is, to say, he is
translated from a state of darkness to light, and endued with the living
and saving knowledge of God in Jesus Christ. This is his state. He is in
the light, one enlightened from above, having his eyes opened to discover
the mystery of the iniquity of his own heart, and to see far off, to that
bottomless pit of misery which his way would lead him to, one who hath by
this divine illustration discovered eternal things, and seen things not
seen, and withal, gotten some knowledge of salvation by the remission of
sins. Now, such an one, being thus in the light, his duty is, and his
infinite dignity besides, to walk in that light, that is, to lead all his
life under that eternal light of God, which shines in the word, and to
bring it all forth in his view, to make our whole course a progressive
motion towards heaven, wherein that glorious light shines most gloriously.
It is almost all one with that of Paul's, to have our conversation in
heaven. For, to walk in the light, is a kind of elevation of our actions,
a raising them up to heaven, to that pure light, for after that and
towards that is the soul's design.

Now to express to you in what it consists, I desire not to branch it forth
in many particulars, which rather distract the mind than affect the heart.
Only you may know, it consists especially in the inward retirements of the
soul to God, and the outward shining of that light in our conversation to
others. These are the chief parts of it, borrowing from his light, and
then lending and imparting it to others, by a holy conversation. Truly, we
must needs conceive that the most lively and unmixed partaking of the
light of God, and the sweetest society with him, is in the secret
withdrawings of the soul from the world, and reposes upon God those little
intervals, and, as it were, stolen hours of fellowship with God, that are
taken from the multitude and throng of our business. These are the fittest
opportunities of the transforming the soul into his similitude, and of
purifying it as he is pure, of filling it with divine light and love, for
then the heart lies, as it were, perpendicularly under his beams, and is
opened before him, to give admission and entry to this transforming light,
and it is the shining of God's countenance then upon the soul that draws
it most towards conformity with him, and leaves an impression of light and
love upon the soul.

Oh! that you were more acquainted with this, this aprica