First Epistle of John Applied Part 2, Sermon 9

First Epistle of John Applied Part 2 · Sermon 9

p. 123THE FIRST EPISTLE OF S^t. IOHN.SERM. 9.

CHAP. I. Ver. 5, 6, 7.

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Iesus Christ his Son, cleanseth us from all sin.

HAppiness is the Center, in which all mens desires meet, and the mark at which all their intentions shoot; this is that which every one seeketh after for himself, and which Christs Apostles and Ministers labour after, in regard of their people. The safety of the flock is the shepheards care, the health of the patient, the Physitians work, and the p. 124peoples salvation, the hearty desire, prayer and endeavour of every faithful Preacher: Indeed, for this end, they are set as lights, placed as stars in the firmament of the Church, that they may guide mens feet into the way of peace, and path of life.

True happiness principally, nay, wholly consists in communion and fellowsh…p with God in Christ, since he is that summum bonum, chief and universal good, the fruition of which alone, can make us happy: no wonder if St. Iohn, with the rest of the Apostles, desiring to bring the people to blessedness, labour by their preaching and writing, to make them partakers of this fellowship.

But as indeed foreign, all things of excellency are attended with difficulty, Plut. de. lib. educ.so is in special this fellowship; the truth is, to be mistaken in it, is very easie, to partake of it, is very d…fficult, the attainment of it, will undoubtedly make us happy, but withall, it is very hadly attained unto; good reason then had St. Iohn, having signified this fellowship, as that which was the end of his writing, to discuss in his writing at once the marks whereby we may know, and the means whereby we may atain it, with which, he therefore begins in the words that I have now read. This then is the message which we heard of him, &c.

Having already passed through the Preface, we are now to handle the Epistle it self; I shall not stay to give you an exact and particular Analysis, or as it were, Anatomy of its body, and that chiefly, because our Apostle doth not tye himself to a strict, and accurate method, though I doubt not, but in perusing the several Chapters, and parcels of it, we shall find a rational connexion and dependance of one upon the other, and all upon the principal scope. It may for the present suffice, to know that the design of this discourse is, to instruct all men professing Christianity, how they may try the truth of their prof…ssion. To erect a partition wall discriminating between p. 125heretical and orthodox, hypocritical, and sincere Christians: Finally, To deliver us a Boxe of evidences, by which we may clear our interest in communion with God and Christ, and thereby our title to eternal life; and indeed this is that which our Apostle implicitely insinuateth in the former verse,V. 4. since the fulness of our joy must needs ar…se onelyonly from an apprehension of our part in this partnersh…p, and expresly asserteth in the last Chapter, where he saith,Ch. 5.14. These things have I written, that you may have eternal life.

As for the words which I have now read,Jam incipit rem ipsam attingere suaeque doctrinae materiam p…op…nit. Lo…in. in loc. our Apostle in them giveth us a breviate of what he intends to enlarge upon in the rest of the Epistle, summarily proposing what he doth afterwards abundantly exemplifie; for if you peruse the whole Epistle, you shall find (if not all, yet) the greatest part spent in one of these three things, either in delineating the steps of the way, whereby we walk in the light; such as are faith, obedience, contempt of the world, and especially love to God and our brethren, or in declaring the choice priviledges of fellowship with God and Christ, namely our justification, adoption, and glorification, or in describing those Antichristian hereticks, who pretend to have fellowship with Christ, and walk in darkness, so that in few words if you please, we may call these three verses the Text, and the rest of the Epistle, a Commentary upon the Text.

Begin we then now with the Text, and in it for our more orderly proceeding be pleased to take a view of the porch and the house, and in the house of the foundation and the superstructure, and in the superstructure of the two rooms, directly opposite one to the other; the one as it were on the left, the other on the right hand. The porch is contained in those words; This then is the message which we have heard of him, & declare to you; the foundation of the house in those; God is light, and in him is no darkness at all; and the rooms in the house are on the one hand, the vain presumption abominable lye of those p. 126who pretend to have fellowship with God, and walk in darknes; on the other the assured fellowship with God, and cleansing by Christ, of those who walk in the light. Of each of these in their order, most humbly beseeching him who is the light to irradiate our minds with his heavenly beams, that we may clearly discern, and effectually embrace those truths which are here set before us.

1. Enter we then into the porch, a clause which for substance and in effect we have already handled, as having met with it in the beginning of the third verse. And truly, were this only a repetition, it would not be supervacaneous, because no endeavour can be too much, as for the informing our apprehensions aright of, so for the confirming our faith in, and assent to evangelical doctrines, indeed it is the policy of the Devil, and that which by many wayes he endeavoureth to cause in us both a misunderstanding of, and hesitation about Gospel truths. It was the stratagem he used with our first parents, to beget in them a questioning, and then a denial of the veritie of Gods saying, and it is still his practice to make us either totally deny or causelesly doubt of divine writings;Vide Gualt. Lorin. in loc. no marvaile if the Apostle, not once, but again,; nay (as Lorinus observeth) thrice inculcates that what he was now to write, was no other then what he had heard.

But as this is a repetition, so with some addition, & it is such an iteration as admits of variation, if you please to compare this with the precedent paralel clause, you shall find a noun & pronoun here added, whereas before it is only that which, here it is the message which, and whereas there it is only that which we have heard; here it is that which we have heard of him, so that here are two things to be discussed de novo, which is, what it is that hearing they declared a message, & of whom they received it, of him, & yet there is one thing more not touched before, because it more fitly falls in, p. 127now, the persons who did hear of him, and declare to us. We

1. That which the Apostles heard is here called a message: so our translation renders it: as also Beza?Vide Bez. Grot. Socin. in loc. and the vulgar Latine version; according to which Grotius tells us in one manuscript, it is foreign; Socinus would have us beleive a mistake in the scribe of foreign for foreign, and that it should be foreign, the noun of foreign, which is the verb our Apostle useth here for declaring. But the usuall reading in the Greek Copie is foreign, and that in its most known acception signifieth a promise, nor (though I confesse I am almost alone in it) do I see any reason why we should decline the word, or its usual signification; nay indeed (at least to me) it seemeth very congruous and sutable. For

1. It is the word which out Apostle afterwards useth, when he speaketh of the same thing,1 Joh 2 25.1 John 2:25 that which they had heard from the beginning, presently addes, this is the promise which he hath promised, and so we have heard.

2. But chiefly it is that which very aptly agreeth with the context, whether you look backward or forward

1. In the former verse, the Apostle acquaints the people that his end in writing these things was, that their joy might be full; and here he tells us what those things were that would bring this fulnesse of joy, to which purpose he calleth them not barely a message, but a promise; which is a message of glad tidings, able to fill our joy.Non secus ac si ingens nobis bonum Joannes promitteret de Deo enuntiat ipsum omni modo lumen esse, &c. Velasq. in Philip. c. 1. v. 2. Annot. …, mor.Phil 1:2

2. If you look on what immediately followeth, God is light, and in him is no darkness…, though for this reason, that signification of promise is rejected, because those words are assertory, not promissory: yet a late Writer hath observed (ingeniously, though not so solidly) a congruencie even in these words; because light represents the communicative goodness of God; here is a tacite & p. 128virtual promise, assuring us, that God is ready to cast forth the beames of his grace and merciemercy on us.

3. But I conceive in this lieth the mistake of interpreters, that they understand this message to consist in the words immediately subsequent, whereas if we examine it more narrowly, we shall find the substance of the message to be laid down in the seventh verse, to which the term of promise fitly agreeth, it being a manifest promise of fellowship with God, and cleansing by Christ to them who walk in the light; and this is illustrated in the sixth verse by a redargution of that lying promise which presumptuous sinners who walk in darkness, make to themselves of having fellowship with God.

And as for those words in the fifth verse, God is light, and in him is no darkness; they are apparantly premised as a proof of the promise and, confirmation of the message (for which reason I call them in the division the foundation of the building) & accordingly that Greek particle foreign being as well causall as declarative, may be fitly, and is so rendred by the vulgar Latin quoniam, because, and the sence will amount to this, Because God is light, and in him is no darkness: therefore they, and they onelyonly who walk in the light, being thereby like to him, can or shall have fellowship with him, cleansing by his son; and this is the promise which have heard of him.

This word, and thereby somewhat of the sense of the whole being thus cleared to us; I cannot pass it over without a double note, wel worthy our serious consideration.

1. The nature of the Gospels message, it is a promise.

2. The tenure of this promise, it is conditional.

1. The Syriack word here used signifieth Gospel, the Greek, promise: indeed the Gospel in its chief design is promissory, it is not only an historical narration of something done, but of this as done for us, and so a promissory declaration of Gods good will towards us; the Prot…vangelium, first Gospel preached by God to fallen Adam, Gen. 3.1….Gen 3:1is a plain promise, p. 129The seed of the wooman shall break the Serpents head; nor is there any promise now made to man, but what is contained in the Gospel. The Law is a denunciation of wrath, of a curse against us, because of trangression; onelyonly the Gospel is an annunciation of mercy and forgivenes; that breatheth forth only a cold blast, a Northwind of threatening; this sendeth forth a warm gale, a South-wind of promise.

A promise it is, and that not of paying a debt, but bestowing a gift: mans promise is ofttimes an act of justice, but Gods, of meer grace and free love, and therefore it is that his purpose of which the Gospel-promise is the counterpane, is joyned with Grace, 2 Tim. 1.9. Eph. 1.7. Acts 20.32. foreign, &c. Ammon,2 Tim 1:9Eph 1:7Acts 20:32and that speciall promise of the Gospel forgiveness of sin, is said to be according to the riches of his grace; yea one appellation given to the Gospel is, that it is called the word of Gods grace, because it manifesteth his free grace to sinners. And indeed if we beleive the Greek critick, this truth is wrapt up in the very word there used, this being the difference between foreign and foreign, that the latter is onelyonly a promise of what is due, but the former of what is free.

A promise it is, and that such as hath many promises in the womb of it, and those as the Apostle Peter calls them,2 Pet. 1.4.2 Pet 1:4 exceeding great and precious, not of temporals, but spiritualls; nay eternals. Fellowship with God, remission, adoption, eternal life; what not? are the choice and precious benefits which this promise revealeth and offereth to us; indeed it is a treasury of divine riches, a store-house of the soules provision, a cabinet of heavenly pearles, all things truly good, and justly desireable, being contained in, and conveyed to us by this promise,

Oh let us learn to set an high value upon Evangelical doctrine. Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name, Psal. 138▪ ….Ps 138saith the Psalmist, thou hast magnified thy Gospel above all thy word, may we say; and that upon this ground, because it is promissory revelation; surely if the whole word p. 130of God be as milk, the promising part is as the cream of that milk; if that be as a Firmament of Starres, this is as the Sun in that firmament. Finally, if that be as a Feast, this is the sweetest dish in that Feast.1 Pet. 2.2.31 Pet 2:21 Pet 2:3 Desire saith the Apostle Peter, the sincere milk of the word (meaning the Gospel) if you have tasted that the Lord is gracious; indeed we may taste the verity of God in all his words; the equity of God in his commands, the severity of God in his threats: but we onelyonly taste the mercy of God how gracious he is in the Evangelical promises; and surely tasting, we cannot but singularly esteem, and fervently desire it.

Vide Calv. Grot in loc.2. Calvin and Grotius make the sense of these words, this is the promise; to intend thus much. The promise which we bring to you hath this condition annexed to it, to wit, of walking in the light; and therefore it is expressed with an if, an hypothetical conjunction; That then, which we have further to take notice of, and would by no means be omitted, is, that the promise of the Gospel is conditional; it is a position with a supposition, nor are the benefits in it granted absolutely, but respectively.

It is a question moved by some how the promise can be free and yet cnoditional, not considering the difference between a meritorious cause, for which a thing ought to be, and a necessary condition, without which it cannot be effected; were there a proportion of equality between the thing promised, and required, the promise could not be free, but the Evangelical condition is such only, as maketh us meet for, not worthy of the thing promised, and therefore hath onelyonly a proportion of congruity. Mercy then is the spring from whence the promise floweth, but duty is the channel in which it runneth down to us. The primarie design of the Law was precept, commanding us to do, though there was annexed to it a promise, which upon doing what was commanded, we should receive. The principal scope of the Gospel is p. 131promise, revealing what God is pleased to do for us, yet so, as that there are precepts annexed to it, which require somewhat to be done by us, that we may obtain the promise.

What then God hath joyned together, let not us put asunder: the most of us with Malchus have but one eare to hear the promise, but not the precept of the Gospel; we like well to gather the rose, and suck the hony of a promise, but the condition we hate as the pricles and sting; we would gladly have the priviledge assured, and yet we abhorre the duty required, but be not deceived, if you will have the one, you must do the other. God will not fulfill his part, unlesse we perform ours; and therefore it is in vain to expect an accomplishment of his promise, but on his own terms▪ in fine, the Gospel is a promise, let us not be so unthankful unto God and Christ, as to reject it: it is a conditional promise, let us not be so injurious to our selves, as to misapply it.

2. The Apostles heard this message of him: if you ask, of whom? the answer is to be fetched from the end of the third verse, the Father and his Son Jesus Christ;V. 3. it would not be passed by, that the Apostle speaking of two persons; nay implicitely of all three, useth the singular number, saying, not which we heard of them, but him; from which though Socinus would only gather an unity of will & affection,Socin in loc. yet the Orthodox conclude an unity of essence and nature. The multitude of beleevers were of one heart in the primitive times, and one soul, Acts 4.32.Acts 4:32yet it would have been very improper to have spoken of them, as one man, but inasmuch as the Father and the Son, though two persons, …ave one and the same essence, it was very proper to use the singular number, that which we have heard of him.

That which we are here to take notice of is,

1. Partly, that these Apostles heard before they declared. It is very observable, that in the Hebrew tongue, the p. 132same verb in Kal signifieth to learn, and in Piel to teach, and the same noun signifieth both an hearing, foreignand a report; and indeed the Greeks use foreign, and the Latines auditio in the same sense; whereby is intimated to us, that we must be hearers, ere we be speakers, learners, ere we be Teachers, Scholars, before we be Tutors. And I could heartily wish that this consideration might be a check to the inconsiderate rashnesse of those giddy heads in this age, who never sate at Gamaliels feet, and yet step into Moses his chaire; and though they have scarce learned any thing themselves at either School or Academy, adventure to teach the people in these sacred Oratories.

2. Chiefly, That what they declared to the world, was no other then what they heard from Christ, this is that which as S. John asserteth here, so S. Paul elsewhere concerning himselfe:1 Cor. 11.23.7.23.1 Cor 11:231 Cor 11:7 That which I have received of the Lord, I have delivered unto you; and in another place, not I but the Lord: Thus it was with the Apostles, and thus it was with the Prophets, who uttered nothing but what was by God revealed to them, and therefore you find them very often bringing in, Sic dicit Dominus, Thus saith the Lord.

1. It is an Item to Ministers, that our faithfulnesse appear in delivering as wholly, so only the Counsell of God, the mind of Christ, revealed in his Word to the people, whilest Jesuites declare what they hear from the Pope, as accounting him infallible, whilest Enthusiasts declare what they hear from the devill, mistaking his delusions for the spirits inspirations; let the Ministers of Christ declare nothing but what they hear; though not immediately, yet mediately from Christ: oh far be it from us to pretend to be his messengers, and yet to vent our own inventions, and preach our own fancies: what Ambassadour dare deliver any thing to a forraign Prince but what the King his Master giveth him in charge; Oh p. 133let us who are the Ambassadours of Christ, declare nothing but that message with which he sends us.

2. It is a document to the people, that the Apostolical writings,Ideo reverenter atque inviolabiliter debetis retinere quod mihi Dominus tradidit & ego vobis. Ans. in Cor. Jo. 10.4.John 10:4 and our preaching according to them be received by you with Faith and reverence, because they are no other then the dictates of Christ; indeed whose authority should prevaile if not Christs? and with whom? if not the Church: it is the character of Christs sheep, that they know his voyce, and follow it; we need not fear that he who is the way will cause us to wander, who is the truth will cause us to erre, who is the faithful witness, will go about to deceive us: so long as we speak the truth in and from Christ, and lye not, do you beleeve and doubt not.

3. The Wee to whom Christ was pleased to impart this message, and by whom he declared it to the world,Nihil in illis videbis quod aliquâ praerogativâ dignum censeas. Gualt in loc. would be considered; and that especially in respect of their mean and low condition: if you look upon S. John and the rest of these holy Apostles with a carnal eye, there was nothing in them which might render them worthy of so high a prerogative: they were poor rude illiterate despised Fishermen; and who were they that Christ should imploy them to be his Ambassadours? Kings do not use to send beggars and pesants of their errands, but Christ was pleased to make use of these contemptible persons for his Embasie. In this respect it is the Apostle saith, we have this treasure in earthen vessels; not golden or silver, but earthen vessels,2 Cor. 4.7.2 Cor 4:7 are chose by Christ for the receiving and communicating of this heavenly treasure of the Gospel. Indeed, whether you look on things or persons, still they are mean and despicable, which Christ imployeth in his service. As the Prophet from God appointed the water of Iordan to be the means of curing Naamans leprosy, so hath our Lord Christ instituted water and bread and wine, common ordinary creatures, to be the pledges of his love, and conduit-pipes of his grace to the Church; and as common things, so ordinary p. 134persons are thought fittest by him to be imployed in his work; indigent ignorant fishermen must be the publishers of his Gospel to the world. It is that which lets us see the freeness, the strangeness, and the wisdom of divine dispensations.

1. The freeness, in that as the Apostle speaketh, there is no respect of persons with God, Rom. 2.11.Rom 2:11it is not external qualifications that Christ looketh at, the poor as well as the rich, the simple as soon as the wise, the base as easily as the noble are accepted of him; nay many times he passeth by these, and chooseth those.

2. The strangeness, in that it is so contrary to the dictates of carnal reason, who would not have thought it the most probable way of spreading the Gospel, if Christ had imployed the Scribes that were learned in the Law, and the Rulers of the people to have been the publishers of it;Is. 55.8.Isa 55:8 but Gods wayes are not as our wayes, neither are his thoughts as ours; he loves to tread in uncouth paths, and for the most part such as are crosse to our reason.

3. The wisdom, in that this serveth much to magnifie his own name, look as the lesse aptitude there is in the matter, so the lesse energie, there is in the instrument; so much the greater doth the skill, power, and causality of the efficient appear, the less there is of men in any work, the more of God is seen. To do so great a work as the publishing and promoting of Christian Religion, by such weak instruments as the Apostles were, cannot but highly advance the honour of Christ, since as S. Paul speaketh, hereby the excellency of the power is manifested to be of God and not of man.2 Cor. 4.8.2 Cor 4:8

2. And thus I have given you a view of the porch, be pleased now to go into the house, and therein to take a survey of the

1. Foundation, as it is laid down in those words, God is light, and in him is no darkness at all; if we consider these words in their utmost latitude, they are both a position p. 135and a probation, but this latter I shall defer to the following words. For the more full handling of this clause as a position, be pleased to observe something, both more general and more speciall.

1. In generall, the words are a metaphoricall description of God: For beloved, when the Apostle saith, God is light, we must not think that the nature of God is the same with that of light; indeed as St. Austin well observeth, the Sun is light, and the Moon is light, and the other Stars are light, but far be it from us to imagine that the Creators essence is the same with the Creatures, Aug in ep.but something far more choice and excellent; only by light as a similitude the Apostle would represent something of God to us; and thus it is not unworthy our consideration. That

1. The metaphor which St. Iohn maketh choice of, is drawn from a thing very obvious and familiar to us: Indeed, as one saith well, light is that then which nothing is more unknown, and yet nothing more known, being that which is visible to every eye; and in this respect, the fitter to illustrate God by, that by what we do know, Nihil luce notius simul & ignotius. Lor. in loc.we may be instructed concerning him, whom we do not know. It is a fit pattern for all Ministers to follow, whose work is not to make plain things hard (as too many do) but to make hard things plain; and therefore to draw their similitudes from common and manifest things, such as may not cast a vail over, but give a lustre to the truth they deliver. Indeed, the end of these similitudes, is chiefly to help the minde in conceiving, and the memory, in retainning what is by them represented; now familiar comparisons are both more quickly understood, and easily remembred, and therefore ought espeoially to be used.

2. The Apostle endeavouring to instruct us concerning the Creator, borroweth a resemblance from the Creature. Indeed, as the Apostle Paul speaketh, there is foreign, something to be known of God by the p. 136Creatures, the earth, and every pile of grass that groweth out of it,Rom. 1.20.Rom 1:20 but much more the heavens, and the beams of light that flow from it, declare the glory of God. God hath vouchsafed somewhat of his excellencies to the Creatures, Ps. 19.1.Ps 19:1and therefore in them we may, nay, ought to read something of God, and that not onelyonly in respect of his being, but attributes.

Oh let us study this divine Art, learn this spiritual Alchimy, to extract heaven out of earth, God out of the Creature; that as we behold the works of his hand, so we may in and by them, see the excellency of the worker. It is a known maxime in Philosophy, Omnis cognitio fit per sensum, All naturall knowledge entereth into the minde by the sense; and it is thus far true in Divinity, that spiritual knowledge may be helped by the sense: happy is that man, who maketh the things which he seeth, as so many stayres, by which his contemplation goeth up to God, whom he doth not see.

2. In particular, this metaphoricall description of God is set forth both affirmatively, God is light; and negatively, in him is no darkness at all; and both may be construed two wayes, to wit, as spoken of God, considered either, foreign or foreign, in himself, or in his influences.

1. In himself. And that

1. Affirmatively, God is light. And thus,

1. This metaphor of light (though but darkly) shadoweth forth the Trinity, the Father being as the body of light, the Son as the beams, the Holy Ghost, as the Splendor of both.Dyonis de divin. nomin. c. 2. Damasc. de fid. l. 1. c. 4. Dyonisius illustrateth it by the similitude of three candles, enlightning one and the same room: Damascen of the parelii, when there appear as it were three, and yet it is but one sun; some have observed a resemblance of it in the Hebr…w, foreign, the Greek foreign, the Latine, Lux, which signifie light, all of which are monosyllables, consisting of three letters; and in the Hebrew word they observe foreign to be the beginning p. 137of foreign which signifieth the Father, and foreign to be the beginning of foreign, which signifieth the spirit, and foreign being the middle letter, may aptly represent the Son, which is the middle person, especially being neer of kin to foreign, the first letter of foreign, which signifieth the Son; but as I would not altogether contemn, so neither do I much delight in such kind of observations; and besides, it is no doubt aliene from the Apostles scope, to intend by this metaphor, a resemblance of the Trinity.

2. That therefore which is to be considered, is, in what respects this metaphor of light doth resemble the nature and attributes of God.

And there are severall Attributes of God, which are aptly delineated in the various properties of light.

1. The light, of all bodies, is the most immateriall and incompounded, whereby the simplicity and spirituality of Gods nature may be insinuated, which is void not onelyonly of all matter, but of all composition.

2. The light is the first of all the Creatures, which we find mentioned in the beginning of Genesis; the first thing that God said on the first day of the Creation was, Let there be light, Gen. 1.3.Gen 1:3and this shadoweth forth the eternity of Gods being, who is both foreign and foreign, the first and the last, before all other things whatsoever.

3. The light sh…neth in all parts of the world, East, West, North, South, every way scattering its rayes: and what is this but an emblem of the ubiquity of Gods presence, who is in all places, filling heaven and earth?

4. The light is a Creature of a resplendent beauty and lustre, by reason of which, it is apt to dazle the eyes of the beholder, and this sets forth Gods transcendent majesty and glory, in which respect,Psa. 104.2. 1 Tim. 6.13.Ps 104:21 Tim 6:13 he is said to cover himself with light as with a garment, and to dwell in the light, which no man can approach unto.

5. The light is of that nature, that it cannot but impart it self for the good of others, shining upon the just p. 138and unjust; and this characterizeth the diffusive goodness of God, whereby it is that as he is good, so he doth good, and that to all.

But there are more particularly two attributes, which light doth clearly discover, and which may agree to the scope of the Apostle, especially the latter.

1. The light is of a discovering nature, so that nothing can be hid from the heat thereof, it pryeth into every corner,Ps, 19.16. it peepeth in at every crevis, so that all things are made manifest by it; in which respect, it mindeth us of Gods Omniscience, whereby it is, that all things are naked and open to him, even things that are most secret. To thee,Heb. 4.12.Heb 4:12 saith David, the darkness and the light are all one, Ps. 139.11.Ps 139:11because God seeth in the dark, as plainly as in the light, by his own light he revealeth the deep and secret things; he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him saith Daniel, finally, I try the reins saith God of himself,Dan. 2.22. Ier. 17.10.Dan 2:22Jer 17:10 our minds being as apparent to him as the intrailes of a beast are to us, when the body is ripped up.

It is a truth well worthy our meditation, that we may be hereby admonished to take heed to our wayes; indeed, in this respect, that which is appropriated to good men, is true of all men, they walk in the light, to wit, of Gods omniscience; and oh then, how carefu… should we be of our walk? Alas, how vainly do hypocrites please themselves in the secrecy of their actions, and perhaps perswade themselves, that God himself taketh no notice of their doings; whereas his eyes are upon the ways of man, Job 34.21, 22.Job 34:21Job 34:22and he seeth all his goings, there is no darknes nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves, saith Elihu concerning God, Indeed, as St. Ambrose excellently, If thou canst not hide thy self from the Sun, which is Gods Minister of light, Ambros. offic. l. 1. c. 14.how impossible will it be to hide thy self from him, whose eyes are ten thousand times brighter than the Sun.

p. 1392. But to draw neer the Apostles scope, light is a pure defaecate body, a bright spotless splendor; though it shine upon filthy dunghils, it contracts no pollution, but still retaineth its pure lustre. And by this aptly is represented the holiness and purity of God. Mal. 4.2.Mal 4:2That expression of the Prophet Malachy concerning Christ, giveth much light to this truth, when he calleth him A Sun of righteousness; since what the Sun is in sensibles, that is, God among inteligibles;Vide Gr. Naz. orat. 40. and what light is in the Sun, that is righteousness and holiness is in God; this is that attribute by which God is often called in Scripture, the holy God, and the holy One; yea,Is. 63.3.43 15.Isa 63:3Isa 63:43 the Angels double, nay treble it, Holy, holy, holy; it is an attribute so essential to God, that every thing so far as it hath relation to God, is said to be holy, his name holy, his word holy, his works holy, his day an holy day, his temple an holy place, his Ministers holy persons, and all because he is a pure and holy God.

2. For the better illustrating of this perfect purity and sanctity of God; it is that our Apostle goeth on, and to his affirmative addeth a negative, in him is no darkness at all.

Zanchy hath observed concerning this clause, that it may be referred both to the predicate, Vide Zanc. in loc.and the subject of the former proposition, and so may be rendred in it, or in him. In it, to wit, the light, there is no darkness, and so it is as much as if said, God is a most bright l…ght; for look as the darkness which hath no light at all, is a thick AEgyptian Cymmerian darkness, so that l…ght which hath no darkness, must needs be a most a clear splendid l…ght; but I rather refer it with our Translators to the subject God (though the difference is not materiall) in him is no darkness at all.

Before I proceed, a stumbling block would be removed, that seeming contradiction of the Psalmist, to this of St. Iohn, where he saith concerning God, he made p. 140darkness his secret place; but it is easily reconciled, since that darkness onelyonly noteth the inscrutable and incomprehensible majesty of God;Ps. 18.11. Vide Oecumen. in loc Lorin. in Ps.Ps 18:11 and it is to be understood of him in reference to us, not himself. In respect of us, because we cannot comprehend him, darkness is his secret place, but in regard of himself, the purity of his own nature, he is light and not darkness, as the Sun, though it be sometimes hid from us by dark clouds, remaineth still in it self most light some.

And now if you would know the intent of this negative, Is. 38.1. Ps. 40.10.11. Vid. Bez. Marlor. Lorin. in loc.Isa 38:1Ps 40:10Ps 40:11it is but the more strongly to affirm the contrary; this is an usuall way of expression in the Hebrew, as Beza observeth from that speech of Isaiah to Hezekiah, Thou shalt dye, thou shalt not live; and of David concerning himself, I have preached, and have not refrained, I have not hid, I have declared, and it is a form of speaking very usual with St. Iohn, as you may find in the very next verse, and several other places of the Epistle, which it shall suffice (because it here first appeareth) once for all to take notice of.

This appearing to be the scope, the meaning is no more but this, God is light, and in him is no darkness, that is, God is so pure, that not the least, the smallest spot can cleave to him; so holy, that not any sin at all can be found in him; as there is no defect in his knowledge, so there is no default in his nature, and to this tend those expressions of Moses, Deut. 32.4. Ps. 92.15.5.4. Nec ignorantia nec nequitia in Deo. Dydim. foreign. Europ. Vide Carthus. in loc.Deut 32:4Ps 92:15Ps 92:5Ps 92:4He is a God of truth, and without iniquity, just and right is he; and of David, he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him; and again, Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness, neither shall evil dwell with thee. Indeed the Gods of the Heathen were such as had been impure filthy men; and therefore, as one of themselves argueth, no Gods: but the true God cannot be charged with any iniquity; nay, as Carthusian enlargeth it, because it may be said of the Angels that stand, and the Saints that are glorified, they have p. 141no darkness of sin at all in them: in God there is not so much as a defectibility, or mutability, which yet is in the Creatures, if considered in themselves, because of their dependency, though the reducing of it into act is impossible, in regard of their plenary confirmation in the state of bliss: God then, as Aquinas excellently, is a pure, a most pure act, without the least potentialitie: Aquin. in. 1 Tim. 6.17.1 Tim 6:17and so this in the highest sense, agreeth to him, and to him onelyonly, he is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

2. These words are true of God; not onelyonly formally, but causally; in himself, but in regard of his influence, and that in both the clauses.

1. God is light, that is, according to St. Iames expression, The Father of lights: so that whatever light there is in any Creature, it is but a ray, a beam of his excellency. That distinction of a threefold kinde of light is very considerable to this purpose, there is lux light.Iam. 1.17.Jas 1:17

Illuminata & non illuminans, enlightned and not enlightning, to wit, the air.

Illuminata & illuminans, enlightned, and enlightning, such is the moon.

Illuminans & non illuminata, enlightning, but not enlightned, and this is the Sun.

It is that which may fitly be applyed here, all Christians are lights as the air, Ministers are lights as the moon, but onelyonly God is light as the Sun, to wit, receiving no light from any other, and communicating to others what light they have; and this exposition Zanchy conceiveth most sutable to the Apostles meaning in this place, making the paralell to run thus. Look as the l…ght where it ariseth, and displayeth its beams,Vide Zanch▪ in loc. expels darkness, with all the effects of it, and maketh all to be clear and lightsome, so doth God to all them who have fellowship with him, impart the light of his grace, so that they can no longer walk in the darkness of sin; and though I conceive that the Apostles aim, is chiefly p. 142to describe the purity of Gods nature in himselfe, and thereby the repugnancy of walking in darknesse, and consonancy of walking in the light, to him (both because this carrieth in it a full sense, correspondent to the Apostles intention, and also because the phrases of no darkness in him, and afterwards his being in the light, do intimate that these words are to be understood rather subjectivè, then effectivè; of what God is in himself, then what he doth to us) yet withall I cannot but acknowledge this construction, to be both pious and ingenuous.

2. And accordingly the sense of the other clause in him is no darkness at all, amounts to this that he is not, cannot be the cause of any darkness.

It is true, God is said in Scripture to create darknesse as well as to form light, but that is the darkness of calamity, not of iniquity;Is. 45.7.Isa 45:7 it is true, God hath an hand even in the darkness of sin, so far as to limit it, how far it shall spread, and no farther; as to permit, that it shall be, & suffer men to walk in it, as judicially to withhold the light of his grace from them who love darkness rather then light, whereby they plunge themselves into greater darkness. Finally, so as to bring light out of the darkness, good out of evill, and make all the darkness of sin tend accidentally to illustrate the glory of his own wisdom, justice, and mercy, but still farre be it from him to be any way an impelling cause of any wickedness.

Indeed these two do one necessarily flow from the other, There is no darkness in, therefore none can be from him; nil dat quod non habet, is a known rule in Phylosophy; no cause can communicate to another what it hath not in it self:Deus non est author eorum quorum est u…tor Fulg. l. 3. ad Monim. c. 3. Vide Damasc. de orthod. fide l. 4. c. 20. surely then, God having no darkness in himselfe, cannot be any cause of it in us. Besides, he is an hater, an avenger of darkness, and it cannot consist with his justice to be a punisher of it, were he himself the Authour. In a word, It is impossible that the same cause should directly produce contrary effects: can the same fountain send forth sweet p. 143and bitter, fresh and salt water; no more can God who is light, and the natural cause of light be the author of darkness.

To draw to an end in a word of application.

1. Our Apostle here implicitely teacheth us by what means we may come to know something of God;Aquin▪ part. 1. q. 13. art. 1. indeed those three ways which the Schools mention of knowing God, per viam causalitatis, eminentiae & remotionis, by way of efficiency, eminency, and remotion, are all to be found in this Scripture.

We know God by way of causality, when we assert him the prime, supreme, universal cause of all good whatsoever; we know him by way of eminency, when we attribute to God whatsoever perfection or worth there is in any or all the creatures, and that as being in him after a more eminent manner. Finally, we know God by way of remotion, when we deny of him whatever imperfection and defect is observable in the creature. A taste of all these our Apostle here giveth us, since if we understand the words both formally and causally, he proclaimeth him the cause of that light and beauty, and excellency that is in us; he attributeth to him that which is the most noble among inanimate creatures, light; and he removeth from him darknesse, which is a defect and deformity.

2. Learn we with this holy Apostle to have high and holy thoughts of God, as most pure and free from all pollution. Indeed there have not wanted such Sonnes of Belial who have charged God with sin; as the Luciferians who blame God for dooming Lucifer to eternal darknes; the Talmud which blasphemously forgeth the new moons, as appointed for an expiation of a fault in the deity, of taking away the light from the moon, and giving it to the Sun; and too many there have been who charge their own sins upon God; as Plautus brings in a deboyst wretch pleading for himselfe, dii voluerint, and St. Augustine p. 144speaketh of some Jewes who would say, when they had done any crime, Deus voluit. Oh let all such opinions be to us,Aug. ad art. fals. imposit. resp. 10.13, 14. as they were to that Father, detestable and abominable; and as St. Basil adviseth, though Gods counsels may many times seem strange to our reason, yet let that axiom be firmly rooted in our minds, foreign,Bas. orat. Deus non est autor mali. that no evill can come from the good God, no darknesse from him who is light. Indeed there are two attributes of God wherein he especially delights, his mercy and his holinesse. Oh let us take heed how we diminish the one, or deface the other, when we speak of God after the manner of men, as we represent his power by the arm, his mercy by the bowels, his justice by the hand, so his holinesse by the face. Oh how great an injury must he needs account it, if we shall throw dirt in his face? and therefore remember the caution of S. Iames, let no man say when he is tempted, that he is tempted of God, Jam. 1.13.Jas 1:13for God tempteth no man, neither can he be tempted.

3. Lastly, let us learn of whom to seek whatsoever light we stand in need of: Every good and every perfect gift (saith the forementioned Apostle) commeth down from above; we must shine in his beam, Chap. 1.17.be kindled at his flame, and be lighted by his torch. Like the moon we are dark bodies, till the glory of the Lord arise upon us; if we lack any light of wisdom, of grace, of comfort; we must ask it of, and onelyonly expect it from God. And therefore in a sense of our own darknesse, let us sue to him, for that spiritual illumination, which may guide and conduct us, through the wildernesse of this world, till we come to the heaven of heavens, where God in an especial manner, is the light of it, and in his light we shall see light; even the light of his face in glory for ever.