WHAT LIGHT MUST SHINE IN OUR WORKS. 457 which must be uttered by words, and the splendor or glory of holiness, which must, be refulgent in their lives. 2. He calls it "your ;' light, as being their own in his graces, as the subjects, and their own in exercise, as the actors, though both under him. 3. It must "shine," that is, appear in its splendor, for the illumination and conviction of the world. 4. It must " so" shine as is fittest to attain these ends: it is not every twinkling that will answer their great obligations. 5. It must be " before men ;" that is, both those within, and especially those without the church, that are but men. 6. It must be a light shining in " good works," and their own works; for that is the grand dit'erence between the disciples of Christ and others. He teacheth them not only to know and talk well, but to do well ; and he maketh men such as he teacheth them to be: " Non magna loquimur, sed vivimus," said Tertullian. 7: '" That men may see," dothsignify both the necessary reful- gent quality of their works, and also the end of God and them. 8. But it is not hypocritical ostentation of what they are not, nor of what they are and have, as for their own glory, to be hoh- ored and praised of men, but for the glorifying of God. Who is called " their Father," to show their obligation to him, and to encourage them by the honor and comfort of their rela- tion, and to show why their works will tend to the glorifying of God, even because they are so nearly related to him. And he is said to be " in heaven," because there he appeareth operatively in his glory to the beautifying [beatifying] of holy spirits. A's the soul is said to be in the head, and we look a man in the face when we talk to him, as if there principally we saw the man; because it is in the head that it operateth by reason. So much of the meaning of, the words. Many doctrines the text affordethus: as, 1. Christ's disciples are the lights of the world, both in the splendor of wisdom and holiness. 2. Their most eminent and convincing splendor is in their good works. 3. Their light and good works are their own, though by the grace of Christ; and it is no injury to Christ, or his righteousness, or grace, to say,that they are their own. 4. The splendor of Christians in their good works must be such as may be seen of men. 5. The glorifying of God must be the end of our good works, and of their appearance unto men. 6. As bad as corrupted nature is, there is yet something in VOL. II. 58 N111110'
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