II. The necessity and benefit of a conformity to him —
The saints are said to be renewed after the Divine image : and it is worthy of particular observation, that the only two points in which this renovation is said to consist, are knowledge 9, and holiness r. We see then from hence wherein that conformity, which we are to attain, consists : it consists in knowledge and in holiness, or, as my text expresses it, in " walking in the light as he is in the light :" our minds must be enlightened with the knowledge of God's truth ; and our hearts must be purified in the perform- ance of his will.
Let us notice then,
1. The necessitij of this conformity —
[Many will pretend to have communion with God, while they are ignorant of the salvation revealed in the Gospel, and living in the habitual indulgence of sin. But, while they thus " walk in darkness," what " fellowship can they have with God?" What access can they have to him, when they do not so much as know the way of " access to him through the rent vail of the Redeemer's fleshs?" and what regard can they feel in their hearts towards him, while they are under the allowed dominion of worldly and carnal lusts? Their profession is a system of falsehood and hypocrisy : " they lie, and do not the truth :" they may work up themselves to ecstacies if they will ; but they neither have, nor can have, any fellowship with God ; for how " shall the throne of iniquity (or one in whom sin reigns) have fellowship with him1?" " What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath . light with darkness^7. "]
2. The benefit of this conformity —
[If a person be walking unfeignedly and progressively in the study of God's will, and in obedience to it, he possesses two great and unspeakable benefits ; namely, communion with God, and acceptance before him.
He has communion with Godx. God loves the humble, diligent, obedient servant : " He will come to him," and " lift.
n Col. iii. 10. * Eph. iv. 24. s Heb. x. 19, 20.
' Ps. xciv. 20. « 2 Cor. vi. 14.
x The opposition between the 6th and 7th verses shews that ver. 7 does not relate to the communion of the saints with each other, but to their fellowship with God.
2431.] CONFORMITY TO GOD's IMAGE. 865
up the light of his countenance upon him," and " manifest himself to him as he does not unto the world." He will " shed abroad his love in his heart," and " give him a spirit of adoption, whereby he shall cry, Abba, Father." The person himself may not be very conversant with raptures : but, whether he be more or less sensible of God's favour to him, it is mani- fest that he has fellowship with God : his knowledge of the Gospel proves that God has taught him ; and his experience of its sanctifying power proves that God has strengthened and supported him.
He has also acceptance before God: he is not like an un- pardoned sinner: Jesus Christ has washed away his sins in the fountain of his blood ; yea, every day, every hour, every moment, is he cleansing him from the pollution that adheres to his best services. This cleansing is a continued act of Christy : and through it the soul maintains its peace with God, and is regarded by God " without spot or blemish2." Cleansed by Jesus from " the iniquity of his holy things," he is presented " faultless before the presence of God's glory with exceeding joy a."
Such are the benefits of cleaving to Christ, and " walking as he walked :" and a life devoted to God is not so properly the means of obtaining these benefits, as it is the evidence that we already possess them.']
From this most instructive subject we may learn,
1. The connexion between faith and works —
[One man hopes to be saved by his works, while he dis- regards faith in Christ : another hopes that his faith will save him, though it never produce good works. But both of these deceive their own souls : for no man can do such works as the Gospel requires, unless he embrace the truths which it reveals : and, if he could do them, they would be utterly insufficient to justify him before God. On the other hand, " the faith that is without works, is dead :" and as it differs not from the faith of devils, so will it bring us no better portion than theirs. Knowledge is necessary to produce holiness ; and holiness is necessary to evince that our knowledge is truly spiritual and saving. It is not by separating them from each other, but by uniting them together, that we are to " walk in the light as God is in the light."]