8. And when thou art converted, ' strengthen thy brethren,' Luke xxii. 32 ; labour to bring others into this marvellous light. ' He that gains a soul shall shine as the stars,' Dan. xii. 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 xvii. 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 hve so as we ought to endeavour to make others, which are wicked, like ourselves. We must gain others by our good example. AVe must ' redeem
* That is, = the milky way. — G.
82 THE CHRISTIAN WORK.
the time, because the days arc evil,' Eph. v. 10. Because others arc per- verse, 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 wc cannot bring others to the light of the truth, yet to grieve and pity their estates. And as David bewailed, ' Woo is me, that I am constrained to dwell in Mesech,' &c., Ps. cxx. 5, and yet to comfort ourselves in this, that it will not be always thus with us. The time will come that we shall bo freed from them, and we shall have communion with the Trinity and with all the saints. In the mean time shine here ; swear not with them ; be not dissolute with them, but be constant in going against the stream. Call to mind thy calling, that thou art the son of God. Thou art to be a light to those that ai'e in darkness. Eeason not for thy corruptions, but ever against them. I am a Christian ; shall I hate him that I profess to follow ? I am a son of God ; shall company make me perverse ? I am a light ; shall I cease to shine ? No, Lord ; while I am here give me grace that I may grow more and more fit for that light and glorious estate that thou hast in keep- ing for me against that great day of accounts.
VEKSE 16.
Holding forth the word of life.
That which is of light is life, saith John, i. 4: ' The life was the light of men ;' and therefore he saith we should be as lights, ' holding forth the word of life.' It is not enough for us to shine to ourselves, but we ought to shine to others in speech and conversation. By ' the word of life ' here especially is meant the gospel ; for the law is a killing letter. We being in our corrupt estate, the law pronounces us dead as concerning ourselves. Then comes the gospel, that sends us out of ourselves to Christ ; and in him it pronounces life to such as come to him ; and it describes to us the way that leads to life, and the degrees of life, as redemption, grace, and glory, 2 Tim. i. 10. It again begins this life in us, and works faith in us, whereby we lay hold on life ; and therefore it is also called the word of faith. It is called the word of the kingdom; for it offers the kingdom to us. It is also called the word of reconciliation ; for that it tells us where it is to be had, and works it in us. It is therefore the word of life ; and those that believe it not, are dead in law, for the sentence is already passed upon such. He is already condemned as dead men. He wants sense, motion, and comeliness. For se«.se, he cannot relish any goodness, either in hearing or seeing it. He is blinded, and he stops his ear at the voice of the charmer ; and this makes him wonder how others are affected with any good thing. For motion, he cannot set one step onward to salvation. And for that comeliness, we all by nature are more loathsome than the dead carcase. Abraham could not endure the sight of his own wife when she was dead, though living she Avas so dear to him, Gen. xxiii. 4. Thus are we by nature altogether rotten and polluted ; speech, fine discourse, favour, and all other outward good parts, they can put no comeliness upon us. They are but on us as flowers stuck upon a dead carcase. All men know that it is rotten and stinking, and void of all comeliness notwithstanding them. This then must teach us to regard more this word of life, and to pity them that have it not ; and how to judge of such that withhold this word of life from them that live in darkness, as the papists do. Surely there is no cruelty like this cruelty, to starve men's souls. Observe we therefore from hence, he that refuseth God's ordinance he refuseth life.