impuritie Gen. 8. 21. Esay 64. 6. Iob. 14. 4. but by the spirit of Christ wee are mortified and renewed in affections will euen in the spirits of our mindes Rom. 8. 10. Ephes 4. 22. 23. 24. IIII. He is our redemption As if he should say by him alone wee are redeemed both from the bondage of sinne and miserie that commeth by sinne This redemption is begun in this life being deliuered from the bondage of corruption and accusation of an euill conscience and perfected in the end of this life when the soule is seperate from the burthen of the flesh but consumate and finished in the resurrection of the last day when body and soule being revnited and ioyned together shall remaine for euer with Christ in his kingdome of glory Now that which the Apostle saith there that Christ is our wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption is all one with that which Christ saith heere I am the light of the world Therefore if any man desire to know more wisdome or other wisedome more righteousnesse or other righteousnesse more redemption or other in whole or in the least part let him heare the Apostle Colos 2. 8 9. Beware least there be any man that spoile you through philosophies and vaine deceit through the traditions of men according to the rudiments of the world and not after Christ for in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the god-head bodily III. The holy Ghost is the light of the world Though God the Sonne be the wisedome and word of the father giuing light and life to the spirituall world that is the companie of the regenerate euen as the Sun giueth light and life to the materiall world yet the world that is the vnregenerate liuing in the darkenesse of ignorance and sinne doe not comprehend nor receiue this light of life no more then the dead eye or body is beautified by the light of the Sun to see and liue therewith Ioh. 1. 5. the light shineth in the darkenesse and the darkenesse comprehended it not 11. He came vnto his owne and his owne receiued him not Esay 53. 1. Who will beleeue our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord reueiled Ioh. 12. 37. Though he did many miracles before them yet they beleeued not in him So that the father is the fountaine of light the Sonne is light begotten of the Light and tooke flesh on him to manifest and participate this light to vs the holy Ghost is light proceeding from both being sent of the Father and the Sonne to enlighten vs. But the Son is the light of the World in a more peculiar maner because he is Emanuell and in and by him is the worke of our redemption wrought but yet with the cooperation of the father and the holy Ghost as if three men should weaue a coate and the third weare it So that the Trinitie in the Vnitie and the Vnitie in the Trinitie is the light of the World Concerning the third signification The Doctrine of the Gospell is the light of the World There be sundry Doctrines and arts in the World which are lights also but they are naturall lights not lights of life there is no vertue in these lights to quicken the mortall body or to reuiue the dead soule the Doctrine of the Gospell is only the light of life Ioh. 6. 63. The words that I speake to you are spirit and life Ioh. 17. 3. Psal 119. 105. Ioh. 24. 13. Concerning the fourth signification Christians and Christian life are the light of the World and especially the Ministers of the Word 2 Cor. 4. 6. God that commanded the light to shine out of darkenesse is hee which hath shined in our hearts to giue the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Iesus Math. 5. 14. Yee are the light of the World Ephes 5. 8. Yee were once darkenesse but now are yee light in the Lord that is you are now enlightened by the word of truth let your conuersation be according to the truth Phil. 2. 15. Be blamelesse and pure and the sonnes of God without reproofe in the middest of a naughtie and crooked nation among whom yee shine as lights in the world Prou. 4. 18. The way of the righteous shineth as the light more and more vnto the perfect day Hereupon the workes of the regenerate are called the workes of light Rom. 13. 12. Put on the armour of light i. honest behauiour Notwithstanding all that hath beene said we must know that although Christ the Gospell and Christian life be the light of the world yet the world namely the vnregenerate comprehend not nor see this light because they take darkenesse to be light and light to be darkenesse Know therefore that as Christ was reputed in the world so were the Prophets before him and the Apostles after him and in such sort are the true Ministers and true beleeuers esteemed in the world Marke what Esay saith of Christ chap. 8. 18. I and the children which thou hast giuen me are as signes and wonders in Israel i. as monsters As Dauid saith Behold I am become a monster vnto many And Iohn saith of him Ioh. 1. 10. He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not Iohn 9. 29. Christ himselfe saith Mat. 11. 19. The sonne of man is counted a glutton a drinker of wine a companion of Publicans and sinners Mat. 27. 63. He is counted a deceiuer Mat. 9. 34. A sorcerer Ioh. 8. 48. A Samaritane and to haue the diuell Mark 3. 21. His kinsfolkes lay hold on him supposing him to be beside himselfe Ioh. 9. 24 The Pharisies know him to be a sinner If Christ was thus reputed of who neuer sinned and in whose person words and works the Maiesty power and glory of God appeared yea through which as through a chrystall his diuinity shined forth to the world how much more then the children of God that are clogged with infirmities No maruell is it though they be counted the vilest and most contemptible persons of all other See the cause hereof Wisd 2. 22 They doe not vnderstand the mysteries of God nor can discerne the honour of the soules that are faultlesse The cause of this ignorance and going astray is vers 21. Their owne wickednesse hath blinded them Ioh. 3. 19. This is the condemnation of the world that light is come into the world and men loued darknesse more then light because their deeds were euill The wicked hate the light because it discouers sinne which they loue againe the righteous loue the light because it discouers sinne which they hate and manifesteth the right way vnto them into which they desire to enter and wherein they delight to walke The world knew not the Prophets that were before Christ But what part or people of the world The Pharisies Amorites Ammonites Moabites Edomites No maruell if
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD A Sermon preached at Botterwike in Holland neere Boston in Lincolnshire By THOMAS GRANGER Preacher of Gods word there IOHN 95. As long as I am in the World I am the light of the World LONDON Printed by T. S. for Thomas Pauier and are to be sold at his shop in Yuie lane 1616. TO THE RIGHT VVorshipfull Mr. THOMAS LEVENTHORPE Esquire Sonne and heyre to the renowned Knight Sir IOHN LEVENTHORPE T. G. wisheth all happinesse and eternall blessednesse RIGHT Worshipfull The speciall affection that I beare to that louely Oliue wherof you are a special branch and the duty wherein I euer remaine obliged vnto it hauing heretofore receiued pleasant nutriture from thence and delightfull refreshing in the shade thereof haue often solicited me by one meanes or other to shew and testifie my thankefull minde to the same and to your selfe in particuler Siluer and gold haue I none nor any costly present but such as I haue freely receiued I freely offer vnto you The water is a common element yet when one Synaeta hauing nothing to offer to Artaxerxes passing by he tooke water out of the riuer Cyrus with both his hands and offered it to the king who accepted it as a speciall gift as Aelianus recordeth first because water is the best element Secondly because it was taken out of Cyrus So the Ayre the Light are common and I not hauing any gift to present you withall am glad to offer the Light vnto you which I hope shal finde special acceptance with you First because that of many lights this is the best light giuing light to all other lights of the naturall soule without which they are vtter darkenesse euen as the lesser lights of the firmament are but darke and dead bodies without the light and vitall influence of the Sun Secondly because this light ariseth and shineth out of another world then is either the Macrocosme or Microcosme to wit the spirituall world which is the word and Church of God But though this light be common because it is offered to all and shineth vnto all yet it is receiued of few because darke earthy bodies cannot receiue the light in which respect it becommeth a proper and speciall light and I make no doubt but that you are one of those few who delight in this light and therefore I trust will also accept this as a speciall gift which is pretious and speciall in it selfe though it be not specially but vulgarly set forth by me to whom the exhibiting and shewing thereof to the world is also committed The Lord protect and conduct you in the way euerlasting From Botterwike in Holland neere Boston in Lincon 1616. Your worships to command euer in the Lord THOMAS GRANGER THE LIGHT OF THE VVORLD IOHN 8. 12. Then spake IESVS againe to them saying I am the light of the world he that followeth me shall not walke in darknesse but shall haue the light of life THESE words containe a Sermon of our Sauiour Christ preached to the Iewes in the Temple Wherein two things are principally to be considered the Preface and the principall Scope The Preface is in the former words Then spake Iesus to them c. Wherein consider these circumstances First The person speaking Iesus spake his speaking is amplified by a note of sedulitie and oftennesse in speaking Spake againe Secondly The persons to whom he spake to them viz. the people of the Iewes flocking together about him not to the Pharisies Thirdly The time when then that is either after this time when the Pharises had tempted him vpon occasion of a woman taken in adulterie or else in the great and last day of the feast of Tabernacles as some thinke but whether it mattereth not much Whereas it is said that he spake to them againe hence we obserue and learne that Christ was most diligent laborious and painefull in his calling being in all things answerable to the commandement and will of his father He was often weary hungry thirstie with trauailing and preaching neither fainting nor failing therein through want of earthly reward as the maner of earthly men is nor discouraged therefrom with the feare of his enemies In the Chapter aforegoing the Iewes seeking to kill him he trauailed into Galilee and from thence about the middle of the Feast to Ierusalem againe where he taught continually in the Temple till the end of the last day of the Feast then he went into the mount Oliuet to rest and refresh himselfe and earely in the morning he came againe into the Temple to preach By which History and many other places it is apparent that Christ was continually employed in the actions of his calling Hereupon it is that Iohn saith Cap. 21. 25. If all things were written that Iesus spake and did I suppose the world could hardly containe the bookes that should be written of him which words he vttered out of the consideration and reuiew of Christs great and daylie pains in teaching preaching working miracles which he thought could not more fitly be expressed than by such an hyperbolicall kinde of speaking Likewise Ioh. 4 34. Christ was wearied with trauaile and thirstie hauing neither drunke nor eaten any thing since the morning it being now mid-day therefore his Disciples prayed him to eate but he answered I haue meate to eate that yee know not of My meate is that I may doe the will of him that sent mee and finish his worke As if he had said though meate be now necessarie for me I hauing fasted thus long yet is the doing of my fathers wil and finishing of his worke more necessarie therefore occasion of preaching by the comming of the Samaritans at this instant being offered I must forget bodily hunger I must not now regard bodily meate but I must redeeme the present occasion with neglect of my body and bodily sustenance Likewise Math. 26. 55. I sate dayly teaching in the Temple among you c. Hereby the Ministers of Christ are taught by his example to be laborious and painfull in the faithfull discharge of their office in the distruction of the kingdome of sinne and Satan and in gathering and building vp the Church and kingdome of Christ seeing that he hath sent them in like manner as his father sent him as himselfe saith In Ioh. 4. 35. Christ exhorteth his Disciples to performe the duties of faithfull labourers in the Lords haruest to be carefull in reaping his fruits his argument is drawn from the comparison of earthly haruest-labour Say yee not there are yet foure months and then commeth the haruest c. As if he should say you are so carefull for this earthly haruest that you count the moneths the weekes and dayes till haruest come so hungarly doe you looke for it and painefully labour in it but the Lords haruest for which you ought to be as careful is euen now at hand for yee may see the regions already white to the haruest
the elect by and through Christ which the Gospell setteth forth And by vertue of this light and sauing knowledge is he made partaker of the diuine nature that is quickned to liue the life of God which stands in new obedience He therefore that followeth Christ hath the light of life What it is to haue the light of life or to walke in the light is plainely expressed Ioh. 12. 35. 36. Yet a little while the light is with you walke while yee haue light least the darknesse come vpon you c. Christ exhorteth heere to walke in the light which signifieth two things First to beleeue in him as it is in the verse following while yee haue light beleeue in the light c. first I say to walke in the light signifieth to beleeue in Christ our wisedome righteousnesse sanctification redemption Secondly it signifieth the performance of all duties worthy of a Christian which is to haue our conuersation according to our faith in him For as the light of the day is giuen to vs to walke and labour in our callings euen so this spirituall light or day shining in the Gospel is giuen to vs to walke to labour and to liue therein And he that walketh not in the light of the Gospell walketh in darknesse euen after the imagination of his owne corrupt heart in the craftinesse and deceiueablenesse of fleshly lusts For the further clearing of this point I will shew in what particulars this liuely sauing knowledge of God in Christ reuealed in the Gospell and applied to the elect by the spirit is called Light First the light is so glorious a creature that no fleshly eye can behold it being in a subiect of nature like it selfe as the Sunne is euen so the light of the Gospell is so glorious that the eye of mans reason and vnderstanding cannot in the least measure apprehend it Secondly the light is pleasant delightfull cheerfull comfortable ioyfull and hopefull but in the absence of light there is heauinesse sadnesse sleepinesse pensiuenesse sorrowfulnesse dispairfulnesse fearefulnesse euen so this sauing knowledge placeth the soule in much more happinesse and felicity affording true and euerlasting pleasures true delights true cheerfulnesse true comforts true ioyes true hope which the miseries and afflictions of this life cannot abolish or corrupt seeing that they are the rayes and beames of the Sunne of righteousnesse shining in vs. How inuincible and vnquenchable is this sauing knowledge the light of life Thirdly the visible light is the life of the materiall world maintaining life motion sense in all creatures in the firmament aboue and elements below euen so this sauing knowledge is the life of the spirituall world that is the companie of Gods elect kindling spirituall life in them giuing spirituall wisedome vnderstanding reason sense motion vnto them whereby they differ from other men more then other men differ from beasts Fourthly as by the shining light all things are visible to vs and euery thing is discerned and knowne euen so by this sauing knowledge are all things made manifest to the eyes of our minds For by vertue hereof we discerne betweene good and euill betweene holinesse and prophanenesse betweene true wisedome and worldly craftinesse betweene the true worship of God and idolatrie or false-worshippe betweene sincerity and hypocrisie between the workes of light and darknesse betweene Christ and Antichrist between God and the Diuell who can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light to blinde the eyes of Infidels that they that want this knowledge discerne little or nothing at all between the one and the other yea they altogether take the one for the other like to the blind man that goeth confidently the contrary way Fiftly as the light doth enlighten the bodily eyes whereby we see to walke in the right way and that without stumbling or falling euen so this sauing knowledge sheweth the right way to eternall blisse and guideth vs without falling into the pitfalls of Satan and this wicked world FINIS Iohn 21. 25. Iohn 4. 3 4. Math. 26. 55. Ioh. 4. 35. Dan. 12. 3. Iohn 15. 16. 1. Thes 2. 19. Ier. 1. 17. 1. Cor. 9. 16. 2. Tim. 4. 1. 2. Luc. 11. 54. Math. 7. 6 1. Cor. 13. 12. Reu. 21. Esay 30. 33. August Basil Ioh. 12. 35. 1 Ioh. 1. 5. 1 Tim. 6. 16. Ioh. 1. 18. Wis 9. 13. Nazian in orat de filio Dei Basil in praefat ante euang Ioh. Ioh. 1. 4. Ephes 2. 1. 1 Ioh. 1. 1. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Colos 2. 3. Colos 2. 8. 9. Ioh. 1. 5. Esay 53. 1. Ioh. 12. 37. Ioh. 6. 63. 2 Cor. 4. 6. Math. 5. 14. Ephes 5. 8. Phil. 2. 15. Pro. 4. 18. Rom. 13. 12. Ioh. 1. 10. Mat. 11. 19. Ioh. 9. 24. Ioh. 3. 19. Ionas 3. 4. 5. c. Acts 7. 52. Ezech. 16. 46. Acts 5. 28. Acts 24. 5. 1 Cor. 4. 13. Ioh. 11. 48. Acts 5. 24. Mat. 15. 30. Luke 17. 17. Luke 23. 8. Mat. 8. 19. Ioh. 6. 26. Ioh. 10. 21. Ephes 5. 1. Leu. 11. 44. 1 Ioh. 3. 7. 1 Ioh. 3. 14. Ios 24. 14. 1 Sam. 12. 24. Ephes 4. 25. 1 Pet. 1. 15. 1 Pet. 1. 2. Ioh. 3. 4. Rom. 8. 15. Rom. 11. 24. 1 Ioh. 3. 9. Rom. 1. 13. 2 Pet. 1. 4. Ephes 1. 14. Esay 11. 2. Rom. 8. 11. Ioh. 14. 23. Psal 119. 105. Rom. 6. 21. Col. 3. 10. Ephes 5. 24. Mat. 6. 23. Gal. 2. 19. 20. Rom. 1. 28. 1 Tim. 4. 2. 1 Pet 4. 4. Esay 59. 5. Psal 14. 5. Ier. 5. 8. Ier. 50. 11. Luk 11. 32. Ioh. 12. 35. 36.
these knew them not But the Church of God the Israelites knew them not yea they were worse then the Aliants For the Niniuites persecuted not Ionas but beleeued God Ionas 3 4 5. c. But the Israelites persecuted al the Prophets with derision contempt imprisonment death Act. 7. 52. Which of the Prophets haue not your fathers persecuted and they haue slaine them that shewed before of the comming of that iust c. Which were the slaughter-houses of the Prophets and Saints before Christ euen Samaria and Ierusalem Mat. 23. 37. Euen Ierusalem where was the Temple and worship of God where aboue all places in the world Gods name was called vpon Ezec. 16. 46. Thy eldest sister is Samaria thy younger sister is Sodome Againe the world knew not the Apostles that were after Christ In Acts 5. 28. the preaching of the Gospell is counted sedition and rebellion In verse 38. 39. Gamaliel a Doctor of the Law doubteth whether it be of God or of men comparing the Apostles to Theudas and Iudas of Galile that made insurrection in the dayes of tribute In Acts 24. 5. Paul is counted a pestilent fellow a moouer of sedition a maintainer of the sect of the Nazarites In the vers 14. his doctrine is called Heresie chap. 26. 44. Madnesse 1. Cor. 4. 13. We are counted the of-scourings of al things And Iohn the Baptist that came in the way of righteousnesse is said to haue the diuell In the primitiue Church what euills soeuer happened to the City or prouinces of Rome whether famine pestilence earth-quakes warres vnseasonable weather the Christians were thought to be the causes thereof whereupon rose great persecutions whereas indeed they themselues were the causes thereof which by reason of their vnbeliefe and malice brought these iudgements of God vpon thei owne heads And herein note the condition of this blinde world it alwayes hath beene and is suspitious of the truth and the true profession thereof fearing and dreading the same as an enemy to their peace and safety Worldly peace rest safety liberty prosperity is all that the carnall man seeketh for or careth for making the end of their owne doings and Gods doings also the rest ease and pleasures of their bodies and the pompous gloryfying of their persons Whatsoeuer is aboue this and for God they take to be against them because they are against God though not in outward shew yet in spirit yea making themselues their owne Idols Ioh. 11. 48. If we let him alone all men will beleeue in him and the Romanes will come and take away both our place and the Nation These worldly Politicians whose policy was not guided nor seasoned with grace are afraid of Christ and Christian profession If we let him thus alone say they all men will beleeue him to be the Prophet and Messias that should come and so make him King which when Caesar heareth he will come with an inuincible host against vs and vtterly destroy this City and the whole nation Therefore our safest course is by some meanes to plot his death which plot and which meanes was the cause of the same destruction that they feared for the Romane Emperour came and tooke away their place and nation because they slew the sonne of God and persecuted the Gospell These wicked wretches neuer feared that their infidelity pride couetousnes oppression hypocrisie should be the causes of their ruine but they feared the Gospell and godly life Againe Act 5. 24. The chiefe Priest Saduces had put the Apostles in prison but an Angel deliuered them in the night and commanded them to preach in the Temple the next day Now the chiefe Priest and the Captaine of the Temple and the high Priests hearing what was done doubted of them whereunto this would grow These carnall and gracelesse politicians regarding only the establishing of their place and of themselues and of all things for themselues feared an alteration doubted whether it would in the end proue to be with them or against them And because indeed that it could not but be against them for the preaching of Iesus to be the sonne of God the Prince and Sauiour of the world must needs conuince them of rebellion and murther to their vtter disgrace shame and confusion among all the people therefore they laboured by all meanes to murther the Apostles to quench the light of the Gospell In like sort very many in these times hanging between Popery and protestancy doubt and haue long doubted what this geare will grow to in the end In the meane time not regarding at all what their vnbeleefe pride oppression couetousnesse epicurisme and mocking will grow to Furthermore as the world in all times and ages heretofore hath not knowne the straight paths of God so in these present dayes of ours the true and right profession of Christianity is counted of many puritanisme and precisenesse phantasticalnesse affectation of singularity and hypocrisie True it is indeed that as there are true Preachers and true beleeuers so Satan stirs vp counterfeits that haue an outward shew and resemblance of them but are not purged from their inward filthinesse These are they that worldlings stumble at concluding thus euen so are they all therefore their profession is but a kind of sect and to follow the common course and practise of the world is the surest and safest way Here Satan hath his desire Againe if any godly man that hath alwayes made conscience of his wayes shall offend though of meere infirmity or occasioned by some strong temptation but yet so as he may iustly be taxed why then the matter is now out of all doubt both he and all of his rancke are hypocrites and none else such is the blindnes of the world and their praeiudicate opinion of the children of God But now to conclude this first part let me leaue this as a bone for the world to gnaw on that stumbling blockes shall euer be cast before the feet of the wicked yet shall the lanterne of Gods word shine vnto them to guide them without stumbling or erring notwithstanding stumble they will and fall downe euen to the breaking of their necke for their owne wickednesse blindeth them yea and they doe wilfully out of tbe hardnesse of their hearts close their eyes against the wayes of truth because the waies of errour death destruction are more pleasant vnto them Thus much of the principle or ground of the reasons enforcing the exhortation which followeth next in order to be spoken of II. He that followeth me There are sundry sorts of followers I. Yong gentlemen that are trained vp for education sake vnder great personages and for experience countenance and preferment sake in the world are called their followers II. They that hold on some sect of the Philosophers schooles are called their followers III. They that fashion and conforme themselues to the example of any man that excelleth in any faculty are called his