A godly and learned exposition or commentary upon the three first chapters of the…A godly and learned exposition or commentarie vpon the three first chapters of the…

First, it is Gods commandment, Shine ⟨p. 50⟩as lights (saith S. Paul) in the world, Philip. 2.15. And, walk as children of the light, Ephes. 5.8. Secondly, consider the fruit hereof, which is wonderful great. For by godly instruction in our places, and by answerable obedience in our lives we win many to the Lord: showing forth such lights, whereby others may walk in this dark world to the kingdom of heaven, which is a most blessed light. In the Winter season, men think they do others great pleasure, if in the night they hang forth a light to guide passengers a little way in an earthly walk. What a blessed thing then is this, that a man should always hold forth that light which shall guide a sinful wicked wretch to leave the ways of death, and to walk in the paths of righteousness to eternal life? But on the contrary, when men live in Gods church like candles put out by reason of the blindness of their minds, and the badness of their lives; hence cometh great hurt and danger to others with whom they live: for they lead others that depend upon them to the pit of destruction, especially they who know the will of God and yet make not conscience to show forth the same by good example of a godly life. For as in an haven town, if any man in the night time do remove the sea-mark which guideth the ships in the right channel, he doth as much as in him lieth cast away all the ships that are coming near the shore, by causing them to run on rocks and sands: even so they that should give light in the church, if they give either no light, or false light to such as depend upon them who are sailing in the sea of this sinful world, hereby they lead and direct them to a wrong haven, and instead of heaven bring their souls to eternal perdition: which must terrify us from ignorance and evil works, and make us labour to shine as lights in this world by good instruction and godly conversation. Third reason. Consider the fearful judgments of God against such as live in his church as members thereof, and yet give no light: they do incur the fearful wrath of Christ. In the Temple, the keeping of the lamps and lights belonged to the priest, and therefore he had his snuffers, and other instruments to trim the same: which notably figured the duty of Christ in the Church of the new Testament:

First, it is Gods commandement, Shine