Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	day_n	light_n	rule_v	3,304	5	10.4231	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62877	True old light exalted above pretended new light, or, Treatise of Jesus Christ as He is the light which enlightens every one that comes into the world : against the sense both of the Quakers, Arminians, and other assertors of universal grace, whose light is proved to be darkness / delivered in nine sermons, by John Tombes, B.D., and commended to publick view by Mr. Richard Baxter.	Tombes, John, 1603?-1676.	1660 (1660)	Wing T1824; ESTC R21431	110,239	95

light inlightning yet they do not or will not understand this difference but confound the light inlightning which is indeed Christ with the light within each man which they term Christ and therefore make them that deny the light within to be deniers of Christ as if a man must deny the Sun to be light who doth deny the light to be in blind Bartimaeus his eyes And yet we do not deny the light which is in every man that cometh into the world only we deny the sufficiency of it self without Scripture preaching and learning to bring us to God and to direct us in his worship and to make known Christ to us and the way of reconciliation and salvation by him Again because we call the Scriptures a light and the Preachers lights therefore they exclaim against us as if we denied Christ the light and the light within Whereas there is no repugnancy between these Christ is the chiefest and highest light and yet the Law of God the Scriptures the Apostles are lights of the world Would any man in his wits reason thus The Sun is the great light in the Heavens and the Sun inlightens the eyes therefore he that calls the Moon a light or a torch or candle a light denies the Sun to be the light that inlightens all the world and the light that is in mens eyes Sure these men while they thus I cannot say argue but clamour give occasion to sober men to question whether they be not of those that come into world without light that have no light in them sith they cannot discern the want of reason in these sottish speeches more suitable to idiots and children then to men of ripe age But I rather choose to pray God to give them light then to upbraid them with their darknesse and to acquit our selves from their charge rather then discover their folly 2. However it is necessary that we be all warned to avoid false lights and to make use of Christ the true light There is much affectation and pretence of new light in these our daies Nor is it to be denied but that through the blessing of God much light either new or newly appearing hath shined forth sundry points in Divinity sundry texts of holy Scripture have been lately more cleared then they were in former daies Neverthelesse it is to be heeded that under pretence of new light many vain fancies are vented and received and that Satan hath prevailed with many to put darknesse for light and light for darknesse Of these none have more manifestly denied Christ then those that make a Christ within them the true light and while they except against the light of the Scriptures and the Word preached under pretence of Christ being the Word they put darknesse for light in that they make the natural light in each man which is but darknesse in spirituals as if it were to be heeded as mens rule in all sorts of duties and knowledge of the things of God Doubtlesse such men do really deny Christ who deny the words of Christ to be their Rule He that rejecteth ms and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him saith Christ John 12. 48. And where to find Christs words if not in Scripture I know not which while men leave and deny to be the Gospel but direct men to the light within them and call that the Gospel they do plainly reject Christ the light and follow the false light of mens vain imaginations nor can it be expected but that they should walk in darkness and stumble and fall to their destruction Be perswaded therefore as you desire your safety to make use of Christ the true light indeed not in that sense in which Fanaticks call Christ the light in them which is not the true Christ or true light who is in heaven but shines forth in the Scriptures and the explaining and preaching the doctrine which is contained in them but a meer phantasme or foolish fire which serves not to guide but to delude men The same is to be said of them that follow Ecclesiastick traditions unwritten Popes determinations Prelates and Councils Canons Fathers sayings as their light Concerning all whom it is true that there is no light in them that they are not derived from Christ the true light except they agree with the words of Christ in the holy Scripture whereby the true light doth enlighten as is to be shewed in the next point to whch I proceed Christ the Enligtening Light SERM. III. Joh. 1. 9. That was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world Sect. 1. Christ enlightens all things with their natural light as Creatour THe next point is that Christ Jesus is the enlightening light The day-spring from on high saith Zacharias Luk. 1. 79. hath visited us to give light to them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death Luk. 2. 32. Simeon terms him a light to lighten the Gentiles For explication of which it will be requisite that I shew 1. With what light Christ doth enlighten 2. Whence it is 3. By what meanes he doth enlighten 4. Why he doth enlighten 1. The light with which Christ doth enlighten is manifold 1. There is a bodily light in inanimate bodies such as are the Sun and Moon and Stars of which Moses saith Gen. 1. 16. And God made two great lights the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night he made the Stars also And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth and to rule over the day and over the night and to divide the light from the darkness And it is said Psal. 33. 6. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth 2. There is a natural light of creatures which have sight to discern what is convenient for them and accordingly do move towards that which agrees with their nature or remove from that which they discern inconvenient to them Of the light or life of these beings it is to be conceived that the word which was in the beginning with God was the cause according to that of the Evangelist Joh. 1. 3. All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made 3. There is a rational light of men whereby they are able to judge of what in duty they do or omit and have a conscience or privity to their own actions as either right or wrong And of this also Christ is the efficient as the words following Joh. 1. 4. import In him was life and the life was the light of men All these sorts of light the word enlightens with as Creatour it being said of him That by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created by him and

not Christ did in his Name cast out Devils Luk. 10. 49 50. And by this he refuted Luk. 11. 19. the Pharisees who imputed his casting out Devils to an assistance of the Prince of the Devils 2. By the concomitants and consequents of his lifting up which was his death on the crosse Joh. 11. 32 33. For 1. The prediction of it with the fulfilling thereof shewed he spake from God whose property it is to foretell future contingents as certain 2. The things themselves proved him to come from God 1. The wonderfull accidents that hapned at his death Mat. 27. 54. the renting of the Vcil of the Temple and of the rocks and the quaking of the earth and opening of the graves made the Centurion and his Souldiers say Truly this was the Son of God 2. His Resurrection not withstanding all the obstruction used by Pilate and the Jews with the rising of many bodies of the Saints which slept and appeared to many in Jerusalem manifest by the many and undoubted signs thereof to many persons many times proves his descent from God 3. The giving of the Spirit on the great day of Pentecost in the sight of Proselytes from all Countries which was also done by Apostles in other places together with many Miracles in his Name proved that he taught the truth he received from the Father 4. The dispossessing of Satan of his Empire in the worship of Idols and the giving of Oracles as from them and the drawing of the Gentiles to him as he foretold Joh. 12. 31 32. in which was part of the great mystery of Godlinesse 1 Tim. 3 16. which we at this day see accomplished together with many other Prophecies of the destruction of Jerusalem its treading down of the Gentiles the Preaching of the Gospel over all the world the calamities of the Jews the persecution of the Christians with other things Matth. 24. Luk. 21. and elsewhere abundantly demonstrate that he was the true light which came down from Heaven in respect of the Doctrine he taught and words he spake His words also appear to be the true light from the matter of them and the ends whereunto they tend and the effects of them For 1. The matter of them is pure like God containing holy Precepts not amorous Poems or sophistical quirks of wit or curious devices of art or cunning maxims of State policy or glorious atchievements of war or any thing that tends to exalt man but such Precepts and Revelations as make man spiritual heavenly wise like unto God There is nothing vain and fabulous like to the frothy wit of men nor deceitfull like to the wily old Serpent but solid and weighty concerning peace with God conversion unto him denying our selves taking up our Crosse following of Christ in patience contentednesse meeknesse humility and such like things as shew faith in God and hope of a reward in Heaven all plain without flattery of men to induce them to follow him in hopes of earthly preferment and worldly wealth or pleasure or praise of men but the clean contrary yet are they such things as when declared appear so necessary for sinners so full of goodnesse and congruity to Prophetical Predictions that the conscience of men not listed up with pharisaical concei's of self-righteousnesse nor obstinately addicted to their own lusts will assent to and embrace them 2. The ends of them and the effects are the salvation of man and the glory of God All that Christ spake it was to comfort the humble and afflicted soul Luk. 4. 18. to ease the burthened Matth. 11. 28. to direct them to God to reform the evils in Gods worship to take men off from covetousnesse hypocrisie and such evils as are pernicious to believe in God to love each other to lay up our treasure in Heaven not to be excessively carefull for the things of this life with whatever else might bring men nigh to God and alienate them from this present evil world And accordingly so were and are the effects regeneration or new birth rejoycing in God mortification of the deeds of the body comfort in tribulation a life of faith love to the Brethren in Christ and everlasting consolation and good hope through grace All which with inumerable other Characters and Symptomes of Christs Doctrine and Testimony do shew that he was the true light and that what he spake to Pilate Joh. 18. 37. was right To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witnesse unto the truth every one that is of the truth heareth my voice Lastly That in respect of his sincerity or moral truth he was the true light it is manifest in that as he said to the Jews he sought not his own will but the will of the Father which sent him Joh 5. 30. That he sought not his own glory Joh. 8. 50. Which appears in that he sometimes forbad the spreading of his fame withdrew himself when they would have made him King Joh. 6. 15. was content to be deprived of ordinary conveniencies Luk. 9. 58. In a word made himself of no reputation or emptied himself and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likenesse of men and being in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even to the death of the crosse Phil. 2. 7 8. that he might give Testimony to the truth Sect. 8. Application by way of Vindication of our selves from the Accusation of Quakers as if we denied the Light John 1. 9. and warning to shun false Lights From that which hath been said 1. It may appear that those who go under the name of Quakers do unjustly accuse publique Preachers as if they did deny the true light which inlighteneth every man that cometh into the world that they deny Christ the light for so in their speeches and books they do frequently charge them None that I have seen is more profuse and frequent in these charges then G. F. that is George Fox in his Catechism who saith p. 7 Toat neither the Jews nor Christians do believe in the light which doth inlighten every man that cometh into the world though they professe some of Christs and the Apostles words which the Jews do not P. 9. he saith Teachers by the will of man meaning publique Preachers in England and Professors say that Christ doth not inlighten every one that cometh into the world and they deny Christ. P. 13. That none can confesse Christ but who confesse the light which every man is inlightened withall But frequently in the same paper he terms such as acknowledge not the light which he imagins every one hath Antichrists Deceivers not Teachers of Christ but deniers of him p. 15. But this crimination is but the raving of men that are used to make clamours and outcries without any proof Though the text plainly enough distinguisheth the light inlightening and the light in every man from that true

work self-denial heavenlynesse faith hope in God and whatever else is amiable and imitable He went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the Devil Act. 10 33. He did no sinne neither was guile found in his mouth when he was reviled he reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously 1 Per. 2. 22 23. The real of Gods house did eat him up Joh. 2. 17. It was his meat do do the will of him that sent him and to finish his work Joh. 4. 34. He was the good Shepherd that laid down his life for his Sheep Joh. 10. 11. Having loved his own which were in the world he loved them to the end Joh. 13. 1. Though he were their Lord and Master yet he washed his Disciples feet ver 23. 24. Though he was rich yet for our sakes he became poor that we through his poverty might be rich 2 Cor. 8. 9. Being in the form of God he made himself of no reputation but took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likenesse of men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the crosse Phil. 2. 6 7 8. He pleased not himself but as it is written the reproaches of them that reproached God fell on him Rom. 15. 3. The Son of man came not to be ministred to but to minister and to give his life a ransome for many Mat. 20. 28. In all these things and in all other his words and deeds he did shine forth so clearly that even his enemies could not but acknowledge him to have been a holy and just person even before Pontius Pilate he witnessed so good a confession 1 Tim. 6. 13. that Pilate who condemned him yet acquitted him from fault and the malefactor that suffered with him testified that he had done nothing amisse Luk. 23. 4 14 41. 3. Christ did inlighten now in this time as the expression is Mark 10. 38. after his resurrection untill the day in which he was taken up by giving Commandments through the Holy Ghost unto the Apostles whom he had chosen to whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs being seen of them fourty daies and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God Act. 1. 2 3. 2. After his departure out of the world into Heaven he was and is an inlightening light now in this time mediately 1. By sending of the Holy Spirit whom he promised to send to the Apostles from the Father even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father and that he should testifie of him Joh. 15. 26. And guide them into all truth that he should not speak of himself but whatsoever he should hear that he should speak and would shew them things to come he should glorifie Christ for he should receive of his and should shew it to the Apostles that all that the Father had were his and therefore he said he should take of his and shew it to them Joh. 16. 13 14 15. Which was accordingly accomplished when the holy Spirit was given to them and those Prophets and other Teachers whom Christ gave to his Church were endued with the Holy Ghost after his ascension To whom and to the rest of Believers the holy Spirit is given as the earnest of their Inheritance and thereby the eyes of their understanning are inlightened that they may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his Inheritance in the Saints Eph. 1. 14 18. Who receive not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that they might know the things which are freely given them of God 1 Cor. 2. 12. Because they are Sons God sends forth the Spirit of his Son into their hearts crying Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. 2. By the sending of Apostles and other Teachers into all Nations of whom in that respect he said Mat. 5. 14 15. Ye are the light of the world A City that is set on an hill cannot be hid Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel but on a candlestick and it giveth light to all that are in the house Ephes. 3. 8 9. Paul saith of himself To me is this grace given to inlighten all men as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies being the same which is used Joh. 1. 9. And indeed Christ when he ascended up on high led captivity captive and gave gifts to men some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers Eph. 4. 8 11. who were Angels of light and being placed on high hills in great Cities and on Candlesticks in many Churches were eminent lights in the world So that was said of the Heavens Psal. 19. 4. was verified of them Their sound went into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world Rom. 10. 18. By which light the unfruitfull works of darknesse to wit the w●les of the powers of darknesse in their Idolatries and other wickednesse was discovered and innumerable souls brought out of the power of darknesse into the Kingdom of the Son of God From whose light succeeding Teachers by preaching the Gospel and baptizing Believers which the Ancients called inlightening many millions of people through the Romane Empire and other parts of the earth became Christians and were added to the Children of light and these Teachers are termed Starres in Christs right hand Rev. 1. 20. Lastly In the world to come as the phrase of Christ is Mark 10. 30. As the lightening that lighteneth out of the one part under Heaven shineth unto the other part under Heaven so shall also the Son of man be in his day Luk. 17. 24. Then shall he put on his glorious apparel and deck himself with light as a garment and being attended with all the Angels of light shall come in the glory of his Father and raise up the bodies of all the Children of light and bring them to the light so as that those eyes which were boared out for acknowledging him shall see him riding on the clouds of heaven triumphantly and they themselves shine as the Sun in the Kingdom of the Father And then he shall be our noon-noon-light we shall know as we are known 1 Cor. 13. 12. Sect. 7. Christ inlightens by reason of his own lustre and his Fathers design to to shew him to the world The Reasons why Christ is thus an inlightening light are 1. From his own property he being light of himself is as all light is apt to communicate his light to the world As the property of the fire is to burn and the property of water to moysten so it is the property of light to shine forth Nothing is more diffusive of it self and apt to shew it self to others then light Darknesse hides things but light makes them appear As the Prince of

learned and unlearned ones it is as safe a way which the unlearned and foolish follow as that which the wise and learned follow in matters of Religion and moral behaviour He that is counted unlearned and foolish if he follow his own light doth as well as he that is never so wise or learned Whereas Solomon tells Eccl. 2. 13 14. Then I saw that wisdome excelleth folly as farre as light excelleth darkness the wise mans eyes are in his head but the fool walketh in darkness 8. If every mans light within him be a sufficient safe guide in his way to God then the Philosophers light afore they had the Gospel preached to them was a sufficient safe guide to them for sure they had as much light within them without the Scripture as any and did improve it to the utmost and the Iewish Rabbins besides the natural light in them did by the study of the Law and tradition of Elders endeavour to attain to the knowledge of God Yet saith the Apostle to the Greeks that sought after wisdome the preaching of Christ crucified was foolishness insomuch that the Apostle 1 Cor. 1. 20 21. useth this exprobration Where is the wise Where is the disputer of this world Hath not God made foolish the wisdome of this world For after that in the wisdome of God the world by wisdome knew not God it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe 9. If every mans light within him were a sufficient safe guide to him in Religion and morality then do all Law-makers ill to put any Laws on them to restrain them from doing what they like then do Iudges ill in passing sentences of condemnation of them then do men ill to reprove them Parents Tutors Schoolmasters ill to teach them otherwise then is all Government and Magistracy unprofitable Rulers are not Ministers of God to us for good but only to molest and oppress us then they that set their children to School do foolishly Universities and Schools of Arts to breed them up in literature and good manners are vain and all these are to be abolished which were a way to lay all waste to level people as well in manners and knowledge as estates to reduce us to barbarism to make the nation a wilderness yea to depopulate it and in fine drive away the Spirit of God from us and introduce unclean spirits to repossess us and our Land It is such a course as tends to expell all that is excellent and may better us and to fill the Nation with a generation of fools in whom God hath no pleasure Eccl. 5. 4. and doth by consequent condemn all the men of worth in the world since the Creation of folly and blindness 10. Lastly If every man have a light within him which is a sufficient safe guide to him then I suppose they will grant that I have such a light within me and if every man is to follow this light then I am to follow my light in me Now my light within me shews me that the Quakers opinion about the light in them is an errour that they pervert fouls by bidding men follow it and draw them off from making the Scriptures their rule terming it disparagingly the letter and oppose Preachers reviling them openly thwarting them and molesting them in their work of teaching the people out of the Scripture and this is not only my light but the light of millions of men besides me Yea I think all the sober men of the world that ever were have found by experience their own darkness and ignorance and have groaned under it bewailing it to God and applying themselves to the use of such meanes as might bring light into their soules Out of all which I conclude that this opinion of Quakers which I have refuted is the most sottish opinion that ever was hatched instilled into them by the prince of darkness not by the Spirit of God and tends to the dissolution both of religious discipline and civil government yet they say or rather brawl somewhat for their opinion which is now to be considered Sect. 2. Objections of Quakers for the universality and sufficiency of light in men are answered That which they most urge is the Text Joh. 1. 9. which makes not for them nor against us who deny not that every man hath a light from Christ but the kinde of it that it is spiritual and the sufficiency of it that of it self it is a safe guide to God Of which enough is said before They alleadge also Luk. 17. 21. Where it is said to the Pharisees Behold the kingdome of God is within you Therefore in every man Whereto I answer 1. That the particle translated within you may be as well and to my apprehension more truly rendered among you which is the translation in the Margin 2. That the sense is the kingdome is not to be expected as a future thing but as it is Mat. 12. 28. The kingdome of God is come unto you Luk. 11. 20. The kingdome of God is come upon you Luk. 10. 9. The kingdome of God is come nigh unto you Which is not meant of light within but the preaching of the Gospel or the presence of the Messiah who was among them Joh. 1. 26. without them the light within each man cannot be meant by the kingdome of God For the kingdome of God is a thing that was not afore Christs appearance in the flesh and was taken from the Iewes and given to the Gentiles Mat. 21. 43. which is not to be said of the light within every man Nor is it said the kingdome of God is in every man but within or among you Pharisees or Iewes to whom the Gospel was at first sent For John the Baptist preached Mat. 3. 2. The kingdome of heaven is at hand and Christ went preaching the Gospel of the kingdome Mat. 4. 17. and Mat. 11. 12. From the dayes of John the Baptist the kingdome of heaven is forced Mat. 13. 10. Every one that heareth the word of the kingdome Which and many Scriptures shew that the kingdome of God is not extended to every man nor every hearer but to those that hear the Gospel and receive it It is alledged that the Apostle saith Rom. 2. 14 15. That the Gentiles who had not the law did by nature the things of the law these having not the law are a law unto themselves Whereto I answer that it is true of the Gentiles that their own consciences were a law unto themselves but not so far as to convert or guide them to God but to accuse or excuse them to themselves as the very next words shew Who shew the work of the law written in their hearts their consciences bearing them witness and their thoughts between themselves accusing or excusing It is alledged that it is said Col. 1. 23. That the Gospel hath been preached to every creature under heaven therefore every one hath the light within him