Matthew Poole and continuators on John 1:4

4 In him was life ; and the life was the light of men .

In this Word was Life Corporal, Spiritual, Eternal; it was in him as in the Fountain. Some understand this of Corporal life, both in the first Being and preservation of it; It is certain that this is in Christ, for he upholdeth all things by the word of his power, Heb. 1.3. Acts 17.28. And thus it is another demonstration of the Deity of Christ. Others think, that here is rather a transition from Creation to Redemption; you hath he quickened, Eph. 2.1. Others understand it of Eternal Life, because our Evangelist most generally taketh the term of Life, as a benefit flowing from Christ in this sense, as chap. 3.16. and 4.14. and in a multitude of other Texts. I know no reason why we should not understand it of all Life; all Life being in Christ, as God equal with the Father; and Spiritual and Eternal Life flowing also from him in a more peculiar consideration, as Mediator.

But tho' as God he distributes life according to their degree to all his Creatures, yet is he the peculiar light of men, enlightning their minds with Light, of which Vegetative and sensitive Creatures are not capable; so as by Light is not here to be understood the emanations of any lucid bodies, as that of the Sun or Stars; for other Creatures as well as men are capable of that; nor is it to be understood of the Light of Reason, though that be the Candle of the Lord in the Soul; but that Light by which we discern the things of God; in which sense the Apostle saith, Eph. 5.8. You were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. And therefore he saith of men, exclusively to Angels, who, tho lightsom, noble Creatures, yet had not their nature assumed by Christ, Heb. 2.16. Besides that it is said in the next Verse, that this Light shined in the darkness, that is, amongst many men who yet had reasonable Souls, but the darkness comprehended it not. That cannot be, that men did not comprehend Reason, but even rational men comprehended not this Light of supernatural Revelation: So Iohn is said to have come to Testify of that Light; who did not come to testify of Christ, as the Author of Reason. Nor is there any Text of Scripture in which the term Light signifieth Reason.

Marginal references: Chap. 5.26. 1 Joh. 5.11.; Chap. 8.12. and 9.5. and 12 46.