True Old Light Exalted Above Pretended New Light, Sermon 4
Men coming into the world need Light from Christ.
SERM. IV.
Joh. 1. 9.
That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
Sect. 1. The necessity of Christs Enlightening is asserted, because of the blindnesse which is in all at birth.
COming into the world hath a double sense, either entering on some action or businesse among men, or shewing themselves among men; and so false Prophets are said to come into the world, or to go out into the world, 1 Joh. 4. 1. And in this sense it is a truth, that Christ coming into the world as a Prophet, Joh. 6. 14. was the true light inlightening: But I gave Reasons against this sense, Serm. 1. Sect. 1. Or coming into the world is meant of humane birth, in the same sense in which it is said, that a man is born into the world, Joh. 16 21. which I conceive meant by Christs going forth from the Father, and coming into the world, Joh. 16. 28. And his coming into the world, Heb. 10. 5. Grotius it is true, annot. on Joh. 1. 9. argues from the distinction of being born and coming into the world, Joh. 18. 37. that the coming into the world, is still by shewing himself to the world: But that is not cogent, sith the same thing may be meant by two expressions. But however it be meant, when it is said of Christ, that he came into the world, yet here, where it is said of man coming into the world, must be meant of humane birth, which seems most probable for the reasons given before, and accordingly, this point is thence deducible, That every that comes into the world, needs light from Christ. Which position is true, 1. Because every man is born destitute of spiritual light in the things of God, concerning his duty and the way of salvation. 2. Because every man is liable to death and trouble, and wrath, and evil from God, as he is born into the world: and Christ came a light into the world, to remove both these sorts of darkness, and none else can do it. The former of these is to be the more fully confimred, because it overthrows the main position of the Quakers, that every man hath a light within him sufficient to guide him, so as that following it, he may please God, and be saved without the light of Scripture, or preaching of publique Teachers. And it also confirms the Doctrine of Original corruption, and particular effectual converting grace, against universal sufficient grace, and power of freewill, in the state man is in before conversion, which Papists. Arminians, Socinians, Freewillers maintain, and the perfection and merit which after conversion Papists and Quakers do assert.
Sect. 2. Universal corruption at birth, is proved from Joh 3. 6.
I shall begin with the words of Christ, Joh. 3. 6. That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is Spirit. To understand the force of the argument from hence, it is to be considered, that Christ useth these words in his conference with Nicodemus, as a reason of the necessity of new birth by water and the Spirit, that a person may enter into the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God meant Joh. 3. 3, 5. is to be understood of the Kingdom of glory, or that state of everlasting happinesse, which none but those that are clean, sincere and really holy, shall ever be admitted to: in which sense it is taken, when conversion, obedience, humility, and such like qualifications are prerequired to it, and it annexed to them, as Mat. 5. 3, 10, 20. & 7. 21. & 8. 11. & 18. 3. & 19. 14, 23, 24. & 21. 31. Mark. 9. 47. & 10. 14, 15, 23, 24, 25. Luk. 6. 20. & 13. 28, 29. & 18. 16, 17, 24, 25. Act. 14. 22. 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10. & 15. 50. Gal. 5. 21. 2 Thes. 1. 5. 2 Tim. 4. 18. James 2. 5. 2 Pet. 1. 11. The visible Church doth admit into it many that are proud, and impure in heart, and therefore the qualifications of holinesse and purity here prerequired are not necessary for entrance into it. Whence it follows, that the new birth prerequired as necessary, Joh. 5. 3, 5. is of the inward man, to that reall holinesse which is opposite to uncleannesse or unholinesse which was in the first birth; and consequently, when it is said, That which is born of the flesh, is flesh, must be thus expounded, impure and sinfull, or vitious, according to that sense which the term hath, Gal. 5. 16, 17, 19, 24. which is confirmed by the opposition in the other part of the verse, That which is born of the Spirit, is Spirit: For as to be Spirit, is meant of true and reall holinesse, which is the genuine fruit and effect of being born of the Spirit; so the being flesh which is the consequent of being born of the flesh, that is by humane generation, Joh. 1. 13. must be meant of sinfull and impure corruption. They that expound it only of doing the actions of natural life without sin, or of meer weakness without sinfulness, such as was in Eve before she sinned, reach not to the scope and force of Christs reason; for in respect of these there's no necessity of new birth, for entrance into the kingdome of God. A person may do the actions of a natural life, and be weak without sin, and yet not for that reason excluded out of the kingdome of God. A person may be spirit, and yet flesh in that sense, that is weak, and do the actions of a natural life; whereas here he that is flesh, is opposed to him that is spirit, and therefore natural life or Infirmity without sin is not all that is meant by flesh; there's pravity and impurity of minde expressed by flesh, as well as naturality or infirmity. It is true by flesh and blood, 1 Cor. 15. 50. which cannot inherit the kingdome of God, is meant a humane body in its weakness and imperfection. But thus in this life, they that are born of the Spirit are flesh, whereas Christ saith, he that is now born of the Spirit is Spirit; and the new birth which makes us no longer flesh and blood in that sense, is not the birth of water and of the Spirit mentioned, Joh. 3. 5. but the power of God, by which he will raise us up, 1 Cor. 6. 14. the birth of water and of the Spirit, Ioh. 3. 3. 5, 6. is here in this life, the other is not till the resurrection: therefore the same is not meant by flesh and bloud, 1 Cor. 15. 50. And flesh, Ioh 3. 6. but in the one place that weakness is meant which is removed by the power of God, and the voice of Christ at his coming to judgement; the other that sinfull blindeness, ignorance, concupiscence, which is consequent on humane generation, and is removed by the preaching of the Gospel made effectual by the Spirit of God: Whence I argue, If that which is born of the flesh by humane generation, be flesh that is corrupt, ignorant, depraved with proneness to errour and evil concupiscence, so as that it must be born again of water and the Spirit, afore it can enter into the kingdome of God; then every man that cometh into the world by meer hnmane generation, is void of light to guide him in his way to God and to salvation, untill Christ enlighten him: But the antecedent is true, as hath been shewed by opening the Text, Joh. 3. 6. therefore also the consequent.
Sect. 3. Vacuity of light without Christ enligtening, is proved from Rom. 8. 7, 8. Rom. 3. 9, 10, 11, 23. 1 Cor. 2. 14. Mar. 7. 21. Iam. 1. 14.
The same thing is further proved from the words of Paul, Rom. 8. 7, 8. Because the carnal minde, or minding of the flesh is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be; so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. In which speech the Apostle assignes the reason, why the minding of the flesh is death: Now by flesh is to be understood the sinfull pravity that is in man, for neither meer natural weakness, such as was in Adam and Eve afore they sinned, nor the doing of natural actions without sin, nor the minding of these are enmity against God or death, or impossible to be subject to Gods Law: But the minding of the innate pravity, whose works are set down, Gal. 5. 19. Now such are all that are not in the Spirit, ver. 9. and that by birth, Joh. 3. 6. Therefore all that come into the world are flesh, and till they be in the Spirit, are void of that light which might bring them in subjection to the Law of God, and so need Christs enlightening. The same may be further confirmed from the allegation of the Apostle, Rom. 3. 9, 10, 11, 12. where to prove that all both Jews and Gentiles are under sin, it is alleadged out of Psalmes the 14. and 53. that it is written, there is none righteous, no not one, there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God; they are all gone out of the way, they are altogether become unprofitable, there is none that doth good, no not one; which cannot be true if understood without limitation, sith then the Scriptures should be false, that say that Noah was a righteous man and walked with God, Abraham was one that God himself testified of to have feared him, Abel obtained testimony that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts, Heb. 11. 4. Of David God said, I have found David the son of Jesse a man after mine own heart, which shall fullfill all my will, Act. 13. 22. Therefore it must be understood of all afore they are enlightned and converted, and so proves that all without exception are void of saving light, till Christ do enlighten them, and being universal, is to be conceived to be from their humane generation. If any say, that many of the things there said, as that with their tongues they have used deceit, their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness, ver. 13, 14, &c. cannot be said of Infants; it is granted in respect of the actual practice, yet in respect of their disposition, inclination, and aptitude to commit them, they may; which is further urged from ver. 23. where he concludes, that all have sinned, and are come short of the glory of God. Hereto I shall adjoyn the speech of Paul, 1 Cor. 2. 14. where he saith, that the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. In which speech he expresly makes natural men not only nonintelligent of the things of God, afore they have the Spirit of God, by whom Christ enlighteneth; but also uncapable of knowing them, because they are discerned spiritually, that is by the Spirit. All the difficulty is, who is meant by the natural man. There are that understand by it, not every man that is unregenerate, but the most sensual, and such as are guided by their senses altogether: But the Text opposeth the natural man to the spiritual, and makes all the inability to be from the defect of the Spirit of God; and therefore understands the most rational man by [the natural man] if he want the Spirit of God. Nor is the conceit of him, that by [natural man] understands the weak Christian, and by spiritual the strong Christian, opposed to babes in Christ, 1 Cor. 3. 1. right. For though the Apostle saith, he could not speak unto them as spiritual, but as to carnal, to babes in Christ; yet doth he neither make babes in Christ an equipollent term to carnal, as all one with it, or deny babes in Christ to be spiritual: But as the Apostle saith, Rom. 7. 14. be was carnal, though he were a strong man in Christ, because he was in part carnal, his flesh did sometimes draw him to fin against his will; so babes in Christ may be spiritual, and yet carnal in part, by reason whereof he could not speak to them under the fin of contentions, as to spiritual persons, but as to carnal. But that the term foreign notes a natural man, or one that hath no more then his own soul to guide him, is besides the reasons in the Text, made more probable by Jam. 3. 15. where to the wisdome from above, is opposed that from the earth, from the soul, from the Devil, Iude 19. Soalary men are described, such as have not the Spirit; in neither place is the word fitly rendered sensual. But were it yeelded, that 1 Cor. 2. 14. the word translated [natural man] signifie a weak Christian; sure it followes, if a weak Christian cannot know the things of the Spirit of God without Christs enlightening, much less a man not so much as a babe in Christ: Yea the Apostle faith, 2 Cor. 3. 5. he was not sufficient of himself, to think any thing as of himself.
But besides these Texts, when our Saviour Mar. 7. 21. makes evil reasonings, thoughts, and folly, to come from within out of the heart of man, he surely makes mens hearts void of light, till they be enlightened with his light: And when James, Chap. 1. 14, 15. makes every mans sin the issue of his own lust, as every good gift from the Father of lights, who of his own will begets us again with the word of truth, Jam. 1. 17, 18. he intimates there's not light in us to avoid sin, till the Father of lights begets us again with the word of truth.
Sect. 4. Vacuity of light without Christ enlightening, is proved from Gen. 6. 5. & 8. 21. Job 14. 4. & 15. 14. & 25. 4, 5, 6. & 11, 12. Psal. 51. 5. Jer. 10. 14. & 17. 9. and experience.
To these Texts in the new Testament, I shall adde more out of the old: As first the words, Gen. 6. 5. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination, or the whole imagination or frame of the thoughts of his heart, was only evil continually, or every day, which speech is with little alteration repeated, Gen. 8. 21. the imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth; which speech is not a censure only of the Giants that werein the old world, but of all men, even from the youth of man, without any exception of any, and therefore is from their generation. Nor is it to be conceived to be an excess of speech, expressing more then was true; for Gen. 6. 5. it is given as a reason of the great wickedness of man, and Gods intended severe punishment, and set down as the object of Gods view on his inquisition; in the later to set out the greatness of his patience, by the greatness of mans sinfulness, to which ends those speeches had been impertinent, if they were understood as expressing more then was true. For then they had not expressed a true inquisition, or a just reason of a severe judgement, which is alwayes to be expressed as befits a Judge, whose judgement is according to naked truth, Rom. 2. 2. not with Rhetorical amplifications after the manner of Oratours, or a right reason of Gods patience, if the provocation were not as great as the words intimate. Now this being supposed true, we may hence argue thus. If every imagination, or the whole imagination or frame of the thoughts of mans heart, be only evil continually, or every day from his youth or childehood, then every man till he be enlightened by Christ, wants light to guide him in the knowledge of his duty, and the way of salvation, for if the thoughts be not right, the actions are not right, nor the light sufficient, if men stumble and fall, it is an argument they want light; but such is the imagination of mans heart, as the Texts do express: Therefore every man that cometh into the world, wants light to rectifie his thoughts about the things of God. And that this pravity of mens imaginations, is an hereditary and not meerly voluntary, or an acquired disease by use, custome, or imitation, the speech of Job doth intimate, Job 14. 4. where to deprecate Gods bringing him into judgement with him, in a bemoaning plight he thus speaketh, Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one: Wherein Job expresseth, that it is no marvel that all mens lives are so short and so full of trouble, because all being unclean naturally, none by natural generation can beget a clean childe. And if all are unclean morally as they come into the world, then all are void of light (for that's a chief part of moral uncleanness) till Christ enlighten them.
The same is confirmed by other passages in the Book of Job, as Chap. 15. 14. What is man that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? Job 25. 4, 5, 6. How can he be clean that is born of a woman? Iob 11. 12. Vain man would be wise; though man be born like a wild Asses colt: Which speeches do plainly assert mans uncleanness, and unrighteousness, and ignorance, as he is born into the world by natural generation.
To which may be adjoyned that speech of David concerning himself, Psal. 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me; which is not likely to be meant of any special sin of his mother, of whom no such thing is related; nor is it likely that he would mention it to her reproach, nor would it be pertinent to his confession of his own sin, nor is likely to be an Hyperbole, or excess of speech, as Psal. 58. 3. Joh. 9. 34. For those Hyperbolical expressions are descriptions of a man notoriously and openly ungodly in the course of his life; whereas David however he sinned in the matter of Urijah, yet in respect of the constant course of his life, was a man after Gods own heart, and therefore it seemes to me to note his original corruption by natural conception, as the cause of his great enormity in the matter of Urijah, and to aggravate his sin as springing from himself: Now of such corruption, want of light to guide us in our way to happiness, is a chief part.
That which the Prophet Jeremiah speaks, Jer. 10. 14. Every man is brutish in his knowledge, and Jer. 17. 9. The heart is deceitfull above all things, and desperately wicked, or incurably sick, who can know it? do express such a destitution of light, truth, and rectitude, as shew that the heart of man is very evil: Which being spoken of men universally as they are unchanged, can be well imputed to no other reason or cause, then the derivation of sinfull corruption to all mankinde, by natural generation.
To all which allegations from Scripture, experience addes abundant confirmation, sith the ignorance, unteachableness, frowardness, untractableness of persons, especially in duties of Religion, and the worship of God, untill by Catechizing, Preaching, Discipline, Government, and other meanes, whereby the wildeness of mens spirits is tamed, they be brought to some sense and conformity to their duty: And even then when by such meanes the hearts and lives of men are somewhat fashioned, yet upon every new provocation of fear or hope, they quickly draw back from any good course, and embrace any errour, unless by the Ministery of the word, help of Government, and work of Gods Spirit, they be strengthened, do fully shew that of themselves persons want light to guide them, and power to uphold themselves in any thing that is good; but on the contrary are prone to receive impressions, and ro hatch devices of sin and errour, till Christ do enlighten them.
Sect. 5. Every man needs enlightening by Christ, by reason of the many evils consequent on sin.
As for the second reason of mans needing light from Christ, by reason of the evils consequent on our natural darkness, which are not to be removed but by Christs enlightening; it is in like manner manifest by Scripture and experience.
For 1. It is plain from Scripture, that by one man sin entred into the world, and so death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that, or in whom all have sinned, Rom. 5. 12. By the offence of one, judgement came upon all men to condemnation, ver. 18. 1 Cor. 15. 22. In Adam all die. Now it is by Christ, who enlighteneth mens eyes, that this death and condemnation are removed, and by no other meanes. In Christ shall all be made alive, 1 Cor. 15. 22. Even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life, Rom. 5. 18.
2. Besides death and condemnation, all mankinde are liable to innumerable evils, to lighten the burden of which, the enlightening of Christ is very necessary; for that alone can give support and comfort to the soul in the bearing of them. Man is born unto trouble, as the sparks flie upward, Iob 5. 7. Man that is born of a woman is of few dayes, and full of trouble, Iob 14. 1. Sufficient unto the day, saith our Lord Christ, is the evil thereof, Mat. 6. 34.
1. Man of all creatures is born most obnoxious to harm; he is born naked and weak, unable to make provision for his own sustenance: Naked came I out of my mothers womb saith Job, Chap. 1. 21. We brought nothing into this world, 1 Tim. 6. 7. The greatest Prince is born as naked as the meanest Peasant, and all come crying into it, as bewailing their entrance into the world. Though the Parents rejoyce that a childe is born into the world, yet the childe doth not so. Other creatures can quickly help themselves: Many years pass over a childes head ere he can beg bread, much less earn it. He wants a great while both feet to seek it, and tongue to ask it, and hands to take it, and teeth to eat it.
2. To obtain it much care and labour is necessary: It is the doom awarded to Adam, Gen. 3. 19. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return to the ground. There is much pains, and cost, and care, and hazard in all employments, whereby a livelyhood is obtained; but in none more then in tillage and husbandry, whereby the provision of bread the staff of mans being is procured; and after all the industry, and skill, and charge, that is used, the ground is cursed for mans sake, thornes and thistles it brings forth to man, Gen. 3. 17, 18. Sometimes the seven lean kine devour the seven fat ones; the years of scarcity exceed the years of plenty, so as that there is no bread to be had, nor seed to so we the ground.
3. Besides, as the Psalmist speaks, Psal. 39. 6. Surely every man walketh in a vain shew, surely they are disquieted in vain, he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. That which a man hath laboured for and gotten together, oft times he hath no use of it: Sometimes it perisheth of it self, sometimes it is stolne or plundered from him: He that is as rich as Job was one day, is as poor as he was the next day: Sometimes a man so idolizeth his wealth, that he hath not a heart to use it, but only to look on it, and to talk of it: Sometimes sickness, or death seizeth on him, and then as it was with the vain man, Luk. 12. 20. his soul is taken from him, his projects fail, his goods are as uncertain owners; which caused Solomon to say, Eccl. 2. 18. Yea I hated all my labour which I had taken under the Sun, because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me, and who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and shewed my self wise under the Sun: This is also vanity. Whence he infers, Ver. 22. For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the Sun? For all his dayes are sorrowes, and his travail grief, yea his heart taketh not rest in the night: This is also vanity.
4. There is much more evil consequent on that darknesse, or sinne which is entered into the world, by reason of the frequent annoyances, persecutions, and temptations which are caused by the enmity of the world, and the acting of our adversary the Devil, who continually goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devoure. By which it is that all people are full of troubles, civil and forraign wars, which waste people, and their wealth; private quarrels, which undo many to was and houses; Law-suites, and factions, and …iulations, and discords, which ruine many persons and families; brawls and jarres, and contentions, which overthrow many houses, and cause perpetual vexation. Many secret murders, adulteries, perjuries, idolatries, and other evils, are caused by the Prince of darknesse, which verifie that censure of Solomon, Ecol. 1. 14. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
5. Beyond these, from the darknesse of our own hearts, there do arise so many perturbations of mind, fears, jealousies, dotages, vain hopes, ambitious desires, foolish imaginations, inordinate anger, impatience and discontent, sometimes by provocations, sometimes causlesse, upon tales, surmises, mistakes, dreams, sancies, impostures, contingencies, and otherwise, as make the mind of man like the troubled sea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt, as the Prophet speaks, Isa. 57. 20.
6. But most of all the conscience of sinne, and the sense of Gods wrath, and the fear of death and judgment to come, over whelm the spirit of man with horrour, make Felix tremble, Cain turn Vagabond, Saul grow desperate, and betake himself to one that had a familiar spirit, Judas become his own executioner. In a word, make many through fear of death▪ all their life-time subject to bondage, Heb. 2. 15. This being of all other the greatest torture of the soul, when God hides his face from a person, which made Job expresse himself in this lamenting ditty, Job 13. 24, 25, 26. Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy? Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? And wilt thou pursue the dry stubble? For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth. For as Solomon saith truly, Prov. 18. 14. The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity, but a wounded spirit who can bear8
All these things, and innumerable other evils, experience shews to infest the life of man, against which the only remedy is well advised reason, composedness of spirit, patience, saith, hope in God, which must be communicated from Christ, who enlightens all with natural or supernatural light; of which I am next to speak.
Sect. 6. Application to make us sensible of sins evil, and the worlds vanity, and to provoke us to seek a tredsure above, and light from Christ to comfort us.
In the mean time by that which hath been said, 1. It is necessary for our good, that we should be sensible of these two things.
1. That sin is an imbittering thing, that takes away the relish and pleasure of all the goods we have under the Sun, and of our very lives themselves. Agag thought, if he had escaped death, then bitternesse had been overpassed, and therefore he came to Samuel delicately, 1 Sam. 15. 32. But experience shewed, that there is often more bitternesse in life then in death. Nor is it likely to be otherwise as long as sin remains, for that's a root of bitternesse, Heb. 12. 15. a root that beareth gall and wormwood, Deut. 29. 18. While there is sin in our eating and drinking, there will be bitternesse in our meats and drinks: While there is sin in our nuptials, there will be bitternesse in our marriage society. All states and conditions here, will have their frets, their gnawing worms, and eating mothes. When God corrects man with rebukes for iniquity, he makes his beauty to consume away like a moth: Surely every man is vanity, Psal. 39. 11.
2. That we have little cause to glory in our birth. It is the property of many to boast of their birth, it is the manner of all Parents to rejoyce at their childrens birth. But the sense of sinne should take away our glorying in our selves, the sight of our black feet, should abate our high conceits of our white feathers, and the sense of trouble should allay the excesse of our joy in posterity, and rather provoke us to imitate them that wept at births, and sang for joy at burials. Were it not that God makes women forget their travell, they would breed no more and were it not that God hides from the eyes of men the evils that accompany life, they would choose strangling rather then life, and were it not for the consolations of Christ, the burdens especially of the godly would be unsupportable, especially when they complain with Paul, Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death! Earth is but a reall dungeon, though to some it is an imaginary Heaven.
2. It is necessary, 1. That we seek our good in other enjoyments then this world. Who would make his bed upon thornes? Who would choose his dwelling on the mast of a ship, where winds, and stormes, and perpetual tossings take away all rest? Surely our best enjoyments our best habitation here are no better. We project many things, and promise much to our selves in Wealth, Wife, Children, Friends, Houses, Preserments, and other things, but upon a just account we find all but ciphers, which make no summe. How often doth Solomon tell us, when he had cast up his reckonings, that vanity of vanities, all is vanity, Eccl. 12. 8. And why should we set our eyes then on that which is not? Prov. 23. 5. Surely the true light holds sorth better counsel, Luk. 12. 33. Provide your selves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no chief approacheth, nor m…th corrupteth, a treasure of Gospel grace, the new Covenant, the heavenly Promises, the Communion of Christ, the fellowship of the Spirit, and the life of Faith, and these will never deceive our expectations. It were a good wish, if righly minded by the users, God send us the light of Heaven.
2. Let us prize the light of Christ, and make use of it to prevent, lessen, hear, deliver us out of all the present evils. Paul had learned to do so, Phil. 3. 12, 13. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where, and in all things I am instructed, both to be full and to be hungery, both to abound and to suffer need, I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me. It is indeed the inlightening of Christ which clears up all to us, in the most stormy and cloudy day; it will make us look abroad, and travell with strength in our journey, and run the race which is set before us, and after Pauls sad complaint, take up with his conclusion, I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord, Rom. 7. 25. O death where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory? The sting of death is sinne, and the strength of sinne is the Law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 15. 55, 56, 57.