SECT. 3.

NOw follow the Moon and Stars. The Moon, which is appoin•ed to rule the night, is a Creature where we may behold the glory of God, though more dimly shining than in the Sun.

1. Here see God's wisedome and goodness in mitigating the darkness of the night, that when the Sun is out of sight, yet we should have a Moon to give us some, though not so great a light; and if both be sometimes absen•, yet then we have the Stars to make some a∣batement of utter darkness. How wonderful was the Lord in his works, who was pleased not onely to give us so great a light by day but also to set up candles for us in the Heavens in the night time? even so should we think also how the Lord dealeth with his servants, if he take away the Sun-shine of comforts from them, even fulness of joy, yet even then he leaveth some Moon-light or Star-light at the least; some glimmerings whereby they con∣ceive some hope, and are (though not much cheered, yet) supported. Be thankful for the least degree▪ and wait patiently for a grea∣ter measure▪ seek to him, stand not in thine own light, let not thy soul refuse comfort: or if there be no Moon or Stars to be seen, by rea∣son of the clouds, yet I am perswaded, that in the darkest night there is some little degree of light, though not scarcely to be discerned by Page  83 us; yet I do not think it is ever so dark as in those three nights before the Sun was made: so in the greatest decay of grace, the greatest darkness of spiritual desertion, when there is scarce any degree of spiritual life, grace or comfort to be discerned; yet in every true Christian, who once was made a new Crea∣ture, there is some degree; and it is not with him, as it was before the Sun of righteousness was risen upon him; there is not that utter darkness that was upon his soul, while it was in that more confused chaos and heap of unre∣generation.

2. The Moon in respect of the Sun, is as the Church in respect of Christ; the Moon bor∣roweth her l•ght of the Sun: so doth the Church her graces, righteousness, and all her happiness of Christ▪ the Sun of righteousness. What a poor Creature is the Moon! how dark is it when the Earth cometh between the Sun and her! how empty would the Church be of all light, grace, comfort, if Christ should be hidden from her! when the Moon is most enlightened by the Sun, yet there are some dark spots to be disce•ned in her: so when the Church is most replenished with the beams of this Sun of righteousness, viz. the graces of Christ-Iesus, yet she hath her spots in this life, which shall never wholly be done away until the life to come, when she shall be presented by Christ to the Father▪ not having spot or wrinckle, or any such thing: and therefore, to imagine a Church on Earth free from all Page  84 blemishes, is, to fancy a Moon without spots.

3. As the Moon having received light from the Sun, giveth light to others, so that they see by the light of the Sun shining in the Moon, and then reflecting from the Moon upon the Creatures here below: so the Church, and every true member of it, having received the light of heavenly knowledge and sanctification from the Sun, must cause this light to shine before men, that they may see his good works, and so be moved to glo∣rify his Father which is in Heaven; yea, to glorify Christ-Iesus, who is the Sun from whom the light which shineth in their hearts, is derived and received. And to be wholly dark, and voyd of the fruits of holiness, is an argument that we have no communion with Christ-Iesus: you must therefore shine to others by an holy Example, that they which will not see by the Sun-shine of the word, may yet see by the Moon-light of their lives deri∣ved from this Sun.

4. Again, as thou seest the Moon to shine in a very dark night; as it cannot chuse but shine having received light from the Sun; so in the midst of a most crooked generation in evil times, in places that abound with chil∣dren of darkness, and works of darkness, a Christian must not forbear to shine in holi∣ness, having received light from Iesus-Christ.

5. The Moon careth not, though thee vish persons hate her light, because it discovereth their works of darkness; •either doth she cease Page  85 to shine because the dogs bark at her: so a Christian having received light from Christ, must not care though the wicked are offend∣ed at that light which shineth in his life, whereby their contrary practises are discover∣ed the more clearly to be hateful works of darkness: neither must he cease to shew forth this light, because the doggish tongues of wicked railers and scoffers be moved against him: keep on in thy course, as the Moon doth all this while, and let thy light shine be∣fore men, that even the night-Walkers and Children of darkness may be converted and convinced by it.

6. As the Moon by being Eclipsed, doth shew that the light it hath, is not its own, but is received from the sun, in as much as the body of the earth coming between the sun and it, is seen to take away her light; which if she had of her self, she needed not to look toward another for it: so also the Eclipses and intermissions of the Acts of grace and motions of the spirit in a Christian, do often∣times make it manifest to himself, and some∣times to others too, that the light which he hath is not of himself, but received from Christ, at whose pleasure it is either imparted or denied. Therefore learn thou to work this good out of that evil, even by thy failings to see thy emptiness, and to give glory to him by whose free grace thou art what thou art.

7. Again, as the Moon is unconstant, and full of changes, and yet still receiveth some Page  86 light; so the Church hath been in an uncon∣stant unsetled condition, is full of changes, yet never without some light: she is sometime waxing, somtimes waning; somtimes flou∣rishing in grace, and in the purity and plenty of the word preached, like the full Moon; and then again declining, then again renew∣ing; so that though the Moon be always visi∣ble, yet is she at somtimes but darkly visible; so the Church is always visible unto them who have eyes to see her, but at somtimes she maketh a dimmer appearance than at other.

8. Moreover, as the Moon when she is in conjunction with the Sun, doth then shine less unto us, than when she is in opposition, one half space of heaven distant from it; for when she is joined with the Sun, she is at the change; but when there is this diametrical opposition, she is at the full: so when Christ was here in the flesh conversing with the Church, it was then but in a mean condition, even in the change from Judaism to Christia∣nism; so that now presently it became a new Moon, changed from a Jewish Synagogue to a Christian Church: but in short time after his ascension, through his spirit abundantly poured down upon it, when there was a dia∣metrical opposition between Him and It, then it was at the full; and therefore he told them aforehand, that it was expedient he should go away from them, and then he would send the Comforter, even his blessed Spirit, whereby they should be made to shine more brightly in Page  87 knowledg and graces than before whilst he was with them.