told them, It is expedient for you that I go away*. There were still greater privileges depending upon the influence of the promifed Comforter, who was to abide with the church for ever. By the power of this Holy Spirit, the Lord is now present with all his minifters and people in every place, whether retired in fecret from the view of men, or affembled together in his name†; and though the great events upon which their hopes were founded, his life, paffion, death, refurrection, and afcenfion, took place long he fo realizes the declaration of them in his word to their hearts, that they are no lefs affured of what they read, than the apostles who faw him with their own eyes. Thus the gofpel state is a dispensation of light. The Sun is rifen with life and healing in his beams, and they who have the eyes of their understanding opened, enjoy a bright and marvellous day. They fee, admire, adore, rejoice, and love.

ago,

II. The fubjects of MESSIAH's kingdom, the living members of his church, are so irradiated by him, that they fhine likewife. As the moon fhines, but with a borrowed + Matt. vi. 6. xviii. 20. xxviii. 20.

* John xvi. 7.

light, derived from the fun. Beholding, in this glafs, the glory of the Lord, they are changed into the fame image from glory to glory*, according to the measure and growth of their faith. Two points may be observed under this head.

1. The fact. That they do thus fhine. Though they were once darkness, they are now light. A dark, ignorant, wicked, selfish Christian, is a contradiction in terms. There may be such, there are too many such, amongst those who make profeffion of the name of Chrift; but they who truly know him walk in the light, as he is in the light. They have knowledge, a good understanding. Perhaps, the greater part of real Christians have little acquaintance with the literature and fcience of the world; their natural capacities may be weak, and not improved by education; they may be in the esteem of men, as they are in their own, but babes; yet they know more than the wifeft philofophers, who are destitute of the grace of God. They know themselves, they know the Lord, they know Cor. iii. 18. + Eph. v. 8.

Pfal. cxi. 10.

the

the evil of fin, and the way of falvation; what their proper happiness confifts in, and how it is to be obtained. They have learned to endure affliction, to forgive injuries, and to overcome evil with good. They have attained a just sense of the vanity of the world, and the importance of eternity. They are inftructed to be contented and useful in their stations, to discharge their duties in relative life with propriety, and to meet death with comfort. In all these particulars, many who have dazzling talents, and are celebrated for abilities and endowments, are miserably at a lofs. True believers are conformed to the fpirit and temper of their Saviour, and therefore are different and diftinguished from the world around them. And they have, at leaft, the beginnings of true peace and folid happiness, in communion with him whom they serve.

2. The caufe. They fhine wholly by his light. If their own words may be taken, the proof of this is eafy. They are free to confefs that they are only wife by his wisdom, ftrong by his power working in them, and that without him they have not fufficiency to think

K 3

think a good thought*. Experience has taught them that they cannot ftand unless he upholds them, nor watch unless he watcheth with them, nor be fafe or happy a fingle day, without fresh communications from him. But this their experience and acknowledgment, is the exprefs and current doctrine of fcripture. There is a real, though mystical, union between Chrift and his people. He is the vine, they the branches: he is their head, they the members of his body. They dwell in him by faith, he dwells in them by his Spirit. He is their root and their life; all their springs are in him, and it is out of his fulness that they receive ‡. Therefore the apoftle fays, I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me ||; I can do all things through Chrift firengthening me §. And our Lord himfelf, who comforted Paul with that promise, My grace is fufficient for thee, apprized all his followers of their entire dependance upon him, by faying, Without me ye can do nothing +. The language of the Old Testament is to the fame purport, They looked unto him and were enlightened **. In the Lord Jehovah I have

2 Cor. iii. 5, Gal. ii. 20. ** Pfal. xxxiv. 5.

↑ John xv. 1.
§ 2 Cor. xii. 9.

‡ John i. 16.

+ John xv. 5.

righteousness and strength *.

He giveth power

to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth ftrength +. Thus things are constituted and conducted, that no flesh should glory in his prefence, but that he who glorieth may glory in the Lord ‡.

III. They who wilfully refuse and turn from this light, do thereby involve themselves in double darknefs, and become more infatuated and wicked, than those to whom the light has not been propofed. Their evils, likewife, are more aggravated than they would have been, if the light had not visited them. Thus our Lord, MESSIAH, fpeaks of the Jews, If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had fin; but now they have no cloke for their fin. And again, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which fee not might fee, and that they which fee might be made blind §. He came to make the ignorant wife unto falvation; but they, who from a proud conceit of their own wisdom and fufficiency, disdain his inftruction, being left to themselves, give abundant evidence, that the light they boaft of, is but grofs and palpable darkness. The + Ifai. xl. 29. + 1 Cor. i.29,31.

* Ifai. xlv. 24. John xv. 22: