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cause_n	great_a	sin_n	world_n	2,522	5	4.6350	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76372	Jesus Christ the mysticall or Gospell sun, sometimes seemingly eclipsed, yet never going down from his people: or, Eclipses spiritualized. Opened in a sermon at Paul's before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, aldermen, &c. March 28. 1652. The day before the late solar eclipse. By Fulk Bellers, Master of Arts, and preacher of the Gospel in the city of London.	Bellers, Fulk, b. 1605 or 6.	1652 (1652)	Wing B1827; Thomason E665_15; ESTC R206852	31,076	41

at night yet joy will come in the morning Yet 2 They are seldome prodigious I have read indeed that Solar eclipses have had sometimes judgements seemingly to bring up the rear of them and hence some have not stuck to father them upon the eclipses Groundlesly as 1 Famine as that foretold by n Acts 11. Agabus is pretended by some to be ushered in with an horrible eclipse if we believe Historians Dion which famine continued for five years and the prices of all things came to be increased eight times more then ordinarily 2 Captivity Alsted Chron. pag. 54. as that into Babylon And some deem the ruine of the Jews was portended by that horrid miraculous eclipse at the death of Jesus Christ 3 Pestilence as that great eclipse in the first Peloponessian warre when as the whole body of the Sun was almost darkned so that many stars by day were seen of divers and which is reputed by some to have ushered in that grievous Attique plague whereof scarce the like whereby Athens was almost quite destroyed Thucid. lib. 2. pag. 117. 127. c. and that great pestilence which did miserably afflict all Germany and France in the year 1093. 4 Earthquakes As that horrid Eclipse in anno mundi 3733. When the earth was shook 57 times in one year after such a prodigious defect of the Sun And that in Gordian's time Julius Capitolinus in vita Gordiani tertit pag. 161. anno Christi 237. wherein many cities were ruined and many men lost their lives when day was turned into night and men could not see any thing without candle-light 5 Persecutions as that stirred up by Antiochus Epiphanes and that by Antichrist against John Husse and Jerom. of Prague when the Papists did confirme that hellish doctrine that Faith is not to be kept with Hereticks Alsted Chron. pag. 61. And when the darknesse was so horrid that the birds fell down dead upon the ground 6 Yea abundance of errours and blasphemies as Arianisme in Constantius's time abounding after that eclipse and that sad controversie about image-worship between the Eastern and Western Churches was fained by some to have been ushered in by an eclipse of the Sun Eginhard in vitâ Caroli magni Apparuit per septem dies macula nigri coloris c. And all that darkning of Gospel light under all those successive Popes seemed to some ushered in by that great eclipse preceding the death of Charles the Great after which the Sun seemingly wore a black patch seven dayes successively if we may credit it 7 Wars which sometimes have proved very bloudy as that of Darius when routed by Miltiades and after by Alexander where he lost 90000 of his men in one pitched battle and that of Xerxes in two remarkable battels also It cannot be denied but these have been the fore-runners sometimes yet we cannot justly stile them the causes of these great judgements But 1 When such like judgements at any time befall us Christians they are more to be imputed to the conjunction of our sins then to the conjunction of the Planets And one discriminating difference of Christians from heathens is to look to the procuring cause of all viz. sin rather then to these supposed discoveries of the wrath of God 2. I observe upon a just compute Nam experientia testatur visis eclipsibus saepe fertilissimos saluberrimos exoptatissimos subsequutos fuisse annos Al●ted Encyclopaed Vranoscop par 2. cap. 12. Reg. 10. bottomed upon the experience of a learned man sometimes after eclipses there have the most fruitfull healthfull and most desirable times followed And yet I take not upon me to determine what is in the womb of providence 3 The world hath had as grievous famines captivities pestilences earthquakes persecutions errours wars without them as ever it had with them how then can they truely be fathered on them 4 I have read that Hannibal had the beginning of his victories ushered in by one eclipse and his totall and finall ruine by another so that nothing certaine can bee concluded 5 The face of the heavens was never the same exactly ten dayes no not two dayes together since the Creation and how can there be any x Cum experientia sit saepe expertorum caedem constellationes revolutiones nunquam bis revertuntur nedum saepiùs ut oportuit si certè inde regulae colligendae essent ●icus Mirandula contra Astrologos experimentall knowledge by this 6 Most of the former judgements cannot with the least colour of probability be imputed to those eclipses For that famine whereof Agabus prophesied began before the eclipse though it continued after And the captivity of Judah did betide them seven years after that eclipse which which was fore-told by Thales Misesius And the ruine of the Jewes if at all was portended not by a naturall but a miraculous eclipse as formerly I made out for their ruine befell them above five and thirty years after the horrid eclipse in Christ's time which is far beyond the modern account of our star-gazers b Lilly Annus Tenebrosus who confine the operating of any Solar eclipse to so many years as the hours are in which it is eclipsed which cannot naturally exceed three at most And for wars how many eclipses did betide c this Land from the yeare one thousand five hundred and sixty unto the year one thousand six hundred and twenty and yet how few were our wars in those times 7 To intaile any of those former judgements upon eclipses is meerly heathenish or to look upon them as any way ominous or prodigious a Jerem. 10.2 It being only the way of the heathen and therefore not to be appoved of by any Christian As when that b Cleombrotus Generall saw the c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herodor lib. 9. pag. 516. Sun eclipsed being at sacrifice he presently draweth off all his forces and would engage himselfe no further The like might be instanced in many others But so the doubt formerly urged 2 However things may succeed after naturall and firmamentary eclipses cannot be determined by man yet we have cause to look upon the malignity * Suppositio nihil ponit if there be any of all eclipses to be from the malignity of our sins when any bad consequences follow if that the passion of the Microcosme succeedeth the passion of the Macro-cosme not because of the malignant aspect of the stars but because of the malignant nature of our iniquities This I must needs assert that as after the darkest night followeth commonly the clearest day so after the eclipsings of Gods countenance for a moment commonly follow the influences of greatest mercies Saints I am sure have found it so by experience after all these hidings of God b Psal 30.5 It is for a moment that his wrath continueth but with everlasting mercies that he doth frequently break in upon his people Eclipses Solar

JESUS CHRIST THE MYSTICALL OR GOSPELL SUN Sometimes seemingly eclipsed yet never going down from his PEOPLE OR ECLIPSES Spiritualized Opened in a SERMON at Paul's before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor Aldermen c. March 28. 1652. The day before the late SOLAR ECLIPSE BY FULK BELLERS Master of Arts and Preacher of the Gospel in the City of LONDON London Printed by T. Maxey for John Rothwell at the Sun and Fountain in Pauls Church-yard MDCLII To the Right Honourable JOHN KENDRICK LORD MAYOR and The Right Worshipfull the Aldermen and Sheriffs of the Honourable City of LONDON Right Honourable and Right Worshipfull HAd there been any reall danger in firmamentary Eclipses our God doubtlesse would have left it upon record in the Scripture Since we are sure a Amos 3.7 See also Jer. 18.7 8. the Lord God will doe nothing viz. in a way of judgment but he first reveals his secret intendment to his servants the Prophets Now how silent the word is in this I leave it to the judgment of all that are any way versed in the Book of God That which startleth many at the beholding of them is that which scared divers heretofore viz. either 1. The Rarity of them b Solis exortus cursus occasus nemo admiratur proptereà quòd quotidiè fiunt at eclipses Solis mirantur quia rarò accidunt Solis eclipses magis mirantur quàm Lunae quoniam hae crebriores sunt Auctor ad Herennium lib. 3o. mihi p. 38. G. No man wondreth at the rising the quick-moving the setting of the Sun because these things are observed daily But Solar Eclipses because they come seldome are wondred at even far more then Lunar which are more frequent as was well observed by that heathen long ago 2. Men's unacquaintednesse with the naturall causes of them As we find in those Indians in Jamaica who refusing to furnish Columbus that Genoese the first discoverer of the new American world with provisions seeing the people idolatrously devoted unto the Moone and fore-seeing her eclipse by his Ephemerides c Purchas's pilgrimage 8. book cap. 2. pag. 731. mihi he told the Islanders that if they did not bring him in provision the divine anger would consume them a signe whereof they should see in the darkned face of the Moone within two dayes The Indians being ignorant of the cause were so terrified at the beholding of this eclipse that they came to beg pardon of him and bring him in provision in abundance whereby Columbus making use of their ignorance d Henric. Salmuth Comment in Panciroll lib. 2. tit 1. de orbe novo supplied his own necessities and engaged the people much unto him 3. Those remainders and dregs of superstition and idolatry that are to be found in all This is the cause why many heathens of old did look upon the e In hoc unum omnium propè populorum sententiae primùm convenerant ut superna corpora Solem Lunam reliquaque astra Deos appellaverint esse crediderint Natalis Comes Mytholog lib. 1. pag. 10. Sun as their God and the Moon as their Goddesse therefore seeing either of them to be robbed or bereaved of light they were exceedingly m Putabant solem lunam eclipsin patientia moe●ore affici tanquam reges irâ commotos indignatione ideoque ab hujusmodi signis metuebant reges suos placare sacrificiis studebant c. Pet. à Figuerio amazed The remainders of this superstition and idolatry wee may observe in those Apostates who f Ezek. 8.16 worshipped the Sun towards the east and g 2 Kin. 23.5 burned incense to Baal to the Sun and to the Moon to the Planets and all the Host of heaven yea the very dregs of these are to be found in the souls of all because h Prov. 27.19 as face in the water or in the glass answereth unto face so doth the heart of man unto man Their idolatries and superstitions acquaint all what seeds are to be found in their souls 4. The want of that principle of grace that filial fear of the Lord that should be in men Were this fear present it would eat up all carnal fear touching eclipses as it did of earthquakes thundrings lightnings in the primitive Christians Or as i Exod. 7.2 Aaron's rod did swallow up the rods of the wise men sorcerers magicians inchanters in the presence of Pharaoh Pondering upon this that it is as naturall for the Sun or Moon to be eclipsed in their seasons as daily to rise and set in the world But especially considering that positive injunction k Jer. 10.2 Ita ut ex astris coelique fideribus pendeatis atque ex illis ventura divenetis ita ut signa illa coelestia terrori vobis sint atque formidini quemadmodum ipsis sint Gentibus c. Tossarii Peraphr in loc Learn ye not the way of the heathen neither be dismayed at the signes of heaven and that upon this account because the heathen are dismayed at them A text fully against allcarnall fears touching eclipses yea against judicial Astrologie it self by the vote of l Hic locus insignis est contra Astrologos impostores omnium maximos Oecolampad Oecolampadius Bullinger Paraeus Vatablus Pellicanus Calvin yea of à Lapide also who do abundantly justifie the last learned English Annotations upon that place which are worthy the perusall of all But however there be little danger in firmamentary yet there are many discomforts in spirituall Eclipses And this made me upon a sudden call to preach before your Honour observing many to be amused with perplexing fears to compare spirituall with firmamentary eclipses and to demonstrate that there is no cause of dreading any of the pretended direful operations of the later when the causes of the former are removed out of the way How far the ensuing discourse was then looked upon as a word in season I need not now relate It now comes abroad upon importunity and all that I shall adde is my earnest desire that the blessing of the Lord may go along with it that all those clouds of sin between us and our God may be dispell'd and that Jesus Christ the true mysticall Sun may still go on to shine into our souls And that his blessing may be with you all in your Persons Relations Families and in your Government that this renowned City may flourish in Religion Peace Plenty and Prosperity which shal be the daily prayer of May the 12. 1652. The most unworthy Servant of Christ in the Ministry of his Gospel FULK BELLERS JESUS CHRIST the Mysticall SUN ISAIAH 60.20 Thy Sun shall no more go down THe Text that I have read Right Honourable may seem a Paradox to many and that upon a double account viz. to hear of a Sun 1. Monopolized to some sort of people when as the ordinary Sun shineth both upon the just and unjust yet this is confined