SAI,N TS COMPARED TO ·LIGHT. Book IV. as are his People, and do in Truth fear him? They had better let many Tares, many Hereticks alone, than through Ignorance defiroy one godly and fincere Perfon. Ill. It may alto be for Trial: Are you Wheat or Tares? Do you bring Glory to God, and Profit eo your Neighbors? Do you faithfully, like holy ')ob, adhere to th~ Lord, and cleave to him, although he fiwuld pleafe to lay you under Oaying Difpen– fations? Do you enrlure patiently under the Crofs, abide the Trial of cold wimerly Blafts of Pertecution? Whear, you hear, will endure 01arp Frons. The hone\1: hearr– "'d Profefior brings forth Fruit with Patience, Matt . xiii. IV. La(lly; It affords Comfort to the Godly; for though they appear as dead and withered, or are under many feeming Decays, yet they J11all revive again, like Corn. And although they, like Seed or Grain, be laid in the Earrh, and turn to Corruption; yet they !ball have a bkffed RefurreCl:ion at the la(\ Day, and be raifed in Power an<i G lory, and in Incorruption. Death doth the Body of a godly Man no Injury. Ex– cept a Seed of Corn fall to the Ground, it abidetb alone; but if it die, it bringeth j<ttb "mch Fruit, Jobn xii. 24. s A I N T s COMPARED TO LIGHT. Ye are the Light of the World; a City that is Jet Oil a Hill cannot be hid, lvlatt. v. '4·· JN this Metaphor the Lord Jefus cornmends unto us an holy Duty, viz. to fhine be– fore others m a holy Life and DoCl:nne. Samts !bould be llke JoiJit Baptijl, burn– ing and Jhining Lights. r. Light is taken properly. 2. Metaphorical~)•. 1. Properly, for .that noble ~tality that enlightens the World. L ux, c/aritas & fplendor in corpore luminofo, vel extra a corpore luminofo exiens, qu.e & Lumen dicitur. God faid, Let there be Light, and there was Light, &c. 2. Metaphorically, it is put for feveral Things. See Book III. p. 510,51 r. Ye are the Light •f tbe Wcr!d, &c. John i. 9· Principally Chrift himfelf is the Light of the World, the great Light that gives Light to the other Luminaries. The Satnts r.eceive Light from Chrill:, as the Moon recei.ves her Light from the Sun, and thereby gives Light to the ·world in the Night. The Saints are but fmall L ighos, hence called Stars, who give but little Light in comparifon of the Sun; or they are rather as -Can– dles, which God bath lighted and fet up. MET A PH 0 R. I. LIGHT difcovers aod makes manifeft the Nature of Things to Men; it bath a direc– tive .~tality in it, Men thereby know which way to go ; it direCts Travellers in their Way. PARALLEL. I. S 0 the Saints of God, by their holy Life and Doftrine, reveal and make manifeft, nor only the Works of Darknefs, but alto the Excel– lency of Chrift, Grace, and divine Things to Men; .nay, the holy Angels are fa id to know many Things by the Church, Eph. iii. 10. The Saint<, by their holy Lives and DoCtrines, teach and di– IeCl: others how to live, how to behave themfdves towards God, and towards Men. I!. Light !bines forth, and is 1!. So the Saints !boLJld let their good Works vifible to all; every one that hath appear to all. Let your L ight fo .fhine before Men, Eyes may fee the Light. A Candle that they may fee JOur good Works, and glorify JOllY fhould not be lighted, and put unFather which is in Heaven, l'vlatt. v. 16. Thougl1 der a Bufi1el, but on a Candleltick, the Saints J110uld do nothing through vain .Glory, that it may give Light to all that i.e. to be feen of Men; yet their good Works, and .are in the Houfe. holy Walkings !bould be fo done, that others lii. It is a great Mercy and Blef– fing to fee the Light; Light is fweet, &c. Light driv.es back, or expels Darknefs. 3 flwuld fee them. liL So it ·is a great Bleffing to enjoy the Com· pany of God's People, to dwell among )uch whofe Converfations 01ine; for fuch aodly Ones drive back or fcatter Wickednefs. A~ Solomon faith, A wife and godly King JcattereJh the Wicked, and l>ringetb
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