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from his power of creating, that in him is not only life, but the principle of life; so from the same power, it no less naturally follows, that he is not only light, but also the principle of light: from whence also it is attributed to him, as the origin of light, that he illuminates all men. And though it might have been sufficient for St. John to have testified so plainly and clearly of Christ as the eternal light, the source of all light, the vivifying light, and the illuminating life; yet we find it was his chief concern, after he had once called Christ the life and the light of men, to describe this light more fully, that it might be understood in so sublime a sense, as cannot be referred to any created thing. Therefore in the first place he alleges John the Baptist, who appeared so great a light among the people of the Jews, that there went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan; and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins,' (Matt. iii. 5, 6.) Nay, that not only the people thought highly of him, so that even the scribes and pharisees were afraid to say that his baptism was of men,' (Matt. xxi. 24-26;) but that also Christ himself called him λύχνος, -a light, and indeed with a great and singular emphasis, a burning and a shining light,' (John v. 35.) Moreover, it deserves well to be minded, that a long time after our Saviour's resurrection, the effusion of the Holy Ghost, and the first publication of the gospel, there were many persons, who were taught only the baptism of John, so that Apollos himself, an eloquent man, mighty in the scriptures, and also fervent in the Spirit, who spake and taught diligently (åkpißws,accuratè, accurately) the things of the Lord, is said

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to have known only the baptism of John, (Acts xviii. 24, 25.) In like manner St. Paul at Ephesus, (Acts xix. 1-3,) found certain disciples, who had not so much as heard whether there were any Holy Ghost, being baptized unto John's baptism; which singular circumstances, and many others, may teach us how great, and how excellent a light John the Baptist was, and that his reputation among the people, (who would have had him for their Messiah, which he altogether declined) did not expire with his (Matt.xi. John iii.) life. Whence it may more easily be understood, what motive occasioned the evangelist so industriously to name John the Baptist, and to give him his due praise; yet so to circumscribe it, that thereby there should be no derogation to the glory of Christ for of him (viz. John the Baptist) though otherwise a great light, he absolutely denies that he was that light,' but that he only bore witness of that light. For it had by no means been sufficient to have said here, that Christ was a greater light than John: but in this lay the stress of the whole matter; who is the light of life, the origin of light, the true light of the world, that light, without which all other persons, and even John himself, though in some respects called lights, are mere darkness: who, I say, is this light, which delivers from death and darkness; the saving, vivifying and eternal light? Wherefore he simply says, that John was not that light; which he could not have said, unless it had been his intention to shew that he spake in this place of light in a much more sublime sense, than could be applied to any created being. Nor thought he it sufficient to say, that John was not that light, but shews that the whole business and office of John,

was only by his life and doctrine to bear witness of that light, and to point out as it were with his fingers that light, by which every mortal man must be illuminated and enlivened; which power could neither be expected from him, nor from any other creature. Nor does the evangelist stop here, but adds, that Christ is that true light, which illuminates every man,' (John i. 9.) But it may be asked, Was John then not a true, but a false light? or, was that light which God created on the first day not a true light? It was without all doubt: therefore in this place, the word andy, (true) verse 9, ascribed unto Christ, is to be received in a more sublime and excellent sense, as he is called the true bread, which came down from heaven, and giveth life to the world, that whosoever believeth in him should not die;' whence also he is said to be the living bread, and to be meat indeed, and drink indeed;' (John vi. 32, 33, 50, 51, 55.) as he is also called 'the true Vine:' (John xv. 1.) and so in many other examples. For Christ is the truth itself,' (John xiv. 6,) and in him is the fulness of truth, (John i. 16, 17.) Nay, by those words which we now chiefly consider, St. John explains himself, why he calls Christ the true light, viz. because he illuminates every man ;' which cannot be said of any other light, howsoever in its kind it be not a false, but a true light. But in all these places, the evangelist makes this difference between Christ as the true light, and John, or any other light, that Christ, as the true light, illuminates men of himself, or infuses light into their minds, or kindles and excites it in them, which cannot be affirmed of any other light, or of any created thing. For that reason he had said before, (John v. 21,) In him was life,

and the life was the light of men. Therefore as he hath life in himself, so likewise hath he light in himself; and as he can give life to whom he will, so he can illuminate whom he will:' by which expressions there are no limits set to his universal love, but his glory is extolled. And as he is said ' by himself to have purged our sins,' (Heb. i. 3,) which is a mighty testimony of his divine glory, so he may be said no less truly, and from the same principle, to illuminate men by himself. But concerning those who are mere men, St. Paul speaks plainly otherwise; saying, (2 Cor. iv. 6,) 'God, who hath said, that light should shine out of darkness, is he who hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ.' As in like manner Job saith, (iv. 18,) He puts light in his angels.' Hence therefore it farther appears that Christ is called light, by no way that can agree with things created, but that he is the eternal and essential life, and the saving light; and so that this appellation, as it is given to him by St. John, cannot possibly be assigned to any other, but only to the true, eternal, and essential God. But though St. John may seem abundantly to have shewn in how sublime a sense he called Christ the light, and that hereby he distinguishes him from all created beings; yet advancing farther, he makes this matter still more evident for he says of Christ, as the true light, enlightening every man, that this light (as the comparing of the whole context in Greek, and of other places, especially John iii. 19, and xii. 46, so requires) came into this world, to wit, as, the light of the world, (John viii. 12,) to enlighten and save it, or rescue it from death and eternal destruction,

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(iii. 17,) to which it is subject. As afterwards it is said, 'He came eis тà idia, ad sua, (John i. 11) unto his own,' that is the house of Israel. Therefore, although this doctrine, that he came into the world as the light of the world, be so expressed, as that his divine glory ought thence to be acknowledged, yet because some may perhaps wrest these words contrary to the mind of St. John, and falsely conclude from them, as if when Christ came into the world, he himself began then to exist; he therefore presently subjoins, He was in the world:' and by always adhering to the word light, he most clearly affirms concerning Christ, that he did not then begin to be the light of the world when he came into it, but that he was the light of the world before he come into the world; which cannot be asserted of a mere man, or of any created thing. For John hereby plainly teaches, that Christ is the eternal light, (even as he is the eternal life, (John i. 9, 10,) ' And this life (viz. this eternal life, was also the light of men, and was in the world;' by which words there is a clear testimony given to the true Godhead of Christ. Moreover, he adds, and the world was made by him,' (John i. 10.) And thus again he uses the word light, and calls this light the maker of the world, as he had before said of the word, that all things were made by him:' and when he subjoins, 'but the world knew him not,' he manifestly uses the same complaint which the prophets often made, that mortal men would not acknowledge their Creator and Preserver. Thus, among others, Isaiah begins his prophecy (i. 2, 3.) Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord hath spoken; I have nourished and brought up children and they have