John 3:19

Christ insisteth on the second cause of sinners condemnation, which is there sleighting of the offer of mercy in the Gospel. And beside what was intimate in the former verse, of the ratifying of the lawes, sentence upon their not embracing the remedy, he addeth the heavy condemnation that it brings on men, while they not only embrace not, but do contemn the remedy of miserie, and delight rather in their own ways: And withal, he sheweth the reason of this, which are mens evil deeds. Doct. 1. The world without Christ lieth in darknesse, void of spiritual light, and full of errours, and of the works of darknesse: God is withdrawn from the creatures, and they wander and stumble (as in the dark) upon Satans snares, their case is void of true peace and comfort, as men in a dark pit; their way tends to utter darknesse; and yet, as men in the dark, their case and misery is not discerned in its own colours; for, in opposition to all, this, it is said, that light is come into the world, by Christs being manifested in the Gospel. 2. Christ offered in the Gospel, hath brought a remedy for all sin and miserie; bringing light to discover mens case in its true colours, light to dispel the darknesse of errours, and the vilenesse of sinful lusts, light for direction, and light of comfort to make things pleasant and comfortable, upon solid grounds of reconciliation; for, light is come into the world. 3. Where Christ manifesteth himself, men will not so easily be drawn from their woful condition, but their old darknesse will be suting their hearts to hold the grip it hath, as well as the light suteth for entrance; for, their loving the one more then the other, supposeth that both come in competion to their choice. 4. Such is the perversitie of mens nature, as not only not to embrace. Christ offering himself, but to love their woful condition far beyond the offered remedie: to like to abide in darknesse, rather then to see their misery or need of him; and to like their own deluded peace, better then to follow after his true comforts; for, men loved darknesse rather then light. 5. Where Christ, offering himself in the Gospel, is not received in love, but contemned, it bringeth sadder condemnation then the breaking of the Law, as being a sinning against the remedy, and that with an high hand; an undervaluing of him, and doing of what they can to make void his pains; for, this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, &c. 6. Mens living in ill works is an evidence of their rejecting Christ, it being evil deeds that makes light hateful to men: for, men loved darknesse rather then light, because their deeds were evil; their love to their evil wayes maketh them hate this light as it is discovering, and so they go no further, nor attain to the refreshing light of it, and maketh them that they cannot quit their lusts, and come under Christs yoke.