S. MATT. V. 16.

Let your Light so shine before Men, that they may fee your good Works, and glo rify your Father which is in Heaven.

HAT we are to understand by Light;

1. W namely,

1. Knowledge, S. Joh. iii. 19. and ii. 10. A&t. xxvi. 18. 1 Cor. iv. 4.

2. Doctrine, S. Matt. v. 14. 2 Cor. iv. 4. S. Luk xvi. 8.

3. Holiness of Life, Ephef. v. 8. And that this is chiefly intended here, appears plainly from the following Words, That they feeing your good Works, &c.

II. What by Shining, Let your Light fo fhine before Men, i. e. to be made manifeft, and fhew itfelf, not only to God, and our own Confciences, but to all Men, to all we converfe with,S.Job.v.35.

That it appear with Luftre, and be Bright and Glittering, which is the proper Signification of duw, the Word in the Original, to fpread its Rays like a Torch, fays Budeus; Niteo, fplendeo, corufco, fay others. Thus 'tis faid of our Saviour in his Transfiguration, ἔλαμψε τὸ πρόσωπον aûtõ üç ö üλ☺, S. Matt. xvii. 2. And thus applied to God's first Production of Light, Gen. xiii. and to the Light of our Saviour's Gofpel breaking in upon the Hearts of his Difciples, 2 Cor. iv. 6.

III. Two Ends of this Light fhining.

1. That others may fee our good Works, Tit. ii. 7, 8. 2 Theff. iii. 9. Not that we may be applauded for them, S. Matt. vi. 1, 5. But,

1. For

1. For their Conviction, 1 S. Pet. ii. 12, 15. 2. For their Imitation, 1 Cor. xi. 1. Hebr. xiii. 7. 2. That they may glorify your Father which is in Heaven.

1. By Approving his Ways, 2 S. Pet. ii. 8. Rom. ii. 24. and on the contrary, Col. ii. 5. 2 Cor. ix. 13. 2 Theff. i. 7.

2. By Turning to them, I S. Pet. iii. 2. 2 Theff. i. 7.

3. By Praifing his Mercy, for giving such Grace to Men, I Cor. xiv. 25. 1 S. Pet. ii. 9.

OBSERV. I. It is Chrift's Command that his Disciples be eminent in good Works, S. Matt. v. 47. S. Luk. xii. 48.

1. What are good Works? Such as are done, 1. By good Men, Prov. xv. 8. and xxi. 27. Ifa. i. 11, 15.

2. Out of Regard to God's Command, Deut. xii. 8. S. Mar. X. 19. 1 Cor. vii. 19.

3. With a willing Mind, i Chron. xxviii. 9. 2 Cor. viii. 12.

4. With all our Might, Ecclef. ix. 10. Deut. X. 12. Rom. i. 9.

5. With Humility, A. xx. 19. 1 S. Pet. V. 5. Mic. vi. 8.

6. For God's Glory, 1 Cor. x. 31.

2. What fort of good Works are here required?

1. Works of Penitence for Sin, S. Matt. iv. 17. Act. xxvi. 20.

2. Of Faith in Chrift, 2 Theff. i. 11.

3. Of Piety towards God, Tim. iv. 7,8. Hebr. xii. 28.

4. Of Sobriety and Mortification towards ourfelves.

1. Sobriety,

1. Sobriety, Rom. xiii. 12, 13. 1 Theff. v.

6, 7, 8.

2. Mortification, Col. iii. 5. Gal. v. 24.

5. Of Charity to the Poor, 1 Tim. vi. 17, 18. Hebr. xiii. 16. S. Matt. xxv. 35, &c.

6. Of Equity and Juftice towards all, Rom.xiii. 7,8. 1 Theff. iv. 6.

3. Why fhould Chriftians be fo Eminent, above others, for their good Works?

1. Because they have more Knowledge, S. Job. iii. 19. S. James iii. 13. and iv. 17.

1. Of God, Act. xvii. 23 27. Gal, iv. 9. 2. Of Christ, Rom. x. 4. and xiv. 9. 1 Cor. i. 23, 24.

3. Of the Soul's Immortality, and the Rewards and Punishments of the other

Life, 2 Tim. i. 10. S. Matt. xxv. 46. 2. They have more Advantages of being fo, S. Luk. x. 13. S. Joh. xv. 22. 2 Cor. xii. 9.

3. They have vowed and covenanted to do it, S. Matt. xxviii. 19, 20. 1 S. Pet. iii. 21. Ecclef. V. 4, 5.

4. They have had more efpecial Mercies,' Alt. xx. 28. Tit. ii. 14. 1 S. Pet. ii. 24, i Cor. vi. 19, 20,

5. They are pofitively enjoined to labour after Perfection, S. Matt. v. 48. to grow in Grace, 2 S. Pet. iii. 18. and to strive for the Maftery, 1 Cor. ix. 24, 25. And are directed by S. Paul, to prefs forward towards the Mark fet before us, Phil. iii. 13, 14.

USE

1. How fad, then, is the Cafe of fuch as are not thus eminently Holy? S. Luk, ix. 62. Act. xvii. 30.

2. How much worfe their Cafe, who are eminently wicked, as too great a Part of the World are? Job xxxvi. 8. S. Matt. xxiv. 48, 49, 50, 51.

3. Let us ftrive to be thus eminently Holy, 1 S. Pet. i. 13, 14, 15, 16.

Confider,

1. Good Works, are the best Sign of a good Faith, S. Fam. ii. 18, 26.

2. They are the best Means of keeping a good Confcience, 2 Cor. i. 12.

3. They are the only way of being in the. Favour of God, Ifa. i. 18.

4. They are the best Cordial in time of Affiction, Ifa. xxxviii. 3.

5. Do well here, and have well hereafter, S. Matt. xxv. 21. 2 Cor. v. 10.

OBSERV. II. The ultimate End of all our Actions, fhould be God's Glory, 1 S. Pet. iv. II.

1. What are we to understand by God's Glory?

Anfw. Not the adding any thing of Glory to him, of which he is incapable, being infinitely Perfect and Glorious, Exod.xv.11. Rom.xi.36. But the manifefting the Glorious Properties that are in Him, in like manner as our Saviour is faid to manifeft his own Glory, S. Joh. ii. 11. and as he pray'd to be glorified, S. Job. xvii. 5. Isa. lx. 21. 2. What Glory hath God by good Works?

Hereby we manifeft,

1. His Sovereignty over us, Ifa. Ixiii. 19 Rev. xix. 6, 7.

2. The Certainty of his Promises, Phil. iii. 20, 21. 1 S. Pet. i. 3, 4.

3. The Excellency of his Commands, Pfal. xix. 9, 10, 11.

4. The Greatnefs of his Mercy, Hebr. viii. 10, 11, 12. Rom. ix. 23, 24.

5. The Power of his Grace, 2 Cor. xii. 9. 3. Why should God's Glory be our ultimate End?

1. Because he has commanded it, Levit. x. 3. I Cor. X. 31.:

2. Because it was his End in all things, Prov. xvi. 4. Pfal. cxxxviii. 5.

3. Because it is the End of our Creation, and Preservation, and Power to do any thing, Jer. ix. 23, 24. 1 Cor. i. 31. 2 Cor. x. 17.

4. Because it is the best of Ends, Pfal. xcix. 9. S. Matt. iv. 10.

USE to be made; That we aim continually at God's Glory; as remembring,

1. How Angry God is at fuch as do it not, Alt. xii. 23.

2. How he Threatens them, Mal. ii. 2.

3. No Actions are good, that are not done for his Glory, S, Matt. vi. 2, 5, 16.

4. Hereby you will antedate the Work of Heaven, Rev. vii. 9, 10, 11.

5. Laftly, Give him Glory now, and he will give you Glory hereafter, Pfal. 1. 23, 1 Cor. ii. 9.

S. MATT.