Part I. METAPHORS FROM HEAVEN; 103 fweeter than Honey to the Souls of fuch as are taught of God, Pfal. xix. 10. and cxix. 103 . but to others, as WOrmwood, Rev. viii. 11. becaufe they ratle nothing but Bitteroefs and a Denunciation of Damnation in it. .. . 4 . A Star -led rhe .W•fe-men to Chrijl, Matt. 11. 9· Mznijlers propofe only that End in Preaching, J Cor. 11. 2. . 5 . It is faid, Ecclef. xliii. 10. That at the Commandment of the Holy One, they, (v 1z ; the Stars) willftand in their Order, a11d never faint in th"eir ff7atches. Of the Minifters of the Word it is faid, Heb. xiii. '7· '!'hat they watch for the Souls of Men. Nor ought they to be difcouraged in their Watches, nor faint becaufe of the World's Ingratitude, bur both by Doctrine and good Example to keep the fame Order conftantly; and fo; they !hall be quire <iifferent from thefe wandering Stars, to whum IS referved th~ Black~ ncfs of Darknefs for ever, Jude Verfe '3· They are to take care that all Thmgs be done decently, and In order m the Church, 1 Cor. XIV. 40. 6. It is fa id of the Stars, that they fought from Heav en, agaiiljf the Enemies of thi P eople ofGod, Judg. v. 20. So a mort grievous Fighta~ain!t Devils is propofed to .the Mim!ters of the Word, Eph. v1. 12. Let them look to It therefore, that they manage their Warfare rightly, 2Cor. x. ,, 4, 5· that they may be able to glory in the L ord; for the heavenly Reward that will follow, 2 'Iim. iv. 7, 8. 7. It is faid of the Stars, that together with the Su11 and Moon they divide between the Day and between the Night, and ere f ar Signs, andfor Seafons, andfor Days, andfor Years, ,Gen. i. 14. So it is the Duty of Gofpel Minilters to divide between tire Day and Night, L ia ht and Darknefs, that is, to inculcate and diligently lhew the Difference between' Go"od and Evil, Piety and Wickednefs, !fa. v~ 20. Jer. xv. 19. Rom. xiii. 12, lj. 2 Cor. vi. 14, 15, &c. Alfo to give Signs and Seafons, that is, to prov ide fo as that the Public Worlhip of Goct be kept up timely and feafonably, and in their minifterial Function to impart their Gifts fuitably to the Wants of the Flock in the refpeCl:ive Seafons, that to there may be no Diforder or Confuuon-tojhew alfo Days and Nights, that is, to proclaim the acceptable Year of our Lord, lfa. !xi. 2 . and earnd'tly to incul– cate the appointed Day in which the Lord will judge the World in Righteoufncfs, .dils xvii. 31. ~. It is fa id of the Stars, that they differ from one another in Glory. So there is a great Diverfity of the Gifts of the Spirit, in the M inifl:ers of the vVord, 1 Cor. xii. 4, &c. 9· All the Stars of L ight are commanded to prai(e God, Pfal. cxlviii. 3· with Jo!! xxxviii. 7· So all the Mini!lers of the Word, what Meafure of Grace foever they have received, or whatfoever Gift they exercife in the Church, ought with Ardor of Spirit to praife the Lord, to ferve him heartily, and without Selfifhnefs or Envy to preierve mutual Peace and Concord among themfelves, and their Reward !hall be certain if they behave themfelves faithfully, and not only in this World, but alfo in Eternity. ro. Stars were feen by John ':Vorn in the Right-hand of Chrijl, Rev. i. 20. So let the faithful L abourers in the Gofpel loe certain of a moll: gracious Protection by the omnipotent H and of Chri!t, lfa.Ii. 16, &c. and in the Life to come they that turn· many unto Righteoufnefs fhalllhine, as the Stars for ever and ever, Da11. xii. 3· So much fo r ecclefiaftical Stars. The Stars being obfcured, fometimes denote Ca– lamity, Ifa. xiii. 10. Ezek. xxxii. 7· Joel ii. 10. as was faid before of the Sun and Moon. The brighte!t Star that fhines in our View is called in Greek~"'~~''"' ( Pho.JPoros) in Latin Lucifer, both which Words fignify a Bringer of Light, in Hebrew it is called ~.,,,.,of the Root .,.,,., ( Halal) which fignifies to fhine, and is metaphorically tranfiated to defcribe the unexpected Ruin and Overthrow of the King of Baby/on, lfa, xiv. 12. How art thou f allen from Heaven, 0 Lucifer, So11 of the Morning. That Star is called Son of the Morning, becaufe while it accompanies the Morning, ir feems, as it were,– to be born of it. Its Courfe is perpetual and contlant, fo that it was not feared that it lhould fall from Heaven. And theref01e to Appearance it feemed impoffible and in– credible that fo great a King, illultrious and fplendid in Power and Maje!ty beyond' other Kings (as the Morning Star is before other Stars) lhoufd fall from his lofty and' magnificent Grandeur. Pope Gregory upon Ezekie!, and other School Doctors expound this of the Devil's Fall, becaufe the Prince of Devils is called Lucifer. Bt~t this Epi·– t het does not belong to rhat malignant Spirit in this Place, for God himfelf confirms our Explication, Verfe 4· faying, Thou !halt take up this Parable, (Proverb, or taunt– ing Speech, for fo the H ebrew is) again[!; the King of Bab)'lo11, not again·ft the Devil, &c.
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