1

ow as for the words themselves, we cannot better judge of

the fitness of this expresfion,then by considering who it was, chat spoke it.

Now these words were spoken by him, that had a large portion of Intellectuals, one, that was boré avogarwy ripars, they were (poken by Solomon, in whom the Candle of the Lord did thine very clearly ; one, that had ask'd this, as the choicest favour, that he could expe& from the Bounty of Heaven,to have a glorious lamp of knowledge shine in his soul for the enlightning of it. And though the envious Jews would faine perswade the world, that he lighted his Candle at Hell it self;for they esteemed hin no better, then a Magician, as they esteemed him also, that was greater then Solomon : yet we know very well, that Solomon's

was a purer Candle, then to be lighted at a Lake of fire, and brimstone ; Pcwas not of Lucifer's setting up, but it came from the Father of lights, 'twas lighted with Sun-beams from Heaven.

And 'tis a modeft, and humble expression in him to call his understanding the Candle of the Lord, when as the world look'd upon him as a Star of the first magnitude, nay, as a Sun shining in the Firmament, gilding the world with knowledge, scattering beams of light, sparkling out in wise and Proverbial sayings ; lo that the bordering Princes,and Nations are ready to adore such an orient Light and the Queen of the South thinks it po small happiness to fit under the shadow ofit. But yet to be senGble of his own narrow Sphere, of his own finite Compass, and influence, did not at all cake from his lufire; but did rather set it off, and add to his Glory.

Thus that Wise man among the Heathen, Socrates, did so far complain of the weakness of his Candle-light,as that he tels us his lamp would lhew him nothing, but his own darkness

. And, though a wiser then Socr be here, yet he is much in the fame measure

sen Gible

enfible of the dimness of his own Intellectuals. And yet he was one

that had made many discoveries with this Candle of the Lord, he had search'd into the Mines, and several Veins of knowledge; he had search'd into the hid Treasures of wisdome, he had search'd into the depth of State-affairs, he had search'd into the bowels of Natural Causes, into the Magnalia & Mysteria of Nature; as if, among many other Wives, he had espoufed Nature also to himself: he had learch'd into the several Tempers, and intelle&ual Complexions of men; he had search'd long enough with this Candle of the Lord, to see if he could find any good under the Sun. he went with his Candle to finde out a sammum bonum;he search'd into all the corners of Being: and, at length, being sufficiently wearied, you may see him fitting down; you may hear him complaining that he had bui spent, and wasted. the Candle of the Lord in vain : for so much is implyed in 1777 siya, this was but depastio spirities as he himself call it.

Yet he was one,chat (hewed others, how they might make berter improvement of their 'Intellectual Lamp; and this was his wiseit advice, that he gave upon his most mature, and conco&ted thoughts, this was tanquam mox emoritura lucerne fupremus fulgor; That men would only follow this Candle of the Lord, as it dires them in the ways of God, which are ways of sweetness,and pleasaniness : for this was not bothe very end why God sec up such a light in the soul, that it migh tearch out its Creatour with it.

And as for the minde of the words, though one would think they were very clear,ind shining with their own light,yet Interpreters are pleased to cloud them, to turn light it self into a Chaosz and to cast darkness upon the face of the Text; like some unskilful ones, while they go about co snuff the Candle, they put it out: but we'l try, whether it can be blown in again.

We fhall reduce their several meanings to these three heads.

First, Sone would have it thus; The Candle of the Lord is in the understanding of a man: as if the words did run thus, nows 7179.73 DIN Lucerna Domini in mente hominis , that is, God with his Candle discovers the very thoughts, and intentions of men, be searches into every corner of the beart; he ba’s lucernand in corde, he spies out every Atome, he perceives the first starting of a motion, the first peeping out of a thought. Buc this, though it be very

с

true,

true , yet is nothing to the purpose here. Secondly

, Some gloss upon the words chus; The understanding of man, when’tis enlightned with supernatural knowledg, is then the Candle of the Lord. But these do rather di&ate to Solomon, and tell him what they would have him say;they do rather frame,and fashion a Proverb to themselves, then explain his meaning: and these are they, that are afraid to give natural light, and natural reason their due. But, Thirdly,I shall fully agree with them, that take this for the

proper, and genuine meaning of the place, that God hath breathed into all the fons of men Reasonable souls, which may serve, as so many Candles to enlighten, and direct them in the searching out their Creatour, in the discovering of other inferiour Beings, and theme selves alfo. And this is that which is here implyed by 0.78 nOVI ihat same spiraculum vita, nay, that same immortal breath, thai same rational breath quickned by God himself, and flowing from him, as a pure derivation from his own Being, and thus the Hebrevó Dociours do Aill look upon this word nous as that, which does express i vñv, animam rationis participem, and as they observe ) it ha's a plain vicinity with Dinu, but to be sure the Being is derived from thence, whether the word be, or no. So then nous it points out the supreme region, the very top, and Power of a reasonable soul, al is fügeris sepupúx as was do's

บ vonk. speak nothing, but the diegs, and bottom of it, the inferiour and Sensitive soul. The Apostle Paul, in his learned Speech to the Athenians, mentions them boch,and calls them vory fignificantly Ewlw, rj arolin and so fome also take that other place of the Apoltle in that accurate Discourse of his to the Corinthians, that, which he calls fuge de gewony, they call it 77'n WD), and that, which he terms treulich (wonoidy, they render ic Dinnow), though it be true also that sometimes they take the word DI in a more generical sense, for thus they tell us, there are in man three now). (1) Omaison the vegetable soul, a soul in the bud, the very blotlom,and flower of life ; (2) nangt anima bruti, a soul looking out at the window of fence; (33) MAIna vas a Toul sparkling, and glittering with intellectuals, a soul crowned with light, and this is the same with row. Now, as for that other word 117 though sometimes the mind of man, his intelleâual part, be expressed by it; yet the word, in its own nature, is a

great deal more large, and comprehensive; and as it extends to Come material Beings, so it reaches to all Spirituals, hence 777 0777 117.17: and the Angels both good, and bad, frequently come under this name; but when tis pat for the minde", and Spirit of man, yet I finde it very well differenced from nowy; for mn deth properly import impetum animi, motum mentis, che vigour, and energy of the foul, sundy rather then t væv, and the

, Hebrew Dochours are pleased to tell us the several situations of these, 717 they say is in corde, nous in cerebro, UB) in bepate. Now, though I know, that some places in the New Testament, which speak of foul , and spirit, meet with this Interpretation, chat Spirit there is the purest eminency, the most refined part of the soul;yet this is not at all prejudicial to what we now speak of: for firft, they may take it for the regenerate part of the soul, that, which the Apostle calls the New Creature; or elle, Secondly,luppose it be spoke of the soul in its natural condition, 'tis worth che considering then;whether it would not be better rendred by

;here is rendred the Jpirit of a man נשמת as רוח then נשמת

a

but; Thirdly, grant, that it be more answerable to it, and that no should have the worıb, and precedency of moud, which yet will scarce ever be thewen, or explained; yet this is very sure, and unquefionable, that nowy do's very properly speak a reasonable soul, and that the more peculiarly, because, when Moses speaks of that very moment, when 'twas created, and breathed into man, he calls it Din now, and the Arabian Interpreter keeps as close to the words, as so vaft a Dialect will give leave, and stiles it 787838 n003 balitus vita. And’ois Comewhat worth the wond'ring ar, that that learned Interpreter of Genefis, who is so well versed in Rabbinical Writings, should yet expound that of the sensitive. But they run as far Into the

. other extreme, that would underftand nong ofa Coul advanc'd above it self by supernatural Principles : and I think this sense will scarce be owned by any that can conftrue Hebrew.

So then, these words are a brief commendation of. Natural. Light, of the Light of Reason. For the farther clearing of which we must enquire; Firft, What Nature is. Secondly, What the Law of Nature is, Thirdly, What the Light of Nature is.

THE

HE words being to be understood of Lumen Naturale

according to the minds of the best, and most interpreters, it will be very needful to enquire what Nature is, and here we will be sure not to freak one word for Nature, which shall in the least measure tend to the eclipsing of Grace; nay, norhing, but what shall make for the greater brightening, and ampli. fying of the free Grace, and distinguishing goodness of God in Christ; and nothing, but what an Augustine , or a Eradwardine, those great Patrons of Gract, would willingly set their seals unto.

Well then, as for Nature, though it be not far from any: one of us, though it be so intimate to our very Beings, though it be printed, and engraved upon our essences, and not upon ours onely, but upon the whole Creation, and though we put all the letters, and Chara&ers of ic together, as well as we can : yet we shall finde'ie hard enough, to spell it out, and read what it is. For, as it is in corporeal vision, the too moch approximation, and vicinity of an obje&t; do's stop up, and hinder fight : so 'tis also many times in Intellectual Opticks , we see some things better at a distance;the Soul cannot so easily see its own face, nor so fully explain its own nature. We need some Schaliast, or Interpreter, to comment upon cur own Beings, and to acquaint us with our own Idioms: and I meet with many Authours', that speak of the Light of Nature ; but I can scarce finde one, that tells us what it is. Those famous and learned Triumviri; SELDEN, that ha's made it his work to write De Jure Naturali; and Grotiis , chat ha's said somewhat of it in his Book De Jure Belli @ Pacis; and Salo mi alius , 'that ha's touch'd it in his late 'Treatise De Coma, and in his little Dialogue subordinate to it; in either of which, if he had pleased, he might have described it without a digression:

yet