The apostle having dissuaded them from foul practices, which would be a blemish not only to Christians, but heathens, he now exhorteth them to walk suitably to their profession and that blessed estate into which they were translated. Change of state calleth for a different course of life. You were darkness, and if you had so continued, we could look for nothing else from you than the works of darkness. But when you become light in the Lord, you must' walk as children of the light,' as those that know their way, and see their danger, if they go amiss: 'For ye were sometimes darkness,' &c.
In the words we have—
(1.) An antecedent;
(2.) A
consequent, or an argument and an inference.
First, The antecedent, or
argument, is taken from their present compared with their past estate, what
they are with what they were. Formerly they were heathens, and did as other
heathens do, but they were now become Christians; and if Christians, they
should live christianly. Both estates are spoken of in the abstract, 'darkness'
and 'light;' sceluspro scelerati. If we call a wicked man wickedness itself, we
say more than if we only said that he were a naughty or wicked person. To
express the extreme misery of the carnal state,'Ye were darkness;' and the
exceeding happiness of the renewed estate,'Ye are light'
1. The apostle
representeth their past estate, ' Ye were sometimes darkness.' But doth he do
well to upbraid them with their former condition ?
I answer- He doth not
upbraid, but exhort There is a difference between envious exprobration and a
Christian exhortation. Upbraiding is a remembering the sins of others committed
before conversion, with a purpose to reproach and shame them ; a practice usual
among base spirits, whose eye is evil, because God's hand is good. Christ
representeth it in the practice of the elder brother: Luke xv. 30, 'This thy
son hath devoured thy living with harlots.' This is sometimes done by the
profane, who would fain represent others as bad as themselves, that their own
practices may be less odious, because more common; or else in carnal
professors, who would shine alone, and therefore envy the reputation of
religion to others, yea, begrudge the divine grace vouchsafed to them.
But
a Christian exhortation is a thing quite different; it is a putting others in
mind of their former condition, to stir them up to more zeal and thankfulness.
To remember it by way of exprobration is unlawful; it is to rake in the filth
which God hath covered: Ps. xxxii. 1, ' Blessed is he whose transgression is
forgiven, whose sin is covered;' a revoking as much as in us lieth God's grant
of grace to them. Ananias objecteth against Paul his former practices, not
knowing his change, Acts ix. 13-15. Then Ananias answered, ' Lord, I have heard
by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem. But
the Lord said unto him, Go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel unto me.' Satan
is called a slanderer, though most of his allegations against the saints are
true, because he accuseth them of what God hath pardoned. But enough of
this.
2. Their present estate,' Ye are light in the Lord.' Where-
1.1 The grace received,' Ye are light'
2..1 The author of it,' In the
Lord.'
l..1 The grace received, 'Ye are light;' that is, filled with
the light of wisdom and holiness. No question the expression heightens the
sense; to be enlightened is a great thing in itself, but he speaketh of some
eminent and glorious privilege bestowed upon us: 'Ye are light' But can it be
used of any mere man liable to such imperfections ?
(1.) It noteth not
their perfection so much as the perfection of the dispensation they are under.
Not their perfection, as if there were no darkness in them at all, but the
clearness of the gospel which then shined brightly to them. There is a
difference between the gospel and believers; the gospel is a perfect light, but
we do but imperfectly receive it. Compare two places: 1 John ii. 8, 'The
darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.' This I understand of the
gospel, which was then set afoot, as the sun risen and shining in our horizon.
The other place is Rom. xiii. 12, 'The night is far spent, and the day is at
hand.' Not wholly gone, but pretty well over; day not altogether come, but it
is at hand. This I understand of a Christian in his mixed and imperfect
state.
(2.) It noteth some good measure and degree of participation, but
not complete fruition. Participation it noteth, for otherwise it could not be
said that we are not only enlightened, but light itself; not complete fruition,
for those that are said to be 'light in the Lord' are presently called
'children of the light;' which doth somewhat abate of the expression.
(3.)
It noteth that we have received grace, not only for ourselves, but for the good
of others. He that is enlightened receiveth a benefit for himself; but he that
is light is to shine forth to direct others: Phil. ii. 15, 'Shining as lights
in the world;' and Mat. v. 16,'Let your light so shine before men, that they
may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.'
2.1 The author of this grace, 'In the Lord;' that is, Christ; for there is but
One Lord,' as well as One God and Father of all,' Eph. iv. 5, 6; and whatever
good we have, we have it from Christ and in Christ.
The light is said to be
in him, and to come from him.
(1.) In opposition to Satan, who is the
prince of darkness. The devils are called 'The rulers of the darkness of this
world' Eph. vi. 12; and their kingdom is a kingdom of darkness; but Christ is a
fountain of light, and his kingdom the kingdom of light.
(2.) In
subordination to God, God is light, and Christ is light. Originally God is
light, and in him is no darkness at all; but derivatively Christ as mediator is
light: John viii. 12,'I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall
not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.' The Father is a light
to whom no man can approach, and before whom the angels cover their faces; but
this light is brought near to us by Christ: John iii. 19, 'Light is come into
the world.' It is more comfortable to us, as it shineth forth in the person of
the mediator, and so the better conveyed to us, he being one in our nature.
But how is this communicated from the Lord ?
Ans. He enlighteneth by his
word and Spirit. His word: 2 Cor. iv. 4,'Lest the light of the glorious gospel
of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.' By his Spirit:
Eph. i. 17, 'That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may
give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.' The
Spirit of wisdom and revelation doth open the eyes of their minds, that so they
may be light in the Lord.
Secondly, The consequent or inference. From their
change of state he inferreth a change of life. Therefore, before I come more
particularly to discuss the force of this argument, let us a little see the
necessity or need of this exhortation. For some might argue, If they be light
in the Lord,' then what need is there to exhort them 'to walk as children of
the light?' Is it not all one as to say, If thou beest a sun, shine as a sun;
if thou beest fire, burn as fire? So some argued in Angustin's time, as if
believers had no need of exhortation, because of the potency and inclination of
grace. I answer-
1. There is a difference between natural agents and moral.
Natural agents, posttis omnibus ad agendum requisitis, inanimate and
unreasonable creatures, follow the inclination of their natures or the tendency
of their principles of necessity; but such as are endued with understanding
work with a kind of liberty and choice. Fire burneth where it meeteth with
matter combustible, but a reasonable creature needeth to be exhorted to perform
acts agreeable to his principle; for in reasonable creatures, though the
inclination be necessary, the acts are voluntary; therefore though they have an
inclination, they need to be quickened by counsel and exhortation. Though it be
in vain for us to bid the sun shine, whether we will or no it will do so, if
there be no impediment; yet it is not in vain to bid a reasonable creature to
walk suitably to his principles.
2. Exhortation is God's appointed means,
necessary for us while we are in our imperfect state. Sluggish nature is
backward to good, and we have much opposite corruption in us. Earth would be
heaven, grace would be glory, our way would be our country, if we could not at
all obey the flesh. In heaven the being of sin is abolished; therefore there
will be no room for exhortation, there is no preaching there, no wailing upon
men to serve God, no dissuasions from sin, no corruption remaining in the
saints, no liberty left unto them of hearkening to temptations; that liberty
which they have as reasonable creatures is swallowed up by the amplitude of
their love to God; as the good angels have a liberty which doth not consist in
an indifferency to good and evil, but in largeness of love to God, and a happy
necessity of doing that which is pleasing to him, and an impossibility of doing
otherwise.
Doct. That those who are called out of darkness to light
have a great obligation upon them to walk as children of light.
1. I shall
open the two opposite states,'darkness' and 'light.'
2. Show that there is
a mighty change wrought in them that are called out of the one into the
other.
3. That it is good often to compare these two estates, and consider
what we are by nature, and what we are by grace.
4. If this change be
wrought in us, it must be manifested by a suitable conversation.
I. Let me speak of the two opposite states,'darkness' and 'light,' and
there show you that the carnal estate is an estate of darkness, and the renewed
state is a state of light.
1. The carnal estate is an estate of darkness.
So the apostle telleth the Ephesians, Ye were not only darksome, but
darkness itself, for the greater vehemency of the expression.
1.1 The
darkness of the understanding is ignorance; they are incapable of discerning
between good and evil, know nothing of the nature and will of the true God.
These Ephesians were given to curious arts, Acts xix.; they were the flower of
all Asia for curious knowledge. But a people that lie in their sins, without
the saving knowledge of the gospel, are in great darkness. A drachm of
sanctified knowledge is better than all the curious arts in the world, and
those most lawful.
But you will say, Thus he spoke of them as heathens; are
all carnal men to be accounted darkness?
I answer- Yes; they are blind and
dark as to those things that relate to God and heaven. To God: Eph. iv. 18,'
Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God,
through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their
heart.' Whatever understanding and quickness of judgment they have in other
things, yet they are gross, bullish, and wild in such things as appertain to
God and their communion with God. And as to heaven: 2 Peter i 9, 'He that
lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off.' 'These things' that
is, the graces of the Spirit. There is a mist upon eternity, and a carnal eye
cannot look through it. His eyes are not anointed with spiritual eye-salve; he
cannot see these things so as to take off his heart from his vain
pleasures.
But you will say, Many carnal men that live in the bosom of the
church are orthodox, have good opinions in religion, and great knowledge of the
mysteries of salvation.
I answer- But this knowledge is neither accompanied
with application nor affection to what they know.
First, Not with
application. It is not a directive light, to show them how to come out of their
misery, or to guide their choice: Rom. i. 21, 'They became vain in their
imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened' It doth not teach them how
to love, and please, or trust in God. So it is with carnal Christians: 1 Cor.
viii. 2, 3, 'And if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing
yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him.'
Secondly, Nor persuasive, and with affection, so as to change their hearts,
so that they may seek after God in Christ. It neither restraineth evil, nor
constraineth to that which is good. Light that is unable to discharge its
office, to bridle corruptions, is but as darkness: Rom. i. 18,'They withhold
the truth in unrighteousness;' like a prisoner in fetters. It may talk its
fill, but can do nothing. It urgeth not to good; they are secure and careless;
they are Christ's, but prepare not to do their master's will: Luke xii. 47. It
doth not overcome their prejudice against the holy and heavenly life: 1 Cor.
ii. 14,'But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for
they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned' The name is prized, but the thing hated, Christ's
offices and government. Or else if there be any motion towards Christ, it is as
their knowledge is. If it be a sensible, awakening, practical knowledge that we
have, accordingly will our esteem of Christ be; but if it be a superficial
speculative knowledge, either of sin or misery, or of Christ our remedy, our
faith is opinionative and superficial; we shall not value him as a saviour
indeed; and therefore it is not talking by rote after others which will excuse.
There is a vain mind in every unconverted man, and a dark understanding which
cannot do its office. Now this is a miserable estate, either to be altogether
ignorant, or to have but a speculative traditional knowledge of the things of
God; either to have no knowledge, or not that which is directive and
persuasive. This breedeth doubtfulness: John xii. 35, 'He that walketh in
darkness knoweth not whither he goeth;' 1 John ii. 11,'He that hateth his
brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he
goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.' He wandereth in a maze of
uncertainties, not knowing whether he goeth right or wrong, whether he be in
the way that leadeth to heaven or hell; he liveth by guess, nnd knoweth not
what to fear or hope for.
[2] There is downright and apparent wandering
from God. The Greek scholiast saith Paul calleth darkness life in slavery, a
life spent in error; for by their ignorance men err into all profaneness, and
become very slaves of sin. To walk in darkness is often put in scripture for
living in a course of sin: Prov. iv. 19, 'The way of the wicked is as
darkness.' He compares the course of the godly to a growing light,'that shines
more and more unto the perfect day,' ver. 18; and the course of the wicked to a
growing darkness, till it comes to the dead of the night.
[3 ] Eternal
misery is the issue and close of it, called 'outer darkness,' Mat. xxv. 30; and
2 Peter ii. 17,' To whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever;' because
the sunshine of God's presence never cometh there; they are for ever separated
from the face of God, and presence and communion with him. Well, then, you see
one darkness maketh way for another - the darkness of ignorance for the
darkness of sin, and both for everlasting darkness.
2. The renewed estate
is an estate of light. Light is a quality pure and unmixed, and implieth both
knowledge, holiness, and happiness. Knowledge, as it discovereth all things;
holiness, as it is pure, and can shine on the filthiest dunghill without any
stain; felicity, as it is the smile of heaven upon the earth. Light is
pleasant. Surely this ought to be the more prized by us, because originally
man's life is light: John i. 4, 'And the life was the light of men.' Man had a
reasonable soul, but it is in a great measure eclipsed by sin. Now, to restore
us, Christ's doctrine, which bringeth life, is also light, and the new man
begins in light: Col. iii. 10, 'And have put on the new man, which is renewed
in knowledge, after the image of him that created him.' When once we receive
the saving knowledge of saving-truth, then all other things follow which belong
to the spiritual life; such truth for the object, such manner of apprehension
for the kind as may be saving. This introduceth and leadeth on other things.
Because I shall have occasion to speak of it afterwards, I shall say the less
now; only show you how great a blessing divine illumination is. Common
knowledge of divine things is an excellent gift, though it be cold and weak,
and doth not warm the heart with love to the thing known; but the grace of
illumination is much more excellent to further the glory of God. The bare gift
is used to the interest of the flesh, for fame and esteem in the world: 1 Cor.
viii. 1, 'We know that we all have knowledge: knowledge puffeth up, but charity
edifieth.' The gift, if it be single and alone, puffeth us up with a lofty
conceit and vain ostentation of ourselves and a disdain of others; but the
grace keepeth us humble, for the more we know affectively, the more we see our
defects, not in knowledge only, but in holiness. And the grace ia wrought in us
by the special and sanctifying influence of the Holy Ghost, and is not only
knowledge, but wisdom, and maketh us serious, operative, and full of good
fruits: James iii. 17, 'But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then
peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated; full of mercy and good fruits,
without partiality, and without hypocrisy;' begetting earnest desires and
endeavours after the things known: John iv. 10, 'If thou knewest the gift of
God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldst have
asked of him.' Now when our eyes are thus opened, and turned from darkness to
light, we begin to be serious Christians: Acts xxvi. 18, 'To open their eyes,
and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that
they may receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them which are
sanctified by faith that is in me;' and carry ourselves as those that are
affected with their misery and remedy. They talked before of sin as a thing of
course, and were wont to marvel why men kept such a deal of do about it; but
the case is altered. God hath opened their eyes, and therefore they complain of
sin as the greatest burden, and would fain be rid of it at any rate. They also
seek after Christ as the only remedy; nothing will satisfy them but Christ:
'All things are dung and dross in comparison of the excellency of the knowledge
of him' Phil. iii. 8. And they are resolved to venture all with him and for
him: Mat xiii. 45, 46, 'The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant-man
seeking goodly pearls; and when he hath found one pearl of great price, he went
and sold all that he had, and bought it.' Certainly then a great privilege it
is when God doth thus cure the blindness of our minds, and open and incline our
hearts to spiritual and heavenly things; 'To know the grace of God in truth,'
Col. i. 6; to get a 'spiritual discerning,' 1 Cor. ii. 14; to get not a sight
only, but a taste, 1 Peter
[1.] The objects known are the highest and most
important matters in the world. The knowledge of the profoundest science is
questionless more than skill in some low employments. As Themistocles said, To
know how to govern a city is more than how to play upon a lute. But to have the
saving knowledge of God and the life to come is more than all the admired
wisdom of the flesh, or all the common learning of the world. Therefore how
much are we bound to praise God if we may be light in the Lord. It is more than
to know how to govern kingdoms and commonwealths, and to do the greatest
business upon earth. To know God, the first cause of all things, Jesus Christ,
who is the restorer of all things, and the Holy Spirit, who cherisheth and
preserveth all things, to know his heavenly operations, the nature and action
of his several graces, this is the happiness and glory of a man; all other
knowledge is a poor low thing to this. Alas! what are all the mysteries of
nature to the mysteries of godliness. To know our disease and remedy, danger
and cure, our work and end, what is to be believed and practised, what we shall
enjoy, and what we must do to obtain it, these are the things do most concern
us; all other knowledge is but curious, and hath more of pleasure than profit.
To know our own affairs, and our greatest and most necessary affairs, these are
the things we should busy ourselves about; other knowledge may be well spared.
To know our misery, that we may prevent it; our remedy, that we may look after
it in time; our work, that we may perform it; our end, that we may intend it,
and be encouraged by it, and what course we must take that we may be
everlastingly happy; this is the greatest favour can be bestowed upon us: we
should beg it of God.
3. It is a sweeter knowledge than all learned men
have who are ungodly. Others may have more of the words and notions, but less
of the thing itself; they have the sign, but true Christians the thing
signified; they break the shell, but others eat the kernel; they dress the
meat, but others feed upon it and digest it; they dig in the mines of knowledge
as negroes, but others have the gold. True Christians take up religion out of
inspiration, but others out of opinion or tradition; they have a divine faith,
whilst others have but human credulity; they may talk of what they hear and
read from others, but these receive it 'not in word only, but in power, and in
the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance.' 1 Thes. i. 5. They are not only
affected with the truths they know, but transformed by them, and changed into
the divine nature. Now what a mercy is this, that when they might have gone to
hell as witless fools, as others do, God hath given them counsel in their
reins!
II. That there is a mighty change wrought in them who are called
out of one estate into the other. A great difference there is certainly between
the carnal and regenerate estate; they differ as much as darkness and light, as
death and life, as the new man and the old: 'Ye were sometimes darkness, but
are now light in the Lord.' There is a difference between them and
themselves,and between them and others. Not, They are darkness and ye are
light, but,'Ye were sometimes darkness, but ye are now light in the Lord;'
because the apostle speaketh of the same men; and to this end it is spoken,
that they may have no fellowship with evil ones, or be partakers with them in
works of darkness. Now both these are proved by the same reasons.
1.
Because they have a different principle; the internal principle is not alike in
both. All things work according to their nature; as fire ascendeth and water
descendeth; fishes go to the water, and beasts keep on dry land; it is
according to their nature, and that principle of life which they have. The
saints have a divine nature: 2 Peter i. 4, 'Whereby ye are made partakers of
the divine nature.' And the carnal are scarce men, because they are governed by
their sensitive appetite, and so come nearer to the nature of beasts; and so
the one are led by the flesh, the other by the Spirit, as is often observed in
scripture.
But you will say, There is no old nature in God's children,
flesh as well as spirit. I answer-
[1.] By concession there is indeed a
diversity or contrariety of principles: Gal. v. 17, 'For the flesh lusteth
against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary
one to the other.' These two powers and principles are of contrary natures and
tempers. By the one they delight in the law of God: Rom. vii. 22,'I delight in
the law of God after the inward man;' and avoid sin: 1 John iii. 9,'Whosoever
is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he
cannot sin, because he is born of God.' Yet there is corruption, which often
opposeth and rebelleth against the new nature, so that its operations are much
hindered and obscured.
[2.] Though there be an opposite principle, and
though it impede, and hinder, and obscure the operations of the new nature, and
the inclination of it be weakened by the dark sins of corruption, yet there is
a prevalency of the better principle, which doth most usually discover itself
in our conversations. Principiata respondent suis principiis- The constant
effects declare the prevailing principle. As the children of Israel brought
under the Canaanites in the land of promise, and had the chief sway of affairs
there, so doth grnce abate the power of corruption, and restrain its
exorbitances, that it doth not ordinarily break out. The man is not what he was
before: Gal. v. 24,'They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the
affections and lusts.' They have crucified, and do crucify it still in their
desire and endeavours, and gain more success against it. The work is not quite
done, but it is begun, and carried on with an intent to be finished. Already
there is enough done to bridle the corrupt nature, and to constitute a plain
difference between them and others, who are wholly guided by the flesh. They
are differenced from others by change of heart, from themselves by a change of
life.
2. As the internal principle of our operation is unlike, so the
external rule of our conversations are quite different, viz., the will of God
revealed in the word, which they study to know and obey: Eph. v. 10, 'Proving
what is acceptable unto the Lord;' ver. 17,' Be not unwise, but understanding
what the will of the Lord is;' Rom. xii. 2,' That ye may prove what is that
good and acceptable and perfect will of God.'
III. That it is good
often to compare those two estates, and to consider what we are by nature and
what we are by grace. First, That we ought frequently to reflect on our former
woful estate. The apostle often directeth Christians to look back: Eph. ii. 2,
3,' Wherein in times past ye walked according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in
the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in
times past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and
of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others;' Col. i.
21,'And you that were sometimes alienated, and enemies in your mind by wicked
works, yet now hath he reconciled.' God appointed ordinances to this end among
the Jews. The passover to remember their bondage in Egypt; and the parents were
obliged to interpret it to their children: Exod. xii. 26, 27, 'And it shall
come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean you by this
service? that ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord's passover, who
passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the
Egyptians, and delivered our houses.' So the first-fruits: Deut xxvi. 5,'A
Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and
sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation great, mighty, and
populous.'
Reasons there are for this-
1. To magnify the riches of
God's mercy in our deliverance from that woful estate. We wonder at it more
when we compare both together: 1 Peter ii. 9,'But ye are a chosen generation, a
royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth
the praises of him who hath called yon out of darkness into his marvellous
light;' 1 Tim. i. 13,'Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and
injurious; but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly, in unbelief.'
2. That we may admire his power in the change: 1 Cor. vi. 11, 'And such were
some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in
the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.' That ever our sins
should be washed and cleansed: Isa. i. 18, 'Though your sins be as scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow; and though they be red like crimson, they shall
be as wool.'
3. To keep us humble: 1 Cor. xv. 9,'For I am the least of the
apostles, and am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the
church of God.'
A man may be proud of spiritual enjoyments, so far as he is
unholy: 2 Cor. xii. 7,'And lest I should be exalted above measure through the
abundance of revelations, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, the
messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.' Now,
to take us down and to humble us, let us remember the sin and misery we were
once in when we knew it not. God will do much to keep gracious souls humble as
long as they live. They were once as bad as the worst, and were children of
wrath even as others. Though God forgets their sins so as to forgive them, yet
they cannot forget them, but are humbled in the remembrance of them; they
condemn themselves when God justifieth them: Ezek. xx. 34,'Then shall ye
remember your own ways, and all your doings wherein you have been defiled; and
you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that you have
committed.' They set those sins before their faces, which God hath cast behind
his back; not to breed a distrust of God's mercy, but to humble their own
souls. Though mercy hath washed, and justified, and sanctified you, yet you
were as bad as others; no poverty, beggary, and reproach in the world will be
so humbling to them as this.
4. It maketh us more compassionate to others,
we having once as blind a mind and as hard a heart as they; Titus iii. 2, 3,
'To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness
unto all men. For we ourselves were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived,
serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and
hating one another.' We had as bad natures as any, and lay in the same puddle
of corruption, were hewn out of the same rock, and digged out of the same pit,
and came into the world as naked and destitute of grace as any others. Israel
knew the heart of a stranger, therefore they were to pity strangers: Deut.
xxiv. 18,19.'Thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the
Lord thy God redeemed thee thence; therefore I command thee to do this thing.
When thou cuttest down thine harvest in the field, and hast forgot a sheaf in
the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it; it shall be for the stranger,
for the fatherless, and the widow; that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all
the work of thy hands.'
5. It maketh us more watchful. A man that hath
escaped a dangerous disease or surfeit is very careful from his own experience
that he doth not lapse into it again. Alas! too much corruption still remaineth
with us; we still have flesh that fighteth against the Spirit, Gal. v. 17. Old
lusts soon awaken at the knock of a temptation. Paul groaneth sorely that so
much of this carnal nature was left; to find such remnants of that odious sin,
which cost us so dear, and had cost us dearer if our Lord Jesus Christ had not
paid our ransom. We were darkness; but alas! how dark are we still! how far
from heaven! how little do we know, and believe, and love! We know but in part,
and love God but in part, and serve God with such constant weakness, and the
old working warring principle doth often get the advantage of us, and produce
some actual sin of thought, word, and deed, that we have need to take heed to
ourselves lest we be again brought under the captivity and bondage of the law
of sin. Shall we drink once more of the bitter waters? Josh. xxii. 17,'Is the
iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not cleansed unto this
day, though there be a plague in the congregation of the Lord ?'
6. It doth
quicken us to greater fruitfulness for time to come. Was I so zealous for sin,
and shall I not do so much for God? Rom. vi. 39, 'As ye have yielded your
members servants unto uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now
yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness;' Acts xxvi. 11,
'Being exceeding mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities;'
compared with 2 Cor. v. 13, 'For whether we be beside ourselves, it is for God;
or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.' Since we set out so late, let us
mend our pace: 1 Peter iv. 3,'For the time past of our life may suffice us to
have wrought the will of the gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts,
excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries.'
7. It
nmketh our conversion more evident and sensible, and so quickeneth us to
thankfulness and praise. When we compare the two extremes, darkness and light,
nature and grace, it doth much hurt to believers, in judging of their
condition, to forget what they once were, and not to consider what they now
are. The comparing of these two, what they were with what they now are, would
make the change more sensible and evident: 2 Cor. v. 17, 'Whosoever is in
Christ is a new creature; old things are passed away, and all things are become
new.' Old things are passed away, and are passing away still. Our gradual
progress in holiness is more insensible, and therefore we may overlook the
mercy; but the first work is more sensible, wo may find a great change in
ourselves. All that belong to God may say, as the blind man, John ix. 25,'One
thing I know, that whereas I was born blind, I now see.' By comparing the two
extremes they find they are not the same men they were before. Once they had no
delight in communion with God, now it is a trouble to keep out of God's
company. Nothing was so tedious and burdensome as the duties of religion, now
their hearts are more agreeable to them, and they are sweeter to them than
their appointed food. Before they were slight and sluggish, now they are hard
at work for God. Before, they abandoned themselves to all manner of
carnalities, now they are troubled about the first risings and bubbling up of
sin; the conscience which was stupid is made tender; the stream of their
thoughts, desires, and endeavours run in another channel; their hearts are
altered, life altered, speech altered. And by comparing these extremes it is
the ready way to interpret our condition. Men forget the estate they once were
in, and the great change which the Spirit of God hath wrought in them, and
because such alterations are not wrought in them continually, live in doubt and
fear. Look, as the forgetting our poverty and affliction maketh us undervalue a
more plentiful condition, and those comforts which we should have counted a
wonderful mercy before; or when we are recovered from a sickness, and live in
health, we forget the tediousness of sickness, and are not thankful for the
health which we enjoy; so we undervalue, or overlook, or question the present
state of grace, because we forget the unfruitful works of darkness, or the evil
disposition and practices of our unregeneracy, and have not such comfortable
apprehensions of the mercy which God hath bestowed in our change. Time was when
you had little savour of the things of the Spirit, little mind to Christ and
holiness, and were wholly given up to the pleasures of the flesh, and profits
of the world; but your minds and ways are changed, and you are not the persons
that you were, and that will help yon to interpret your condition before
God.
8. It increaseth your confidence and hopes of eternal life: he that
could take us with all our faults, and love us, and pardon us, and heal our
natures, and reconcile us to himself, will he not give us eternal life after we
begin to obey him, and love him, and serve him in our measure? Rom. v. 9,10,
'Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath
through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled unto God by the
death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.'
You cannot be worse than you were at first.
9. It putteth an argument in
your hands against sin: Rom. vi. 20,21, 'For when ye were the servants of sin,
ye were free from righteousness: what fruit had you then in those things
whereof ye are now ashamed?' and ver. 22, 'But now being made free from sin,
and become servants to God, you have your fruits unto holiness.' Shall a
servant of God walk an he did when he was a servant of sin? Righteousness had
no whit of your service, why should sin have any part of your service now?
especially if you consider how little fruit, benefit, or satisfaction your sins
brought you in the time of enjoying them; but now having given over yourselves
to the service of God, sanctification must daily increase in you.
Secondly, We ought to remember what we were by nature, so as not to deny
what we are by grace: Rom. vi. 17,'But God be thanked that ye were the servants
of sin; but ye have obeyed from the heart the form of doctrine which was
delivered you.' Christ checketh Peter, John xiii. 10, for not owning grace.
Though his feet need to be washed, God would not have us deny our renewed
estate. Remember your past estate for humiliation, not for your confusion.
Remember old sins and old mercies. So David: Ps. xxv. 6, 7, 'Remember, O Lord,
thy tender mercies and thy loving-kindnesses; for they have ever been of old.
Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy
mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, 0 Lord.' Not to tear open the
wounds of an healed conscience, not to terrify conscience, but admire mercy,
and to 'love much, because much is forgiven,' Luke vii. 47.
IV. This
change must be manifested by a suitable conversation: 'Walk as children of the
light.' We have the same exhortation, Rom. xiii. 12, 13, 'The night is far
spent' the day is at hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and
let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in
rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and
envying;' 1 Thes. v. 5-8, 'Ye are all the children of the light, and the
children of the day; we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let ns
not sleep, as do others, but let us watch and be sober: for they that sleep,
sleep in the night; and they that are drunken, are drunken in the night. But
let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and
love, and for an helmet the hope of salvation.' Children of the light may refer
to the dispensation we are under, or the grace we have received by it.
1.
The dispensation we are under, as those that live in the clearness of gospel
light are children of the day. Ye are not of the night; walk as children of
light, that have the light of the gospel, or becoming that most holy religion
which Christ hath taught us
(1.) In the light all blemishes are soon
discovered, and so our sins are without excuse; whereas people that have not
the gospel, or not so fully preached, are more excusable. Men might plead this,
that they knew no better; but now they 'have no cloak for their sin,' John xv.
22. Men have some cloak to hide the odiousness of sin from themselves and
others; their ignorance, their infirmity; yea, the Lord himself doth pity men,
considering their education, prejudices, temptations; but the gospel holdeth
out such convincing light as taketh away all excuse from wicked sinners.
(2.) As they are without sin, so without shame, when they sin in the open
light: Zeph. iii. 5,'Every morning, doth he bring his judgment to light; he
faileth not, but the unjust knoweth no shame.' While the light of nature is not
violated, sin breedeth a bashfulness and unconfidence; but when men despise
both the light of nature and scripture, they grow impudent, and lose all
tenderness, and awakening of conscience, and outgrow the heart of a man.
(3.) Sins are more dangerous and deadly: John iii. 19,'And this is the
condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather
than light, because their deeds are evil.' It is an affront to the light that
shineth to us, gives a double dye to our sins, and so increases our punishment
and condemnation.
2. The grace received by it.
Now the children of
light are those who are enlightened by the Holy Spirit, have a new nature, and
a sense of the other world. Luke xvi. 8, the 'lord commended the unjust
steward, because he had done wisely; for the children of this world are wiser
in their generation than the children of light.' Surely they should watch and
be sober, and plainly distinguish themselves from the carnal world.
1.1 To
show their thankfulness for the grace received: Luke i. 74, 75, 'That he would
grant unto us that we, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might
serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days
of our life.'
[2.] That they may not obstruct the new nature put into them,
and hinder its operations, and so grieve the Spirit of God, who would work in
them all righteousness, godliness, and holiness: ver. 9, 'For the fruit of the
Spirit is in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth.'
[3.] That they
may obey the light, and comply with the sense of their duty written on their
hearts; otherwise they offer violence, not only to their duty, but to their
nature; not only to their rule without, but their conscience within, or the law
written upon their hearts: Heb. viii. 10,'I will put my laws into their mind,
and write them in their hearts.'
[4.] They have tasted of all waters, the
bitterness of sin and the sweetness of grace, the terrors of the Lord, and the
sweetness of the mercy of God and the grace of Christ; and shall they give way
to sin and folly ?
[5.] They are posting to a better estate, and preparing
for it: Col. i. 12, 'Who hatn made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance
of the saints in light.' Therefore for them to walk in works of darkness is
more blameworthy, as if the way to hell would bring them to heaven.
Use. Remember it often to your humiliation, lest God permit you to remember it to your confusion. Those whose sins are pardoned may to their sense have their guilt raked out of its grave. It is possible the wounds of an healed conscience may bleed afresh, when we walk not humbly and cautiously. Though God doth not recant his sentence of pardon, yet the sin may occur to us, and ghosts haunt us of those who were long since buried.
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