Occasional reflections upon several subiects, whereto is premis'd a discourse about such kind of thoughts

CHAP. II.

ANd since our Discourse has led us to the mention of a Text, where the truly inspired Poet (who, by his omitting to speak of the Sun, seems to have compos'd this Psalm in the night) makes the Moon the chief subject of his Meditation, it will not perhaps be amiss, if, on this occasion, we add a few short Reflections on the same Theme, and thereby confirm what we lately noted about the differing Reflections, and Simili∣tudes, which may be afforded by the same subject, as its several Attributes may be differingly consider'd.

If then, in the first place, when our Con∣templator takes notice of the greatest Brightness of the Moon, he remembers too, that 'tis when she is at the Full, that she is subject to be Eclips'd, it would put him in mind of the mutability of humane things, and that oftentimes Prosperity proves ne∣ver the more secure for appearing the more full and resplendent.

Next, our Reflector may find in the Moon, a lively Emblem of a true Minister of the Gospel. For, as the Moon commu∣nicates to the Earth, the Light, and that

onely, which she receives from the Sun; so the Apostles, and first Preachers of Chri∣stianity, and (in their measure) their true Successors, communicate to Mankind, the Light, which themselves have receiv'd from the bright Sun of righteousness. And the Similitude may be advanc'd, by adding, that as the Moon shines not on the Earth, with any other Beams, than those she de∣rives from that fountain of Light, the Sun; so the true Preachers of the Heavenly Do∣ctrine mingle not their own Inventions, or humane Traditions, with that pure and sincere Light of Revelation, they are em∣ploi'd to dispense; it being safest, and most desirable, for the Church, that Christians should receive the Bread of Life, as the Jews are recorded to have receiv'd the ma∣terial Bread,* 1.1 in a passage of St. Matthew's Gospel, where 'tis said, that Christ first brake, and gave to the Disciples, the Bread, which they afterwards, from Him, distri∣buted to the People; so that they might each of them, in a literal sence, imploy that expression of St. Paul,* 1.2 I have received of the Lord, that which I delivered unto you.

And as though the Moon be destitute of native light, yet by vertue of that borrow'd one, which she plentifully receives from the Sun, she affords more to Men than any

of the Stars, which, upon the score of their vast distance from the Sun, are, by modern Naturalists, suppos'd to shine by their own Light, so those illiterate Fisher-men, whom the Sun of Righteousness call'd, and made the Light of the world, did, by vertue of the copious Irradiations he vouchsaf'd them, diffuse far more Light to mankind, than the greatest Philosophers, that, being unassisted by Divine Revelation, had onely their own native beams to shine with.

And as oftentimes the same Subject, but variously consider'd, may afford both some∣what fit to be shunn'd, and somewhat fit to be imitated; so, in that which we suppose our Reflector now considering, he may ea∣sily discern the Emblem of an ungrateful person: For as the Moon, though she re∣ceive all the Light that ennobles her from the Sun, does yet, when she is admitted to the nearest Conjunction with him, eclipse that bright Planet, to which she owes all her splendour; so unthankful men abuse those very favours that should endear to them their Benefactors, to the prejudice of those that oblige them.

And 'tis like that our Reflector may, by the way, take notice, That as what passes betwixt the Moon and the Sun, does thus afford him a Simile, whereby to set forth

Ingratitude; so what passes betwixt the Moon and the Sea, may supply him with an example of the contrary quality, and put him in mind, that a thankful man will be true and obsequious to his Benefactor, though the person that oblig'd him have lost that Prosperity that before made him con∣spicuous, and attracted vulgar eyes, as the Sea follows the course of the Moon, not onely when she shines upon it with her full Light, but when at the Change she can communicate little or no light to it.

To the two above-mentioned Attributes, upon whose account the Moon afforded a comparison for humane Prosperity, and an∣other for Preachers of the Gospel, we will now add, That she may afford us a Simili∣tude to set forth a liberal Person by: For as the Moon freely communicates to the Earth, the Light she receives from the Sun, so the bountiful person imparts to indigent men the Largesses he receives, from the exuberant goodness of God. And as to Intellectual Communications the Parallel will hold further, since as the Moon en∣joys not the less of Light, for her imparting so much to the Earth; so in Mental Com∣munications Liberality does not impove∣rish, and those excellent gifts cease not to be possess'd, by being imparted. And 'tis

very possible, (to add that upon the By) That after the light of the Moon has (accor∣ding to what I lately noted) represented to our Contemplator the qualifications of a Preacher, it may also put him in mind of the Duty of a Hearer. For, as it were very foolish in us, and unthankful towards the Father of Lights, not to make use of the great Light we receive from the Sun, by the Moon, or not to acknowledge the Moon to be a very useful Creature, upon the score of that Light, wherewith she shines upon the Earth, though, in her, that Light be destitute of Heat; so it were unwise and ungrateful for Hearers to refuse to acknow∣ledge, or to be guided by, the conspicuous Endowments of Learning and Eloquence, that God vouchsafes to great Scholars, though they themselves were but illustra∣ted, not warmed, by the Beams they re∣flect. But therefore, as Oysters, and other Shell-fish, are observ'd to thrive at the In∣crease of the Moon, though her Light be unattended with Heat, and though even when she is at Full, she wants not her spots, so devout Hearers will be careful to pro∣sper proportionably to the Instructions they receive even from those Preachers, whose Illuminations are unaccompani'd with Zeal and Charity, and who, when they shine

with the greatest Lustre, are not free from their Darknesses, as to some Points, or from notorious Blemishes.

And as the Moon may thus furnish our Contemplator with Similitudes, to set forth both a Vertue and a Vice of the Mind, so may it supply him with an Emblem of its Condition: For as the Light of the Moon is sometimes Increasing, and sometimes in the Wane, and not onely is sometimes to∣tally Eclips'd, but even when she is at the Full, is never free from dark Spots; so the mind of Man, nay, even of a Christian, is but partly enlighten'd, and partly in the dark, and is sometimes more, and some∣times less, Illustrated by the Beams of Hea∣venly Light, and Joy, and not alone now and then quite Eclipsed by disconsolate Desertions, but even when it receives the most Light, and shines the brightest, knows but in part, and is in part blemish'd by its native Darknesses, and Imperfections. And these Resemblances are not so appro∣priated to the mind of Man, but that they might easily be shewn to be applicable to his condition, in point of outward Prospe∣rity, and Adversity. And to these Resem∣blances other Reflections on the several Adjuncts of the Moon might be also added, together with several Examples of this na∣ture

on other Subjects, were it not that I think my self to have spent time enough already upon a Theme, that fell but inci∣dentally under my consideration; and were it not also, that the Reflections which might here be annex'd upon the Attributes of other Objects, may be more properly subjoyn'd to what may be on another occasion pre∣sented you, by way of Illustration of some Particulars, that belong to the fourth part of the precedent Section, in which my haste, and some other reasons, made me content my self, to give some few general Hints about such Reflections, and an Intimation of the Topicks whence I am wont to fetch them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mat. 15. 36▪
• * 1.2

  1 Cor. 11. 3.