Matt. V. 14 — 16, Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick ; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good toorks, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
IF we had not been authorized by God himself, we should never have presumed to designate the saints by such honourable appellations as are unreservedly given to them in the Scriptures. Of all the objects in the visible creation, the sun is the most glorious ; nor is there any thing, either in this terraqueous globe or in the firmament of heaven, which does not partake of its benign influence : yet even to that are the saints compared ; " Ye are the light of the world."
That all the parts of our text may come easily and profitably under our view, we shall consider,
I. The office to which God has destined his people —
Strictly speaking, neither Prophets nor Apostles could arrogate to themselves the honour which is here in a subordinate sense conferred on all the saints : it belongs exclusively to the Lord Jesus Christ, who is "the Sun of Righteousness "* ;" and who says of himself, " I am the fight of the world*"." St. John, speaking of the Baptist, (who was greater than all the prophets,) expressly declares, that " lie was not that Light; butthatC/^m/ was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the worlds" In this view, the name of stars would rather befit us, because we shine only with a borrowed lustre ; reflecting merely the rays which we have received from the Lord Jesus: but, as exhibiting to the world all the true light that is in it, God has been pleased to dignify us with that higher name, " The light of the world." He has sent
« Mai, iv. 2. ^ John viii, 12. <= John i. 8, 9.