srz Tm; WORD oF GOD coMPARED TO LIGHT. Book II. 'vVorld be in: One Man might f•y this is the '~ay, and another that; I walk, fai th one, by the GuidJnre of the Spirit, and fo faith another that teacheth quire contrery Things. Sairh a thi rd you are both out of the Way, it is I alone that am led by )nfp~ration and ye are in Datknefs. Others plead for the Pope and general Councils which have been miferably comradiCtory one to another and none of d1efe can give better Demonf\rations, touching the Truth of what they preach and prat'life, than the reil: Being not able to confirm their Oochine by Miracles; and fo confe– .quently how !hall a poor doubtfu l Soul be directed in the Way to Heaven by either or any of them. For were not the holy Scriptures the Rule ; but contrarywife the Light within, or lnfpiration , &:c. then muf\ a Man be able to confirm and p rove what he faith in fuch a Way, or by fuch Means that no Deceiver or Impoftor can pre– tend unto, or do the like. Objefl. But is not the Spi rit of God above the Scriptures, which you call the W ord? did not the Spirit give forth the Scriptures 1 If fo, fure then that is of the greatefl: Authority and only Light tlut can bell direct Men into the right Way. A nfw. That the Holy Spit it or third Perfon of the holy Trinity is a greater Light than the holy Scripture is not denied, by virtue of which holy M en of old were mfpired ihat gave them forth; yet the ~te!l:ion is, Whether any Man now hath fuch a Mea. fure of the Spirit in him which is a greater Light.than the written Word, and to whom others are bound to adhere and be directed by: For it is this only which is denied, MET A P HO R. V. Light hath a chearing, warming, and reviving •Quality, Light contributes much to the Vegetation, Growth and Life of Plants and other Creatures : Light and Motion are the Caufe ofHeat which the heavenly Bodies fend down upon Earth. Light is that Jnftrument whereby all Influences ·of Heaven arc communicated and difperfed to the World. . VI. L ight bath a purging and purifying Virtue. F ogs and Mifl:s that are gathered in Darkne[, are difperfed and fcattered when the Light comes, hence Light is called the Refining-pot of Nature. The 'vVorld, .faith a worthy Divine, would be an unwholfome .Pdl:– hou!e if it had no Light. PARALLEL. V. The Word and Gofpel of Chtill: hath a chearing and quickening Virtue. 'I'his is my Com– fort in my A./fliflion, thy Word bath quickened me, Pfal. cxix. 50. And in another Place, I will ne– ver forget thy .Precepts, for with them thou haft quickened me, Pfol. cxix. 93· As it is grievous to be fpiritually blind, or m the dark Region and Dungeon of Idolatry, Sin and Unbelief; fo OR the other Hand .how comfortable is it to enjoy the ble!feil Word and Gofpel of J efus Chri!l: ! 'VI. The Word and ·Gofpel of Chrift hath a cleanling, purging and purifying Virtue in it. Wherewith jha/1a )'Oung Man cleanfe his Way? by taking ·heed thereto according to thy Word, Pfa!. cxix. 9· Now )'e are clean through the Word which I have Jpoker. unto you, John xv. 3· The Gofpel and Word of ·God difperfeth and fcattereth all the Fogs and Mills of Darknefs and Error. It .is the Refining-pot of Tmth. What an unwhol– fome Pell:-houfe would the World be in a fpiri– tual Senfe, were it not for the Light and excellent ·Virtue of God's holy Word. VII. Light is of an undejileable VII. The Word and Gofpel of God is very Nature. Though it pafs through pure and ofan undefi\cableNature, Pfal. cxix. I 40. Sinks and mofl: polluted .Places, What filthy Sinks bath it pa!fed through, and what yet it conLracts no Defilement; it Means hath ·been ufed by the Popilh Adverfaries. cleanfeth all Thin<>s,but is defiled and others to corrupt and pollute jt, and yet no by nothing. It i s a Q,laliry fo Defilement cleaveth to it, it remains unmixed, and fpirimal that nothing can laf\en pure, !hll lhmmg ~orrh glonoully, fuch 1s the ex– tlpon it eo pollute it. cellent Nature of tt, Jt punfieth the HeartS and .Lives of Men, 'and nothing can falten upon it to VHI. .Light is gloriousfor Beau– t)' ar..d Sp!endor. H , nee the Glory of be ven is called Ltpht. 1 here i< n< .hin<> of all cre.ated Beings fo glorious ~s the Sun, and Light is 3 pollme it. VIII. The Word and Gofpel ·of'Chri!l: is called by the Apo!l:le, 'I'he glorious Go.JPel, 2 Cor. iv. 4· the Gofpel is exceeding full of Glory. There is nothing in it but that which is very glorious. .Here you have aRefplendency and Shining.forth ' of
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