Deuout contemplations expressed in two and fortie sermons vpon all ye quadragesimall Gospells written in Spanish by Fr. Ch. de Fonseca Englished by. I. M. of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford

THE XXXI. SERMON, VP∣ON THE SATVRDAY AFTER THE FOVRTH SVNDAY IN LENT. (Book 31)

IOHN. 8.

Ego sum lux Mundi.

I am the Light of the World, &c.

OVr Sauior Christ preaching to the People, had inuited those that were thirstie, to drinke, If any be athirst, let him come to me and drinke. There was a great stirre amongst them; some said, That he was a Prophet; others, That he was Christ: but the Pharisees perseuering in their hardnesse, said, It is not possible that so much good should come out of Galilee. But this dust was layd with that plea of the Adulteresse, putting the matter into their owne hands, leauing it to themselues, to iudge her whom they had so maliciously accused. This businesse beeing ended, Christ went on with his Sermon, and spake againe vnto them saying, Ego sum lux Mun∣di, &c. I am the light of the world. Theophilact noteth, That hee went about to ouerthrow that which the Scribes and Pharisees had alledged, Out of Galilee ari∣seth no Prophet. Yee hold me base and meane, for that I am of Galilee; I am so farre from taking any lustre or brightnesse from thence, that I giue light vnto all the World. He would likewise prooue that he was the Light, by that act of his, touching the Adultresse. If he could discouer such secret and hidden sinnes from the eye of the world; if he could banish and driue away before him such thicke and darke clouds, he might verie well say, Ego sum Lux mundi, I am the Light of the world; and whosoeuer shall follow me, shall not walke in darkenesse, but shall haue the light of life. But the Pharisees looking for another, would not giue credit thereunto, but in a rebuking kind of fashion said vnto him, Thou bea∣rest record of thy selfe, and therefore thy Record is not true; thou maist boast thy selfe to be this and this, but we shall hardly beleeue thee. Whereunto Iesus answered and said, Though I beare record of my selfe, yet my record is true, for I know whence I came, and whither I go; for I came into the world to ligh∣ten those that sit in darknesse; and therefore I say vnto you, that I am the Light; but you doe not know neither my beginning nor my end.* 1.1 And it is a needlesse scrupulositie in you, to doubt of this myne owne testimonie; First, In regard of it's truth, being so true, as nothing more. Secondly, In regard of it's qualitie, being so faith-worthie. Now that this our Sauiours testimonie is firme & secure,

quoad veritatem, he prooues it vnto vs, in that he saith, If I iudge, my iudgement is true, for I am not alone, but I and the father, &c. That it is likewise good, quoad qualitatem, it cannot otherwise chuse, in regard that he is the sonne of God, who is worthie of all faith and credit. But if the Scribes and Pharisees wil needs find fault, let them find fault with their owne ignorance, because they iudge ac∣cording to the outward sence, not according as things are, but as they seeme: Secundum carnem iudicatis, Yee iudge according to the flesh, and therefore your iudg∣ment is verie vncertaine. I see not as man seeth;* 1.2 for man looketh on the outward appea∣rance, but the Lord beholdeth the heart: According to that of Esay, Non secundum v••sionem oculorum iudicauit. What, doe yee thinke that I onely giue yee this te∣stimonie, and that I goe about to deceiue you? No, you are in an errour; For I am not alone, but I and the father that sent me; and your owne Law alloweth the te∣stimonie of two to be true and authenticall. But then did they say vnto him, Where is thy father? Iesus answered, Yee neither know me nor my father; for if you know not me, who teach dayly in your Temple, how can you know my Father? &c. His pretension was to proue, That his light was powerful to scatter those clouds of darkenesse that had shadowed the eyes of their vnderstanding, if the thicke dust of their sinnes had not hindred their sight.

I am the Light of the world, &c. Amongst other innumerable names which the Diuine Maiestie doth enioy, (as Eusebius Caesariensis reporteth) one is,* 1.3 The Light; This is the message which we haue heard of him, and declare vnto you, That God is Light. Of this Light, the Scripture telleth strange things.

The first, That it is inaccessible; according to that of Saint Paul, Hee dwelleth in the light that none can attaine vnto. Aristotle saith,* 1.4 That the cleerest eyes are in order and disposition to this Light; as the eyes of the Owle in respect of the Sun: the chiefest and the highest of Angells, hath need of more abilitie for the light of this glorie, that his eyes may not be dazeled with the beams of this Light.

The second, That whatsoeuer light or beautie is to bee found in the World, is wholly deriued from this Light; the Moone, the Starres, the Planets, and the coelestiall Orbes. Dionysius saith, That they receiue their light and splendour from the Sunne; and that the Sunne, and all that is aboue the Sunne, Angells, Arch-Angells, Thrones, Powers, Principalities, Dominations, &c. And what∣soeuer is contained in Heauen and Earth, receiue their motion and light from this Light.

The third, That if the Light should faile, the World were nothing worth; for then the life and being of the World could not subsist; the creatures, the fruits, the Elements, the actions of men, the birds and beasts, without this light were not able to last and continue.

Whence I inferre, That the world remaining in such palpable da••kenesse, bet∣ter newes could not betide vs, than this glad tydings of our Sauiour, Ego sum Lux, I am the Light. A man looseth himselfe in a stormie and tempestuous night,* 1.5 he findeth hims••lfe in a darke and mountainous Wildernesse, compassed about with pitchie Tents of darkenesse, with horrours, feares, lightning, thunder, with the howling of Wolues, the shreeking of Owles, the rushing of Ri∣uers, the roaring of torrents, the blustring of winds, the croaking of Frogs and Toads, the scratching of bushes and bryars, with wearinesse, cold, raine, snow, and all this in an Aegyptian Darkenesse, able to quell the stoutest heart, and make Courage turne coward: what a world of sighes would he send forth, if those were able to disperse the Clouds and cleere the Skie, that he might haue light? he is in as pittifull case, if not worse, as he that is tormented with a sha••pe

burning Feuer, or with a furious Apoplexie, in a long and tedious winter night: for he may better passe it ouer with the conueniencie of a good bed and Cham∣ber, cleane linnen, and a little sleepe; comforting himselfe, that the day will at last appeare, and that he shall see the light. And if in a daintie fine Aprill mor∣ning, it giues a man such great content, to see the Trees apparelled in greene, the lights and the shadowes which the Sunne beames paint them forth withall, the drooping and wither-starued hearbes raising vp their hanging heads, holpen by the dew of Heauen; the Flowers and the Roses discouering the beautie of their faces; the singing of the Birds, which with their musicke entertaine the light; the bleating of the Kids and Lambekins, the Heardsman going forth with his Cattell, the Faulkener with his Hawkes, and the Huntsman with his Hounds; What discomfort on the contrarie must he take, that hath lost himselfe in avast Wildernesse in the manner afore mentioned; or keepes his bed, tired out with a long and tedious sickenesse? &c.

Ego sum Lux Mundi, I am the Light of the world, &c. Out of the de∣sire that man had to enioy more light than God had giuen him, bayted with the Deuills promise, he bit; Eritis (said the Deuill) sicut Dij, scientes bonum & malum,* 1.6 Yee shall be as gods, knowing good and euill. By which offence he was clou∣ded with the darkenesse of sinne: verifying therein that which was afterwards verified by Esay, We looked for light, and behold darkenesse. In the beginning of the World, when all things remained in that darke Chaos, euerie thing was so poore and miserable, as nothing more: by Light, God drew light out of darke∣nesse, he therewith did beautifie and inrich his Creatures, hee did cheare and cleere the Elements, he did banish darkenesse, he gaue those goodly and liuely colours to the whole Vniuerse, and all of them ioyntly remained so jocond, so merrie, and so well pleased, that in their dumbe kind of Language they gaue great thankes to that Light. Man remained in a Chaos no lesse darke, through sinne; and those that had the best sight, did confesse, Wee groaped, like blind men, against a wall at noone day. God did prepare great Lights for to rid away this grosse Darkenesse, as Patriarkes, Prophets, Kings, and famous Captaines: but as in the darkenesse of Aegypt, That bright flame of the Starres could not illighten that hor∣rible darke night; So likewise in that night of the old Law, those (though most excellent) cleere Lights could not expell that darkenesse. God for to repayre his Peoples discomfort, did promise to giue them a great Light; The People that sate in darkenesse saw a great Light, That is, The people shall see it, so saith one of the Prophets; for, for the more assurance of the Prophecie, they vse to put the pre∣terperfect for the future. Orietur vobis Sol Iusticiae, saith another Prophet, A S••n of Righteousnesse shall rise vnto you. The People cried vnto God, That he would fulfill his word; they did weepe, lament, sigh, and mourne; all the Creatures at last, remained so perfect, so prosperous, and so rich, and held themselues so hap∣pie, that cloathing themselues with new ioy, they gaue the good day to this Light. The Histories are full of those prodigies and wonders which hapned at our Sauiours birth. Baruc; The Starres shine in their watch, and reioyce; When he calleth them,* 1.7 they say, Here we be; and so with cheerefulnesse they shew light vnto him that made them. And though those three Suns had giuen aduice thereof, (which Plinie speaketh of) and those nine Sunnes whereof Bartolomeo Risana maketh mention; besides those Kings, Sheepheards, Sybils, Symeon, Anna, and the Prophecies; yet this Light had not displayed his beames, but now cleering the earth with his wonderful Myracles, he saith, Ego sum lux mūdi, I am the Light, &c.

Two occasions offered themselues for this Reuelation.

The one, The libertie and life of the Adultresse; for the freeing of whome, he discouered the secret sinnes of her accusers, leauing them not onely amased and ashamed, but agrieued and offended: and it seemeth that he answers to this their complaint, Ego sum Lux mundi. Of force the Light must driue away Da••k∣nesse, and discouer those secrets which are hidden vnder the cloake of the night: This is the argument of that Parable, No man lighteth a candle, and putteth it vn∣der a bushell, but sets it on a candlesticke, that it may giue light to all that are in the house. My Father did not send this Torch into the world to put it vnder a bushell, and therefore you need not to be so angrie, or thinke you are wronged. One of the fearefullest accidents that euer was or shall be seene, was, That the Light com∣ming into the world, and all other creatures remaining so rap't with sudden joy at this so rich a treasure, Man only should shut his eyes against his own good, gi∣uing Ieremie iust cause to crie out, Stand astonished, ô yee Heauens, at this, That the Thirstie should despise the Fountaines of the waters of Life, and that the Blind should mislike the Light. Whosoeuer (saith Saint Bernard) had but seene our Sauiours teares, sighs, and sufferings, and all for our sinnes, and to redeeme vs from damnation, would haue sworne, no newes could bee so welcome as the comming of this Sunne of Righteousnesse, to illuminate the world, and to ligh∣ten those that sate in darkenesse. But as your Quaile rages when the Sunne ri∣seth; and, as Plinie saith of the Athlantes, That they curse it with a thousand cur∣ses, because it parcheth and burnes vp their grasse; and as those (saith Iob) tha•• ••••sh for Whales, doe curse the day; and as hee that is asleepe is offended when the light awakes him, and as weake & infirme eyes cannot indure the beames of the Sunne; so these Pharisees were offended and grew verie hot and angrie, that the glorious Light of our Sauiour Christ should discouer their sinnes.

Some man perhaps may aske, whence this hatred growes? Saint Iohn resolues it thus, As in the naturall World,* 1.8 amongst birdes and beasts there are many that cannot indure the light of the day, & comming in the night out of their caues & holes, seeke their food in darkenes, according to the Prophet, They seeke it from God; But when the Sun begins to peep forth, he shuts them vp in their dennes, and makes them affraid to show their heads: so in the Morall World, there are chil∣dren of darkenes and of the night, which cannot abide the light of the day, That their Actions may not be called into question. The night is the sinners cloake; The Light, the Herald that proclaimes all humane Actions; & such are those of these men, that they haue not the face to come abroad, or to stand in the light. And therefore whilest our Sauior Christ was writing on the ground with his finger the sins of those that accused the Adulteresse, they sneaked thence, and shrunke away one by one, Vnus post vnum.

It seemeth a thing impossible, that the Light beeing so louely and so ami∣able, so faire and so beautifull, that any man should hate and abhorre it, and curse and damne it to the pit of Hell. But it should seeme (me thinkes) much more impossible, that this Light beeing God himselfe, that mans eye should find any thing in it, that may draw on a dislike and hatred thereunto. But Saint Iohn pon∣dering the distasted palat of a sinner, saith, They loued Darkenesse more than Light.* 1.9 And the booke of Wisedome renders the reason thereof, Doe not you mar∣uaile that we should abhorre it, seeing that the Light doth discouer vnto vs the foulenesse of our liues, the treasons and trecheries of our hearts and bosomes, which wee seeking to couer with the nights mantle, it proposeth vs to the open view of the world, and to the shame of the day,* 1.10 Oculus adulteri (saith Iob) obser∣uat caliginem, The eye of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight. They digge through

houses in the darke; but the morning is euen to them as the shadow of Death. Many are the deceits and errours of the night. He that trauailes in a darke night, takes Rockes, to be Castles; Trees, to be Houses, Bushes, to be Men; Stubble fields, to be standing Pooles; high bankes, to bee euen ground; and that which is far off, to be neere at hand. In the Citie, a man is taken for a woman, a woman for a man, a widow for a maid, a maid for a married wife, the mistresse for the maid, the knight for his foot-man, and the church-man for a whoores champion. All is maskes and vizards, and disguises; and it is onely the Light that doth banish these deceits and false dealing.

I am the Light of the World, &c. The other occasion that offered it selfe for this Reuelation, was the great noise and clamor of the people: Some crying out that he was a Prophet, others that he was the Christ; but the Pharisees, that hee was a Galilean,* 1.11 Out of Galilee ariseth no Prophet. In conclusion, There was dis∣sension amongst the people for him. They could not see the light, without the beames of the Light. And therefore he saith vnto them, Ego sum lux mundi. And condemning those that were most passionately bent against him, calling him in disgrace Galilean, and that so bad a Countrey could not afford a prophet; while they were vpbraiding this vnto him, he tels them, Ego sum lux mundi. Gali∣lee could not giue any lustre to him that was the light of the World. The coun∣trey doth not giue an honor to the Man that was borne there, but the Man to the countrey. Your most populous Cities, haue your most heynous Delinquents. Amaziah King of Iuda, sent a proud message to Ioash King of Israell, Come let vs see one another in the face. To whom Ioash re••urned this answere, The thistle that is in Lebanon, sent to the Cedar, &c. As if he should haue giuen him this short come-off, To boast to bee borne in Lebanon, and to be but a poore thistle, is an infamie and reproach vnto thee; But to bee borne in a barren Desart, and be∣come a Cedar, is a great honour and reputation. What bootes it thee to bee a King lineally descended from Dauid, and that thou wast borne in Ierusalem, if the coursenesse of thy actions bewray thee to bee a thistle? There are many that are an honour to their house, and many againe that are a disgrace vnto it. Ma∣ny innoble their countrey, and many make it to bee accounted base and had in contempt. Some are made to honour it, some to dishonour it. Eue was made of better earth than Adam, yet wee see in her actions shee was lesse noble, &c.

* 1.12He that followeth mee, shall not walke in darkenesse, &c. That a man may not erre in his way, hee hath not onely need of a light, but a guide also. Thou trauailest in the night, thou comest to two seuerall wayes, and thou meetest with no man; the day appeares, the light ouercomes the darkenesse, but not thy doubting of the way, and therefore thou hadst need to haue a guide. In this iourney of mans life, there are two wayes; The one the narrow way, that leads vnto Heauen, the other the broad way that leades vnto Hell; the one to good, the other to ill. The light that dispelleth the darkenesse, will not serue the turne, but wee must likewise haue a guide to direct vs and to tell vs, This is the way, and those are the towers of the Citie. Salomon saith, That there are wayes which seeme vnto man to secure life, but lead vnto death. Cogitationes mortali∣um timidae & incertae prouidentiae nostrae, There is no humane thought certaine, no proui∣dence secure, And therefore wee had need of a guide. Saint Austen craueth of God in his Confessions, Heale mee ô Lord of my painefull greefe, and ease me of my heauy load; for whatsoeuer I say or doe, is for me a doubtfull question, Et ipse est languor meus. As necessitie doth alledge for her part, that it is neces∣sarie

to eat, for to liue; for if our naturall heat did not find something whereupon to work and spend it's force, our life would quickely be at an end. But as the ha∣uing recourse to this necessitie, is sweet to the sence of our Tast; it alledgeth, that this maintenance is the medicine of hunger, and that to the Sicke we are not to giue physicke by ounces, who hath a good stomacke, and is continually hungry: and for that what we eat must necessarily passe through the Tast, our delight presseth it selfe forward, importuning for the Tasts sake, that something more be done, than that which is due to necessitie: and because necessitie will be satisfied with a little, and much will not suffice our Tast, Factus sum quaestio. The like plea passeth with the eyes; I place them vpon colours, vpon the beautie of Floures and Roses, vpon the curious Pieces of the famousest Painters, and vpon those more liuely Pictures which God hath painted; presently there growes in me a contention, betwixt Curiositie and Temperance: for Curiositie doth so flatter & sooth vp the eyes, that it makes them oft-times to slip awrie, Periculosa, & illecebrosa dulcedine; This befalling me many times before euer I doe so much as once dreame or thinke vpon it; hapning as it were vnawares, which is one of the greatest miseries, and the most to be pittied either in myne owne, or any other mans life: For I know not how farre my passions may trespasse vpon me, they hauing taken possession of my heart, and liuing (like Inne-mates) within the doores of myne owne house. Nay rather euen then when I thinke my selfe to be freest from them, and most secure, as if they had roused themselues from some heauie sleepe, they rise vp with greater force, and eagerly set vpon me, so that I am at perpetual question, and at continuall oddes with my selfe from top to toe, from the crowne of my head to the sole of my foot. And therefore in so dan∣gerous a doubting, it is fit (ô Lord) that thy Light should bee a guide vnto my feet, that I may know what, and how much I ought to minister to my necessities, and to my sences. Plutarch reporteth of the Whale, That hee hath a verie little Fish that serues as his Gentleman-Vsher, and as a guide to lead him through the perills and dangers of the Deepe; and he sheweth himselfe so thankefull, that when this little Fish enters with others into his maw, hee acknowledgeth his kindnesse, and becomes his Guard or Sentinell whilest he sleepes. The Wise∣man sends the Sluggard to learn of the Pissemire; so may we send the blind man to learne of the Whale: for, farre greater are the dangers of the sea of this life; the way is more darke, and therfore walke not without a Guide, &c.

But shall haue the light of life. The fauourable influence of Light,* 1.13 is a prospe∣rous Prognostication of life. When Alexander was borne, the Historians report, That he had the Sunne for his Ascendent. Pierius sets downe for a symbole of Life, a Sunne with a Starre in the midst of it, which ariseth from out the sayd Sunne. Ezechias made choice of the Sunne for a pledge and token of his life: and as the benigne aspect of the Sunne doth fauour and further our life, so the rigorous aspect thereof doth threaten death and destruction. Cyrus did dreame, That he had the Sunne betweene his hands; Whence the Astrologers did di∣uine, That he should be short liued. Sambucus did put for an Embleme of the Pestilence, many dead persons, and ouer them a Sun which did burne and con∣sume them. But more fauourable is the influence of the Sunne of Righteous∣nesse, who is the Light of life. Saint Iohn painting forth in his Apocalyps that su∣perexcellent Citie of the celestiall Ierusalem, saith, That there is no need of Sun nor Moone, Quia lucerna eius est Agnus, The light which illuminateth it, is the Lambe, that Light of Life. The candle when it burnes, we say it is Vela viu••; but this is an improprietie, for the flame is not it's Soule. Your Glow-wormes may bee

termed in some sort Luzes viuas, liuing Lights; because (as Plinie reporteth) they shine in our mouthes, our hands, and our cloathes: but these are but short Lights, the Carbuncle out-shineth all these, yet all is too little for the immensi∣tie and vastnesse of Heauen, nay for the least corner therein, the Sunne in it's grea∣test glorie shall seeme there but as a Candle.

But shall haue the light of Life, &c. By this Light, the Saints and Doctors vn∣derstand Faith; for in regard that it is Principium Iustificationis, The first beginning of our Iustification, Life is attributed thereunto. It hath beene a thing often re∣peated by our Sauiour,* 1.14 Thy Faith hath made thee whole. And Saint Paul, The ••••st liues by Faith: He begins with Faith; for, He that will approch neere vnto God, must first beleeue. It was the Apostles suit to our Sauiour, O Lord increase our Faith, and so we shall goe on from Faith to Faith, and from Vertue to Vertue.

* 1.15If thou bearest Record of thy selfe, thy Record is not true. Saint Augustine saith, That there preceded so many testimonies of our Sauiour Christ, as the Patri∣arkes, Prophets, Prophesies, Sybils, Kings, Sheepheards, Simeon, Anna the Prophetesse, and lastly Iohn Baptist, whom they held to be some Diuine power sent downe from Heauen; that our Sauiour asking them, Whether the Baptisme of Iohn were from Men, or from God? They durst not denie that it was from God, least the People should stone them. And adding to these testimonies, the workes that himselfe wrought, If yee will not beleeue me, yet beleeue my workes; for if I had not done those things which no man else hath done, they had not sinned, but now they haue no excuse for their sinne. And for the testimonie of his Doctrine, Nun∣quam sic locutus est homo, Neuer man spake as he spake: God may speake so, but Man cannot. What shall we say to that testimonie of his father in Iordan, This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am wel pleased? And that of the Holy-Ghost in the forme of a Doue, which (as it is obserued by Saint Hierome) sate vpon our Sauiours head, because none should presume that the voyce proceeded from Saint Iohn? And that of the Sonne of God himselfe, Though I beare Record of my selfe, yet my Record is true? Complying with that which was spoken by the Euangelist, There are three which beare Record in heauē, the Father, the Word, & the Holy-ghost: any one of these Testimonies might haue giuen satisfaction to a heart free from passion; but all of them put together, were not able to mooue such rebellious brests and such obstinate hearts as theirs were. Great was the hardnesse of Pharaohs heart, since after so many strange prodigies, he sayd, I know not the Lord. Moses did not see our Sauiour Christ, nor had any more witnesses than his Rod: neither were his wonders so great as those myracles which our Sauiour wrought: so that the Pharisees being more hard than Pharaoh, sayd, If thou beare Record of thy selfe, &c.

* 1.16If I beare Record of my selfe, yet my Record is true, for I know whence I came, and whe∣ther I goe, but you cannot tell, &c. The circumstances of my Testimonie admit no exception, and those that are required, are commonly three, Natura, Condi∣tio, Via.

Nature, Whether it be a man or a woman.

It's Qualitie and Condition, Whether he be a Freeman or a Slaue, an old man or a young, a Clergie man or a Lay man.

The Way, whether it be of Vertue or of Vice. Our Sauiour Christ doth not alledge any one of these circumstances, but onely tells them, My testimonie is true, for I know whence I come, and whether I goe. Which was as much in plaine language, as to tell them that he was God, I am God, and the Sonne of God, in whom there can∣not be the least signe or shew of a lie; and his proofe is, I know whence I come, and

whither I goe. Man is not able to know from whence he came, nor whether he is to goe; for this is a priuiledge proper onely vnto God. Saint Augustine inter∣prets this of our Sauiour Christ, The Sunne knowes his setting; for the materiall Sunne knowes it not; and none amongst men doe know their setting and their end. Your Astrologers do erect Figures, prognosticating other mens successes, and casting their natiuities, but neither truly know their owne, nor other mens fortunes; for it is a thing reserued onely for God: The Wind bloweth where it li∣steth, and thou knowest not whence it commeth, nor whither it goeth. No man can at∣taine vnto the inspirations of the Holy-Ghost, nor to the designes of his acti∣ons. Of all those secret sinnes whatsoeuer, which man committeth alone by himselfe, as Sorcerie, Periurie, Murder, & the like, no one man in all the world can giue testimonie thereof, but God can, for he is present at all; Thou knowest my lying downe, and my rising vp, thou seest my wayes, and vnderstandest my paths afa••re; if I ascend vp into Heauen, thou art there; if I goe downe into Hell, thou art also there. From Salomon was hid the path of a Ship in the Sea, of an Eagle through the aire, of a Snake through the Rocke, and of a young man in the floure of his youth; but from Gods eye nothing can be hid.

The knowing of this truth will draw on the confessing of another; to wit, That of the things appertaining to God, none can giue testimonie but God. No man euer saw God, so saith Saint Iohn; Who then shall giue vs testimonie of God? The onely begotten Sonne, which was in the bosome of his Father, he shall doe it▪ Of the Father, the Sonne shall giue Record; and of the Sonne, the Father; & of both, the Holy-Ghost: In a word, euerie one of these Diuine Persons, of himselfe; but Man cannot doe it but by reuelation.

Thy Record is not true. Yes, it is; for I am the Light of the World, and of the Light none can giue Record but the Light. If any man should say vnto the Sunne, Prooue it vnto me that thou art the Sunne, it were a meere follie, if not madnesse, for his beames doe prooue it and proclaime it to the World: In like manner, that the Pharisees should say vnto our Sauiour Christ, Prooue vnto vs, that thou art the Light, was a meere blindnesse in them; for, No Man could doe that which he did, vnlesse God had beene with him. Vpon a Glasse the Sunne is vsu∣ally so translated, that it were a foolishnesse to aske a testimonie, Whether it bee the Sunne or no? And vpon the humanitie of our Sauiour Christ, the beames of his Diuinitie were in that sort transferred, that it was hardnesse of heart, and obstinate wilfulnesse, to desire further testimonie from God. Saint Paul saith, He that drew light out of darkenesse, he did inlighten our soules, that they might see the beames of the light of God, in the face of his Sonne Iesus Christ. And for this the na∣turall light was sufficient: but in the Pharisees this was so blinded through the dust of their sinnes, that they could not see this Sunne. The Seale that is im∣printed in Wax, shewes it selfe as cleere as if it were grauen in Brasse or Steele; but with time or with dust it comes to be blotted out, in that manner, that the stampe and letters are not knowne. So doth it succeed with a Sinner, with this na∣turall light, when it is once darkned through sinne; whence it commeth to passe that he falleth into those foule and grosse ignorances which the brute beasts would not fall into.

Yee iudge after the flesh. He prooues by another reason,* 1.17 that his Record is true: Yee iudge according to the Flesh, by that which is not, but by that which seemeth so to be; but I iudge according to the heart, I search and trie the verie reynes. Saint Ambrose called the Sunne, Oculum Mundi, The Worlds eye; not onely because it affoords vs that light whereby our eyes haue power to see,

but because it sees all things: and in case that it being in the other Hemispheare, it doth not see that which passeth in this; yet Gods eyes see all that is both in this, and in that other world. Orpheus called the Sunne, Oculum Iustitiae, The eye of Iustice; whose office it is, to discouer whatsoeuer is darke and secret. Anti∣quitie painted him sitting in a Ship, gouerning the same as a Pilot; for beholding the Starres and the Mariners Compasse, he doth not onely discerne the dangers that are aboue the water, but those hidden Deepes which are vnder the waters. But neither the Sunne of Heauen, nor those Sunnes of the earth can reach into the withdrawing roomes of mans bosome; onely the eyes of Christ can looke into them, which are farre brighter than the Sunne, His eyes are brighter than the Sunne,* 1.18 I am the Lord that searcheth the heart, and trieth the reynes, so saith Ieremie and Saint Iohn. The beames of the Sunne discouer the atomes and motes in the ayre, but not the thoughts and secrets of the heart. But the beames of the Sun of righteousnesse, discouer our smallest thoughts. It was the foole that said in his heart, There is no God. And though this saying came not out of his mouth, yet hee found it published in the market place; because God diueth into the heart. The Spouse compares him to that Goate, which the Greekes call Dorcas, for it's quicknes of sight, as Saint Gregory Nyssene hath noted it: If a man hide himselfe in darkenesse, shal not I see him? The Kings of the Gentiles, pretending to haue the world to take them for gods, they gaue them to vnderstand, that they did know the thoughts of men. To this alludeth that, which Ioseph said to his brethren, An ignoratis, quod non similis in augurandi scientia? Cicero saith, That among the Persians, no man could be King, who was not skilled in the Art of Diuination. And for this cause, innumerable Witcheries, and Sorceries were multiplyed and increased amongst them. But it is a foolerie to imagine, That any man can enter into them but God. To which God be ascribed all honour, power, and glory, now and for euermore. Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gods iudge∣ment euerie way compleat
• * 1.2

  1. Reg. 16.
• * 1.3

  Christ why called the Light of the world. 1. Io••n 1.5.
• * 1.4

  1. Tim. 6.16.
• * 1.5

  The benefit of this Light
• * 1.6

  Gen. 3.
• * 1.7

  Baruc 3.34.
• * 1.8

  The reason why some hate and shunne it.
• * 1.9

  Iohn 6.
• * 1.10

  Iob. 29.
• * 1.11

  Iob. 7.
• * 1.12

  In mans life the••e are two wayes, and he had need of a Guide.
• * 1.13

  The glorie of the Sunne.
• * 1.14

  Mat. 5. Rom. 8. Luc. 17.
• * 1.15

  Christ testified by many, yet not embraced of the Phari∣sees.
• * 1.16

  Three condi∣tions required in euery Te∣stimonie.
• * 1.17

  Christ the ••••∣ly true Sunne that seeth all things.
• * 1.18

  Eccl. 23. Hier. 17. Apoc. 3.