CHRIST THE SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. Eook II. METAPHO~ D!SPARIT~ rifes fooner or later, proportionable the IOes afar ofl~ to the Glory of his rich and un– to the Difference of the Longitude fpeakable Grace and Love to us, in Chrift Jefus of each Parallel. om Lord. XXIV. The Sun is of a more XXIV. Chrift warms and heats the Soul, which healing, warming, refre01ing, and of itfdf is cold, earthly, and of a benumbed reviving Qolality, than any CreaConftitution. He fends the Comforter, by him ture in Nature. It is alfo of a we are quickened, &c. John xiv. 16. He gives burni~g Qolality, for by a burningReft, he is the Refurrecrion, and the Life of hi' Glafs it will fee combultible Things People, and therefore their Reviver, John xi. 25 . <ln Fire. As a Refiner's Fire, he burns our Urofs, Hay, . Stubble, &c. And if this Fire be cherilhed, it parches and dnes up the Weeds and Trafh, the Thorns and Briars that "'row in our Souls, ns predominant Sin and Luft, all Self-love, Corruption, and carnai'Confidence, &c. which elfe would choke the Word and ftifle all good Motions in us. See Refiner. XXV. The Sun is of an illuXXV. Chrill: is the Light of Men, John iv. minating and difcovcring Q,Jality, 4, 5, 9· Natural or moral Light is too dim, like expofes to view what the Night the Moon, to difcover the fecret Pollutions of the hides, which the Moon (though Soul; it cannot make you fee the Corruption and unclouded, and at full) cannot fo Filth of fuch as lie'in their Blood, beingCaptives to well do. It fl1ews Things as they Satan; the Heart does receive no Light, but what are. In the Dark we may ll:umblc comes from this Sun of Rie:hteoufnefs; without it and fall, yea, handle venomous we fhall !l:umble and fall, converfe with Sin which Creawres, or fall into Dens, and envenoms the Soul, and at !all: tumble blindfold tumble from Precipices, &c. So into Hell and eternal Damnation. By this blelfed that by its Light we are guided Light is difcovered, 1. What Sin is, and its Na– in all the Actions of our natural ture and Confequences; for though natural Con– Life. fcience (if it may be fo called) arraigns us for Immorality, or any Jlreach of the Law of Nature, yet it is too dark, and far iliort of difcovering the horrid Filth and abominable Evil of Sin in a Gofpd-way; that is the Work of the Spirit, and it is only fpiritually difcerned. 2. This fpiritual Sun, or Gofpei-Light, fhews the fad and lam<ntable Condition of fallen Man by Sin. 3· How infignificant the World, with all its out– ward Pomp and imaginary Glory, is to releafe him, and afford any folid Content or Satisfacrion. 4· It uifcovers the Craft and Subtilty of Satan, that Arch-Enemy of Souls. 5· It reveals (as far as frail Man can comprehend it) the Being of God, in his glorious Attributes, and moll: fublime Perfecrions. 6. It holds forth the tranfcendtnt Excellency of Jefus Chri.ft, and the abfolute Neceffity there is for poor fallen Man to have an lmereft in him, in order to his Peace with God. 7· It mforms us which are falfe Ways, who arc Heretics, where the falfe Church is, &c. which are Things not to be known, but by the bleJfed Light of this Sun of Righteoufnefs, fhining in his Word, 'Viz. the holy Scriptures. · This Sun of Righteoufnefs gives us Light and DireCtion in all the Ways of God's holy Worfhip; tlm Soul-Guide leads in the right Way of Wifdom, and m the Mtd!l: of the Paths of Judgment: He leads the Blind by a vVay they knew not, and makes Darknefs Light before them, and crooked Things ll:raight. See the Metaphor Light. XXV(. The Sun is of a very XXVI. What can be fo defirable, fo comfortpleafing and rejoicing Qclaliry: As able, as the Light of God's Countenance, to have Darknets and Sadnefs are Compathis Sun of Righteoufnefs fhmmg on us? Davtd nions,foareLightandjoy. When accounted it the one Thing delirable, 'that he the Heavens are obfcured with might dwell in the Houft of the Lord all the Days black Clouds, the whole Creation of his Life, to behold the Beauty of tbe L ord, and fympathizes, and looks fadly, but to e~~quire in his 'temple, Pfal. x-:v11. 4· If the when the Clouds are fcattered, and Beams of this fpiritual Sun be wJthdrawn, the the Sun appears in its native BrightSoul is reftlefs till it finds them, feekmg every nefs, its Light is fweet, and, as Sowhere, and crying out with the .s.poufe, Saw ;•e lomon fays, It is a pleafant 'thing him whom my Soulloveth? Cant. llt. 2. Hts Favor fsr the Eys·to behold the Sun, EccJ. and Loving-kindnejs zs better than Life, Pfal. :xi. 7. lxiii. 2, 3· 3 XXVII. When
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