That We May Be Blameless - Phil 2:15
Ans. No. The Turk will have none about the Alkoran, and the pope he will not have men dispute about anything that concerns him. The devil and his instruments they ever run into extremes. Either men must call in question all the grounds of divinity, or else receive upon trust whatsoever is delivered to us. No. We must know in doubtful things, this is good and required to find out certainty. The end of motion is rest, and the end of questions and doubts tends to truth.
Yet have we many spend all their life in this or that question or doubt, and edify little or nothing. Like those physicians are they who contend and question about the goodness or badness of this or that meat, when a strong labouring man eats it, and finds as good nourishment out of it as out of any other. While men dispute and talk about this or that doctrine, a sound downright Christian receives it, digests it, and is nourished thereby, while the others do even starve themselves. Let therefore God alone with his secret will. Homosum, said Salvian, secreta Dei non intelligo (d). God does what is done, be thou content. In human authority also we ought not to dispute, for the subject hath no calling to know the mysteries of state. It may be a sin to command, and yet a virtue to obey. It is thy duty to obey, not to question. But if in thine understanding it be plainly evil which is commanded, obey not.* Job did thus, and Job would hear his servant speak, Job 19:16. But if it be uncertain to thee and doubtful, certain it is thou must obey. Obedience must be without syllogisms. The servant ought to obey, the master must question.
THAT WE MAY BE BLAMELESS
'That we may be blameless, and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.' - VERSE 15
This verse contains a reason, drawn from the end, why we should do all things without murmuring or disputing. The reason is threefold.
First, that you may be blameless. Secondly, harmless. Thirdly, that you may be the sons of God.
'Blameless.' This word, if it be taken generally, is a thing that none can attain to. God cannot be without blame, for wicked men will quarrel with him, be he never so good. Christ could not live without blame, though he went about doing good continually, Heb. 12:3. It is said he endured the cross and despised the shame; nay, the best men are subject to most shame. Stop wicked men in their lewd courses, they† are thought presently to be enemies. And the wicked take that for a wrong, whenas they receive so much good from others that they cannot requite it. But the proper signification of the word is in effect thus much, that they should so behave themselves, as they should not give any just occasion of offence, either to their own consciences, or that of other men. Walk towards God without all manner of profanation or irreligious course, and let your gesture towards men be just, that your conscience may clear you of all fraud or guile; and let your carriage toward your own self be free from all abuse of your person, by gluttony, drunkenness, and the like. In a word, be holy, righteous, and sober.
'Harmless.' The word signifies simple, without all mixture or composition; or else void of hurt, without horn, as the word imports
(e).
The doctrine is, that it is the property of Christians to do no harm.
The reason is, because our nature now is changed from that it was; for by nature we are to one another lions and wolves, as Heb. 11:33.
Now therefore our nature being changed, our actions also become changed. The gospel makes us tame. The Spirit of Christ in all our
members is as Christ himself. His miracles were for good, and they were beneficial to men. He did all things well. Those therefore that are led by this Spirit of his do no harm, so far as they are Christ's.
Use. For use note this as a main difference between the Christian and another man. For all other people are harmful creatures. The four monarchies were as so many beasts, because to the poor church of God they were as so many beasts, cruel and devouring. Nay, the civillest man of all, to his neighbours he seems to be harmless, but towards the church none so fierce as they.
On the contrary, Christians are meek as doves. The wicked are as ravenous birds, like eagles' feathers;‡ self-love turns all to its own end. Among the beasts, the Christian is as a lamb, innocent, fruitful; a common good. 'When he is exalted the land rejoices,' Prov. 11:11.
Contrarily the wicked are termed lions and bears, and the like.
Among the plants wicked men are as briars: a man must be fenced that deals with them, 2 Sam. 23:7; the godly as lilies, sweet, not fenced with pricks. Among earthly creatures the godly are as the worm; the wicked, a generation of vipers and serpents. They will do no right, take no wrong, but a word and a blow; a word and presently to suit, right Esaus and Ishmaels. Nay, they glory in it. Oh, say they, he is a shrewd man. Hence comes duels, combats, and the like. Men now are come to that pass, they will not put up a word. Nay, those that are innocent, and will pass by injuries, tush! they are fools. But know, thus to be foolish is to be wise, to be Christian like; and such fools as these are shall find comfort on their deathbeds, when those wise men shall wish they had been such fools.
Such fools as these are, I mean the innocent, shall have God for their help and shelter, for want whereof these worldly wise men come often to ill ends, and to be made fearful examples. The Psalms are
full of encouragements herein: Ps. 18:2, 'The Lord is my rock and fortress,' said David; and so in Ps. 25:8, 9, 10, &c. Wicked men have horns, but God is a hammer to break the horns of the wicked. The innocent person, and he that is harmless, brings peace to the land, and a blessing to the place where he lives. Here prayers and intercessions are as the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof.
Let those things be noted to provoke us unto this duty.
'Sons of God'
This is the third ground whereby we are incited, to be without murmuring and disputing, that you may be 'the sons of God;' that is, that by this you may appear to your own comfort to be the sons of God, or that herein you may be as the sons of God, in shewing yourselves harmless and blameless, which may testify it to yourselves and others.
Doct. Therefore Christians that are harmless and blameless indeed, are the sons of God. The ground of this is the love of God, who freely gave his own Son to take our nature upon him, and to die to save us from the sting of death; he became the Son of man to make us the sons of God without rebuke. And as God gave him to us, so by faith doth he give us to him; and by this God gives us power to be his sons,
John 1:12. Our nature is hereby changed; for whom he makes sons he sanctifies them and makes them new, and thus become we his sons.
God hath adopted us, not as natural men, for this or that respect, to an earthly inheritance, but God freely adopts us to an heavenly inheritance that fadeth not; neither doth God adopt us as men do men in solamen orbitatis,* for God hath a Son in whom he is pleased; neither again can men's adoption make their adopted sons to be good; but when God adopts us, he makes us as he would have us to be, like himself. Fourthly, other adopted sons, many of them are not
sharers together of the inheritance to one allotted; but we are made heirs and fellow-heirs with Christ himself. This love of God was such as the apostle could not express in any fit terms; therefore he saith,
'Behold what love hath the Father shewed us!' 1 John 3:1. David thought it not to be a small thing to be the son-in-law of an earthly prince, 1 Sam. 18:23; behold, we are sons of the King of kings. By nature we are sons of the devil, and rebels. Now, that God should freely, out of his own free love, set his love on us, passing over angels and other men, and not sparing his own Son, have we not hence cause to cry, 'Behold what love!' and 'Oh the depth of that love!'
Earthly fathers adopt sons because they die, but God is eternal; he never dies; his Son is everlasting. Consider this as a point of comfort, for this relation is everlasting; he never leaveth us nor forsakes us.
Servants are cast out, but the Son abideth for ever; servants know not the counsels of their masters, but sons they know the whole will of God. Consider this as a ground of protection in all dangers, and of provision of all good. 'I have a father,' saith the prodigal; 'what need I die for hunger? I will go to him,' Luke 15:17. In a word, the word
Father is an epitome of the whole gospel. All the promises therein contained are sealed up by and in this one word, God is our Father.
Can we go to our Father for pardon of sin and not obtain it? By Christ's death and satisfaction he is become our Father; and therefore Christ is Christ after his resurrection. Can we then want any good thing? How can we think he will deny us his Spirit, or that inheritance in heaven, which as a Father he hath promised! How then, or at what shall we be dismayed and discomforted? What can trouble us? Mark what is promised in Ps. 103:2, seq. All good that may any way concern thy soul or body. Dost thou fear thy corruptions? The Spirit tells thee that God is thy Father; there can be no condemnation to thee, Rom. 8:1. Dost thou fear want? Surely he that hath given thee Christ, his own Son, how shall he not with him give thee all things, Rom. 8:32. Thou shalt want nothing for thy
good. Thou mayest fall into sin, but God is still thy Father. This relation is everlasting. He will not forsake thee. From hence thou mayest have an argument against all suggestions. This brings with it comfort; but to whom? It must be to such as are sons, not to the traitorous and rebellious. It hath been treason for any man to term himself the son of a king, not being indeed so, yea, though the king were dead; and is it not high treason for a presumptuous traitor to come into the presence chamber of the great God, and with an impudent face to style God his Father? Verily God's answer will be to such, 'You are of your father the devil: his works ye do,' John 8:44.
1. Those that are God's sons* he renews to do his will and commandments. 1 Pet. 1:16: 'Be ye holy,' saith he, 'for I am holy.' But when men hate goodness and good men, nay, and persecute them, defame them, murder them, John 8:44, they are of the devil. They are murderers and liars; and that religion that teacheth them is devilish.
2. Again, If God be thy Father, thou wilt have a spirit of prayer. We are no sooner born but we begin to cry, as Paul did at his first conversion, Acts 9:11. Every child of God, in respect of his measure of grace, he will do his endeavour to sigh and sob out his grief to God: and as the grace increases, so will this duty be more perfect, till at length he comes to provoke† God, by his promise to urge and bind him by reasons to hear him. Those, therefore, that pass day after day, never finding time for the performance of this duty, they have not God's Spirit; for by it we have access to God, Eph. 2:18; Eph. 3:12; and there is no child but will use this privilege; and those that use it not may well suspect they are not children.
3. Thirdly, If thou be the child of God, and hast his Holy Spirit in thee, thou shalt have, whensoever thou standest in need, a sweet
consolation; for that ever reveals to thee what thou art, and comforts thee in all distress. For, Rom. 5:1, 'being justified by faith, thou hast peace with God.' What cross soever troubles the child of God, this will ever comfort him: Well! I am the child of God; I am assured God is reconciled to me; I have my confidence in him, that when he sees fit I shall be eased; in the mean time I am assured I shall not be overcome. This is that which no natural man can have; he cannot rejoice in affliction.
4. Fourthly, If thou beest the son of God, thou art not overmuch careful for the things that concern this life. Thou usest the means that God hath ordained, and thou trustest God with the issue and event of all. It is the property of orphans to care much for their living, and for the things of this world; not for those that have such a father as God, that provides for all his children liberally; and men in thus doing shew themselves orphans, or bastards, and not sons.
Quest. But some will ask, Is it not possible to be the son of God, and yet ignorant thereof?
Ans. I answer, Yes. For the child at the first knows not his father; but by little and little he comes to know him as he grows in years. So is it with the child of God. At the first he only cries and bewails his miserable estate; but as they grow up, out of the word they learn to see their estates that is laid up for them, and to know their Father that hath been so good to them, and to call upon him as their Father for anything that they want. They know that the Scripture gives it as a note of one that is born of God, that 'he sins not'; that is, that not with delight and continuance in sin, but that his new nature stirs him up to repent, and to beg pardon and to strive against it, so as at length he comes to grow so perfect as no temptation shall overthrow him, though it may foil* him. But he always considers his estate
when any temptation comes: Shall I, that am a prince, a son and heir to God, do thus, and offend against him?
'Without rebuke'
This is comprehended in the former words, and therefore I speak the less thereof. The words are not to be taken in a strict legal sense, but in an evangelical sense, implying that we should walk so as we may be free from rebuke of the best, from gross sins, from common infirmities and personal corruptions. Whether it be rashness, anger, worldliness, intractableness, the child of God must labour to free himself of them. He ought to endeavour to attain to perfection, though we cannot attain to it in this world; and we ought to pray as the apostle, Eph. 3:18, 'to know the length, breadth, depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ, that passeth knowledge;' and thus doing we shall dignify this estate of ours.
'In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation.'
The word 'crooked,' or 'perverse,' is a borrowed word from timber,† whose excellency is to be right and straight; and if it be not, must be squared by the rule. Here it is applied to the disposition and nature of men, who naturally are of a crooked condition, especially those that are in the bosom of the church. They are so crooked as they cannot be squared aright by means; and so it is with those that are right, they are very right.
Doct. The doctrine then is, that wicked men are all perverse and crooked, Deut. 32:5.
Reason. The reason hereof is, since the fall of Adam we are under sin and Satan. Sin is nothing but crookedness. We lying in sin are therefore crooked inwardly and outwardly, in will and in judgment.
Even in the church, men perversely judge of a Christian's life, and of preaching. So that till we be converted, our wisdom is enmity to God.
But the will especially is perverse. Men they will die. 'Why will ye die, O house of Israel?' Jer. 27:13. 'How often would I have gathered you,' saith Christ, 'and you would not!' Mat. 23:37. Endeavour to bring men to rules: they will not; they will perish. Bring them to make conscience of private prayer, good company: away with it, they will not yield. Our affections are also perverse. Do not most men love their bane? Ill company, bad courses, swearing and blaspheming.
Men will die rather than they will leave their courses. Men are also naturally perverse in opposition to means. God commands, promises, sends mercies and judgments, but who regards? They will go on in their ways; nay, as in Deut. 29:19, 'they will bless themselves in them.' This is the nature of most men in the visible church, more perverse than the Jews.
'Signs hereof'
1. The first sign of this perverse estate is, bring thyself to the rules of God's truth; if thou do it unwillingly, and art brought to it by violence, if you shun the word and the means of salvation, if you shun good company, it is a sign you are crooked; nay, so crooked, as you desire to be crooked still.
2. But be it so that thou canst be content to apply thyself to the rule, then whether do you tremble to apply the rules to your lusts and corruptions? You have many are so set on their sins as they will justify sin by the word, and wrest the meaning thereof to their own lusts. This is a sure infallible sign of a perverse estate.
Cure hereof
1. Bring thyself to God's ordinance, where thou shalt know thine own crookedness and the danger of it.
2. But especially do this when thou art young; for those that are settled in their dregs are not to be dealt withal. It is good therefore to do as nurses do, strengthen ourselves when we are young and pliable.
3. Thirdly, Keep good company, and such as by their life will discover to thyself thy corruptions and perverse estate; and thus when thou findest it.
4. Consider what a miserable estate thou art in. We amongst us account it a great eyesore to see a body that should be straight to be crooked. Oh that we had eyes to see this spiritual crooked estate we are in! Oh what fear and grief would possess us! How would we labour to free ourselves of it, and to straighten ourselves every day, lest we should be found unfit for God's building, and good for nothing but to burn! With such as walk perversely God will deal perversely, Lev. 26:28. It may be he will seem to sleep for a while, but at the hour of death it will shew that he looked for better courses at thy hands.
5. Pray with the psalmist, Ps. 119:5, 'Oh that my ways were so direct, that I might keep thy statutes!' Observe again, that the godly here live in the midst of lions and wolves; those that are of a froward and perverse heart. For those that live under the means of grace, and will not be wrought upon, they are much worse for it. There is more innocence in a Turk than in some that profess better. And those that profess most, if they be hypocrites, of all other make the most bitter opposition against the truth.
The reasons hereof are: First, God hereby shews his power, in that he can and doth preserve his children among lions from the wrath of the lion. Christ he must rule, but it is in the midst of his enemies; and therefore his church must be in the midst of his enemies, for he is king of his church.
2. Again, in regard of the wicked, it justifies their just condemnation.
They cannot say but that they had the means, as well of the gospel as the examples of those that were good. Thus did Noah justly condemn the old world, and Lot Sodom.
3. Furthermore, those that are not desperately wicked, but of whom we may conceive some hope, surely they by living with the godly may be won; as when they see religion in others bringing forth good works, they see religion is no impossible thing, for they see men troubled with the like infirmities that they are that practise it; and they see it is sweet, because it makes men tractable and loving.
4. Moreover, in regard of the godly, God suffers them to be amongst the wicked, for it refines them. Envy and malice are quick-sighted.
God's children know they live in the midst of envy, therefore they are wary. Lot lived more uprightly in Sodom than when he was out of it.
Wickedness binds in religion, and makes it more forcible, even as by an antiperistasis;* it unites it and strengthens it. It makes the godly to be more careful, to be unblameable, and to watch to keep themselves from doing hurt, and from taking hurt; for wicked men are watchful to take advantage of any ill example in the weak
Christian, and to follow it. But, on the contrary, the weak Christian is overcome, and carried away with the streams of vice, and therefore are the more watchful.
'Directions for life'
1. Remember thy calling—that you are sons of God; and forget not your profession, and fetch reasons from your callings. You are God's children; you are called with a holy calling. Shall I do thus, and offend against my Father? and shall I disgrace that holy calling, and scandalise it? Shall I give cause to make the enemy to blaspheme?
2. Again, Observe the persons with whom thou conversest. Are they malicious and envious?
3. Beware how thou give them offence; especially watch thy natural corruptions and weaknesses. Take heed of secret ill thoughts.
4. Carry the example of David about with thee; see in him what his thoughts wrought. That which thou tremblest to do, tremble to think on; for God justly leaves such in great sins that solace themselves in ill thoughts.
5. Again, Look to duties of the second table. These sins are great sores in the eyes of our enemies.
6. Use a loving, pitiful carriage towards them that are without.
Though they be never so wicked, give them their due, and consider the goodness thou hast was given thee. Therefore be not puffed up in thine own conceit, but fear continually.
'Among whom you shine as lights in the world'
These words contain another reason why the children of God ought to be unreprovable. For, saith the apostle, 'you are lights.' All God's children are lights, but so as there is an order of them. God is the ground of all light; he is the Father of lights. Christ he is the Sun of righteousness. These are the grand lights. The word of God is also a light and a lantern to light us in the dark ways of this world. From
hence light is derived to the saints, who receive it from Christ by the word and Spirit. You being therefore thus enlightened, you are to converse amongst men as lights, saith the apostle. For the better understanding thereof, consider in what things God's children resemble light; and, 1. First, We know this creature of light is an excellent creature, shewing the excellency of all other creatures; and it is a beautiful creature. Thus is the word, and children of God. By it all the world is discovered to be as Egypt, and the church to be as the land of Goshen.* And this is beautiful in the eyes of God, who loves that which is like himself. He is light indeed, and nothing but light is lovely to him. He loves those sparks which our natural corruption hath left unto us; and therefore much more the light of his own Spirit which he places in us.
2. Secondly, Light is pure, and admits of no contagion, though it be in the most contagious places of all. So is the word: it is pure, and makes us pure and sincere, and that we should not be defiled with the lusts and corruptions of this world wherein we converse.
3. Thirdly, Light makes us to discern of differences. It shews itself, and discovers other things. Thus doth the word shew itself where it is, and the man that hath it doth discern of things that differ. He judges of the wicked, and censures their lewd courses. The child of God is above all wicked men, and themselves are justly judged of none; for the wicked men cannot judge of those that are lights, no more than a blind man of colours, for they are blind by nature. The world would indeed censure them, when indeed they cannot discern themselves, when contrarily he discerns himself and knows his infirmities and his slidings.
4. Again, Light is a heavenly quality. So is the word of God, holy, pure, transforming godly men to its own likeness, to be heavenly. His bread is from heaven; his affections, desires, thoughts, endeavours are heavenly. His way is upward. He is heavenly-minded; while he is on earth he is in heaven.
5. Moreover, Light is a most comfortable thing in darkness, expelling terrors and discomforts. Thus is a Christian that is enlightened by the word. Terrors are in the word, but the word comforts the heart of a Christian. It makes him able to judge of his way and estate; to know he is the Son of God; that all the promises are his; that heaven is his; that he hath God's mark. Contrarily, the wicked have no light at all; for while they live here their life here is as a death, full of discomfort; they having no comfort in anything, save a little glimpse of false joy in the creatures; which when they leave them they are in the more terror,—all their comfort being in this, that they see not that miserable estate before they fall into it and feel it.
6. Furthermore, Light makes a thing full of evidence. All the world cannot persuade a man contrary to that they see. Thus the word so discovers to us our estates in grace, and so surely as all the world can never shake the foundation of our faith. 'Though he kills me,' saith
Job, 'I will trust in him,' Job 13:15. But for the wicked, their life is full of staggering, full of doubtings; and hence is it that the children of God are counted by God holy, pure, comely, fair and dear, because they live with a resolution. The papists, they will tell us that the word is obscure; let them tell us the light is obscure, for we may as well believe one as the other.
7. But to proceed: Light is a quality of surest motion. It spreads suddenly. Thus do the children of God. They communicate to others.
They shine, spreading forth the grace, first of all to those that are
next them, as children and friends, then to such as are further off.
Those that have not this nature, that do not desire to do good to others, they are not children of the light; for it is the nature of all good to communicate.
8. Light, we know, hath a secret influence wheresoever it is. Thus also is the grace of God in his children. It is ever operative and working. What light soever they receive from the Sun of righteousness, they diffuse it and spread it to others, like the moon; and therefore he adds further:
'As lights in the world'
We that are 'lights in this world,' we are, it is true, in a dampish place, yet must we shine, though but dimly. Therefore ministers, let them look both to their doctrine and life, for they are great lights, or at the least should be so, and they will be noted. We know when the sun or moon are eclipsed. We all observe it as a wonder. And thus will it be with such lights as ministers should be. Men continually eye them. If they be eclipsed, it will be wondered at and observed of all.
Let therefore not only ministers but others also look to themselves, that they take heed of those things that will eclipse them. We know whence the eclipse in nature of these heavenly bodies do come; from the interposition of dark, gross, earthly bodies. Thus it is with God's children. Their cares, griefs, and studies in this world being ever more carnal than is meet, they eclipse us and make us dark, keeping us from the presence of that light which should enlighten us. But especially, and above the rest, self-love, that blinds us and eclipses all other lights from us.
9. Again, Heavenly lights are perpetual. Even as stellæ cadentes, so is it with the wicked man. Though he seems to shine fairly, yet because the causes of this light in him are earthly, no marvel if after the force
of them be spent they suddenly vanish. But the godly man's light is of another substance and nature. It is heavenly, and is ever like himself.
It may indeed be obscured, but never wholly eclipsed. Either worldly sorrow or joy doth for a time sometimes darken them, and may be so obscured as neither the world, no, nor themselves can discern their estates for their own comfort; yet for all this will they at length recover their former brightness and glory again. Saint Paul, he saith, a Christian life is concealed and hid with Christ in God, Col. 3:3; but yet when he shall appear, then shall we also appear.
Use. The use of all this is to try us whether we be lights. Surely if we be, we will have no communion with those that work the works of darkness. So saith Saint John, 1 John 1:5–7. Again, if we be lights we shall wonder at our glorious estate we are in; we shall think all our life before we came into this estate to be dark; yea, though formerly we were civilly disposed. And especially shall we wonder at that which we have in future expectation and hope, reserved to us in heaven. A carnal man wonders still at worldly matters, as stately buildings and the like; a Christian thinks all base in respect of the immense love of God freely set upon him.
Directions how to attain to be lights 1. First, If we desire to be lights, communicate thyself with the chiefest light, as the stars are ever in the presence of the sun, and from his light they receive theirs. Be sure thou placest thyself in God's eye continually.
2. Secondly, Use the means, use the glass of God's word. Thou shalt not only see thy estate therein, but by it thou shalt be transformed into God's image, 2 Cor. 3:18. Other glasses have no such power like this mirror of the gospel. It makes us like God, because it hath the Spirit of God ever accompanying with it, whence it is the word of
light. Those therefore that are out of the sunshine of the gospel, no marvel if they be dark. The moon, so far as it is averse from the sun, is ever dark. So is a Christian. So far as he is turned from Christ, so far he is dark. Let thine eyes therefore be ever towards him in the use of the means, the word, prayer, and the sacraments, and such like.
3. Again, In thy conversation have no correspondency with the world, for what fellowship is there between light and darkness? How foully do they therefore deceive themselves that will be wise. They will be protestant or papist, zealous or profane, according as their company are. God will turn such worldly wisdom into mere folly, who will be ashamed of such when he shall come in his kingdom. It is a comely thing to be Christians with Christians. Light with light augments the light, even as the multitude of stars joined in the heaven make the galaxia.* A company of Christians meeting in one make a glorious light indeed, and such a lustre as will dazzle the eyes of the wicked world. Be stirred up therefore to use good company.
4. And follow the example of those that be lights, and the directions thou findest in the word, and thou shalt shine as the sun in the kingdom of God. It is true the wicked they will labour to cover this light with clouds of disgrace and detraction, and thus they reward
God for his goodness, but they have their lesson. There is no surer sign of a wicked man than when they endeavour to deprave these lights and to obscure them. And yet this practice is very usual, when they see especially any new light risen up, they deride and scoff at that man or woman; they hate him for his light. Like Cain are they, that hated his brother for his goodness; and herein are not only imitators of Cain, but they shew themselves to be of their father the devil, for his works they do. Well, as we desire not to be of this sort, let us see that we use the means. Go and be where the word of light is, where it shines; for those that live without it live in darkness. Set
not thy carnal reason against God's wisdom. He bids thee do this.
And as thou desirest the peace of Zion, 5. Pray for this light that it may grow more and more unto the perfect day thereof.
6. And labour to see the contrary estate of such as are in darkness, where the king of fear ruleth, and where is nothing but terror.
7. And entreat God that he would open thy dull eyes, that the glorious light of the gospel may shine therein. So doth the apostle,
Eph. 1:18; and thus shalt thou at the length come to shine here in this world, without which thou shalt not shine in the world to come. The light of nature and reason cannot bring thee to the light of glory.
8. And when thou art converted, 'strengthen thy brethren,' Luke 22:32; labour to bring others into this marvellous light. 'He that gains a soul shall shine as the stars,' Dan. 12:3. But will some men say, May we converse then or live among wicked men? Yes, verily; for the Holy Spirit saith that we must 'shine in the world.' Christ did not pray that God would take his disciples out of the world, but that he would keep them in the world from evil, John 17:15. But that which is forbidden is familiar conversation and amity with them; otherwise we may live with them so as by example to gain them. And herein the Christian reasoneth contrary to the world; for the world saith, Do this. Why? Because it is the custom, and most men use it. Nay, saith the Christian, we must live so as we ought to endeavour to make others, which are wicked, like ourselves. We must gain others by our good example. We must 'redeem the time, because the days are evil,'
Eph. 5:16. Because others are perverse, be thou good. Noah was not as the old world, nor Lot as Sodom. We as they ought to be preachers of righteousness; and if we cannot bring others to the light of the truth, yet to grieve and pity their estates. And as David bewailed,