and glory hereafter And such is the office of all the ministers of Jesus Christ. Which the same Apostle sets forth 2 Cor. 4. 6. God hath shined into our hearts speaking of himself and other Gospel Ministers that we should give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ that being our selves effectually illuminated we might be instrumentall in the inlightning of others This are the Ministers of Christ to doe by word 2. And as by word so by worke As by Doctrine so by Example Thus are they to shine before others in an Exemplarie Conversation So indeede ought all Christians to doe It is the Commendation which the Apostle giveth of his Thessalonians 1 Thes. 1. 7. They were ensamples to all that beleeved in Macedonia and Achaia But the Ministers of Christ in a special manner They beeing by their office shepheards they should as shepheards anciently were wont to doe go before their flocks Or to hold to the Emblem in the Text from which I would deviate as little as may be as that Star did which was given for a guide to the wise men to direct them to the place of Christs nativity It went before them saith the Text until it came and stood over where the young child was Matth 2. 9. Such Stars should the Ministers of God be unto the people Being given them for Guides they should not onely shew them light which that star also did to them but they should go before them till they bring them to heaven being Ensamples to them So was Paul to the believers of his time Marke them saith he to his Philippians which so walk as ye have us for an ensample Phil. 3. 17. Whereupon he there propounds himself unto them as a pattern for their Imitation Brethren be followers together of me And such all Gospel Ministers either are or ought to be This is that which Paul requires from Timothy 1 Tim. 4. 14. Be thou an example to the believers in word in conversation c. And the like from Titus Tit. 2. 7. In all things shew thy self a pattern of good works And it is Saint Peters charge to all of that Tribe Neither as being Lords over Gods heritage but being ensamples to the flock 1 Pet. 5. 3. The Ministers of Christ though they be as stars set over others by God yet they may not as Astrologers tell us some of the stars do Lord it over their Brethren Whether over their Consciences or Personâ— by an imperious obtruding of their own dictates instead of Gods Commandements as the Pharisees did or by carrying themselves Magisterially towards any under their charge But Patterns they should be teaching the people as by Doctrine so by Example Here is a fourth resemblance to which add a fifth 5. Stars have light and give light but it is a borrowed light In that differing from the light of the Sun whis is originally in the body of it The Sun being the fountain of light it hath light in and from it self But so have not the stars Their light is a borrowed light which they receive from the Sun And such is the light which the Ministers of Christ communicate unto others it is but a borrowed light Therein differing from that light which is in Christ who is the Sun of Righteousness as he is called Mal. 4. 2. the fountain of all spiritual light That was that true light saith Saint Iohn speaking of Christ Iohn 1. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 light it self Original light So was not Iohn the Baptist as the verse foregoing hath it He was not that light A light he was and that a shining an eniment one but not that light that Original light This was onely Iesus Christ. He is the Sun As for his Ministers they are but stars receiving their light from him I have received from the Lord that which also I delivered unto you saith the Apostle to the Church of Corinth touching the Doctrine of the Sacrament And the like may be said of the whole doctrine of the Gospel This the Ministers of Christ receive before they can deliver it Being themselves enlightned before they can enlighten others God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined into our hearts saith the Apostle that we should give the light c. in that place fore-named 2 Cor. 4. 6. Hence is it that sometimes they are compared to Candlâ—s or Lamps Ye are the light of the world saith our Saviour to his Apostles Matth. 5. 14. But what light why not sun-Sun-light but candle-Candle-light So the verse following explains it Neither do men light a Candle and put it under a bushel meaning that he had not communicated unto them that light to the end that they should hide it And thus it is said of Iohn the Baptist that he was a shining light John 5. 35. But what light why a Lamp or a Candle for so the word there properly signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence cometh the Latine word Lychnus and the English Linke And such were these Angels the Ministers of these seven Churches of Asia the Churches being the Candlestick as they are here represented to Iohn in this vision they were the Candles in them Now a Candle or Lamp how great soever the light be that it giveth yet it is but a borrowed light And so is it with the Ministers of the Gospel Their light is but a borrowed light Here is a fifth resemblance Take one more 6. Stars are Influentiall As they all give light and the same light so they have their severall Influences What those Influences are it is in a great measure a Mysterie a secret to us But that they have such Influences it is not to be questioned So much we may learne from God himselfe who Putteth the Question to Iob Cap. 38. 31. Canst thou binde the sweete Influences of Pleiades or loose the bands of Orion Pleiades and Orion two of the Constellations of heaven Pleiades the seven stars which rising in the spring bring warme showres for the moistning and refreshing of the earth Orion a winter Star which brings with it hard frosts which are there called the Bands of Orion because the earth is as it were bound with them Thus are they both Influentiall changing and altering the Earth and the Ayre And like Influences have these Stars the Ministers of the Gospell upon the Persons and places over which they are set working upon them as by their Doctrine so by their Examples Both which are very Influentiall and operative for the changing and altering of the people either for the better or the worse Hence is it that they are compared to salt Mat. 5. 3. Ye are the salt of the earth Salt being layed upon a peice of flesh it hath in a little time a great influence upon it in altering the taste of it seasoning it and making it savorie And thus the Ministers of Christ by their wholesome and
things which belong to our peace should be from thenceforth hid from our eyes So it followeth But now they are hid from thine eyes In which words wee have Ierusalem's Doom or Iudgment the spirituall part of it for that onely I intend to deal with A Iudgment answearing to their sinn Their Sinn was that they had not seene they would not when they might Their judgment is that as they did not so should not see what they might have done But now they are hid from thyne eyes Q. But what was thus hid A. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is hidden A verbe of the Singular number admitting say some of a two-fold reference Either to what went before or what followeth after 1. To what followeth after So it is looked upon by some as relating to what our Saviour in the subsequent verses foretelleth concerning the finall destruction and desolation of Ierusalem The daies shall come upon thee c. This was hid from their eyes A truth It was so and that through their incredulitie Often had they heard the judgments of God denounced against them as by the Prophets so by Christ himselfe but they gave no credit to what they heard Their eyes being blinded with their present temporall prosperitie and with the spiritual privileges which they then injoying looked upon as intailed upon them and their posteritie they were readie rather to make a mock of all threatnings of that nature Flattering themselves even as Babylon is said to do Isa. 47. 8. which said in her heart I am and none else besides me she was a Nonsuch I shall not sit as a Widow neither shall I know the loss of Children Thus did Ierusalem what ever was told her by whomsoever yet shee did not shee would not beleeve that ever such a change should happen unto her This was hid from her eyes And even this was a sad thing deserving to be lamented over in as much as hereby their condition was rendred the more desperate But I shal not insist upon this 2. More properly these words are conceived to look backwards relating to what went before And so much those particles doe intimate unto us But now as looking back to the words precedent If thou hadst knowen even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong to thy peace But now they are hid from thine eyes viz. the things themselves or the knowledge of those things Q. But how is this here said to be hid from their eyes A. Why it was so for the Present and it was so for the future For the present they did not see it for the future they should not see it Q. But how came it thus to be hid A. Hereof a double ground or Reason may be assigned 1. Their owne willfullnesse 2. God's righteous judgment Through the former it was that they did not see and through the latter it was they should not see what belonged to their peace Upon these two I shall insist severally 1. This was hid from their eies through their own wilfulnesse They would not see what belonged to their peace their temporal and eternal happinesse Notwithstanding that it had been clearly revealed and held forth unto them yet they shut their eies against the Light This is that which our Saviour chargeth upon this people the people of the Jews in that known place Ioh. 3. 19. Light is come into the world but men loved darknesse rather then light So was it with the generalitie of that Nation Christ who was the light of the world he was come into the world and in particular come unto them declaring and making known to them what belonged to their peace But they loved darknesse the darknesse of sin and ignorance preferring it before the heavenly light of Divine Truth which shone forth unto them Such was their obstinacie that they even closed their eies and would not see So our Saviour himself sets it forth Mat. 13. 14. where citing the prophecie of the Prophet Isaiah he sheweth how it was verified in that people of the Iews in his time In them saith he is fulfilled the prophesie of the prophet Isaias which saith Behold hearing yee shall hear and shall not understand and seeing yee shall see and shall not perceive though they daily heard the Word saw the Works of Christ with their bodily ears eies yet they did not believe him or in him How so The reason followeth in the next verse For this peoples heart is waxed gross and their ears are dull of hearing and their eies they have closed left they should at any time see with their eies and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts c. Such was the wilful obstinacie of that people that they even stopped their ears against the Word of Christ and closed their eies against his Works they would not see what belonged to their peace and in this way it came to be hid from their eies And this our Saviour here taketh up as a iust matter of Lamentation to him and Exprobration to them bewailing them for it and upbraiding them with it And so it is Wilful ignorance is a matter of just Lamentation and Exprobration to a people So our Saviour here taketh notice of it in Ierusalem But now these things are hid from thine eye Hoc non dicitur ad levandam Hierosolymae culpam saith Calvin upon it our Saviour doth not speake this any wayes to excuse or Ierusalem's fault but to aggravate and highten it Such is wilfull and affected ignorance True indeed as for simple ignorance where men are ignorant through the want of the meanes of knowledge that excuseth a tantô in part The servant which not knowing his Masters will did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes saith our Saviour in the Parable Luke 12. 48. In as much as he should have known it and might have known it had he enquired after it which he ought to have done therefore his ignorance doth not wholly excuse him yet being an extenuation of his fault it is so also of his punishment Simple ignorance of the minde and wil of God as concerning what we do or beleive is no just plea for any no just excuse in as much as they are by duty bound to know it might know more of it then they do were they not wanting in the inquiry after it But wilful affected ignorance when meâ—â—refuse to know close their eyes against the light stop their eares against instruction shutting it out of their souls this is an high aggravation of the sin and punishment of those that are guilty of it R. And well may it so be looked upon in as much as it is not a meer neglect but carrieth a contempt with it Now we know wiâ—h what an eye Conten pts are looked upon in the Courts of men upon earth When men refuse to take notice of their Orders
in his Conception and Birth And such he was in his Life During which he continually conversed with sinners yet he received no infection from them Being every way such as the Apostle describeth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy harmless â—ndefiled separate from sinners viz. in respect of any participation in that sin which is common to all other of the sons of men Heb. 7. 26. Thus Jesus Christ was and is as the Sun in respect of his personal properties From them come we to his operations and effects And here we shall find the like resemblance Christ being unto his Church as the Sun is to the world present with it Even as the Sun is in the midst of the Planets and being in his strength at noon day it is in the midst of the heavens and yet so as it is vertually and vigorously present in all places of the hemisphere that part of heaven and earth wherin it appears Even so is the Lord Iesus in the midst of his Châ—rches So this Son of man here appeareth unto our Apostle in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks A representation of the presence of Christ in the midst of those seven Churches as the last verse of this Chhapter expounds it And so he is in all other his Churches in the midst of them Being present not only with his Ministers to whom he hath promised his presence after a special manner Behold I am with you alwayes to the end of the world Math. 28. 20. But also with all true worshippers That is his promise to his Disciples and in them to all believers Matth. 18. 20. Where two or three are met together in my name there am I in the midst of them Coming together in the name by Authority with commission from Iesus Christ and being occupied about the business of his worship and service there is he in the midst of them viz. by his grace and spirit Even as the Sun whilest the Body of it is in heaven yet by the beams of it it is upon earth Thus the Lord Jesus whilest his body is in heaven yet by his grace and spirit he is present with his Church upon earth and that efficaciously present not only eying and observing but acting Exercising many operations in for and upon his Church resembling those offices which the Sun performeth unto the earth Of these instance in three or four of the principal 1. Enlightning it This doth the Sun being the fountaine of light it inlightneth both earth and heaven as the dark places here below so the moone and stars above all with what light so ever they have they receive it from this great Luminary the Sun This is Iesus Christ the light of the world So he stileth himselfe once and againe I am the light of the world Ioh. 8. 12 and 9. 5. viz of the Reasonable world the world of mankinde In him was life and the life was the light of men Ioh. 1. 4. Of all men What ever light they have whether Naturall or Supernaturall they receive it from Iesus Christ. For Naturall light even that common light of reason and understanding that is a beame from this Sun So that Text is commonly understood Ioh 1. 9. where it is sayed of Christ. Hee is that true light that enlightneth every man that cometh into the world viz with that common light of Reason which as their Creatour he bestoweth upon them Much more supernaturall light And that both of Grace and Glory The light of grace where with the soules of Gods elect are inlightned it is an effluxe from this Sun The light shineth in darkness sayth Saint Iohn in the fift verse of that Chap Thus doth Iesus Christ inlighten the minds of men with supernaturall knowledg which of themselves are full of darkness of ignorance And so that ninth verse there may be read and construed That was the true light which coming into the world inlightneth every man So Grotius following Cyrill and Augustine there looketh upon it referring the participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coming not to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every man but to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Light This Iesus Christ coming into the world inlightneth every man viz. that is inlightned Communicating the light of divine and supernaturall knowledg to the world And that as the Sun doth his light unto the earth which in a little time in the space of twentie-foure howers inlightneth the whole world So the Psalmist setteth forth both the swift motion and vigorous operation of it Psal. 19. 5. In the heavens God hath set a Tabernacle for the Sun which is as a Bridgroome coming out of his Chamber and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race His going forth is from the end of the heavens and his circuit unto the ends of it and there is nothing hid from the heat therof Even thus the Lord Iesus coming out of the womb of the virgin his Bride-chamber in a little space by himself and by his Apostles caused the light of his gospel to shine forth through the world in so much as the Apostle saith that in his time it was and had beene preached to every creature under heaven Col. 1. 23. So as in this he was like unto the Sun So the Apostle applyeth that of the Psalmist concerning the Sun unto him Rom. 10. 18. Thus doth the light of grace come from Iesus Christ in whome as the Apostle saith are hid all the Treasures of wisdom and knowledg Col. 2. 3. And that as of Common so specially of saving grace This light cometh from the face of Iesus Christ being beheld by faith So much we may learn from that Text of the Apostle 2. Cor. 4. 6. God hath shined into our hearts that we should give the light of the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. The glory of God shineth in the face of Iesus Christ which being held forth unto Gods elect in the Glass of the Gospel and there beheld by them by faith they come thereby to be changed into the same Image from glorie to glory as the same Apostle hath it 2 Cor. 3. last By thus beholding of the face of Christ they come to be made like unto him in the glory of holiness which work is still in progress here untill it come to perfection in heaven Thus is the light of Grace derived from Iesus Christ. And so is the Misticall Glory Which is but as it were a reflex from that glory which is in the face of Iesus Christ which being beheld by the Saints of God in that beatificall vision they thereby are made partakers of the same glory Even as so many looking glasses being set before the Sun by the reflex of the Beames thereof every one is changed into the same Image and made like unto it Even so shall it be with the Saints in heaven We know saith Saint Iohn
is hid to nature as viz. the Miserie of their naturall Condition by reason of sin and the punishment due thereunto together with the meanes of deliverance by and through Jesus Christ as also shewing them the way wherein they are to walke so as they may please God Now is it so that any of you are as yet strangers to this light which it is to be feared too many among us are poore ignorant Creatures whose soules are like dungeons into which the Sun never yet looked as darke as midnight they know nothing of God of Christ of themselves nothing of the mysterie of salvation be you awakened to looke up and to looke out for it This is the watchword which the Apostle Saint Paul having received it from some of the prophets the prophet Isaiah as it is conceved giveth to such as were in that dead sleep of sin Eph. 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall shine upon thee inlighten thee And let me hand it to every of you who are thus asleepe Awake you and stand up from the dead that Christ may give you light Be you awakened and roused out of that bed of sinfull securitie wherein you have beene sleeping and beeing convinced of your owne ignorance and blindness looke out for that light of knowledg without which the heart cannot be good That the soule be without knowledge it is not good saith the wiseman Prov. 19. 2. Or as the former Translation not without the consent of the Originall readeth it without knowledg the minde is not good Of what use is a dungeon fit for nothing but to make a prison of And such is a soule without knowledg And therefore in the fear of God now awake open your eys Behold the Sun is up the Sun of righteousness is risen the Lord Jesus sheweth himselfe to you in the preaching of the Gospel doe not now shut your eyes against the light Men will not doe so by the light of the Sun When that ariseth they will not shut their doores and windowes against it to keepe it out but rather set them open to let it in that they may receive the comfort and benefit of it And so doe you by that light the light of the Gospell which now shineth forth to you Let it not be said of you what our Saviour chargeth upon the Jewes Ioh. 3. 19. That Light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather then light This if you shall doe it will be unto you as our Saviour there saith it was unto them a just Condemnation This is the Condemnation Were it for heathens who never heard of the name of Christ to be ignorant and blinde as to what concerneth their eternal happines and salvation this would be some extenuation as of their sin so of their punishment But for Christians such as are borne in times and places of light having the Sun as it were standing over their heads for them to love darkness rather then light still to continue in their naturall blindnes and ignorance so shutting out the light they are here in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-condemned and were there nothing else to be layed to their charg this is to them a matter and ground of a just Condemnation That it may not be so to any of you be you perswaded to set open the doores and windowes of your soules and to let in the beames of this Sun of righteousness into your hearts Be you inlightened by the light of the Gospell which as yet shineth forth unto you And being thus inlightened now reflect that light So doe the Stars Having received light from the Sun they reflect it upon the earth And the like doe you Having received light from Iesus Christ shew forth that light and that by walking as children of light That is the Apostles Exhortation to his Epehsians Eph. 5. 8. Ye were sometimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord walke as children of the light And let it be mine to you All of you to whome Christ hath beene as a Sun inlightning of you walke you as children of light Hath Christ shined upon you doe you shine Arise shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee saith the Prophet to Ierusalem Isai. 60. 1. And let me in his words though happily in somewhat a different sense speake unto you Arise you and shine for the light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you The Lord Iesus who is the true light the Sun of righteousness he is risen upon you in the preaching of the Gospel And therefore doe you arise and shine shine as lights That is Pauls Commendation of or Exhortation to his Philippians for it is read both ways Phil. 2. 15. Ye doe shine or shine ye as lights in the world And this be you also exhorted to doe The night being spent and the day come unto you doe you cast off the workes of darkness and put on the armour of light as the same Apostle exhorts his Romanes Romans 13. 12. Those sinful ways and courses which heretofore you have walked in which may fitly be tearmed workes of darkness in as much as they both proceede from darkness and tend to darkness proceede from the darkness of ignorance and tend to the darkness of Hell whither they will bring them that go on in them lay them a side cast them away Putting on the Armour of light that bright shining Armour Even the graces of the Spirit within shining forth in an answerable Conversation without Thus Let your light shine before men that they seeing your good workes may glorifie your father which is in heaven as our Saviour presseth it Math. 5. 16. Here is the first of these Operations Inlightning 2. The second is Enliuening This also doth Iesus Christ as I have shewen you Being like the Sun the fountaine as of Light so of Life In him was life Ioh. 1. 4. As Naturall so Supernaturall life both Originally in him as in the fountaine Having then received the former seeke also the later from him That living the life of nature in him In him we live Act. 17. 28. So we may live the life of grace by and through him finding and feeling him living in us Now I live saith the Apostle yet not I but Christ liveth in me Gal. 2. 20. Thus the Sun liveth in the plant vertually by causing it to live And O that Iesus Christ may thus live in every of us by communicating unto us his quickning Spirit whereby being raised from the grave of sin we may live unto God living the life of grace Which that we may be made partakers of be we united unto him All Communion is from union And such is the Communion which the members of the mysticall Body have with their Head it floweth from that Union which they have