The Gofpel of the New Moons. 443 not biefs God in this Solemnity for the Moon when it Was at the full then more of the Creature is feen : But 'then there is lead of the Crea- tore, then God muff be owned even in the leaft of Mercies. 2. The Renovation of the Church in away of Grace, as well as thtCrea ture in the way of Providence we mutt own God in that, and de- pend on him for it : For the Church is compared in Scripture to the Moon, Plat. 89. 37. it [hall be effablifhed for ever ívs the Moon, and as a faithful Witnefs in Heaven. Cant. 6. 9. Who ih this that looketh forth fair co the Moon, &c. As the Moon borrows her Light from the Sun So the Church borrows her Light from Jefus Chrift, who is the Sun of Righteoufnefs. As the Church is compared to the Moon : So Chrift to theSun ; for fo he is called, Mal. 4. 2. but toyou that fear my Name [hall the Sun of Righteoufnefs arife with healing in his Wings. The Church borrows her Light fromChrift the Son of Righteoufnefs, as the Moon doth from the Sun in the Firmament ; for Chrift is compared to the Sun, as well as the Church to the Moon. As the Moon borrows her Light and Luftre from the Sun, and is renewed by the Afpe&s and In- fluences thereof : So the Church by Influences fromChrift, who is in- deed the Son of Righteoufnefs, renewing the State of the Church efpe- cially under the Gofpel. And therefore all thofe Duties which were to be performed on the NewMoons, fo far as they are perpetual, ought to be more plenti- fully and more abundantly performed under the Gofpel : As abltain- ing from fervile Works, from Sin, the wotft ofServitudes, feeking 'nitration, and attending upon the Ordinances for that end, the founding of the Silver Trumpet of the Gofpel, abounding in spiritual Sacrifices, and agreeing in Love andAmity, eating their Bread in fin- glenefs of Heart. 3. Here feemeth to be likewife fome intimation of that great My.. fiery of the Incarnation of Yefus Chrift, I mean his Conceptionof the Holy Ghoft in the Womb of the Virgin Mary. For this aimed at Chrift, as all the other Ceremonies of the Law and Holy Times and Seafons did.And fome have gone about to make it out, thus ; That look as Chrift fulfil- led other great Types and Ceremonies of the Law inother Things : So be did in this. As the Feaft of Tabernacles pointed to the time of his Birth on the fifteenth day of the feventh Month : So if from thence we reckon thirty eight Weeks backward, it will carry us to the change of the Moon, at which time is a great Conjunaion or Union of thofe two great Luminaries theSun and the Moon. Here they thinkmay be fome dark and weak fhadowof the Conjun&ion or Unionof the twoNa- tures of Chrift in one Perfon ; when he became fiil,as cepOrc r0°, which L11 2 lae
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