The rising sun, or, The sun of righteousnesse shining upon the sons of unrighteousnesse a theological sun-dyal wherein is to be seen the rising, motion, influence and manifold operations of Christ upon the soul ... as also the description of the true believer ... as also the highest degrees and full growth and grace are here delineated ... / by John Sheffeild [sic]

CHAP. 2. The Likenesse between Christ and the Sun.

THeir Likeness is seen in many Particu∣lars, and because so many, I shall not defer the Application of all, til I have spoke of each, as usually we doe, but as we go a∣long, apply each particular, to free your me∣mories from the greater burden, and my self from needlesse repetitions.

Alike they are, 1. In their Essence. 2. Attributes. 3. Properties. 4. Effects. 5. Accidents.

1. In their Essence much alike; who knows the essence and nature of the Sun? what is that light unaccessible which it inhabits,

what is the matter of it, and what and whence that heat? The weary Philosopher astoni∣shed with long admiration, and tyred with deep contemplation of this lower, and lesser Suns light and glory, gave over, seriously wishing himself out of this body, that he might behold the Body of the Sun, and know his Essence. Enquire not after the name, es∣sence and generation of Christ: His Name is Wonderful, Secret. He dwels in light un∣accessible; wel may we at death, come to a clear view of these two Suns, and they are worth a death to come to a ful view of them, especially the Sun of righteousnesse, which we shal then see as he is 1 Joh 3. 3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, with open face; the sight of perfect vision: here we are said only 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, John 1. 14. attentè, consideratè spectare, contemplari. It is but a speculative Theory we have here. The Suns essence is a Quintessence, or rather a Sextessence, (a glorious essence indeed, or none such) being not of a grosse, mixt, but pure, simple, heavenly essence.

The heaven is a Quintessence purer farre then earth or the other elements; but the Starrs are purer then those heavens, and the Sun as much purer then all the starrs put to∣gether. There is a Confluence and Treasure of light put together in the Sun.

So is it with Christ. 1. His Divine Nature is the purest essence, heaven not Pure in his sight; The Angels far below him, they hide their faces in his presence, Isa 6. 2. as the les∣ser

stars their heads before the Sunne.

2. In his humane nature, There dwells the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily, Col. 3. 9. All treasures of wisdome, and knowledg, of grace and glory, more in Christ by far, then in all the Angels: as Saul above all Israel for Stature, higher from the shoulders and upwards, and Absalom above all Israel to be praised for his beauty, from his feet and up∣wards no blemish in him; so is Christ fairer then the children of men from the feet and upwards, and higher then the highest An∣gel from the shoulders and upwards.

1. This may check the pride and blasphe∣my of those proud spirits, and selfe anoin∣ting Cherubs, or new Christs, who call them∣selves not so low as Apostles, but are not, but Christs, and are not Apostles; who say, God is as much in them, as ever he was in Christ, because misunderstanding the sense of that 2 Pet. 1. 3. made partakers of the Di∣vine nature. There is but one Sun, a many Stars, which partake of the nature and light of the Sun: cannot these Stars partake of the Suns light, but they must be so many Suns, ceasing to be Stars? The divine nature we are said to be Partakers of, is the communicati∣on of Divine or holy (God like) qualificati∣ons, such whereof we are capable, excluding the perfections of Christ, which are not com∣municable to the creature. Like as Christ is said to partake of our humane nature, being in all things like to us excluding only these

imperfections of sin, whereof his Divine nature was not capable, nor were sutable to him.

The water cold by nature, when boyling on the fire, is made partaker of the nature of the fire, yet is water still; the waters cold∣nesse is not incapable of the fires heat; the fires heat expels not the waters moisture; there is fire and water both, water in nature; as fire in quality. The cold and rusty Iron in the fire, loseth both his coldnesse and co∣lour; of cold becoms fire hot, of rusty fire-red; It partakes of the nature of the fire, yet is but Iron still. Or as Judas may be said, when Satan entred into him, to partake of the na∣ture of the divel, He was a divel; he lived not, but Satan lived in him, (that is) he was full of all sin, hypocrisie, treason, im∣pudence, malice, Impenitence, despaire, as if he had been a very divel rather then a man; yet was Judas Iudas still, a man, not transformed (at least not trasubstantiated) into a Divel. So when Christ enters into us, we are so acted by him, that we seem not to live, but Christ in us, Gal. 2. 20. And so that other place, as much mis-understood, 1 Joh. 5. 17. As he is, so are we in this world, is to be taken; not as if there were no diffe∣rence at all between Christ and us; but there is 1. a sicut similitudinis, as is the father beget∣ting, so is the young infant begotten; Ora. oculique, manusque eadem; an As of like∣nesse. And there is a 2^d Sicut Aequalitatis,

As of Equality: As is God the Father, suc•• is the Son; Coessentiall, coeternal; not a•• [as] of equality, but of similitude betweene Christ and us, we receiving of his fulnesse grace for grace, the same grace, not the same fulnesse.

2. Then give unto Christ the Glory due un∣to his name, sutable to his nature, Divine glory. Worship this rising Sun; it is not idolatry, but Purest Religion, not base Po∣licie, but truest P••ety. The Sun was ido∣latrously worshipped with a forbidden wor∣ship among the Persians of old, and by some of the Atheistical Jews, Ezek 8. 16. But it is commanded that this Sun should be worship∣ped both by men and Angels, Heb. 1. 6. When he bringeth in his first be gotten into the world, he saith, l••t all the Angels of God worship him, Joh. 5. 23. that all men should honour the Son, as they honour the Father. Fear not then to give the same divine honour, religious wor∣ship to the Son, as to the Father, to believe in, place hope on, and make thy prayer to the Son of God. The creature Sun is to be admired for his Brightnesse; it is a shadow of the Deity, not to be adored. The Sun the Creator is to be adored, he being the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, The brightnesse of his glory, and the expresse image of his Person, who upholdeth all things by the word of his Power.

Notes

• Isa. 9 6.
• Job. 15, 15.
• 1 Sam. 10. 23. 2 Sam. 14. 25.
• Applicat.
• Naturam non vocat ipsam 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, sed cer∣••as (ut ita lo∣quar) qualita∣tes, quas Dei virtus in nobis efficit. Ergo Impii et Ridi∣culi sunt qui ex ••oc loco transfu sionem Divina essentiae in nos imaginantur ut Impius ille Ser∣••etus prafractè ad mortem us∣que defendit. Bez Ann in. lo∣••um.
• Joh. 6. 70.
• Heb. 1. 3.