if the life of the Word be the light of men, here is no fuch thing as defcending to an effect to prove the light divine (as that the life fhould bring forth a light; and therefore this light is divine, because the life of the word, that produced it, is fo); I fay, without going to an effect for a proof of the light's divinity, I thus undeniably prove it from the life itself; "for that VERY divine LIFE is the light." Not that it createth a light, or brings forth a light, as a cause doth an effect; but is ITSELF that very light. So that unless they will make that life natural, (I mean, as they do, created, though very improperly, for a divine life is natural to Chrift) they cannot conclude the light, which is that very fame life itself, to be a mere natural light.

If, then, the very life of the Word be the light of men; then, unlefs the life of the Word be natural, the light of men must be fupernatural, divine, and infinite, as it becomes the life of the Word (which is GOD) to be.

The life of the Word being then the light of men, and that without any defcent, and confequently divine, I have no need to prove it faving, till our oppofers have divided faving from divine. However, let me briefly fay, that it being a measure of the true light, fo called by way of excellency, far tranfcending John (for as fuch is He preferred who is the Enlightener) and that it was through John all should believe in him; and laftly, that to those who received him as the Univerfal Enlightener, or the true light, "He "gave power to become the Sons of God," it will unanswerably follow, that the light is faving. And indeed I have, with multiplied arguments and testimonies, made appear from fcripture and ftory, the univerfality and fufficiency of that divine light. Such then that fay it is decayed, because they are fo themfelves, methinks refemble thofe at fea, who, being under fail, fancy the fhore moves. The fault is in

• John i. 12.

the

the eye, blinded by the god of the world, and not in that bleffed light, which fhines unprofitably upon the blind, through their own blindness got by difobedience. Let them, by unfeigned repentance, be unfcaled, and the fun will give proof of its light. Darkness ought not to charge the light, but itself, that it fees not. Some confefs all are enlightened; but deny the fufficiency thereof; and refuse to be ruled by it, and live up to it. Let them firft obey it, before they defpife it; and prove themselves above it, before they throw it fo far below a Christian: they may be then allowed to blame the light as impotent, or imperfect, when they outlive it, or can live uncondemned of it, and that experience tells us its insufficiency to well-living: it is vain to undervalue that which chargeth both with duty omitted, and fin committed.

However, this ftands fure, that the life of the Word is the light of men, and confequently divine; and there I will leave this firft fort of men, and their fruitlefs oppofition.

To the fecond interpretation given, destructive of that scope we say the text has, I return thus much:

That because the light of men was the life of the Word, which Word was GOD, by whom all things were created; and that all men are mentioned in that place controverted, which prefuppofeth no farther qualification in order to have this light, than being born (one of that all men) into this world; I conclude, that it is not only a most false, but injurious notion, to affert the commencement or being of that light to men only to be from the coming of Chrift in the flesh.

Befides, fince this relates to the whole man; which word begins with Adam, and ends with the last of man's race; I cannot conceive how that expofition can be valid for then John would have been before Christ, instead of Chrift's being before Abraham: whereas, therefore is John denied to be that light, because that true light, by way of excellency, was the enlightener VOL. I.

E e

of

of all men, yea, of John himself; and therefore called; "That true light," that is, the fountain of all light, light itself, from whom all derive, but he derives

from none.

And to fay nothing at this time of the miferable eftate thofe of mankind muft labour under antecedently to Christ's coming in the flesh, let it be confidered, that these first nine verfes in John relate not in the leaft to his flefbly appearance, from whence thofe men would date both his original, and man's illumination; but are a continued series of the higheft proofs of his divinity, that we might as well know what he was before he came, as when he did come; and the one was an introduction to the other. Neither is it fair for thefe men to allegorize Christ out of his divinity, and yet deny us any allegory to prove it. If they deny meanings elsewhere, let them do fo here: it mifbecomes men that have their wits, to rack them to prop fancy.

Farther let me add, that as He who then came into the world, was the fame that created that world into which he came, and therefore previous, or before fuch coming; fo neither can it hold that the world, into which man comes, is the new creation, fince it is not faid, "who believe," which is ufually joined to things of that importance, (" believe and be faved," &c.) Nor can fuch as do not believe, be totally excluded from being lighted; fince the wicked could not rebel againft it, if they had it not; neither mens evil actions be reproved without it: fo that all fuch notions are foreign both from fcripture and reason.

We fhall conclude then, That Chrift, the WordGod, is the light of the world, and that all are enlightened by Him, the eternal Sun of righteousness; therefore the light of men is Chrift, (for to him) Chrift, or the true light, John teftified, who gives wicked men to fee their unrighteoufnefs, and who leads good men on in the way of holinefs, which,

f

* John i. 1o. John iii. 19. Eph. v. 13.

S per

perfevered in, brings unquestionably to eternal happinefs; and without which, all imputation of general acts of righteoufnefs, performed by Chrift without us, will avail nothing for falvation in the great and terrible day of God's inqueft and judgment, when all shall be judged, not by the deeds any other hath done for them (wholly without them) but according to the deeds done in their own mortal • bodies.'

This fubject I fhall conclude, with a few reafons for the univerfality and fufficiency of the light within; that we may not only be feen to have the fcriptures of truth, and other authorities, but reafon alfo (which is more univerfal) on our fide too.

CHAP. XX.

The univerfality of the LIGHT Within, proved by reason.

HAT there is an univerfal light, the univerfality

THA

of all ages hath plentifully teftified. There is nothing more conftant now, that can plead either fuch antiquity, or general confent: not a nation in the world ever knew an age, in which it was deftitute of fuch a discovery of internal light, as gave them to difcern evil from good; that virtue was not ever most commendable, and vice above all things pernicious and damnable. This is matter of fact, which I have already proved, and the most barbarous of nations now inhabited, are a clear demonftration of what I fay. I conclude, therefore, fince both wicked and good men, in all ages, have confeffed to well and ill doing, and that this depends upon the discovery of the divine light of Chrift, which manifefts every reproveable action; that none of mankind are exempted from this illumination.

But again, it is highly confiftent with the goodness of God, and order of his creation; fince it feems unreasonable that men fhould have the benefit of a na

tural fun, which fhines on the just and unjust, by which to direct their steps, and fecurely tranfact all temporal affairs; and yet that their fouls fhould be left deftitute of a spiritual luminary, or fun of righteousness; when, in comparison of the falvation of a fingle foul, Chrift counts the world of no value. The foul then hath eyes as well as the body; and as men may fee, if they please, when the fun is in the outward firma

ment, unless they wilfully close their eyes, fo may all

rational fouls fee, if they will, by their eye of REASON, that Spiritual fun, which gives as true difcerning and direction to the mind, how to think and defire, as the natural fun doth to the body, how to act and walk aright.

Were not this true, men would miferably charge God with neglect to his creatures; for fince it is to be fuppofed that God made nothing but with a design it fhould acknowledge a Creator, after its refpective nature; and that man's duty was peculiar, namely, divine homage and worship, expreffed generally by a life correfponding with that Being which made him, it is just that we believe God hath endued mankind with fomething that is divine, in order to it; fince otherwise man would be deftitute of that which should enable him to perform that duty, without which he could not please or rightly acknowledge God. If then all mankind ought to worship, fear, and reverence God, certainly all mankind have an ability from God fo to do, or elfe perfect impoffibilities are expected, man of himself being a most impotent creature. But certainly it can never ftand with the rectitude and justice of the eternal God, to expect from man what he never gave him power to do, or the improvement of a talent he never had. In fhort, if we ought to think that God is to be reverenced and worshipped, we must agree that God endued mankind with a divine light and knowledge, in order to that end, or fay with the man in Matthew, " God is an hard master, and auftere Lord, he reaps where he never "fowed." But I am almoft afraid that the principles

and