·Book II. CHRIST THE SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. METAPHOR. XVlii. The Sun is powerful in 'its Operation, in expelling Dark– nefs; the Night vanilheth at its Approrch ; the Clouds, and dark 'Vapors of the Morning, are alfo fcattering and difperfcd by the ·Operation ofit~ powerful Beams. XIX. When the Sun hath chafed away the thick Vapors and dark ·Fo!SS of the Morning, it callfes a very fweet and lovely Day fhining ·fonh with great Splendor ar.d Brightnefs. XX. The Influence of the Sun is very extenfive, it reached1 to every Creatu re, it penetrates into •the Bowels of the Earth, and dives as deep as the Bottom of the Sea; ·nothing is hid from his Heat. He il10ots forth his Beams like fo many Darts, to pierce the Body of the Earth, and with his light·giving ]{ays, makerh fearch into the low– d1: and darkeft Dungeons. His Remotenefs from the Earth im– ·pedes not his Operation. XXI. The Sun dries up and ex– hales the grofs and filthy Vapors ·of the Earth, which otherwile would corrupt the A ir, and render it peftilent and infectious, and is therefore of a heoling ~tality. XXI I. The Sun is ufeful to Ge– neration and ProduEtion; many 'Precious Fruits are brought forth 'by it. It makes the Plants, which <vere laid (as it were) in the Grave, to rife and fpring up again. Hence the Sun is called by fame, Anima Mundi, the Sottl of the World, becaufe i-t animates the Creatures. XXIII. The Sun viGts not every Hemifphere, nor fhines in every -H orizon at the fame Time; and it differs in the Degrees of Heat, in the refpeCl:ive Latitudes, ac<:ord– ing as they are nearer to, or more remote from the Equinoctial. Some Places beyond the Tropics, as ·Greenl@d, &c. fee it not in many Months. And it is well known, .that according to the Situation of P laces, as they bear from each other, Eaft and Weft, the Sun PARALLEL. XVi!I. Chrift appearing and rifing upon the Soul, drives away and difpells Darknefs, turns Night into Day, and fcatters all the Clouds and black Mifts of Sin, Ignorance, and Unbelief, in the Soul; and not only fo, but alfo by the In– fluences of his Word, anrl glorious Operations of his Gofpel, he difpells the dark Fogs of Igno– rance, Error, and Confufion in the World. XIX. The LQrd J efus when he hath fcattered and drove awav, by the glorious and powerful Rays of his Word and heavenly DoCl:rine, all Error, Herefy, and A."tichriltian Darknefs, will make a lovely and gl<>rious Day in the World, as he cloth now in the Soul of a Believer, !fa. lx. r, 3, 4, 5, 19, 20. and Jxii. z. XX. The Influences of ChriO: reach to every Crcarure; there is nothing in Heaven, Earth, or Hell, which he finds not out; all Things are naked ro him, becaufe his Eye is every where, Heb. iv. 13. Whither jhall I go from thy Spirit? or whither }hall I fly from tby Prefence.? lf I afcend up to Heaven, thou art tbere; and if I make my Bed in Hell, behold thou art there, &c. Pfal. cxxxix. 7, 8. Though he be feared in Hea– ven, yet his Hand reaches w the Earth, as well as his E):e. H e is prefent, by his Knowledge and powerful Working, in every Place and Corner of the Earth. XX I. Chrift exhales and dries up the ll:inking polluted Smks of Sin and Corruption, which elle would infect and dertroy the Souls of his People. He purifies the inward Man, always refining it from rhe Dregs of the Fle01, and the Root of Bitternels; and is therefore the Soul-Phyfician, !fa. !xi. r. and liii. 5· Matt. ix. 20. XXII. By the Spirit of Chrift we are regene– rated or born again, John iii. 5· H~iinefs, Faith, Love, Joy, &c. and al l fuch precious Fruits, are the ProduCtions of the holy Spirit, through Chrift, Grt!. v. 22. Such as lie (as it were) buried· in the Grave of Sin and fpiritual Mifery, 01all (whet> the quickening Beams of this !piritual Sun fhine upon their Soul;) have a Refurrecl:ion from that Death, Eph. ii. r. and by its Efficacy fhall their Bodies alfo be raiied from the Duft at the !all: Day, John v. z8. I 'l'bef/ iv. 16. XXlii. The Beams of Gofpel-Light, and Di– vine Illumination, do not thine alike in everv Na– tion, nor in every Soul. In fOme Europe4n Coun– tries, efpecially in England; they are more bright and radiant than elfewhcre. A great many Places want the Comfort of this fpirttual Sun, more than Greenland wants the Prelcnce of the created Sun ; for there the Sun fhines half the Year, but in many Heathen Countries the Sun·fhine of the Gofpel has not yet arofe ; yea, even in Palejline, and the adjacent Countries, where it firft fhone moft gloriouOy, its Light is fot the moft !'art (if not altogether) removed, and communicated to 5 L the
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