WHAT LIGHT MUST SHINE IN OUR WORKS. MATTHEW v: la. LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN, THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS, AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN. THE work desigrïed for this time is to resolve this practical case, What is that light which must shine before men in the works of Christ's disciples for The glorifying of God ?' But the explication of the text is therein included. The Son of Righteousness, Jesus Christ, who "giveth light to every one that cometh into the world," or, coming into the world, giveth light to all, from his fullness bath bespangled the inferior heavens, his church, with many refulgent stars, appointed.'freely to communicate the heavenly light which theyhad freely received. In his corporeal presence he prepared them; and his Spirit having moved on the darkened world, he irresistibly said, at the descent of the Holy Ghost, " Let there be light, and there was light," be- ginning at Jerusalem, but not fixed to any determinate place; but what he gave them necessarily and antecedently they were to exercise as free agents, by a command more resistible, which he here gives them. Having told them their office, and given them their names, ver. 14., " Ye are the lights of the world," he next tells them how they must be. useful. They must. be conspicuous, 1. Because the church where they are placed "is'like a city on a hill which cannot be hid." 2. Because it is the end'of him that lighteth them, and sets them up, not to put them under a bushel, but on a candlestick, to give light to all' his house. And therefore no men's silencing or prohibitions, no difficulties or suf- ferings, will excuse them from their duty: lights, they are, and shine they must; but lest they should think that it is preaching only which he meaneth, he here, commanding them their duty, lets them know that the splendor of Christianity is in works as .well as words, and thereby giveth us cause to 'think that it is all his disciples, or Christians, that he speaketh to, though first and ,eminently to the, apostles and teachers of the world. 1. By "light" he meaneth both the illuminating knowledge,
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