you proceed so, Believe all, or you burne in Hell, would finde an easie, an obvious way to escape all; that is, first not to believe Hell it selfe, and then nothing could binde him to believe the rest.
The reason therefore of Man, must first be satisfied; but the way of such satisfaction must be this, to make him see, That this World, a frame of so much harmony, so much concinnitie and conveniencie, and such a correspondence, and subordination in the parts thereof, must necessarily have had a workeman, for nothing can make it selfe: That no such workeman would deliver over a frame, and worke, of so much Majestie, to be governed by Fortune, casually, but would still retain the Administration thereof in his owne hands: That if he doe so, if he made the World, and sustaine it still by his watchfull Providence, there belongeth a worship and service to him, for doing so: That therefore he hath certainly revealed to man, what kinde of worship, and service, shall be acceptable to him: That this manifestation of his Will, must be permanent, it must be written, there must be a Scripture, which is his Word and his Will: And that therefore, from that Scripture, from that Word of God, all Articles of our Beliefe are to bee drawne.
If then his Reason confessing all this, aske farther proofe, how he shall know that these Scriptures accepted by the Christian Church, are the true Scriptures, let him bring any other Booke which pretendeth to be the Word of God, into comparison with these; It is true, we have not a Demonstration; not such an Evidence as that one and two, are three, to prove these to be Scriptures of God; God hath not proceeded in that manner, to drive our Reason into a pound, and to force it by a peremptory necessitie to accept these for Scriptures, for then, here had been no exercise of our Will, and our assent, if we could not have resisted. But yet these Scriptures have so orderly, so sweet, and so powerfull a working upon the reason, and the understanding, as if any third man, who were utterly discharged of all preconceptions and anticipations in matter of Religion, one who were altogether neutrall, disinteressed, unconcerned in either party, nothing towards a Turke, and as little toward a Christian, should heare a Christian pleade for his Bible, and a Turke for his Alcoran, and should weigh the evidence of both; the Majesty of the Style, the punctuall accomplishment of the Prophecies, the harmony and concurrence of the foure Evangelists, the consent and unanimity of the Christian Church ever since, and many other such reasons, he would be drawne to such an Historicall, such a Grammaticall, such a Logicall beliefe of our Bible, as to preferre it before any other, that could be pretended to be the Word of God. He would believe it, and he would know why he did so. For let no man thinke that God hath given him so much ease here, as to save him by believing he knoweth not what, or why. Knowledge cannot save us, but we cannot be saved without Knowledge; Faith is not on this side Knowledge, but beyond it; we must necessarily come to Knowledge first, though we must not stay at it, when we are come thither. For, a regenerate Christian, being now a new Creature, hath also a new facultie of Reason: and so believeth the Mysteries of Religion, out of another Reason, then as a meere naturall Man, he believed naturall and morall things. He believeth them for their own sake, by Faith though he take Knowledge of them before, by that common Reason, and by those humane Arguments, which worke upon other men, in naturall or morall things. Divers men may walke by the Sea side, and the same beames of the Sunne giving light to them all, one gathereth by the benefit of that light pebles, or speckled shells, for curious vanitie, and another gathers precious Pearle, or medicinall Ambar, by the same light. So the common light of reason illumins us all; but one imployes this light upon the searching of impertinent vanities, another by a better use of the same light, finds out the Mysteries of Religion; and when he hath found them, loves them, not for the lights sake, but for the naturall and true worth of the thing it self. Some men by the benefit of this light of Reason, have found out things profitable and usefull to the whole world; As in particular, Printing, by which the learning of the whole world is communicacable to one another, and our minds and our inventions, our wits and compositions may trade and have commerce together, and we may participate of one anothers understandings, as well as of our Clothes, and Wines, and Oyles, and other Merchandize: So by the benefit of this light of reason, they have found out Artillery, by which warres come to quicker ends then heretofore, and the great expence of bloud is avoyded: for the numbers of men slain now, since the invention of Artillery, are much lesse then before, when the sword was the executioner. Others, by the benefit of this light have searched and found the secret corners of gaine, and profit, wheresoever they lie. They have found wherein the weakenesse of another man consisteth, and made their profit of that, by circumventing him in a bargain: They have found his riotous, and wastefull inclination, and they have fed and fomented that disorder, and kept open that leake, to their advantage, and the others ruine. They have found where was the easiest, and most accessible way, to sollicite the Chastitie of a woman, whether Discourse, Musicke, or Presents, and according to that discovery, they have pursued hers, and their own eternall destruction. By the benefit of this light, men see through the darkest, and most impervious places, that are, that is, Courts of Princes, and the greatest Officers in Courts; and can submit themselves to second, and to advance the humours of men in great place, and so make their profit of the weakenesses which they have discovered in these great men. All the wayes, both of Wisdome, and of Craft lie open to this light, this light of naturall reason: But when they have gone all these wayes by the benefit of this light, they have got no further, then to have walked by a tempestuous Sea, and to have gathered pebles, and speckled cockle shells. Their light seems to be great out of the same reason, that a Torch in a misty night, seemeth greater then in a clear, because it hath kindled and inflamed much thicke and grosse Ayre round about it. So the light and wisedome of worldly men, seemeth great, because he hath kindled an admiration, or an applause in Aiery flatterers, not because it is so in deed.
But, if thou canst take this light of reason that is in thee, this poore snuffe, that is almost out in thee, thy saint and dimme knowledge of God, that riseth out of this light of nature, if thou canst in those embers, those cold ashes, finde out one small coale, and wilt take the paines to kneell downe, and blow that coale with thy devout Prayers, and light thee a little candle, (a desire to read that Booke, which they call the Scriptures, and the Gospell, and the Word of God;) If with that little candle thou canst creep humbly into low and poore places, if thou canst finde thy Saviour in a Manger, and in his swathing clouts, in his humiliation, and blesse God for that beginning, if thou canst finde him flying into Egypt, and finde in thy selfe a disposition to accompany him in a persecution, in a banishment, if not a bodily banishment, a locall banishment, yet a reall, a spirituall banishment, a banishment from those sinnes, and that sinnefull conversation, which thou hast loved more then thy Parents, or Countrey, or thine owne body, which perchance thou hast consumed, and destroyed with that sinne; if thou canst finde him contenting and containing himselfe at home in his fathers house, and not breaking out, no not about the worke of our salvation, till the due time was come, when it was to be done. And if according to that example, thou canst contain thy selfe in that station and vocation in which God hath planted thee, and not, through a hasty and precipitate zeale, breake out to an imaginary, and intempestive, and unseasonable Reformation, either in Civill or Ecclesiasticall businesse, which belong not to thee; if with this little poore light, these first degrees of Knowledge and Faith, thou canst follow him into the Garden, and gather up some of the droppes of his precious Bloud and sweat, which he shed for thy soule, if thou canst follow him to Ierusalem, and pick up some of those teares, which he shed upon that City, and upon thy soule; if thou canst follow him to the place of his scourging, and to his crucifying, and provide thee some of that balme, which must cure thy soule; if after all this, thou canst turne this little light inward, and canst thereby discerne where thy diseases, and thy wounds, and thy corruptions are, and canst apply those teares, and blood and balme to them, (all this is, That if thou attend the light of naturall reason, and cherish that, and exalt that, so that that bring thee to a love of the Scriptures, and that love to a beleefe of the truth thereof, and that historicall faith to a faith of application, of appropriation, that as all those things were certainly done, so they were certainly done for thee) thou shalt never envy the lustre and glory of the great lights of worldly men, which are great by the infirmity of others, or by their own opinion, great because others think them great, or because they think themselves so, but thou shalt finde, that howsoever they magnifie their lights, their wit, their learning,Habak 1. their industry, their fortune, their favour, and sacrifice to their owne nets, yet thou shalt see, that thou by thy small light hast gathered Pearle and Amber, and they by their great lights nothing but shels and pebles; they have determined the light of nature, upon the booke of nature, this world, and thou hast carried the light of nature higher, thy naturall reason, and even humane arguments, have brought thee to reade the Scriptures, and to that love, God hath set to the seale of faith. Their light shall set at noone; even in their heighth, some heavy crosse shall cast a damp upon their soule, and cut off all their succours, and devest them of all comforts, and thy light shall grow up, from a faire hope, to a modest assurance and infallibility, that that light shall never go out, nor the works of darknesse, nor the Prince of darknesse ever prevaile upon thee, but as thy light of reason is exalted by faith here, so thy light of faith shall be exalted into the light of glory, and fruition in the Kingdome of heaven. Before the sunne was made, there was a light which did that office of distinguishing night and day; but when the sunne was created, that did all the offices of the former light, and more… Reason is that first, and primogeniall light, and goes no farther in a naturall man; but in a man regenerate by faith, that light does all that reason did, and more; and all his Morall, and Civill, and Domestique, and indifferent actions, (though they be never done without Reason) yet their principall scope, and marke is the glory of God, and though they seeme but Morall, or Civill, or domestique, yet they have a deeper tincture, a heavenly nature, a relation to God, in them.
The light in our Text then, is essentially and personally Christ himself, from him flowes the supernaturall light of faith and grace, here also intended; and because this light of faith, and grace flowing from that fountaine of light Christ Jesus, works upon the light of nature, and reason, it may conduce to the raising of your devotions, if we do (without any long insisting upon the severall parts thereof) present to you some of those many and divers lights, which are in this world, and admit an application to this light in our Text, the essentiall light, Christ Iesus; and the supernaturall light, faith and grace.
Of these lights we shall consider some few couples; and the first payre, Lux Essentiae, Lux Essentiae.and Lux Gloriae, the light of the Essence of God, and the light of the glory of his Saints. And though the first of these, be that essentiall light, by which we shall see God face to face, as he is, and the effluence and emanation of beams, from the face of God, which make that place Heaven, of which light it is said, That God who onelyonly hath Immortality, 1Tim. 6. 16.dwels in luce inaccessibili, in the light that none can attaine to, yet by the light of faith, and grace in sanctification, we may come to such a participation of that light of Essence, or such a reflection of it in this world, that it shall be true of us, which was said of those Ephesians,5. 8. You were once darknesse, but now are light in the Lord; he does not say enlightned, Phil. 2. 20.nor lightsome, but light it self, light essentially, for our conversation is in heaven; Ezek 16. 10.And as God sayes of Ierusalem, and his blessings here in this world, Calceavit Ianthino, I have shod thee, with Badgers skinne, (some translate it) (which the Antients take for some precious stuffe) that is, I have enabled thee to tread upon all the most estimable things of this world, (for as the Church it self is presented, so every true member of the Church is endowed,Apo 12. 1. Luna sub pedibus, the Moone, and all under the Moone is under our feet, we tread upon this world, even when we are trodden upon in it) so the precieus promises of Christ, 2 Pet. 1. 4.make us partakers of the Divine Nature, and the light of faith,1 Cor. 6. 17. makes us the same Spirit with the Lord; And this is our participation of the light of essence, in this life. The next is the light of glory.
This is that Glorification Lux Gloriae.which we shall have at the last day, of which glory, we consider a great part to be in that Denudation, that manifestation of all to all; as, in this world, a great part of our inglorious servitude is in those disguises, and palliations, those colours, and pretences of publique good, with which men of power and authority apparell their oppressions of the poore; In this are we the more miserable, that we cannot see their ends, that there is none of this denudation, this laying open of ourselves to one another, which shall accompany that state of glory, where we shall see one anothers bodies, and soules, actions and thoughts. And therefore, as if this place were now that Tribunall of Christ Jesus, and this that day of Judgement, and denudation, we must be here, as we shall be there, content to stand naked before him; content that there be a discovery, a revealing, a manifestation of all our sinnes, wrought upon us, at least to our owne consciences, though not to the congregation; If we will have glory, we must have this denudation. We must not be glad, when our sins scape the Preacher. We must not say, (as though there were a comfort in that) though he have hit such a mans Adultery, and anothers Ambition, and anothers extortion, yet, for all his diligence, he hath missed my sinne; for, if thou wouldest faine have it mist, thou wouldest faine hold it still. And then, why camest thou hither? What camest thou for to Church, or to the Sacrament? Why doest thou delude God, with this complementall visit, to come to his house, if thou bring not with thee, a disposition to his honour, and his service? Camest thou onelyonly to try whether God knew thy sinne, and could tell thee of it, by the Preacher? Alas, he knowes it infallibly; And, if he take no knowledge of his knowing it, to thy conscience, by the words of the Preacher, thy state is the more desperate. God sends us to preach forgivenesse of sinnes; where wee finde no sinne, we have no Commission to execute; How shall we finde your sinnes? In the old sacrifices of the law, the Priest did not fetch the sacrifice from the herd, but he received it from him that brought it, and so sacrificed it for him. Doe thou therefore prevent the Preacher; Accuse thyselfe before he accuse thee; offer up thy sinne thy selfe; Bring it to the top of thy memory, and thy conscience, that he finding it there, may sacrifice it for thee; Tune the instrument, and it is the fitter for his hand. Remember thou thine own sins, first and then every word that fals from the preachers lipsshall be a drop of the dew of heaven, a dram of the balme of Gilead, a portion of the bloud of thy Saviour, to wash away that sinne, so presented by thee to be so sacrificed by him; for, if thou onelyonly of all the congregation finde that the preacher hath not touched thee, nor hit thy sinnes, know then, that thou wast not in his Commission for the Remission of sinnes, and be afraid, that thy conscience is either gangrend, and unsensible of all incisions, and cauterizations, that can be made by denouncing the Iudgements of God, (which is as far as the preacher can goe) or that thy whole constitution, thy complexion, thy composition is sinne; the preacher cannot hit thy particular sinne, because thy whole life, and the whole body of thy actions is one continuall sin. As long as a man is alive, if there appeare any offence in his breath, the physician will assigne it to some one corrupt place, his lungs, or teeth, or stomach, and thereupon apply convenient remedy thereunto. But if he be dead, and putrefied, no man askes from whence that ill aire and offence comes, because it proceeds from thy whole carcasse. So, as long as there is in you a sense of your sinnes, as long as we can touch the offended and wounded part, and be felt by you, you are not desperate, though you be froward, and impatient of our increpations. But when you feele nothing, whatsoever wee say, your soule is in an Hectique fever, where the distemper is not in any one humor, but in the whole substance; nay, your soule it selfe is become a carcasse. This then is our first couple of these lights, by our Conversation in heaven here, (that is, a watchfulnesse, that we fall not into sinne) we have lucem essentiae, possession and fruition of heaven, and of the light of Gods presence; and then, if we doe, by infirmity, fall into sinne, yet, by this denudation of our soules, this manifestation of our sinnes to God by confession, and to that purpose, a gladnesse when we heare our sinne spoken of by the preacher, we have lumen gloriae, an inchoation of our glorified estate; and then, an other couple of these lights, which we propose to be considered, is lumen fidei, and lumen naturae, the light of faith, and the light of nature.
Of these two lights,Lux fidei. Faith and Grace, first, and then Nature and Reason, we said something before, but never too much, be cause contentious spirits have cast such clouds upon both these lights, that some have said, Nature doth all alone, and others, that Nature hath nothing to do at all, but all is Grace: we decline wranglings, that tend not to edification, we say onelyonly to our present purpose, (which is the operation of these severall couples of lights) that by this light of Faith, to him which hath it, all that is involved in Prophecies, is clear, and evident, as in a History already done; and all that is wrapped up in promises, is his own already in performance. That man needs not goe so high,Gen. 3. 15. for his assurance of a Messias and Redeemer, as to the first promise made to him in Adam, 12 3.nor for the limitation of the stock and race from whence this Messias should come: so far as to the renewing of this promise in Abraham: nor for the description of this Messias who he should be,Esay …. 14. and of whom he should be born, as to Esaias; nor to Micheas, for the place; Mich. 5. 2.nor for the time when he should accomplish all this, so far as to Daniel; no,Dan. 9. 24. nor so far, as to the Evangelists themselves, for the History and the evidence, that all this that was to be done in his behalf by the Messias, was done 1600. yeares since. But he hath a whole Bible, and an abundant Library in his own heart, and there by this light of Faith, (which is not onelyonly a knowing, but an applying, an appropriating of all to thy benefit) he hath a better knowledge then all this, then either Propheticall, or Evangelicall; for though both these be irrefragable, and infallible proofs of a Messias, (the Propheticall, that he should, the Evangelicall, that he is come) yet both these might but concern others: this light of Faith brings him home to thee. How sure so ever I be, that the world shall never perish by water, yet I may be drowned; and how sure so ever that the Lamb of God hath taken away the sinnes of the world, I may perish, without I have this applicatory Faith. And as he needs not looke back to Esay, nor Abraham, nor Adam, for the Messias, so neither needs he to looke forward. He needs not stay in expectation of the Angels Trumpets, to awaken the dead; he is not put to his usquequo Domine, How long, Lord, wilt thou defer our restitution? but he hath already died the death of the righteous; which is, to die to sinne; He hath already had his buriall, by being buried with Christ in Baptisme, he hath had his Resurrection from sinne, his Ascension to holy purposes of amendment of life, and his Iudgement, that is, peace of Conscience, sealed unto him, and so by this light of applying Faith, he hath already apprehended an eternall possession of Gods eternall Kingdome. And the other light in this second couple is Lux naturae, the light of Nature.
This,Lux Naturae. though a fainter light, directs us to the other, Nature to Faith: and as by the quantitie in the light of the Moone, we know the position and distance of the Sunne, how far, or how neare the Sunne is to her, so by the working of the light of Nature in us, we may discern, (by the measure and virtue and heat of that) how near to the other greater light, the light of Faith, we stand. If we finde our naturall faculties rectified, so as that that free will which we have in Morall and Civill actions, be bent upon the externall duties of Religion, (as every naturall man may, out of the use of that free will, come to Church, heare the Word preached, and believe it to be true) we may be sure, the other greater light is about us. If we be cold in them, in actuating, in exalting, in using our naturall faculties so farre, we shall be deprived of all light; we shall not see the Invisible God,Rom. 1. 20. in visible things, which Saint Paul makes so inexcusable, so unpardonable a thing, we shall not see the hand of God in all our worldly crosses, nor the seal of God in all our worldly blessings; we shall not see the face of God in his House, his presence here in the Church, nor the mind of God in his Gospell, that his gracious purposes upon mankinde, extend so particularly, or reach so far, as to include us. I shall heare in the Scripture his Vinite omnes, come all, and yet I shall thinke that… his eye was not upon me, that his eye did not becken me and I shall heare the Deus vult omnes salves, that God would save all, and yet I shall finde some perverse reason in my selfe, why it is not likely that God will save me. I am commanded scrutari Scripturas, to search the scriptures; now, that is not to be able to repeat any history of the Bible without booke, it is not to ruffle a Bible, and upon any word to turne to the Chapter, and to the verse; but this is exquisit a scrutatio, the true searching of the Scriptures, to finde all the histories to be examples to me, all the prophecies to induce a Saviour for me, all the Gospell to apply Christ Jesus to me. Turne over all the folds, and plaits of thine owne heart, and finde there the infirmities, and waverings of thine owne faith, and an ability to say, Lord, I beleeve, help mine unbeleefe, and then, though thou have no Bible in thy hand, or though thou stand in a dark corner, nay though thou canst not reade a letter, thou hast searched that Scripture, thou hast turned to Marke 9. ver. 24 Turne thine eare to God, and heare him turning to thee, and saying to thy soule, I will marry thee to my selfe for ever; and thou hast searched that Scripture, and turned to Hos. 2. ver. 19. Turne to thine owne histery, thine owne life, and if thou canst reade there, that thou hast endeavoured to turne thine ignorance into knowledge, and thy knowledge into Practice, if thou finde thy selfe to be an example of that rule of Christs, If you know these things, blessed are you, if you do them, then thou hast searched that Scripture, and turned to Io. 13. ver. 14. This is Scrutari Scripturas, to Search the Scriptures, not as though thou wouldest make a concordance, but an application; as thou wouldest search a wardrobe, not to make an Inventory of it, but to finde in it something fit for thy wearing. Iohn Baptist was not the light, he was not Christ, but he bore witnesse of him. The light of faith, in the highest exaltation that can be had, in the Elect, here, is not that very beatificall vision, which we shall have in heaven, but it beares witnesse of that light. The light of nature, in the highest exaltation is not faith, but it beares witnesse of it. The lights of faith, and of nature, are subordinate Iohn Baptists: faith beares me witnesse, that I have Christ, and the light of nature, that is, the exalting of my naturall faculties towards religious uses, beares me witnesse, that I have faith. OnelyOnly that man, whose conscience testifies to himself, and whose actions testifie to the world, that he does what he can, can beleeve himself, or be beleeved by others, that he hath the true light of faith.
And therefore,1 Thes. 5. 19. as the Apostle saith, Quench not the Spirit, I say too, Quench not the light of Nature, suffer not that light to goe out; study your naturall faculties; husband and improve them, and love the outward acts of Religion, though an Hypocrite, and though a naturall man may doe them. Certainly he that loves not the Militant Church, hath but a faint faith in his interest in the Triumphant. He that cares not though the materiall Church fall, I am afraid is falling from the spirituall. For, can a man be sure to have his money, or his plate, if his house be burnt? or to preserve his faith, if the outward exercises of Religion faile? He that undervalues outward things, in the religious service of God, though he begin at ceremoniall and rituall things, will come quickly to call Sacraments but outward things, and Sermons, and publique prayers, but outward things, in contempt. As some Platonique Philosophers, did so over-refine Religion, and devotion, as to say, that nothing but the first thoughts and ebullitions of a devout heart, were fit to serve God in. If it came to any outward action of the body, kneeling, or lifting up of hands, if it came to be but invested in our words, and so made a Prayer, nay if it passed but a revolving, a turning in our inward thoughts, and thereby were mingled with our affections, though pious affections, yet, say they, it is not pure enough for a service to God; nothing but the first motions of the heart is for him. Beloved, outward things apparell God; and since God was content to take a body, let not us leave him naked, nor ragged; but, as you will bestow not onelyonly some cost, but some thoughts, some study, how you will clothe your children, and how you will clothe your servants, so bestow both cost and thoughts, thinke seriously, execute cheerfully in outward declarations, that which becomes the dignity of him, who evacuated himselfe for you. The zeale of his house needs not eat you up, no nor eat you out of house and home; God asks not that at your hands. But, if you eat one dish the lesse at your feasts for his house sake, if you spare somewhat for his reliefe, and his glory, you will not be the leaner, nor the weaker, for that abstinence. Iohn Baptist bore witnesse of the light, outward things beare witnesse of your faith, the exalting of our naturall faculties beare witnesse of the supernaturall. We do not compare the master and the servant, and yet we thank that servant that brings us to his master. We make a great difference between the treasure in the chest, and the key that opens it, yet we are glad to have that key in our hands. The bell that cals me to Church, does not catechise me, nor preach to me, yet I observe the sound of that bell, because it brings me to him that does those offices to me. The light of nature is far from being enough; but, as a candle may kindle a torch, so into the faculties of nature, well imployed, God infuses faith. And this is our second couple of lights, the subordination of the light of nature, and the light of faith. And a third payre of lights of attestation, that beare witnesse to the light of our Text, is Lux aeternorum Corporum, that light which the Sunne and Moone, and those glorious bodies give from heaven, and lux incensionum, that light, which those things; that are naturally combustible, and apt to take fire, doe give upon earth; both these beare witnesse of this light,Lux aeternorum corporū. that is, admit an application to it. For, in the first of these, the glorious lights of heaven, we must take nothing for stars, that are not stars; nor make Astrological and fixed conclusions out of meteors, that are but transitory; they may be Comets, and blazing starres, and so portend much mischiefe, but they are none of those aeterna corpora, they are not fixed stars, not stars of heaven. So is it also in the Christian Church, (which is the proper spheare in which the light of our text, That light the essentiall light Christ Jesus moves by that supernaturall light of faith and grace, which is truly the Intelligence of that spheare, the Christian Chruch) As in the heavens the stars were created at once, with one Fiat, and then being so made, stars doe not beget new stars, so the Christian doctrine necessary to salvation, was delivered at once, that is, intirely in one spheare, in the body of the Scriptures. And then, as stars doe not beget stars, Articles of faith doe not beget Articles of faith; so, as that the Councell of Trent should be brought to bed of a new Creed, not conceived before by the holy Ghost in the Scriptures, and, (which is a monstrous birth) the child greater then the Father, as soon as it is borne, the new Creed of the Councell of Trent to containe more Articles, then the old Creed of the Apostles did. Saint Iude writing of the common salvation (as he calls it) (for,verse 3. Saint Iude, it seems, knew no such particular salvation, as that it was impossible for any man to have, salvation is common salvation) exhorts them to contend earnestly for that faith, which was once delivered unto the Saints. Semel, once; that is; at once, semel, simul, once altogether. For this is also Tertullians Tertull.note; that the rule of faith is, that it be una, immobilis, irreformabilis; it must not be deformed, it cannot be Reformed; it must not be mard, it cannot be mended; whatsoever needs mending, and reformation, cannot be the rule of faith, says Tertullian. Other foundation can no man lay then Christ; 1 Cor. 3. 11.not onelyonly no better, but no other; what other things soever are added by men, enter not into the nature and condition of a foundation. The additions, and traditions, and superedifications of the Roman Church, they are not lux aeternorum corporum, they are not fixed bodies, they are not stars to direct us; they may be meteors, and so exercise our discourse, and Argumentation, they may raise controversies; And they may be Comets, and so exercise our feares, and our jealousies, they may raise rebellions and Treasons, but they are not fixed and glorious bodies of heaven, they are not stars. Their non-communions, (for, communions where there are no communicants, are no communions) when they admit no bread at all, no wine at all, all is transubstantiated, are no communions; their semi-communions, when they admit the bread to be given, but not the wine; their sesqui-communions, Bread and Wine to the taste, and to all other trialls of bread and wine, and yet that bread and wine, the very body, and the very bloud of Christ; their quotidian miracles, which destroy and contradict even the nature of the miracle, to make miracles ordinary, and fixed, constant and certain; (for, as that is not a miracle which nature does, so that's not a miracle which man can doe certainly, constantly, infallibly every day, and every day, every Priest can miraculously change bread into the body of Christ, and besides they have certaine fixed shops, and Marts of miracles, in one place a shop of miracles for barrennesse, in another, a shop for the tooth-ache) To contract this, their occasionall Divinity, doctrines to serve present occasions, that in eighty eight, an Hereticall Prince must necessarily be excommunicated, and an Hereticall Prince excommunicated must necessarily be deposed, but at another time it may be otherwise, and conveniencies, and dispensations may be admitted, these, and such as these, traditionall, occasionall, Almanack Divinity, they may bee Comets, they may be Meteors, they may raine bloud, and raine fire, and raine hailestones, hailstones as big as Talents, (as it is in the Revelation) milstones, to grinde the world by their oppressions, but they are not lux aeternorum corporum, the light of the stars and other heavenly bodies, for, they were made at once, and diminish not, encrease not. Fundamentall articles of faith, are always the same. And that's our application of this lux aeternorum corporum, the light of those heavenly bodies, to the light of our Text, Christ working in the Church.
Now,Lux incensionum. for the consideration of the other light in this third couple, which is lux incensionum, the light of things, which take, and give light here upon earth, if we reduce it to application and practise, and contract it to one Instance, it will appeare that the devotion and zeale of him, that is best affected, is, for the most part, in the disposition of a torch, or a knife, ordained to take fire, and to give light. If it have never been lightned, it does not easily take light, but it must be bruised, and beaten first; if it have been lighted and put out; though it cannot take fire of it self, yet it does easily conceive fire, if it be presented within any convenient distance. Such also is the soule of man towards the fires of the zeale of Gods glory, and compassion of others misery. If there be any that never tooke this fire, that was never affected with either of these, the glory of God, the miseries of other men, can I hope to kindle him? It must be Gods worke to bruise and beat him,Hierom. with his rod of affliction, before he will take fire. Paulus revelatione compulsus ad fidem, St. Paul was compelled to believe; not the light which he saw, but the power which he felt wrought upon him; not because that light shined from heaven, but because it strooke him to the earth.August. Agnoscimus Christum in Paulo prius cogentem, deinde docentem; Christ begun not upon St. Paul, with a catechisme, but with a rod. If therefore here be any in Pauls case, that were never kindled before, Almighty God proceed the same way with them, and come so neare to a friendship towards them, as to be at enmity with them; to be so mercifull to them, as to seeme unmercifull; to be so well pleased, as to seeme angry; that so by inflicting his medicinall afflictions, he may give them comfort by discomfort, and life by death, and make them seeke his face, by turning his face from them; and not to suffer them to continue in a stupid inconsideration, and lamentable senslesnesse of their miserable condition, but bruise and breake them with his rod, that they may take fire. But for you, who have taken this fire before, that have been enlightned in both Sacraments, and in the preaching of the word; in the meanes, and in some measure of practise of holinesse heretofore, if in not supplying oyle to your Lamps, which God by his ordinance had kindled in you, you have let this light go out by negligence or inconsideration, or that storms of worldly calamities have blowne it out, do but now at this instant call to minde, what sin of yesterday, or t'other day, or long ago, begun, and practised, and prevailed upon you, or what future sinne, what purpose of doing a sinne to night, or to morrow, possesses you; do but thinke seriously what sinne, or what crosse hath blown out that light, that grace, which was formerly in you, before that sinne, or that crosse invaded you, and turne your soul, which hath been enlightned before, towards this fire which Gods Spirit blowes this minute, and you will conceive new fire, new zeale, new compassion. As this Lux incensionum, kindles easily, when it hath been kindled before, so the soule accustomed to the presence of God in holy meditations, though it fall asleep in some darke corner, in some sinne of infirmity, a while, yet, upon every holy occasion, it takes fire againe, and the meanest Preacher in the Church, shall worke more upon him, then the foure Doctors of the Church should be able to do, upon a person who had never been enlightned before, that is, never accustomed to the presence of God in his private meditations, or in his outward acts of Religion. And this is our third couple of lights, that beares witnesse, that is, admit an application to the light of our Text; and then the fourth and last couple, which we consider, is Lux Depuratarum Mixtionum, the light and lustre of precious stones, and then Lux Repercussionum, the light of Repercussion, and Reflexion, when one body, though it have no light in it self, casts light upon other bodies.
In the application of the first of these lights,Lux Depuratarum Mixtionum. Depuratarum Mixtionum, precious stones, we shall onelyonly apply their making and their value. Precious stones are first drops of the dew of heaven, and then refined by the sunne of heaven. When by long lying they have exhal'd, and evaporated, and breathed out all their grosse matter, and received another concoction from the sunne, then they become precious in the eye, and estimation of men: so those actions of ours, that shall be precious or acceptable in the eye of God, must at first have been conceived from heaven, from the word of God, and then receive another concoction, by a holy deliberation, before we bring those actions to execution, lest we may have mistaken the roote thereof. Actions precious, or acceptable in Gods eye, must be holy purposes in their beginning, and then done in season; the Dove must lay the egge, and hatch the bird; the holy Ghost must infuse the purpose, and sit upon it, and overshadow it, and mature and ripen it, if it shall be precious in Gods eye. The reformation of abuses in State or Church, is a holy purpose, there is that drop of the dew of heaven in it; but if it be unseasonably attempted, and have not a farther concoction, then the first motions of our owne zeale, it becomes ineffectuall. Stones precious in the estimation of men, begin with the dew of Heaven, and proceed with the sunne of Heaven; Actions precious in the acceptation of God, are purposes conceived by his Spirit, and executed in his time to his Glory, not conceived out of Ambition, nor executed out of sedition. And this is the application of this Lux depuratarum mixtionum, of precious stones, out of their making, we proposed another out of their valuation; which is this, That whereas a Pearle or Diamond of such a bignesse, of so many Carats, is so much worth, one that is twice as big, is ten times as much worth. So, though God vouchsafe to value every good work thou dost, yet as they grow greater he shall multiply his estimation of them infinitely, When he hath prized at a high rate, the chastitie and continency of thy youth, if thou adde to this, a moderation in thy middle age, from Ambition, and in thy latter age from covetousnesse and indevotion, there shall be no price in Gods treasure (not the last drop of the blood of his Sonne) too deare for thee, no roome, no state in his Kingdome (not a Iointenancie with his onelyonly Sonne) too glorious for thee. This is one light in this Couple; The lustre of precious stones: the other the last is Lux Repercussionum, The light of Repercussion, of Reflexion.
This is,Lux Repercussionum. when Gods light cast upon us, reflecteth upon other men too, from us; when God doth not onelyonly accept our works for our selves, but imployes those works of ours upon other men. And here is a true, and a Divine Supererogation; which the Devill, (as he doth all Gods Actions, which fall into his compasse) did mischievously counterfeit in the Romane Church, when he induced their Doctrine of Supererogation, that a man might do so much more then he was bound to do for God, as that that superplusage might save whom he would; and that if he did not direct them in his intention, upon any particular person, the Bishop of Rome, was generall Administrator to all men, and might bestow them where he would. But here is a true supererogation; not from Man, or his Merit, but from God; when our good works shall not onelyonly profit us, that do them, but others that see them done; and when we by this light of Repercussion, of Reflexion, shall be made specula divinae gloriae, quae accipiunt & reddunt, such looking glasses as receive Gods face upon our selves,Tertull. and cast it upon others by a holy life, and exemplary conversation.
To end all,Conclusio. we have no warmth in our selves; it is true, but Christ came even in the winter: we have no light in our selves; it is true, but he came even in the night. And now, I appeall to your own Consciences, and I aske you all, (not as a Iudge, but as an Assistant to your Consciences, and Amicus Curiae,) whether any man have made a good use of this light, as he might have done. Is there any man that in the compassing of his sinne, hath not met this light by the way, Thou shouldest not do this? Any man, that hath not onelyonly as Balaam did,Numb. 2…. 22. met this light as an Angell, (that is, met Heavenly inspirations to avert him,) but that hath not heard as Balaam did, his own Asse; that is , those reasons that use to carry him, or those very worldly respects that use to carry him, dispute against that sinne, and tell him, not onelyonly that there is more soule and more heaven, and more salvation, but more body, and more health, more honour, and more reputation, more cost, and more money, more labour, and more danger. spent upon such a sinne, then would have carried him the right way.
They that sleep,Recapitulatio. sleep in the night, and they that are drunke, are drunke in the night. But to you the Day starre, the Sunne of Righteousnesse, the Sonne of God is risen this day. The day is but a little longer now,1 Thes. 5. 7. then at shortest; but a little it is. Be a little better now, then when you came, and mend a little at every coming, and in lesse then seaven yeares app…entissage, which your occupations cost you, you shall learn, not the Mysteries of your twelve companies, but the Mysteries of the twelve Tribes, of the twelve Apostles, of their twelve Articles, whatsoever belongeth to the promise, to the performance, to the Imitation of Christ Jesus. He, who is Lu… una, light and light alone, and Lux tota, light and all light, shall also, by that light, which he sheddeth from himselfe upon all his, the light of Grace, give you all these Attestations, all these witnesses of that his light; he shall give you Lucem essentiae, (really, and essentially to be incorporated into him,Essentiae. to be made partakers of the Divine Nature, and the same Spirit with the Lord, by a Conversation in Heaven, here) and lucem gloriae, (a gladnesse to give him glory in a donudation of your souls, and your sinnes,Gloriae. by humble confession to him, and a gladnesse to receive a denudation and manifestation of your selves to your selves, by his messenger, in his medicinall and musicall increpations, and a gladnesse to receive an inchoation of future glory, in the remission of those sinnes.) He shall give you lucem fidei, Fidei.) (faithfull and unremovable possession of future things, in the present, and make your hereafter, now, in the fruition of God.) And Lucem naturae (a love of the outward beauty of his house,Naturae. and outward testimonies of this love, in inclining your naturall faculties to religious duties.) He shall give you Lucem aeternorum Corporum, Aeternorum Corporum.(a love to walk in the light of the stars of heaven, that never change, a love so perfect in the fundamentall articles of Religion, without impertinent additions.) And Lucem incensionum, Incensionum.)(an aptnesse to take holy fire, by what hand, or tongue, or pen soever it be presented unto you, according to Gods Ordinance, though that light have formerly been suffered to go out in you.) He shall give you Lucem depuratarum Mixtionum, Depuratarum Mixitionum.(the lustre of precious stones, made of the dew of heaven, and by the heat of heaven, that is, actions intended at first, and produced at last, for his glory; and every day multiply their value, in the sight of God, because thou shalt every day grow up from grace to grace.) And Lucem Repercussionum, Repercussionum.(he shall make you able to reflect and cast this light upon others, to his glory, and their establishment.)
Lighten our darknesse, we beseech thee, O Lord, with all these lights; that in thy light we may see light; that in this Essentiall light, which is Christ, and in this Supernaturall light, which is grace, we may see all these, and all other beames of light, which may bring ut to thee, and him, and that blessed Spirit which proceeds from both. Amen.