know it, as in it to behold the necessity of what qualification should be
in us, that is indeed to know God. My beloved, let us consider that so
much we know of God, as we love him and fear him, and are conformed unto
him, for that knowledge, which is not about this work and design, is for
no other purpose but to be a witness against a man, and the most heinous
aggravation of his sins.

To come then to the particular in hand, "God is light," and that is holden
out and declared for this end, that there may be a pattern of the
qualification of all that intend to enter into that society, if ye would
have fellowship with God, then consider what you engage into, what manner
of person he is, for the intimate knowledge of one another is presupposed
to all constant friendship. You must know then what God is if you would
have communion with him, because there is no communion without some
conformity, and no conformity without knowledge of him. Therefore, as he
is light, so the soul must be made light in him, and enlightened by him,
that would have his society. We must be transformed into that nature, and
made children of light, who were children of darkness. Now, as there is a
light of understanding and wisdom in God, and a light of holiness and
purity, so there is in our souls, opposite to these, a darkness of
ignorance and unbelief, and a darkness of sin, and impurity of affections.
Now, "what communion can light have with darkness?" Let every man ask this
at his own heart, if there be no happiness without this society, and no
possibility of this society, while I remain in darkness, then is it not
high time to come to the light? This then is the first change that is made
in a soul, the darkness of ignorance and unbelief is driven out, by the
approach of that glorious light of the gospel into the heart, then is
discovered unto the soul that deformity of sin, that loathsomeness in
itself that it never apprehended. Then there is a manifestation of the
hidden works of darkness, of the desperate wickedness of the heart, which
lay unobserved and unsuspected all the while. And now a man cannot in that
view but abhor himself, for that which none else can see in him. And there
is withal manifested that glorious holiness and purity in God, that
inviolable righteousness, that omnipotent power, which formerly were never
seriously thought upon, now these are represented to the life before a
sinner. And to close up all, there is a manifestatio