It is a sore judgement not to see when there is light. It is like starving at a full Table, or perishing with thirst, in the midst of a fountain. It is a great judgement not to have light to see by, but it is a greater judgement, not to see by the light. It is a great judgment to a people, when they have not the light of the Gospel; when Christ who is the light, is not shiningly preached among them; but if light shine, if Christ be preached, and a people see it not, This is a far greater judgement. The poor Gentiles before the light of the Gospel came to them, sate in darkness, and in the shadow of death; and in that estate, they could only (like blind men) grope after God, as the Apostle elegantly expresses it Act. 17. 27. He hath made of one blood all Nations of men, &c. that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him and find him. The Gentiles were inexcusable, if they did not find the Lord by Feeling after him in the dark: What then are they, who find him not by seeing in the light? The Apostle shows us them as lost men, and blinded by Satan, to whom the light of the glorious Gospel doth not shine, when it shines (2 Cor. 4, 3, 4.) To grope in Gospel-light, to be in darkness, when truth is at her high-noon, is, as the shadow of death. It is the worst of sins to sin against the light, and it is the worst of judgements, not to see the light; by which we may avoid sin. The heat of divine wrath breaks out in this, when abused light is hunished with want of sight, or when light is sent, and eyes taken away, (Isa. 6. 9, 10.) When the Prophet brought killing light to the Jews, he saith, See ye indeed; but perceive not, that is, because ye have had light, and would not see believingly; Now ye shall have light, which ye shall not see, perceivingly, or distinctly: as the man in the Gospel saw, but he did not perceive, when he saw men walking as trees, he had not a distinguishing eye, or a discerning sense, as the Apostle speaks, Heb. 5. 14. But why shall they not perceive, when they see? The Prophet tells us, because the Lord had said, Shut their eyes least they see. The work of a Prophet is to open eyes, but when men wilfully shut their eyes, then
It is a sore judgement not to see when there is light. It is like starving at a full Table, or perishing with thirst, in the midst of a fountaine. It is a great judgement not to have light to see by, but it is a greater judgement, not to see by the light. It is a great judgment to a people, when they have not the light of the Gospel; when Christ who is the light, is not shiningly preached among them; but if light shine, if Christ be preached, and a people see it not, This is a farre greater judgement. The poore Gentiles before the light of the Gospell came to them, sate in darknes, and in the shadow of death; and in that estate, they could only (like blind men) grope after God, as the Apostle elegantly expresses it Act. 17. 27. He hath made of one bloud all Nations of men, &c. that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him and find him. The Gentiles were inexcusable, if they did not find the Lord by Feeling after him in the darke: What then are they, who find him not by seeing in the light? The Apostle shewes us them as lost men, and blinded by Satan, to whom the light of the glorious Gospel doth not shine, when it shines (2 Cor. 4, 3, 4.) To grope in Gospel-light, to be in darknesse, when truth is at her high-noon, is, as the shadow of death. It is the worst of sins to sin against the light, and it is the worst of judgements, not to see the light; by which we may avoid sinne. The heat of divine wrath breaks out in this, when abused light is hunished with want of sight, or when light is sent, and eyes taken away, (Isa. 6. 9, 10.) When the Prophet brought killing light to the Jews, he saith, See ye indeed; but perceive not, that is, because ye have had light, and would not see beleevingly; Now ye shall have light, which ye shall not see, perceivingly, or distinctly: as the man in the Gospell saw, but he did not perceive, when he saw men walking as trees, he had not a distinguishing eye, or a discerning sence, as the Apostle speaks, Heb. 5. 14. But why shall they not perceive, when they see? The Prophet tels us, because the Lord had said, Shut their eyes least they see. The work of a Prophet is to open eys, but when men wilfuly shut their eys, then
