A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

1 Caligo naturae, natural darkness; caused by no positive thing, but necessarily following upon the secession or absence of the Sun; and again dispersed by the succession of the next light, Wis. 17.21. Over them was spread an heavy night, Imago tenebrarum quae ipsos erant susceptura, an Image of that darkness which should afterwards receive them. Such was the judgement upon Elymas the Sorcerer, Act. 13.11. Thou shalt not see the Sun: and then necessarily and immediately there fell upon him a mist of darkness. We all know this darkness, God bless us from ever knowing a worse. If that darkness be tedious to our unsleeping eyes, which we know after few hours will have a morning, and to which God hath promised a rising Sun: how intolerable is that darkness which shall never be enlightened, where men shall wish in vain, Phosphere read diem? Therefore said the wise man, every night is an image of that swallowing darkness. Me thinks then, we should not dare to put out the light, till we had made our peace with the God of mercy: lest his Justice throw us from this short, to an eternal darkness. Consider the horror of Egypt in that thick and sick night? As the Grasshoppers had lately taken from them the sight of earth, so now this gross darkness takes away the sight of heaven. Other darknesses were but privative, this real and sensible. They thought this a long night: alas how should they choose, when it was the space of six nights in one? Joshua and Hezekiah had the longest days, but Egypt had the longest night. God enlargeth the day to his friends, the night to his enemies. No man could rise to talk with another, but was necessarily confined to his own bed and thoughts. One thinks the fault in his own eyes, which he often rubs in vain. Another, that the firmament hath quite lost the Sun, and that it is set for ever. Another, that all things are returning to their first confusion. All think themselves past remedy miserable: and wish, whatsoever had befallen them, they might have had but light enough to see themselves die. Now joyfully do we look up to heaven after a tedious darkness? Eccl. 11.7. Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun. Yet how forgetfully do we omit praise to him, that hath both placed the light there, and given us eyes to see it!

1 Caligo naturae, naturall darkenesse; caused by no positive thing, but necessarily following upon the secession or absence of the Sunne; and againe dispersed by the succession of the next light, Wis. 17.21. Over them was spread an heavy night, Imago tenebrarum quae ipsos erant susceptura, an Image of that darkenesse which should afterwards receive them. Such was the judgement upon Elymas the Sorcerer,