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SERMON XXVIII.

MAT. V. 15.

Ver. 15. Neither do Men light a Candle, and put it under a Bufbel: But on a Candlestick, and it giveth Light to all that are in the Houfe.

The Fifth Sermon on this Text.

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AVING at the laft Occafion entred a little on thefe Words; in which Christians are compared to a lighted Candle, I obferved that as the foregoing Similitude of a City on an Hill foretold Christians their Fate and Circumstances in the World, fo this teaches them more particularly their Duty, and the very End and Defign for which they were fet up by God; which was, by their Doctrine and Example to fhew the World what kind of Perfons they themselves ought to be. This is the general Purport of the Words. But more particularly I obferved to you these three Things im plied in them.

1. That the World, before our Saviour's Appearance, lived in great Ignorance and Wickednefs,

2. That the Gospel is the Means appointed by God to bring the World out of this State.

3. That

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XXVIII.] Chriftians like a lighted Candle, &c. 459

3. That it is the Duty of Chriftians, who are to hold out this Light to the World, to take care not to fupprefs or obfcure it; but to fet it off to the greatest Advantage.

Having spoke to the two firft of thefe, that the World, before our Saviour's Appearance, lived in Ignorance and Wickedness; and that the Gofpel is the Means to bring them out of this State; I come now to the Third, that it is the Duty of Christians, who are to hold out this Light to the World, to take care not to fupprefs or obfcure it; but to fet it off to the greatest Advantage. In treating of this Matter, being I am perfuaded our Saviour directs this Difcourfe to all Chriftians, I shall not allow myself to spend Time in confidering what Way Paftors and Teachers are to make use of their Office, in bringing Men from Darkness to Light, and from the Power of Satan to God; but shall confine what I have to say on this Subject to Christians in general. And as to them, I thall confider these two Things.

I. What Way they may be faid to fupprefs the Light, or to hide their Candle under a Bufhel.

II. How they may be faid to hold it out to the best Advantage, i. e. to fet it on a Candlestick, that it may give Light to all that are in the House.

I. As to the Firft, Chriftians may be faid to fupprefs their Light,or to hide their Candle under a Bushel, these three Ways.

1. By neglecting to make use of the Means of Grace, whereby their own Minds may be duly enlighten'd.

2. By living in the Darkness of Sin and Vice, notwithstanding any Measure of Knowledge they may have in their Minds.

3. By not communicating their Knowledge in their feveral Stations to others, who might be the better for it.

1. First then, they may be faid to hide their Candle under a Bufhel, who neglect to make Use of the feveral Talents, whether natural or acquired, wherewith they are entrusted; by which Negligence it comes to pafs, that their own Minds are kept in Darkness; at least lefs enlighten'd than they might have been, had they made due Ufe of thofe Talents and Opportunities. Of this Sort, I reckon all thofe, who either abuse, or do not duly improve their natural Parts, fuch as their Wit, Judgment, and Memory, of which God has given a plentiful Portion to fome Men, who, if they had done their Part, might have been bright fhining Lights in the World. Of this Sort likewife I reckon all those who have had, or at least might have had the Benefit of a good Education and Improvement, Providence having furnished them with the Bleffing of good Parents, Teachers, Paftors, Tutors, Guardians, Masters, Miftreffes, Relations, Friends and Acquaintance; through whofe Means, and by whose Instruction, Advice, or Example, they might have improved themselves much more, both in the Knowledge and Practice of Religion and Virtue. Of this Sort likewife I reckon in the Third Place, all those who neglect to obferve, or make Ufe of, the various Providences they have met with in their Life, to bring them to a clearer Understanding, or better Senfe of their Duty. How many kind

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Providences have fome People been entertained with, enough to allure them to the Love of good Things? And how many terrible Blows of Affiction, on the other hand, have been dealt to others, enough to difcourage them in the Ways of Sin, if they had not wilfully blinded themselves both against the one and the other? Lord, when thy Hand is lifted up, they will not fee; fo complains the Prophet Ifaiah, Chap. xxvi. 11. Or if we are a little fenfible juft while we are under the Lash, how quickly do we forget it, and return to our old Stupidity? And fo, Fourthly, we contribute exceedingly to the keeping of our Minds in Darkness, when being inftructed to read the Holy Scriptures, and other good Books, we make no other Ufe of that Talent, but to read such Books as are apt to debauch the Mind and Manners, and to obfcure all thofe good Notions we have from the Principles of natural Religion or good Education. What a mighty Light would that one Book of the Holy Scriptures, duly studied, dart into our Minds; by enabling us both to feeThings clearly ourselves, and by qualifying us to enlighten others? And, Fifthly, I know no greater Occafion of the Darknefs of our own Minds, than that we do not reflect upon, and confider the Truths we know; fo that they have no greater Influence upon us, than if we knew them

not.

There is only this Difference between Ignorance and Inconfideration; in the one, we are totally deprived of Light and Knowledge; in the other, we are fo dead drunk, or so fast asleep, that our Knowledge is of no use to us. And as these two, Inconfideration and Ignorance, are near a-kin to one another, so in a little Time they

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grow perfectly one and the fame; for the not confidering of Truth, quickly brings on a total Oblivion and Forgetfulness of it, which is one and the fame Thing with Ignorance.

2. A Second Way whereby we obfcure our fpiritual Light, is by living in Sin and Vice; notwithstanding the Knowledge of Things we may have in our Minds. Sins are called the Works of Darkness; and indeed they are fuch, not only because they who commit them are ashamed to own them; but likewise because they are fo great Obstructors of that inward Light, which both illuminates, and cheers and comforts the Soul. The habitual Practice of Sin doth ftrangely darken the Mind, that it can't fee the Way of Wisdom and Virtue. For the Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom, and a good Understanding have all they that do his Commandments, Pfal. cxi. 10. And this is a Truth which every Man's Experience doth continually confirm. For our Lufts and Paffions cloud the Understanding, divert the Attention, blot out good Ideas out of the Memory, weaken the Refolution, indifpofe us for Prayer and the Study of the Holy Scriptures, and the Use of all the other Means of Grace, and confequently fhut up the Magazines of Heaven; in short, they make the Man carnal; that his principal Design and Endeavour is to gratify his carnal Appetites, and to indulge the Itch of Luft and finful Pleasure. So that both from the Nature of the Thing, and the just Judgment of God, the Talent of divine Light is taken away from him who wraps it up in a Napkin, and makes no use of it. This is fo true an Observation, that wicked Living obfcures our Light, and dims the Candle

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