Preface.

4. Yet, although in this comparison, the Dawn, Sun, Moon, etc., may be outwardly darkened by clouds and so forth, they can nevertheless not be robbed of their light within themselves; for with it they eventually overcome and drive away the darkness, breaking through it.

Through these qualities, the nature and appearance of the Church of Christ here on earth are shown, specifically regarding: 1. Her Beauty. 2. The changes to which she is subject. 3. Her Struggle. 4. Her invincibility and endurance.

1. We see that the Beauty of the Church is depicted through this presentation—generally through these four things together, but especially through the Moon, as it is said, Fair as the Moon. A reference to Song of Solomon 6:10. And just as beauty is a quality of these things, and especially of the Moon, so too is Beauty a quality of the Church; since it belongs to her in the same way it belongs to these celestial bodies, it also belongs to the Church. Therefore, she is properly adorned with this title of honor and greeted by Christ, her Bridegroom, in Song of Solomon 1:15 and 6:4: See, my love, you are beautiful; you are beautiful, etc. Likewise, in Song of Solomon 6:1, she is called the fairest among women—that is, surpassing in beauty all the gatherings of the godless, the worldly, and the unbelieving. This is also testified by the Prophet David in Psalm 45:14: The King’s daughter is all glorious within. And in Psalm 84:1 The original text cites Psalm 83:1, following older Dutch numbering.: How lovely and how beautiful are your dwellings, O Lord of Hosts. In these places, the Church is understood by the names "King’s Daughter" and "Dwelling of the Lord."

Yet, just as neither the Dawn, nor the Sun, nor the Moon possess their brilliance, light, and radiance—in which their beauty especially consists—from themselves, nor do the armies referring to "Slachtordens" or "armies with banners" mentioned in the previous section as has been said; so likewise the Church does not have her beauty from herself. Indeed, just as the place where the Dawn appears is dark before the rising of the Sun, and as the Moon is a dark (or at least weakly glowing) creature—yes, even the Sun itself, if it were not enriched with the light of God—so the Church would have no beauty or elegance whatsoever from herself. On the contrary, she was highly misshapen, stained, filthy, and abominable. The state and appearance of the Church as she is in herself is shown vividly in Ezekiel 16:3, 4, and 5, where she is addressed thus: Your origin and your birth are from the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite, and your mother was...