46+ CHRIST's CoMING C:OMPAltED.'rO THAT OF A THIEF, &c. Book n. M E T A P H 0 R. D I S P A R I T Y. _IV. The. Morning Star gives IV. Jefus Cluilt giveth Light continually, Ltght only th the Ntght, but lofeth and ca.n never lole his Glory, becaufe a crreater its Glory when the Sun arifeth. Light than he cannot arife ; 'The Night n';,d the Day are alike to him. '!"he L ight jhineth ilz 'Dark– nefs, a11d the Darknefs comprehended it not, ]ohn i. 5· He is the Lord that is a11 everlafting Light, !fa. be 20. V. The Morning Star gives V. Jefus Clu i(l: gives L icrht to the vifible and L ight only to the vifible World. cdell:ial too, tO this World," and to the World to come, or heavenly ]erufalem, which City hath nl) need of Sun or Moon ttl fhine in it, but the Lord God and the L amb is the Licrht thereof. Y eare come toMount Z ion, to God the ] udge of all, and to ]efus the Media'lar, Heb. xii. VI.~ The Morning Star fhall fall VI. J efus fhall never fall from Heaven, nor from Heaven, or be dilfolved at be dilfolved, but abide and continue when the the general Conflagration of the Heavens fhall be no more. And thou, L ord, haft World ; the Heavens and the laid the Foundations of the Earth, and the Heavens tarth that now is are referved, are the Work of thy own Hands : '!"hey jhall wax &c. old as dotb a Garment; and as a Veflure jhalt thou change them, and they jhall be changed; but thou. 12rt rhe fame, aitd tby Yettrs Jail not; Jefus Chrijl the fame Y eflerday, 'l"o-day, andfor Ever, Pfa!. cii. 25, z6, 27. Heb. xiii. 8. and iii. 8. I N F E R E N C E S. l. W~AT f1;reat Love cloth God bear, .and what Care doth he take of Believers, m placmg fuch a Star as Jifu! Chrfjf ts, to be a Ltght unto them, to d1reCl: them how ttl fteer their Courfe in the darkeft Tirpe, fo as to !bun all dangerous Rocks and Sands, ant! tO arrive in fafety at the def.red and longed-for H aven ? II. How fafe are they that do alwa)'S fteer their Courfe by this Light, and follow 1lis ConduCl:? they fhall not be at a lofs in their Jql:tr-n.eys-and Voyages, nor fufler Shipwreck by Rocks, Sands, and Storms, but jhti!l have the L ight of Life, jball mver perijh. Believt in theL~rd J efus, and lhou jhalt be f aved, Atls xvi. 3'· Ill. This may fhew alfo the Certainty of their peri01ing in the llark and in the lJeep that continue their Courfe to the End of their Voyage without the L ight and Guidance of this Bright and Morning Star. 'l"his is the Condemuati01t, that Light i.i come into tbe W orld, and Men love Darknefl rather than Light, buaufe their Deeds are tvil, ]ohn iii. 12 . IV. I-lence all true Chri(l:ians (that have experimentally enjoyed E nlightnings, Re– frefhings, and Guidance by Jefus Chrift, as the Bright an9 Morning Star) may be ftir– ted up and perfuaded yet more and more to look unto }elus, who lS not only the Au– thor and Finifher of their Faith, but caufeth his glorious L ight to fhine upon their Path; by reafon whereof, the nearer they approach to the E nd of their joyful Journey or Race, the more and more will the Lightjhine unto the perjefl Day, Pro·v.tv. '~'l"ake heed therefore to that more fitre Word of Prophecy, as unto a Light that fh!ttetb in a dark Place, until the Day dawn, and the Day Star arife iil your Hearts, 2 Pet. I. '9· · V. La(l:!y, if Chri(l: be the Bright Morning Star; then let u• look and wn for the Day, which he is the Fore-runner of; feeing that the Mormng Star bath appeared and is up, be fute the Day is at hand, and a glorious Day it will be tO them who are pre– pared for it. THE CoMING oF CHRIST coMPARED TO THf1 CoMI NG OF A T H I E F lN THE N 1G HT. But you yourfelveJ know perjeflly, that th~ Day of the Lord fo cometh, as a 'l"bief i1z t.be Night, I 'I"he.f!. v. 2. THERE are various Opinion! concerning thc.?ay of tbeL ord, or Coming of Chrift, fpoken of, Mall. ;xxiv. Luke x;xi. a Pet. 111. 9• 10. and m thts T ext. But If the Scope of die Text be but ~arefully tonfidtr~d, it will.clea,rly appear, that th~ Comtn!t· 2
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