The Rising Sun, Chapter 17 – Chapter 18
CHAP. XVII. The likenesse of both in sundry Accidents.
WE are now come to the last thing wherein the agreement holds betweene these two Suns, viz. certaine Accidents; whereof 1. one greater; 2. many lesse.
The greatest is that of the Eclipses, which these two great Luminaryes are subject to. The less…r Luminary, the Sun sometimes loseth his light and Lustre; and this greater Luminary hath sometimes lost the glory and brightness of his Godhead in his Exinanition, and in that self emptying abasement of his Passion. The Suns Eclipse is often and ordinary, but this was extraordinary, preternatural, and but once.
2. The Sun is never totally Eclipsed; in part often. (His body being so many times bigger then the Moon's interposed, seven thousand times bigger, cannot lose all his light.) So Christ might be in his Person eclipsed to the unbelieving Jewes by his poverty, Cross and afflictions (whereby he was made lower then Heb. 2 9the Angels) when some others (even then) saw his glory, as the glory of the Only Begotten John 2, 14of God, full of Grace and Truth.
2. In his Truth, by Hereticks and prevailing Errors.
3. In his Regal Power, when persecuting enemies and Tyrants encroach on his Churches Liberty, and his Prerogative, breaking his bonds and the Churches hedg. But he is never totally eclipsed, because his power and grace doth more then seven thousand or ten thousand times exceed all Tyrants power, Hereticks Policy, persecuters rage, and Satans malice.
3. Yet was there once (never but once) a total Eclipse of the Sun; extraordinary it was, viz. at the time of Christ his Passion. Christ never had the light of his Fathers countenance wholly suspended, but then in Articulo Passionis, when he cryed out, Eli-Eli-Lama-sabactani. Such an Eclipse never did▪ nor can happen again: then did it appear Christ set his Tabernacle in the Sun; that was his Chariot or Apostle. The Sunnes darknesse then enlightned the world, andThere was dark ness over all the earth from the sixth to the ninth hour, that is, from twelve a Clock to three Matth. 27. 45 made the Philosopher cry out, Deus naturae patitur, aut mundi Machina dissolvitur. Either the God of Nature is now suffering, or the frame of the world is dissolving; then both Suns suffered, and were eclipsed together, and went down at noon day; the Sun of the Lord, and that Lord of the Sun.
4. The Suns Eclipse is only caused by the interposition of the Moons dark body, which hath all her light from the Sun. The Sun is then obscured, and the new changed Moon (never else seen by day) then dare shew her self.
It is the only interposing the Churches dark body of sin and guilt, made this Sun obscured. She hath no light of her owne, but borroweth of him, and hee was content to lose all his glory protempore, that his Church and every new changed (converted) soul may appear before God with boldness, not otherwise able to abide the tryal of his presence.
5. It is a sight sad to behold when the Sun is Eclipsed: and it was the saddest day and hour of darknesse that ever was in the world, when Christ was put to death.
6. The Sun as to us seemeth, to lose his light; but as to Heaven, gives more. And Christ never shined more bright in Heaven, never gave like satisfaction to God, more Joy to Angels, Glory to Saints, then in his Passion. Then did the pleasure of the Lord prosper Isaia… 53. 2in his hand. He that was before pleased in his Person, was now more pleased in his Passion. In this only expiatory sacrifice did God smel a savor of rest. This was to our Saviour a day of Triumph, his Cross was the Trophy of his Victory and success, whereon he was lifted up and exalted: then was sin, death, hell swallowed up in Victory. The dread of this Crosse, triumphed over Hell, spoyling all those principalities, and thereby leading captivity captive. The bloud of this Crosse tryumphed in Heaven: Having made peace … the bloud of his Crosse, Col. 1. 20. And th… Merit of his Crosse triumphed in the Church which ever since hath taken up those Angelical Hymnes, Glory to God on high, on eart… Rev. 5. 12 and 7. 10peace, good will towards men. Salvation … ascribed to the Lamb that was slaine, and glory to the Sun that was obscured. This w… the day wherein ou… great High Priest we… in his richest Robes into the Holy of Holies with his own bloud (but bearing all o… Names in his brest, and all our iniquities o… his shoulder) and hath made an everlastin… attonement or expiation, and the greatest Holy day the world ever saw.
7. The Sun eclipsed hath the same ligh… in it self, is only hid from us for a while, b… recovers it self presently, and shines again … gloriously as before. There may be mis… and darkness interposing between us and God, between Christ and the Father none between the Sun and the earth the Moon▪ between the Sun and heaven no Moon to interpose: And changes there may seeme to b… between us and God; between Christ and the Father all is well.
Satan might bruise his heel, Herod, Iews▪ Pilate might reproach, condemne, crucifie bury, set a guard about the Sepulcher. But if it be said, Who shall bind the influences of the Pleiades? with what bonds of death … …t then possible to hold the Prince of life prisoner?
8. Some great Scholers have said, The Suns Eclipse bodes much ill to this lower world, and that the sad effects thereof are such, that the world is the worse for it seven years after, ere it recover it self. The truth whereof I'l not dispute: but certaine I am, the sad effects of this Eclipse upon the Land of Iudea, where it was most visible, are not yet …ased, but for this One thousand six hundred yeares it hath felt the miseries which followed on their Crucifying the Lord of Glory.
9. Lastly, The Suns Eclipse is said to Prognostick great changes, downfal of Kingdomes, and deaths of Tyrants, &c. Sure I am, that this Eclipse did not foretel as a Prognostick, but produce as the immediate cause, the greatest changes in heaven and earth. Then was Satan ruined; this Eclipse was his bane. When the Vyal of Gods wrath was poured on this Sun, and hee hadJohn 19. 30 cryed, foreign, It is finished, then was Satans Kingdome darkned, divided, destroyed, then was the Prince of this world judged and cast out; and then was there nothing but gnawing of tongues all the Kingdom of the Dragon over.
2. There are many lesse Accidents.
1. The Sun is sometimes present, sometimes absent, respectu nostri, but alwayes present in heaven, Christ sometimes leading his Beloved, sometimes leaving his Beloved; alwayes interceding and giving light in heaven, when his light shineth not on us.
2. Sometimes it hides it selfe, sometimes showes it self; but his light is intrinsecally the same without change. So there may bee changes in us, mists about us, stormes above us; none in Heaven. Amas nec estuas; z… las Austin, Conf. l. 1.& securus es; Poenitet te & non doles; irasceris & tranquillus es; opera mutas, …c mutas consilium. God is not changed when we are changed; we are angry and sin, repentVult mutationem, non mutat voluntatem. and change our mind. He is angry without Passion, jealous without affection, repents without grieving, changeth his dispensation, not his disposition.
3. Sometimes Sun riseth early, shines out at first rising gloriously, yet a stormy day followes, and again clears up at even, and all ends well. Some in first Conversion have much peace and comfort, as Job, Solomon, the Wise men, had the Star at first setting out, afterwards sad stormes, desertions and tryals; but all ended well.
4. Sometimes at Sun rise the morning is gray, dark, duskish, and the day the fairer. What stormes were at the Conversion of the Jaylor and of Paul? yet all faire after.
5. Sometimes the Sun not seen all day, but showres from morning till almost Sun-set, then Sun breaks out and sets sereuely, and promiseth a fair day following. Some true Christians have not a good day after their Conversion till death, as some mothers between Conception and Delivery ever ill, yet then do well. Christ fulfils that to many which he spake to his Disciples, They shall see the Kingdome of God in Power before they taste of death, and when seen, dy; that setene evening the forerunner of the fair day of Eternity.
6. The un begins with light, then followes heat. Christ his first work on the new Creature is light, therewith Conviction, Consolation after. Grace and Peace are twins, but Grace the elder sister. The Evening Gen. 1went before the Morning in the first Creation; sorrow goeth before joy in the true Conversion. He that believes before hee repents, must (as Magus was directed) reActs 8, 22 pent after such believing, and repent of it. Saul the King had many merry signes and much joy before any sorrow, as the stony ground had all his joy at first. Saul the chosen Vessel had a sad beginning with many sorrowes, but his joy followed and remained. The Butler had nothing but feares at first,Gen 4… and joyes at last. The Baker all hopes and joyes, but they ended in sorrowes.
7. The Sun sometimes discovers it selfe by light and heat both (as in Summer;) sometimes as much light but no heat, as in Winter, when it freezeth in the shade. Sometimes the Godly soul hath Grace and Peace together Gods love shining in his heart, hi… heart again warm with love to God; sometimes his heart frozen, as to any perception of the love of God to his owne apprehension▪ when the by-stander sees it cleare day, … to the manifest actings of Grace and Holinesse.
8. The Sun when it is hid, it is the mist… from below that do hinder the light of it. Nothing but our sin doth separate between God and Isaiah 69. 2us, causing his face to be hid. Cold taken i… the feet offendeth the head, and fumes from within the stomack offend the braine. O… faith is damped, joy eclipsed, soul distempered, yea, Christ the head offended, only by the miscarriages and distempers from those Lusts that war in our Members.
9. We observe that before Sun doth rise, there is nothing but grosse darknesse; the Sun risen chaseth away that darkness, but the… are seen long shadowes which appeared no… before, but as Sun goeth higher, these grow less till Sun withdraw and decline, the… these shadowes increase againe; but the Sun never shineth so clearely, but that there is a shadow inseparable from the Body.
So till Christ arise, nothing but darknesse in the soul; at his first arising this darknesse scattered, but then long shadowes of much corruption appear, (till then not suspected) but Christ shining longer, these grow less… and lesse; But he withdrawing, these get head again, and we as bad to our thinking as ever; but never any so perfect here as to be free from sin; It doth easily beset us, and we are all Periscii, in this sense; sin is as inseparable from our imperfect nature here, as the shadow from the body. Those under the Line are called, Ascii, Shadowless, where the Sun is Vertical, and directly over their heads. In Heaven we shall be so, when under the direct Rayes of Christ his face and presence. Here he beholds us but oblique…, so that if we be not all corruption on both sides, as the Amphiscii, yet we have at least a dark side, and so are Heteroscii.
10, Once more. The Sun, how doth it with his beames alter the native and usual colour of things? rising, it gilds the clouds, enamels the drops of dew, makes them look like so many drops of Pearle; but especially, how doth it adorne that watry melting cloud whereon the Rainbow is set, the reflection of his own face, with all the delightful colours which the eye can behold?
So Christ arising and shining upon the black uncomely soul, puts it into another complexion. When thou wast deformed, I made thee comely through my comelinesse; and thou wast perfect through my comelinesse which I put upon thee, Ezek. 16. 14. Oh how sweetly do young Converts look? who are as the dew of the youth, coming out of the womb of this morning-Sun, Psal. 1 10. 3.
But especially, what beauty is that put upon the melting and heart broken Christian! upon him is set the Rainbow of the Covenant, and upon him are put all the Ornaments Christ can bestow upon him; as Religious Mordecai (formerly in sack…loth) advanced by the favour of the King, and going out fro… the presence of the King in Royal Apparel, of blue and white, with a Royal Crown of gold upon his head, with garments of fine linnen and purple, Esth. 8. 15.
Yet sometimes the Sun arising and appearing, hath represented some things in a more dreadful appearance then before, 2 Kings 3. 22. When the Moabites rose up early in the Morning, and the Sun shone upon the water in the trenches, the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as bloud, and said, This is bloud, &c. Nothing represents sin in so horrid and amazing a dresse to the …ouls apprehension, as the breaking out of this Sun. Then break out, thou Sun of Righteousness, upon our watry mourning hearts, and set on thy Rainbow the token of thy Covenant; but let thy shining turne all that standing water in the deep ditches or trenches of corruption in our hearts into so much bloud, that we may drink no more of them, but with amazement look upon former, and with fear and horror fly from future sins.
11. Lastly, to name no more. The Sun shining out in his strength, disperseth clouds and mists, but (though it causeth not one, yet) it discovers a world of m…tes, which are never taken away, for they hinder not at all the brightness of the Sun. So when Christ shineth out most gloriously to the soul, it now sees what it could never have seen or imagined before: I have heard of thee by the hearing …f the ear, but now mine eye hath seen thee, wherefore I abhor my self, and repent in dust and ashes, Job 41. 5, 6. He now saw a world of motes.
But as it is the imperfection of our conditionQuadam sun… delicta Quotidianae incursionis, quibus omnes sumus objecti, &c. in nego…i…, in officiis, in quaestu, in victu, in visu, in auditu, quanta ten…amur, …t …i nulla …it venia istorum, nemini salus competat. Tertul, de Pudicit. here not to be free from such continual Motes, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men that they are vaine, Psal 94. 11. Yea, every man in his best estate is altogether vanity. So it is our comfort and happinesse, that these no ways lessen the brightness of Christ his Love and Grace (for then no flesh could be saved.) But as these sins do abound (.i. appear) so doth his Grace abound (.i. appear) much more.
CHAP. XVIII The unlikenesse and disagreement between the Sun and Christ.
TO make an end of this first point. There is in many things an vnlikenesse between these two great Lights, between whom hitherto we have noted so many agreements.
1. This is a creature, therefore …inite in his essence, operation, motion, influence. But Christ every way infinite, being the creating, not created Sun.
2. This lower sun shall suffer many changes, his light shall be turned into darknesse, the Moon into blood, and they shall both cease, There shall be no more Sun: but this SunActs 2. 20 Rev. 22. 5 Heb. 1, 8 remaineth for ever; Thy Throne, O God, is for ever and ever. When the Sun ceaseth to be the light of the world, the Lamb shall bee the light of the Church.
3. This shines on the good and bad alike; but Christ riseth, shineth, warmeth,Matth. 5. 45 healeth, saveth only those that feare his name.
4. The Sun really absents it selfe for a time, but Christ from the Godly soul never, but in our apprehension.
5. This gives only light to the body, Christ to the soul.
6. This gives only light to us, we must find …ight our selves; Christ gives both eyes to see the light, and the light to bee seene. The Eye, Eye▪salve, and Light all are from him; in his light we see light. In any good we do, we are but Instruments or subordinate Agents; hee the prime Efficient and chief Agent, without whom nothing. We are but the hearth, the fire is his; we the Lamp, the Oyle is his; we the mouth, the tongue is his; w…e the pen, the writing his. What can the hearth, the Lamp, the mouth, the pen do, without the fire, the oyle, the tongue, or hand?
7. The Sun moveth naturally and necessarily, keepes a constant course, goeth and cometh again only to those Climes where he ever formerly did. Christ moveth voluntarily and arbitrarily, goes to some at last that never were a people; and when the GospelRom. 9. 25 is slighted, departeth for ever, never to return againe to such as from thenceforth become Lo-Ammi, and Lo-Ruhamah.
8. The Sun makes those more black that are nearer to his Beames. But Christ them of all others most fair and beautiful that are under his Beames.
9. The Sun fills the Moon with his light onelyonly in the time of their opposition, But Christ the soul with his light only in conjunction.
10. The Suns presence is oft-times the Mother of corruption, his heat the Efficient cause of Putrefaction (as in Summer our meat and drink keep worse.) But this Suns presence is the only preservative against putrefaction, and the only enemy to corruption in the spirit.