First, In the means by which it is conveyed to us, or Secondly, in the efficacy of it upon our minds, when it actually shines into our souls. Light may come among a people in the means, and yet they actually remain in darkness all the while. As it is in nature, The sun may be up and a very glorious morning far advanced, whilst many thousands are drowsing upon their beds with their curtains drawn about them. Light in the means, we may call potential Light. Light in the mind we may call actual light. It▪ is but seldom that light comes in the means, and continues long among men, but some light must needs actually shine into their souls also: but this actual light is twofold,
1. Common and intellectual only to conviction, or
2. Special and efficacious light, bringing the foul to Christ, by real conversion.
called in 1 Cor. 4. 6.—Gods shining into the heart. Where ever light comes in this last sense, it is impossible that such men should prefer darkness before it; but it may come in the means, yea, it may actually shine into the consciences of men by those means and convince them of their sins, and yet men may hate it, and choose darkness rather than light. And this is the sense of this place, Light was come in the Gospel dispensation among them, yea, it hath shined into many of their consciences, galled, and reproved them for sin, but they hated it, and had rather be without such a troublesome inmate. In a word, by the coming of light, we are here to understand a more clear and open manifestation of Christ by the Gospel than ever was made to the world before: for we are not to think that there was ⟨p. 553⟩no light in the world till Christ came, and the Gospel was published in the world by the Apostles ministry. For Abraham saw Christ's day, John 8. 56. and all the faithful before Christ saw the promises (i. e.) their accomplishment in Christ afar off, Heb. 11. 13. for it was with Christ the Son of righteousness as it is with the natural Sun, which illuminates the hemisphere before it actually rises, or shows its body above the Horizon: but when it rises and shows it self, the light is much 1clearer; so it was in this case. The greater therefore was their sin, that rebelled against it, and preferred darkness to light: this was their sin, with its fearful aggravation.
First, In the means by which it is conveyed to us, or Secondly, in the efficacy of it upon our minds, when it actually shines into our souls. Light may come among a people in the means, and yet they actually remain in darkness all the while. As it is in nature, The sun may be up and a very glorious morning far advanced, whilst many thousands are drouzing upon their beds with their curtains drawn about them. Light in the means, we may call potential Light. Light in the mind we may cali actual light. It▪ is but seldom that light comes in the means, and continues long among men, but some light must needs actually shine into their souls also: but this actual light is twofold,
1. Common and intellectual only to conviction, or
2. Special and efficacious light, bringing the foul to Christ, by real conversion.
call'd in 1 Cor. 4. 6.—Gods shining into the heart. Where ever light comes in this last sense, it is impossible that such men should prefer darkness before it; but it may come in the means, yea, it may actually shine into the consciences of men by those means and convince them of their sins, and yet men may hate it, and choose darkness rather than light. And this is the sense of this place, Light was come in the Gospel dispensation among them, yea, it hath shined into many of their consciences, gauled, and reproved them for sin, but they hated it, and had rather be without such a troublesome inmate. In a word, by the coming of light, we are here to understand a more clear and open manifestation of Christ by the Gospel than ever was made to the world before: for we are not to think that there was ⟨p. 553⟩no light in the world till Christ came, and the Gospel was published in the world by the Apostles ministry. For Abraham saw Christ's day, John 8. 56. and all the faithful before Christ saw the promises (i. e.) their accomplishment in Christ afar off, Heb. 11. 13. for it was with Christ the Son of righteousness as it is with the natural Sun, which illuminates the hemisphere before it actually rises, or shews its body above the Horizon: but when it rises and shews it self, the light is much 1clearer; so it was in this case. The greater therefore was their sin, that rebelled against it, and preferred darkness to light: this was their sin, with its fearful aggravation.
- 1Sol nondu• conspectus illuminate orbem.Sol nondu• conspectus illuminat orbem.
