The sermons of M. John Calvin, upon the Epistle of S. Paul too the…The sermons of M. Iohn Caluin, vpon the Epistle of S. Paule too the…

Furthermore Saint Paul in one place calleth us Light, and by and by he addeth, Children of light. Both of them come too one end. But yet is it not for nought that he termeth us Light. For it serveth too express the better, that Gods grace is not only offered us, but also imprinted in us, so as we be after a sort new shaped by it. ⟨p. 250⟩And it is not only here that he doth it,¹ but also in the Epistle too the Philippians. Now we have too mark first of all, that that title belongeth properly too none but too our Lord Jesus Christ, according as he himself sayeth, I am the light of the world, he that walketh in me,² shall never stray. Ye see then that our Lord Jesus Christ is sufficient of himself alone too give us light, and that if we keep our selves aloof from him, we shall find nothing but darkness neither in heaven, nor in earth, nor in any creature else. For if we speak of Gods majesty, it is above all the heavens: yea and the very Angels have no light but that which they borrow of our Lord Jesus Christ. And that is the cause why Saint John Baptist is excluded from that honour,³ when he saith, that he was not the light, but that that dignity belongeth peculiarly to the Son of God, who enlighteneth all men that come into the world. Again, the Apostles, and all such as preach Gods truth are also termed light in their degree,⁴ when as it is said, ye be the light of the world. Not that that belongeth properly unto them: but because God serveth his own turn by them, when he delivereth them his word to guide others by, and to show them the way of salvation. Now if he that beareth the Candle too light other men, do reel and stumble, and stray here and there, what a thing is it? Therefore inasmuch as God hath given us the charge too preach his word, we be warned too walk in such wise as every man may be edified by our life. And yet in the mean while, this is no derogation at all too the honour of our Lord Jesus Christ: for they that are enlightened by him, must not thrust forth themselves to be fellow and fellow like with him: but he alone must continue the light still, and we enlighten one another, according too Saint Pauls saying in the text that I alleged afore,