560 Mater Çreenhams `Readings the hearingofthe word,whenthe Lordgiueth them a lanternefor theirfeere,andoffereth Simih, knowledge;and yetto beno betterthen the ftockesthey liton? Ifit plcafcdtieLordwho giueth vnderftanding to the ignorant,and draweth lightout of darkenelle to reueale the iigbt refafed light into theirdarke confciences, they fhould know that when light canevino them, far darkeeeffe, they refured it,and that they are loners of darkenes morethen oflight. Buthe that Work- eth all things mightiliein allmen, mutt (hew this light vnto theirdarkenes, becaufe the, thatare in hellthinkeon noneother heauen,and they that lie in vnrighteoufnes,thiuke of noother righteoufrres,andfitting in the valuesof death, they remember noneother life. We mutt therefore pray,that the Lordsglorious light of the golpellmay open theeyes of their confciences,and let euerie man examine his ovineheart,that hemay pray to Isaac his iudgetnent cleared bythe true knowledgeof theword, and hisaffections renewed to the dueObedienceofthe fame. For howmuch knowledgewe haue,fomuch light haue we; and iooke hownochwelirio ignorance, lo souciswee lie in daekenes. Wee knowbut inparr, when weeare at the bigheft in this life, howgreat then is that darkenelfe, when weeknow not fo much as theword mayinftruet vs in? When a man feeth as muchin aPapift, as ina blocke,lethim confrder,that as little asthe careis,which we haueof theword,and as frnall as ourconfcience is in the obedience ofthe fame; fo little is his light in hcauenly things. Yca, though wehaueknowledge,and hue not after it,we areyet indarkenes, we grope as it werea fareoff,whohauingknowledge, baneno conlcience. ?milted they A laying that may touch vs tothequicke, thatwee are but hauing but a glimmering are, that fyther light,as Pattiehad in the outward man at his eonuerhun,orbeing aspurblindmen notha- kuovvlrttle,or unit+ oureyes ricaneout,nor our fight Beare whenwe -haue knowledge,and labournot to knoroingnene:buildvertuev onvertue. If then thou haftnot a care profit the word thou hafta fmucb,dopra- Y P by , arenothieg, darkefght,andaglimmeringlight,thereis.afbadowbeforethineeyes,thoucanitnotdif- Stmik. cerisechalke from cheefe.No tnarueile then,whgfo few arefharpe rightedin the word,Gth eytherweknow little,or knowing fomewhat wepraCtife nothing. Againe,asifwe hauegone tomepart of the iournie in light, and yet paffe the other in darkenes it is verie dangerous: likewife in regenerations though wee haue (pent tome part of our life in theobedienceof true knowledge,and in the refìdueof our life doe not el- cape time wiiines of the flefh,we cannot withoutdangerousdarknes hold forth ourcoutfe inthe fpirit. If wee minglelight. and darkenelfetogether,and confound the worldand the Church,tbewifedomeof God,and the inventions damn, we doenot as yet truly obey nor walke in the light of the word. For as whatfoeuer is not ofFaith is frnne,and whatfoeuer is not in thelight is darkens, fo whatfoeuer is notdone according to the light of knowledge, is done in the darkenesof ignorance.In all our sffaiìes then wemutt learnt to aske counfell of the word. farkeneffeor Here tbenis a good comfortable doétrine alfo, thatwee arc fo much indarkenesi as in lightiss whole wholeor in partwe be inignorance: fo whetherin part or in wholewee be warranted by sr hum part. the word ofQod for our &sing; fo farmwehang a guide, SVC haue a loadftarre, a lanterne, and a forelight, as Peter witneffeth, to conduct vs. The Papitts then are here confuted which lay theword containeth hard things, wegrauet indeed that there are many myfte- ries in the word ofGod, and that thetelthnoniestithe Lordare wonderful', efpeciallie in thedoctrine offaluatió,&to a natural man;yet there be manythings catieto a man re- generate, and the very entrance into themgiueth light to the blinde, and to thanwhich A'ententeyet are lowlie in their owneeyes. It isour great corruption,that when wee know in part,wee may leada mâ areas theythat haue a glimmering fightoftheir way , and therefore lealt they fhould be that e vü! fit- accounted ftarkc blinde refute a leader. lintalthoughwefee as in a glaffe, inpart, and in lovz thel,Ihtmeafure, yetasamanmayfollow,ifhebenotblinde ,thelightofthelanterne:fowcmay ie.. come toknowledge,vnleswe (hut oureyesat thetruth. Wce may therefore aslafclie for Simie. thefouleshealth,follow theligit of theword,as wemay for thefauegardofour body,fol, low thelight ofalanterne. The wayoffaluation prefcrib.ed in the word,is an higb,plaine, andbeatenway, ifanie thinghinder vs thereuoto,it is the curfe, and ourfinne in that we arenor careful' to be di -. reCìed. Forfurelythis is the word toopenour vnderilanding, yea thoughwee beborne blíndea
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