And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to the fathers, lest I come and smite the earth (or rather the land) with a curse." For that by Elijah is here meant John the Baptist, we are assured by Christ himself.' And it is very observable, that as this prophet ends the Old Testament with a prediction of Elias, so St. Luke begins the new with a relation how John the Baptist was born, and so came into the world a little before Christ, as the morning-star that appeared before the rising of the Sun of righteousness.

But of the day which shall come at the rising of that glorious Sun, the prophet saith, that it'shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble, and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch,' It will be a terrible day to those that shall obstinately refuse to walk in the light of it; they shall be all consumed, as we read the unbelieving Jews were at the destruction of Jerusathem, that happened soon after that sun was up. But then turning himself, as it were, to his own people, almighty God, here by his prophet, cheers and comforts them, saying to them, ' But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise, with healing in his wings,' &c. He shall arise to all, but to the other with such a scorching heat as shall burn them up, to these with healing in his wings, or rays, so as not to hurt, but heal them of all their maladies.

Now, that which I chiefly design, by God's

1 Mal. iv. 5, 6.

2 Matt. xi. 14.

3 Mal. iv. 1.

assistance, to show from these words, is, what thoughts they suggest to us concerning our blessed Saviour, by calling him the Sun of righteousness.' But to make the way as plain as I can, we must first consider to whom he is here said to arise with healing in his wings,' even to those that fear the name of God; i. e. to those who firmly believing in God, and being fully persuaded of his infinite power, justice, and mercy, and also of the truth of all his threats and promises, stand continually in awe of him, not daring to do any thing willingly that may offend him, nor leave any thing undone, that he would have them do. Such, and

such only, can be truly said to fear God. And therefore the fear of God in the Scriptures, especially of the Old Testament, is all along put for the whole duty of man. There being no duty that a man owes, either to God or his neighbour, but if he really fears God, he will endeavour all he can to do it. But this necessarily supposes his belief in God, and his holy word, or rather proceeds originally from it. For, he that cometh unto God,' so as to fear and obey him, 'must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them who diligently seek him.' So that, as no man can believe in God, but he must needs fear him; so no man can fear God, unless he first believes in him. From whence it necessarily follows, that by those who are here said to fear the name of God, we can understand no other but only such as are possessed with a firm belief in him, and with a full persuasion of the truth and certainty of those divine revelations that he

1 Heb. xi. 6.

hath made of himself, and of his will to mankind, and therefore live accordingly.

In

Of these, and these only, it is here said, that to them shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings.' Not to any other; no other being able to see his light, nor capable of those healing influences that proceed from him. For though he be a sun, he is not such a sun as we see with our bodily eyes in the firmament, but 'the sun of righteousness,' shining in the highest heavens, beyond the reach of our senses, visible only to the eye of faith, the evidence of things not seen. somuch, that although he be risen, and darts down his beams to this lower world continually, yet they who have not faith, can neither see him, nor enjoy any more benefit by him, than as if he was not risen, or did not shine at all. As if a man be born stark blind, though the sun shine never so clear about him, he sees no more than he did before, but lives in the dark at noon-day as much as at midnight; neither can ye ever make him understand what light or colours are; for having not that sense, by which alone such things can be perceived, he can never understand what you mean by such things, so as to form any true notion of them in his mind: so it is in our present case; though the Sun of righteousness be risen, and shines most gloriously in the world, yet being the object only of our faith, without that a man can discern nothing of him. He may perhaps talk of light, but all the while he knows not what he means by the words he useth about it. For he useth them only as words in course, taken up from those he talks with, without having any effect or operation at all upon his

mind; whereas they who really believe God's word, and what is there revealed concerning the Sun of righteousness, see his light, feel his heat, experience the power and efficacy of his influences; and therefore, although they who have no faith (as few have) can be no way profited by what they shall hear or read of him, yet they who have, and act it out of what they hear or read out of God's holy word concerning him, they will find their thoughts and apprehensions of him cleared up, and their affections inflamed to him; so as to love and honour him for the future, as the fountain of all that spiritual life, and light, and joy they have: For to them he will arise with healing in his wings.'

He did not only arise once, but he continually ariseth to those who believe in God, and fear him. For thus saith the Lord, 'to you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings.' It is true, he speaks more especially of his incarnation, or visible appearance in the world; but, by this manner of speaking, he intimates withal that this Sun of righteousness is always shining upon his faithful people more or less, in all ages from the beginning to the end of this world. For in that it is said, he shall arise,' it is plainly supposed that he was the Sun of righteousness before, and gave light unto the world, though not so clearly as when he was actually arisen. As we see and enjoy the light of the sun, long before he riseth, from the first dawning of the day, though it grows clearer and clearer, all along as he comes nearer and nearer to his rising so the Sun of righteousness began to enlighten the world as soon as it was darkened by sin; the day then began to

break, and it grew lighter and lighter in every age. Adam himself saw something of this light, Abraham more; Abraham rejoiced to see my day,' saith this glorious Sun,' he saw it and was glad.' David and the prophets after him saw it most clearly, especially this, the last of the prophets; he saw this Sun in a manner rising, so that he could tell the people that it would suddenly get above their horizon. The Lord whom ye seek,' saith he, shall suddenly come to his temple,' and acquaints them also with the happy influences it would have upon them, saying, in the name of God, Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings.'

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The Sun of righteousness; that is, as I observed before, 'Jesus Christ the righteous,' who is often foretold and spoken of under the name and notion of the sun or star that giveth light unto the world: 'There shall come a star out of Jacob,' said Balaam.' And he shall be as the light of the morning when the sun riseth,' saith David. And the prophet Isaiah speaking of his coming, saith, 'The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light, and they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.' For that this was spoken of Christ, we have the authority of the evangelists. To the same purpose, is that of the same prophet, 'Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.'' The sun shall be no

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5 Isaiah, ix. 2. 7 Isaiah, lx. 1, 2.

3 Numb. xxiv. 17.

6 Matt. iv. 16.

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