The Holy Ghost is well pleased to bring in the shining virtues of the church, under the—­notion of a shining moon; because, as the church herself is compared to the moon, so her virtues are as naturally compared to a shining light:  as Christ saith, “Let your light so shine;” and again, “Let your loins be girded, and your lights burning.”  For indeed, while we are here, that church and congregation of the Lord doth most shine, and most send forth the golden rays and pleasant beams of Christianity, that is most in the exercise of the aforementioned virtues.  Take away the moon, and the night is doubtful; or, though the moon be in the firmament, if she hath lost her light, the night is not thereby made more comfortable.  And thus, I say, it is first with the world, where there is no church to shine, or where there is a church that doth not so shine that others may see and be lighted.

Spiritual character of the church.

She meddleth not with any man’s matters but her own; she comes all along by the king’s highway; that is, only by the rules that her Lord hath prescribed for her in his testament.  The governors of this world need not at all fear a disturbance from her, or a diminution of aught they have.  She will not meddle with their fields nor vineyards, neither will she drink of the water of their wells.  Only let her go by the king’s highway, and she will not turn to the right hand or to the left, until she has passed all their borders It is a false report that the governors of the nations have received against the city, this new Jerusalem, if they believe according to the tale that is told of her, that she is and has been of old a rebellious city, and destructive to kings, and a diminisher of their revenues.  She is not for meddling with any thing that is theirs, from a thread even to a shoe-latchet.  Her glory is spiritual and heavenly, and she is satisfied with what is her own.  ’Tis true, the kings and nations of this world shall one day bring their glory and honor to this city; but yet not by outward force or compulsion:  none shall constrain them but the love of Christ, and the beauty of this city.  “The Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.”  The light and beauty of this city, these only shall engage their hearts and overcome them.

Indeed, if any shall, out of mistrust or enmity against this city and her prosperity, bend themselves to disappoint the designs of the eternal God concerning her building and glory, then they must take what follows.  Her God in the midst of her is mighty; he will rest in his love, and rejoice over her with singing, and will undo all that afflict her.  Wherefore, associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall he broken in pieces; for God is with us.

Warning to the professor.

He that sins himself out of the church, can find no good in the world; and they that have sinned God out, can find no good in the church.  A church that has sinned God away from it, is a sad lump indeed.  You, therefore, that are in God’s church, take heed of sinning yourselves out thence; also take heed, that while you keep in, you sin not God away, for thenceforth no good is there.  “Yea, woe unto them when I depart from them, saith the Lord.”