4. There is the light of glory; it is that same light which God dwells in, the light inaccessible, the light that none can approach unto, 1 Tim. vi. 16; yet that light which God's children shall one day dwell in also. Light we may call it, for it is where darkness never made its pavilion; a light more glorious than the sun or moon; for it is where, though no sun shall be, yet where no night shall be. The glory of God lightens that place, and the Lamb is the light of it, Rev. xxi. 23. Now, of this light likewise God is the Father; he who inhabits it, created it; and he hath prepared it to be an habitation for his saints, that as many as shall be citizens of the new Jerusalem, may rest under the glory of it. "The sun shall be no more thy light by day," says the prophet, "neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee; but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory," Isa. lx. 19.

Meditate also of the correspondence between grace and light.

1. The light flows and breaks out from the heavens so does grace; it is derived and sent down from heaven.

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2. Light dispels the darkness: so does grace dispel the darkness of error and ignorance.

3. Light purges the air from mists and dark fogs that choke it so does grace purify the heart with its beams, from the corruption of sin with which it is choked and defiled, Acts xv. 9.

4. Light quickens the seeds that are sown in the earth, making them to spring and fructify: so does grace always quicken the seed of God's word, when it is sown in our minds: if that be not there, it

withers and dies, but grace makes it prolific and fruitful.

5. Light pleaseth the eye-sight. "Light is sweet," says Solomon, Eccles. xi. 7: so grace is pleasant to an eye that is spiritually enlightened. Even the eyes of God himself are delighted with such objects; for what are those beauties and ornaments of the spouse, with which our Saviour Christ, in the Canticles, professes to be so much affected and ravished, but endowments of grace in which the spouse excelled? Cant. iv.

6. Light manifests things that are hid. In the dark there is no judging of colours, but the light makes all things manifest. So does the light of grace, it manifests those things unto us which before were hidden from us, especially two sorts of things, God's mercies, and our own wants. As for God's mercies, without the light of grace we cannot judge of them as we should do; either we take no notice of them at all, or we ascribe them not to Him from whom indeed we receive them. And as for our wants, the more our eyes are opened to see them, the more hath the light of grace shined into our hearts.

7. Light begets heat: so does grace in us likewise; it begets in us an heat of zeal and fervent charity; it not only enlightens us with knowledge, but warms us with zeal also, to make us contend for God's truth and for his glory.

The consideration thereof should teach us to love grace, and to hate sin. We naturally hate darkness, and love light: darkness is a horrid and hateful thing to nature; but woful is the condition of those that love "darkness rather than light," it showeth that their "deeds are evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved," John

iii. 19, 20. Like owls and bats, they shun the light; for light is a discovering thing.

SECTION VI.

AT THE SPRINGING OF THE DAY, OR RISING OF THE SUN.

HERE consider that Christ in his coming into the world was as the day-spring, the springing or rising of the sun from on high. Consider how his coming is most fitly compared to a day-spring, Luke i. 78, or to the rising of the sun, in divers respects.

1. The sun, as it were, issues out of the night, as it appears to our eyes; he seems to spring out of the bosom of darkness: the rising of the sun follows the darkness of the night. So our blessed Saviour, at his coming, appeared to spring out of darkness; he lay hid before under the veil; he was covered with shadows, types, ceremonies, mystical representations, and dark figures; yea, the prophecies which bore witness of him had much darkness in them, though they were so clear that they showed the way to Christ unto all the faithful; yet the light was but dim, in comparison of that which followed. And at that time especially there was much darkness overspreading the face of the church, even about the time of our Saviour's coming. Then was that true which was spoken, "We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet, neither is there among us any that knoweth how long,' Psa. lxxiv. 9. And besides the want of this light, there were special causes of darkness, namely, blind guides; for such our Saviour himself charged the Pharisees to be, who sat in Moses' chair; and,

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being blind and ignorant themselves, took upon them to lead the blind, and instruct the ignorant, and so no marvel that both stumbled in the dark, and fell into the ditch; and ignorance in these bred errors in the people, and caused an increase of darkness.

But now consider, that Christ was not sent for the salvation of the Jews only, but of other nations also; and then reflect what darkness was on the world in general. The nations of the world were all regions of darkness, and of the shadow of death. Even the learned Athenians worshipped God as a stranger, and their altar had this inscription, "To the unknown God," Acts xvii. 23. Now, out of this darkness, as it were, the Day-spring issued, Christ came and manifested himself to the world.

2. The day-spring, or rising of the sun, removes the darkness: so Christ manifested in the flesh did chase away that darkness which was upon the face of the world; and soon after Christ's coming there was such an alteration as if there had been a new world created, as it is expressed of the land of Naphtali and Zabulon, so the like change was effected in many parts of the world. "The land of

Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; the people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up," Matt. iv. 15, 16. Thus it might be said of the world in general.

3. The day-spring, or sun-rising, is beautiful and glorious. David compares the sun at his rising to a bridegroom coming forth of his chamber with all his ornaments, Psa. xix. 5. Christ's manifestation to the world was glorious, and full of heavenly beauty and majesty. Many glorious things appeared in him at

his birth, and in his life many miracles, signs, and wonders; and, among other things, the beauty of his perfect holiness and righteousness was such, that even the malicious eyes of his adversaries could see no spot or blemish in it; but especially in that more glorious manifestation at his resurrection and ascension, and sending down the Holy Ghost, by whom his apostles were led abroad to carry the light up and down in the world, did his beauty, excellency, and glory appear.

4. The day-spring, or sun-rising, yieldeth special refreshment to the creatures, as men, beasts, and birds so the coming of Christ yielded special comfort and refreshment to the people of God, yea, and to those who formerly were not the people of God, Hos. i. 10. Many poor Gentiles, after a tedious night of many hundred years of woful darkness and blindness, were now most sweetly refreshed by the manifestation of Christ, as a glorious Day-spring, and a most blessed Sun of Righteousness arising with healing in his wings, whereby they saw the way of peace, and the means of reconciliation with God, and everlasting salvation by the remission of their sins in the blood of Christ.

5. Consider that the day-spring, or sun-rising, is a cause of health. The night is cold and moist, and for want of heat to purge the air, is the cause of many thick fogs and vapours; but the rising of the sun cleanses the air, and overcomes those foggy vapours. So consider what is said of Christ, that he, being the Sun of Righteousness, should arise with healing in his wings, dispelling those un wholesome vapours, which the devil, the prince of darkness, had raised to poison the souls of men. This Sun of Righteousness did, by the sovereign