Exposition of John, Chapter 1 · Verse 5
Ver. 5. And the light ſhineth in darkneſſe, and the darkneſſe comprehended it not.
A further proof of Chriſts Godhead, and of his ſubſiſtence and manifeſtation of himſelf before his incarnation, is taken from his dealing with man after the fall. He who is light in himſelf, and the fountain of light in man, did by divers means ſhine in mans underſtanding, and before man, now darkned by his fall; but was not entertained nor taken up as becometh: This is chiefly to be underſtood of the ſparkles of the light of nature ſhining in the darkened minde of man, Rom. 2.15. And of Chriſts ſhining in the view of all men in the works of creation, holding forth his eternal power and Godhead with the Father, Rom. 1.20. though natures light could not by theſe meanes take him up, nor acknowledge him: Not ſecluding alſo (as is cleared from ver. 10, 11. where this ſubject is enlarged) his ſhining in the Church in all ages, after the fall of man to his incarnation, (as well as after it) as God and Mediatour, by Divine revelation, types and ſhadows, and other means: In which reſpect though ſome did acknowledge him as God and Mediatour, yet no man was able ſo to do (as at no time elſe) by the ſtrength or light of nature, and very few did acknowledge him at all (conſidering their natural darkneſſe) in the predictions and types pointing him out. Doct. 1. Man is fallen from that life of light and comfort whereinto he was created, and is become a dark maſſe of ſin and miſery, darkened in his minde with ignorance and abominable errours and miſtakes, and in his will and affections, with vices and luſts, and liable to a dark eſtate of diſcomfort, and ſorrow; for, ſo is ſuppoſed here, that he is not only dark, but darkneſſe, being wholly deprived of that light of the image of God, and over clouded with thick darkneſſe. 2 The Son of God did not ceaſe in all ages, by ſundry rayes and beames, and means, and inſtruments, to communicate himſelf to fallen man; But did manifeſt himſelf unto all mankind by the light of nature, holding out ſome ſparkles of light concerning a Deity, and ſome principles of juſtice and moral vertue; and by the works of creation and providence: And to his Church, by Divine revelation did hold forth his perſon and office: All which do prove him to be God ſubſiſting before his incarnation, and do manifeſt his ſelf-ſufficiency that doth communicate himſelf to man now fallen from him: As alſo his love and pity to his own, that would thus follow them; And do prove that he exerciſed his office of Mediator before his incarnation; for it is a proof of Chriſts Godhead, and manifeſtation to the world in former ages, that the light, or, Chriſt the enlightner of mankind, ſhineth in darkneſſe; And he ſaith, ſhineth, in the preſent time, becauſe Chriſts manifeſtation of himſelf doth not ceaſe in all ages and times, though the way of it to his Church be changed by his incarnation; And becauſe his manifeſtations under the Goſpel are but the ſame continued thing that was formerly, though in a different way. 3. What ever light men have by nature, or may gather from the book of creation; Yet ſuch is the power of darkneſſe in mans nature, that all who are left to theſe means do not receive that light, ſo as to let it ſhine through them to direct their actions, but do captivate it in unrighteouſneſſe, Rom. 1.18, Nor do they take up that light which they have and uſe, to be from God, but become proud of it, as if it were their own; nor do they take up God as manifeſting himſelf in the works of creation, but became vain in their imaginations, and darken their own fooliſh heart more and more; far leſſe do they diſcerne the Son of God equal with the Father, nor can they diſcerne him as the true remedy of ſin thereby; for, the darkneſſe comprehended not the light that ſhineth in darkneſſe. 4. No man at any time, by the light and ſtrength of nature, can t…ke up, or ſavingly embrace Chriſt as God, and Mediator, whatever outward means he have: And particularly, before his incarnation; many to whom he was revealed in promiſes, and types, did not look ſo far as to him who was to be incarnate; but did reſt upon theſe ſhadows, as if they had been the mean appointed for remedy of their miſery; which fault is not to be attributed to his dimneſſe, who was clearly revealed, though under a vaile, but to mens own darkneſſe; for, of theſe alſo it was true, the light ſhineth in darkneſſe, and the darkneſſe comprehendeth it not. And the point is of general verity in all ages where this light ſhineth at any time, though the order of the Narration (it being ſpoken before the ſending of John the Baptiſt) lead us to underſtand it of the Church before his Incarnation.