THE TOMB-STONE AND A RARE SIGHT LONDON Printed by Tho Roycroft for Edw Dod and Nath Ekins and are to be sold at the Gunn in Ivie Lane 1653. THE TOMB-STONE OR A broken and imperfect Monument of that Worthy Man who was just and perfect in his Generations M r. JOHN CARTER Pastor first of Bramford and last of Belsted in SVFFOLK Erected above eighteen years after his decease BY His unworthy Son JOHN CARTER Preacher of the Gospell and as yet sojourning in the City of NORWICH PROV 10. 7. The memory of the Just shall be blessed London Printed in the Year 1653. HERE under this stone lyeth hid a Rich treasure The Precious Dust of that holy man that burning and shining Light M r Iohn Carter first Pastor of Bramford and afterwards of Belsted in Suff With Esther his Faithfull Consort both of them Waiting for a blessed Resurrection 2 Tim. 4. 7. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the Faith 8. Henceforth there is layd up for me a Crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give mee at that day and not to me onely but unto them also that love his appearing TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE And that both by the first and also by the second Birth To the truely Noble Worthy and Religious Lady the Lady FRANCES HOBARTE Madam ATYS the Sonne of Croesus the Rich King was dumbe in his Child-hood so continued many years he was never heard to speake a word till Cyrus enter'd Sardis and then the Child seeing a common Souldier running upon his Father with a drawn sword to kill him brake forth into violent and articulate speech O man kill not Croesus So that he who till that time lived mute to himselfe then became a cleare speaker for the saving of his Father This Madam in a sence is my very case I had thought to have been mute in this kind for ever and never to have spoken againe by my Pen in Print Though many and amongst the rest even your Honour have endeavoured often to perswade me to make some poor pieces of mine publike But bring sensible of mine owne weakness I stood out and was resolved forever to forbeare For Iam a Child and cannot speak at least not with that skill and energy that the Printing-presse calleth for Yet now at last seeing my precious Father his name in hazard not of being stained it s not capable of that Nor of being utterly forgotten for his name is written in the Booke of Life with Golden letters and his praise shal be for ever in the Gospel but that his remembrance amongst men after this Generation might have beene cut off by devouring time to save the memory of my Father alive I break silence I annex to his life a piece of mine own The reason why I do so and why I put forth this Sermon rather then any other it is not for any worth that I apprehend in it but because I had a special calling to it So soon as it was preached the Major with the Aldermen and some Ministers came to me and with great earnestnesse desired me to print the Sermon that so they might againe see what they had already heard I did not yeild to them at that time But now seeing that God hath within these fow daies stirred up my Spirit to do something whereby I might honour my Father before I go hence to meet him in another and a better Country I remembred my Friends request and did resolve to answer their desires according to my poore ability though some few yeares after Why I presume to tender this homely peece to your Honour I shal humbly give a short account Partly for my Fathers sake Ioseph to honour his good old Father Iacob brought him and set him before the King Give me leave also Elect Lady to bring my Reverend Father into your Honours presence It will be some grace to him on Earth and had your Ladyship known him you would have honoured him Also because the Subiect is soe suitable to your Honour all the way Your Ladyship loves the sweet perfume of the dead Saints And as for the Lyon it is the Ensign of Nobility and Magnanimity and your Honour bears the Lyon in your own Coat of Armes But as for the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah you bear him in your heart and embrace him with the Arms of your precious faith My Naile and Wheele I presented to your Ladyship out of duty and gratitude onely The Subiect of those worthlesse papers did not so aptly close with your Honours condition they did more immediately concern the Magistracy But in this work of mine my whole designe is to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ I set him up before you as an Ensigne which I know your Honour wil with all cheerfulnesse follow Yet further your Honour cannot be ignorant of the frame of my spirit that as the blessed Apostle Paul said concerning his Corinthians so I of your Ladyship Madam you are in my heart Christ lives in your Honour and where so much of Christ appears who can but give Honour Finally As Saint Paul writ to Philemon Thou owest to mee even thine owne selfe In a like phrase I may speake to your Ladyship Iowe even mine ownself to your Honour which I would have acknowledged to the whole world made it out in some particulars but that I feare such is your humility and goodnesse your Ladyship would not have resented it well Accept I beseech your Honour this poor Present with the same Candor it is offered And be assured Madam that I am As Your Honours humble Servant So Your Ladyships faithfull and constant Orator at the Throne of Grace And So shall continue whilest he hath a heart or a tongue to pray JOHN CARTER TO ALL HIS WEL-BELOVED NEPHEWS AND NIECES Even all the Remnant that are yet surviving of his Fathers House WHen Saint Paul called to remembrance the unfeigned faith that dwelt in the Grand-Mother Lois first Hee was easily perswaded that the same dwelt in Timothy the Grand-Child also So truely when I consider the unfeigned faith and holinesse that dwelt first in your good aged Grand-Father and Grand-Mother I cannot but conceive some hope that there is some measure of the same faith and sanctity even in you Now to the end that any of you who being of the elder sort have received any Godly Principles immediately from your Grand-Father and Grand-Mother when they were amongst the living That you I say may the better retain those godly Instructions to the end And that you may teach them to your Children and Childrens Children I do here send you your Reverend and Pious Grand-Father in some measure revived It is I confes but an imperfect and blind delineation of so deserving and perfect a man Consuming time hath worne off much of his orient lustre yet there is so much remaining as hath a great deale of beauty in it enough to
not over rampant not over-rigorous mingle mercy with Justice in your Government Be not righteous over-much Eccles 7. 16. I had thought a Lyon passant might have done well The passant Lyon sheweth but halfe his face as he passeth by this posture sheweth much confidence and resolution It sheweth also much moderation Be you passant towards the faithfull Ministers and Servants of God if for conscience and pure conscience they cannot swallow all things imposed by the State passe by it connive do not turn your head aside to teare and destroy a man that is precious in Gods sight onely because he will not sin against his Conscience The Prelates were Lyons indeed but not passant and therefore the Lord hath passed over them even over their faire neck and brought them low The Lyon therefore which I shall commend to you and charge your Shield withall is passant guardant The Lyon passant guardant shewes his whole face which notes not only Courage and Resolution but Vigilancy also and circumspection Before this Lyon is a flame of fire behind him an empty Charriot the wheels ratling over his head a white Cock with a great red Comb and crowing under him Dogs opening their mouths against him and barking Yet he keeps on his way undaunted not changing his pace or turning his head aside for feare of any And the word Non retrogradior So go on oh you Lyons of our Forrest you Magistrates of this City And more especially you that are this day to be a Lyon ascendent to rise up to the chiefe place of Magistracy Be faithfull and zealous for the Lord. Be vigilant in your great Office not dormant be salient nimble active and industrious Bee just in dispencing punishments and rewards To wicked and obstinate Offenders be rampant and divide the Prey in a just manner distribute rewards and praises to every one that doth good according to the proportion of their deserts Be mercifull in giving and in forgiving And to the Conscientious that cannot swallow every Imposition be passant go by and let them alone Lyon look to thy taile take heed of a secret malignant traine Be bold as a Lyon Couragious let nothing turn you away from God from the truth of Christ from his Ministers and Servants Walk stately let your whole Conversation be humble sober grave holy and as becomes the Gospell And maintain your State and Power and Ensignes of your Authority You are a Lyon let no Anabaptisticall shavers flay off your skin and cut off your haire Know where your strength lyeth labour for a good head and a good heart then in the end you shall Couch with honour and be Leo quiescens You shall rest from your Labours and your workes shall follow you Now the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah strengthen you with his might protect you with his power guide you with his wisedome imbrace you with his mercy and give you rest and reward in the latter end Amen Exhortation 2. To the Ministers of the Gospell One of the Elders sounds the Trumpet in the care of Iohn the Apostle and Evangelist calls upon him to behold to eye this Lyon of the Tribe of Judah q. d. I charge you to mark this Lyon well And why Even that he may compose himselfe to the example of this great Prophet in all things in the execution of his Ministeriall Function Ministers must be Lyons It is an old conceipt constat ex pictura sed non ex Scriptura That the foure living wights cap. 4. 7. did represent the foure Evangelists Matthew was the Man Luke the Oxe John the flying Eagle and Marke the Lyon It is certain that those Creatures import the properties of Angels and are Symbols as of Magistrates so of Ministers The Ministers of the Gospell are Angels and they must be Lyons too In all things comfortable to the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah 1. The Lyon of the tribe of Judah came and tooke the Booke out of the right hand of him that sate upon the throne Vers 7. So the Minister of the Gospel he must take the Book in his hand The Book of God the holy Scriptures he must deliver nothing to the people but what he finds in that Book thence he must fetch the will and counsell of God Search the Scriptures John 5. 29. Hold fast the forme of sound words which thou hast heard from me 2 Tim. 1. 13. The Minister must take what Saint Paul writes what the Spirit of God holds forth in the holy Bible There is a numerous generation now in these dayes that cast the written word aside and pretend altogether to inspirations and revelations the Spirit the Spirit To these I say no more but this if they have any inspirations or revelations contrary to the Book that Christ took into his hand I beleeve verily they are from the Spirit but it is from the evill Spirit from the Devill 2. The Lyon of the tribe of Judah when he had taken the Book he opened it and loosed the Seales thereof So the Minister of the Gospel when hee hath taken the Book hee must open it And when doth he take the Book When a Minister is ordained and set apart by the imposition of hands and sent to do the work to which God calleth him a Bible is given into his hand by the President of the Presbytery And then and not till then hee takes the booke and having taken it hee must open it that is he must expound it and apply it So Ezra the Scribe he tooke the book of the Law and opened it in the sight of all the people Hee read in the booke distinctly he gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading And just so the great Master of the Assemblies the Prophet and Doctor of his Church He came to Nazareth went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read And there was delivered unto him the book of the Prophet Esaias And when he had opened the book he read his Text out of Isa 61. 1. And then he closed the book and preached unto the people shewing how that Scripture was fulfilled that day and making all plain and clear Saint Paul gives Ministers their charge 2 Timoth. 4. 1. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdome V. 2. Preach the Word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine Ministers are Lyons Lyons must not be mute 3. The Minister must be a Lyon bold and couragious in the execution of his office This he must looke for to meet with great opposition and especially from the great men of the World if he shall rebuke them and tell them of their sins plainly But the Minister of Christ must not feare the faces of men but with liberty and freedome of speech utter the message of the Lord And
I check my selfe I shall go to Heaven and there newes will come thick thick thick When others came to him and pressed him with importunity to tell them his judgement concerning the future state of the Church saying to him That he had travelled much in the Revelation and they were perswaded God had revealed something more then ordinary to him What do you thinke Shall we have Popery once againe or no Hee answered You shall not need to feare fire and fagot any more but such dreadful divisions will be amongst Gods people and professors as will equalize the greatest persecutions A man met him neer his house and called to him O Mr. Carter what shall I doe My Wife is entring into her Travell and I thinke shee will dye with very fear Sayes he to the man Make haste run to your Wife and tell her I am going to my Closet as fast as I can to pray for her bid her not faint but be of good comfort The man ran to her and told her what had passed Presently her feares vanished God gave her strength shee was delivered immediately and very safely and her Husband came back to my Father as I remember before he came out of his Closet to tell him what God had done Another time a poor man met him by the way and cryed to him piteously Mr. Carter What shall become of mee I work hard and fare hard and yet I cannot thrive I continue bare and know not how in the World to live Hee answered him You want one thing I will tell you what you shall doe Work hard and fare hard and Pray hard and I warrant you thrive There dwelled in his Parish a Tanner a very godly man and one that had much communion with my Father This man as he was very busie tawing of a Hide with all his might not so much as turning aside his head any way My father coming by accidentally came behinde him and merrily gave him a little clap upon the back hee started and looking behinde him suddenly blushed Sir saith he I am ashamed you should finde me thus To whom my Father sayd again Let Christ when he comes finde me so doing What sayes the man doing thus Yes saith my Father to him Faithfull in the duties of my Calling Being at Dinner in Ipswich at one of the Magistrates houses diverse other Ministers being at the Table One amongst the rest who had years enough learning enough to have taught him more humility was very talkative bragged of his parts and skill and made a challenge He sayd to them Here are many learned men do any of you propound any question in Divinity or Philosophy and I will dispute with you and resolve and satisfie you fully All the Table but he himselfe were silent a while Then my Father when he saw no body else would speak sayd to him calling him by his name I will go no further then my Trencher to puzzle you Here 's a Sole Now tell me the reason why this Fish alwayes living in the salt water should come out fresh My Gentleman could not say any thing to it and so he was laughed and shamed out of his vanity A certaine man came to him and made his moane Saith he I have lost the greatest Freind I had in the World I had in a manner my livelihood from him My Father answered him When the Fountaine dryes up in one place God will open it in another To me he sayd once John God hath alwayes brought water for me out of the hard flinty rock Those covetous hard-hearted men who have beene enemies to my person and Ministry have many times come in and given me countenance and maintenance My elder and onely dear Brother a blessed Instrument in the church of Christ being dead my Father took care of his eldest Son he sent him to Cambridge and walking with him towards the Stable took his last leave of him in these words in Latine Cave mi fili fastum ignaviam Antichristum i. e. My Son beware Pride Sloth Antichrist He would say a Traveller must have a Swines belly an Asses back and a Merchants purse Meaning to fare with all dyet to beare all injuries and to provide for vast expences Wee are Pilgrims and Travellers here and we must prepare for Want Wrongs and spoyling of our Goods It may wel be sayd of him Semper erat ubi non erat His heart was where his head is and where now his soule is in Heaven His whole life was nothing else but a Communion day I have often thought that old Jacob lived in him I am sure the spirit of God breathed as much in him in his words writings holinesse dropped from his Pen in every ordinary Letter that he writ in his actions Soliloquies as in any man of later times He was alwayes distilling precious precepts exhortations instructions consolations into those with whom he had to converse A godly Woman told me once That she had been servant to a religious Gentleman to whose House my Father did often resort and that she was won to Christ at first by the heavenly speeches and sweet principles which dropped from him as she was warming his Bed and waiting upon him in his Chamber A man he was most just and exact in his dealings he put a clause into his Will for the carefull payment of his debts And when my Sister Eunice and I his Executors enquired wee could finde nothing that he owed except to the Smith for shooing of a Horse or two In his Library I found two or three Books I beleeve not one of them worth a groat upon which he had written This Book is borrowed of such an one Let it be restored or if the Owner cannot be found allow something to the poor for it and that liberally Once being in a journey many miles from home in changing a peice of Gold at a Shop he tooke a halfe crowne peice in stead of a shilling neither he nor the Shopkeeper minded it As soone as hee came home he found that he had taken a halfe crowne for a shilling He could not rest but next day he took a long journey on purpose to that Towne to carry back that halfe crown againe He was of a sweet milde and gentle nature and of a gracious spirit A loving and faithfull Husband and an indulgent Father if he failed in any thing it was in his carriage to his Servants for truely he did not carry himselfe as a Master to Servants but as a familiar friend to his freinds He would make them to sit down with him and drinke to them at meat He and my Mother were marryed together well-nigh sixty yeares and I am confident in all that time there never was a distastefull word betweene them And indeed how could there be Hee lived with her as a man of knowledge he was a wise faithfull and tender guide and she was humble and meek did reverence and highly esteem him Every word
Norwich For so he had given order before he dyed that his body should not be put in the Coffin till his Son John came God carryed me through the journey in hard weather and through his good providence I arrived at Belsted early on the Tuesday And going to the house of mourning I found the body of my deceased Father still lying upon the Bed They uncovered his face Sweetly he lay and with a smiling countenance and no difference to the eye between his countenance alive and dead save onely that he was wont to rejoyce and blesse me at my approach now he was silent I fell upon his face I confesse and kissed him and lift up my voice and wept and so took my last leave of him till we meet in a better World In the afternoon February 4. 1634. at his interring there was a great confluence of people from all parts thereabouts Ministers and others taking up the words of Joash the King of Israel Oh my Father my Father the Chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof Old Mr. Samuel Ward that famous Divine and the glory of Ipswich came to the Funerall brought a mourning Gowne with him and offered very respectively to Preach his funerall Sermon now that such a Congregation were gathered together and upon such an occasion But my Sister and I durst not give way to it For so our Father had often charged us in his life time and upon his blessing that no Sermon should be at his buryall For sayd he it will give occasion to speak some good of me that I deserve not and so false things will be uttered in the Pulpit Mr. Ward rested satisfied and did forbeare But the next Friday at Ipswich he turned his whole Lecture into a Funerall Sermon for my Father in which he did lament and honour him to the great satisfaction of the whole Auditory Gloria fugientes sequitur Glory is like a shadow follow it and it will fly away fly from it and it will follow For humility hee was most eminent Humble in his habite humble in his company for though his gifts called him before great men yet his most ordinary converse was with those of inferiour ranck in whom he saw most of the power of Godlinesse He writ very much but hee left nothing behinde him save what is Printed and his Exposition of the Revelation and a Petition to King James for the taking away of burdensome Ceremonies out of the Church nothing else but a few broken Papers which I suppose he look'd upon as Waste paper Surely he burnt the rest when hee saw his appointed time draw neer meerly out of a low opinion of himselfe and gifts He baulked all things that might tend to outward pomp and ostentation He would have no Funerall Sermon He gave order to be buryed not in the Church but in the Church-yard where hee and my sweet Mother that glorious Paire lye interred together without so much or rather so little as a poore Gravestone over them He had learned of Christ to be meek and lowly in heart he was humble in his life and humble in his death and now the Lord hath highly exalted him He kept a constant Diary or day-book in which he set down every day Gods extraordinary dispensations his own actions and whatsoever memorable things hee heard or read that day He cast up his accounts with God every day and his sins were blotted out before he was called to his last reckoning His day of refreshing is come he rests from his Labours Plus vivitur exemplis quam praeceptis saith Seneca Examples of the dead are Sermons for the living And though when I first set Pen to Paper I intended onely to recollect some of his doings and sayings now eighteen yeares after his decease for my owne memory instruction and comfort yet I cannot but conceive that the example of this holy man of God if it be communicated may be usefull and profitable to the Church of God He was a true childe of Abraham and the blessing of Abraham fell upon him I will blesse them that blesse thee saith the Lord and I will curse them that curse thee Not long since I was at Bramford there dwelleth an ancient Gentleman one of great quality my friend and my Fathers old friend he spake thus to me Mr. Carter I have now lived to see the downfall of all your Fathers opposers and enemies There is not one of them but their Families are scattered and ruined Let the Enemies of Gods faithfull Messengers heare and feare and do no more wickedly I cannot but add one thing more It may be truely said of him and his faithfull Yoke-fellow as it is writen of Zacharias and Elizabeth They were both righteous before God walking in all the Commandements and Ordinances of the Lord blamelesse I dare say the World will testifie that neither of them did ever do that thing that was unjust or evill or scandalour or uncomely their Enemies being Judges They were as to men without blemish their life was a sweet savour and they went out of this life as a fragrant perfume I confesse I have drawn his life very imperfectly I must say as the Queen of Sheba the one halfe hath not been told you It will not be long before the Lord Jesus Christ shall open the Books at the last and great day then and there you shall read his compleat Story Prov. 10. 7. The Memory of the Just is and shall be blessed Reader IT is sayd of Christs sayings and doings that if they should bee written every one the World it selfe could not containe the Bookes Farre be it from me to attribute so much to my worthy Father Yet this much I am certaine of that there are many things in his Life and those of very great concernment which have slipped me Therefore I leave these ensuing Pages vacant that so as thou remembrest any of his holy sayings and doings not mentioned before thou mayst write them downe for thine owne benefit and the good of others Isa 58. 1. Lift up thy voice like a Trumpet Joh. 19. 14. Behold your King 1 Cor. 1. 23. We preach Christ crucified Joh. 1. 29. Behold the Lamb of God Revel 13. 8. The Lamb slain from the foundation of the World A RARE SIGHT OR THE LYON Sent from a farr Country and presented to the City of NORWICH in a Sermon upon the Solemne Guild-day June 18. 1650. By IOHN CARTER Preacher of the Gospel And as yet Sojourning in the City of NORWICH Joh. 1. 21. Sir We would see Jesus LONDON Printed in the yeare 1653. TO THE RIGHT WORShipfull Mr. WILLIAM BARNHAM Major of the City of NORWICH As also to Mr. Barnard Church who with much Honour managed the chiefe Place of Magistracy in the said City the last yeare JOHN CARTER Humbly presents this rare Sight AS a Testimony of his respect love and thankfulnesse to them for all their undeserved Favour and faithfulnesse As also because they have
a just claim thereunto Mr. Matthew Lyndsey who deceased in the midst of his Majoralty 1650. had the true right to it The Sermon was preached at his request and at his Inauguration He dying it descends by Inheritance upon these his Successors The Sight is very rare indeed but very poorly and meanly set forth Such as it is the unworthy Author humbly tenders to them with apprecation of all Grace Honour and Happinesse A RARE SIGHT OR THE LYON REVEL 5. 5. Behold the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah AT great Solemnities and extraordinary confluences of people it is the ancient use and custome to bring out strange sights and shew farrfetched Rarities This is a solemne day the Cities great anniversary Feast for the Inauguration of the cheife Magistrate Here 's much concourse from several parts I shal therefore at such a time as this being called to stand in the middest of such a multitude produce my Spectacle and present to your view the godliest sight that ever Heaven or Earth afforded a stately and a generous Lion from a farre Countrey Behold the Lion of the Tribe of Judah Concerning which I shall propound two things to your observation the parts of the Text. 1. The Trumpet Sounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold 2. The Sight or Shew presented A rare and strange Living Creature described from His 1. Species kinde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Lion 2. Originall pedegree and Country the most noble and best bred Lion in the WORLD 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the Tribe of JVDAH These are the parts and particulars of the Text. But I will not tye my selfe strictly and punctually to these or at least I will lay them aside a while and according to my plaine and usuall way I shall concerning this Little yea this great portion of Scripture dispatch these foure things 1. I will speak something of the sence and meaning of the words 2. I will give you the summe substance of all in one generall proposition in one plaine doctrine 3. Then in the third place I will returne to the parts and particulars I will review search and examine them for such speciall observations and Instructions as may be profitable besides the main and generall doctrine 4. And last of all I will as God shall enable me endeavour to make profitable use and application of all I stand heer by call and commission from God It s my duty to lift up my voice like a Trumpet to Usher in this rare spectacle and it is required of you that with Moses you will now turn a side and see this great sight Let him that hath an eare heare and let him that hath an Eye behold And let the Eye of the God of Heaven be upon us all for good and let the Lion of the Tribe of Judah be with us and help us and blesse us Amen 1. And first I am to open and expound the Text. Behold This demonstrative hath singular weight and moment Aliquid repentinum et insperatum demonstrat It points to something that is sudden unexpected unhoped for something that is rare excellent and admirable It hath here in this place a two fold use 1. To excite and stir up attention and intention it calls for your ears and eyes 2. To command Thus Christ made use of it It was his word of command He said unto them In his Doctrine Hearken Behold I command you to attend So here it 's the sounding of the Trumpet it invites it commands you all to fix your Eyes upon this rare and excellent sight which is now comming forth Behold then But first I pray before you look for the Lion Lift up your eyes a little higher to the first Verse There you shall see A Throne set in Heaven and one sitting upon that Throne in great glory Majesty and brightnesse That is God the Father In his right hand he holds a book written within and on the back-side and sealed with 7. Seals V. I. Q. What Book may this be A. It is none other but this Book of the Revelation Would you know the Contents of this Book It is a Propheticall-Historicall Decretall Not onely decreed but as it were ingrossed in the Court-Roules of Heaven It was a great Roule written on both sides for the multitude and variety of matters as containing a compleat History of the Church unto the Worlds end and therefore took up both sides of the Book Volume or Roule It containes the decrees Counsels and will of God concerning the future state and government of the Church It contains great Mysteries Of the Kingdome and Tyranny of Antichrist of the persecutions troubles and afflictions of the Church in all Ages till Christ shall come the second time and deliver up the Kingdome to God even the Father It foreshews the patience and constancy of the faithfull the utter ruine of their Enemies and their eternall glory and faelicity at the generall judgement and Consummation These Mysteries are written in a Book i. e. in Gods eternall Praescience Providence and Decree But this Book is clasped up and sealed 1. For matter most excellent and Divine kept secret from the knowledge of al creatures and with seaven Seales most surely as mysteries of the greatest moment Worth and Certainty Therefore behold vers 2. A strong Angel proclaiming with a lond voice Like a Herauld or Officer Who is worthy for the excellency of his person or for his deserts To open the Book and to loose the Seals thereof To disclose these secret decrees and counsels of God to dive into these most deep mysteries that he may make them know to the Church of God in all ages Who O it 's a hard and difficult matter to open the Book and to loose the Seales Verse 3. None in Heaven No Angel None in Earth No Saint living None under the Earth No Saint departed whose body is under-ground or more generally no creature in Heaven Earth or Sea was able to open the Book to read understand or divulge it Neither to look thereon To have any thing at all to do with it Alas alas This is a sad thing Behold verse 5. John the Divine weeps much Because no man was found worthy to open and to read the Book c. He wept much to see himselfe and others deprived of so deep so sweet and so excellent Mysteries but especially to think that God should be deprived of the glory of them What then Shall the Church never know the Contents of that Book Yes yes it shall Behold in the fifth verse a word of Consolation One of the Elders saith unto me weep not One of the body of the Councill of State one of the Assessors one of the glorified Saints representing all the faithfull one to whom the secret of the Lord was revealed He said to John weep not q. d. This is thine infirmity what hast thou forgotten Art thou a Master and Teacher in the Church of God and dost thou
28. 1. 6. There be three things which go well yea foure which are comely in going The Lyon is the first and chiefest of them The Lyon hath a stately gate majesticall orderly and resolute he turnes not aside his head for the greatest that he meets not for the vast Elephant he will dye before he will degenerat into a disorderly pace And herein give me leave to exhort you to walke as the Lyon walkes How is that First in regard of your whole Conversation let your going be stately not with proud phantasticall affectation but humbly an humble gate is a stately gate soberly holily with all Gravity walk as the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah be you holy as he is holy Only saith Saint Paul Let your Conversation be such as becometh the Gospel of Christ Take heed that you do no uncomely thing that you set not a step awry Have a sutable carriage and deportment both to the profession of Christianity and also to your place of Eminency Will it become a chiefe Magistrate to walke with vaine Persons to walke to scandalous houses to walke on in any sinne When one profer'd unto Scipio a beautifull Harlot he said to him Vellem si non essem Imperator were I not a Governour I would Let all that are before me this day take forth this Lesson let your Conversation be such as becomes the Gospell of Christ move in a higher Sphere then the men of the World Let your Conversation be in Heaven Walk like Angels They went every one strait forward whether the Spirit was to go they went Remember you are Kings Christ hath made us so Then let your going be King-like A King may be known by his Majesticall gate and deportment What manner of men were they said Gideon to Zebah and Zalmunna whom yee slew at Tabor And they answered as thou art so were they each one resembled the Children of a King Finally Brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue and if there be any praise think of these things And as I call upon you to walk as the Lyon stately gravely and holily in your whole course of life So let me exhort you without offence more particularly to walk as Lyons even in regard of outward state and pomp The Lyon is the King of Beasts and is of a comely and stately presence adorned with shaggy locks bushy haire a golden and bright shining Mane which crownes his head and as Robes do cloath his neck back shoulders and legs and truely the Lyon would be a great deale more contemptible if he were barbe'rd and shaven I say be Lyons Keep your haire and skin maintain your power and state and the Ensignes of your Authority King Agrippa came to the Judgment Seat with great Pomp. And there is good use of these trappings to the common people Ad populum phaleras These procure some reverence awe and terrour in the people And I do the rather insist upon this because I see there is an Anabaptisticall Enthusiasticall levelling Generation start up who attempt very subtlely Leonem radere to barb and shave the Lyon to overthrow all Magistracy And they do not go about directly but slily and with wiles They would perswade you at first only to lay aside your Robes and your Solemnities as either being superstitious or else not agreeable to the simplicity of the Gospell Have you not lately been preached out of your Scarlet Gownes and have you not very obediently left them off many times Do they not inveigh against all manner of Solemnity upon this very day of Inauguration well what will the end be If they can but once shave off the Lyons majestick haire and flay of his skin it wil be a poor contemptible Carkass that is left I dare say though outward state and Pomp be but a Complement yet take that quite away and the very Magistracy will soone follow Maintain your State and Power It is observable in the Lyon that when he walkes upon stony rocky and rough places that he contracts and pulls up his Tallons to preserve them for if they should be broken he could never after seize upon his Prey Your Power and the Ensignes of your Authority are your Tallons be carefull to preserve them else evill doers will contemne you and you will never be able to give them so much as a scratch 7. Know where your strength lyeth The Lyons strength is in his head and in his breast chiefly And there lyeth your strength a good head and a good heart make a good Magistrate Labour therefore for a good head for knowledge and a good understanding Hearken to the word of the Lord This book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou mayst observe to do according to all that is written therein for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then shalt thou have good successe And above all labour to have a good heart an honest heart a sanctified heart an obedient heart Such a heart as David had even an heart according to Gods own heart Which that you may attain unto do as Solomon did pray pray Go unto the Lord and say And now oh Lord my God I thy Servant am in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen a great people Give therefore thy Servant an understanding heart to judge thy people that I may discern between good and bad For who is able to judge this thy so great a people 1 Kin. 3. 8. 9. Beare away with you these few words of Exhortation and that you may the better remember them I shall present all before your eies in a little Embleme I am Gods Herauld and I wil give you a Coat of Armes an Escoucheon which if you will own you will shew your selfe a generous Lyon You shall beare not Or or argent No no you must not be carried away with Silver or Gold or such earthly and transitory things but you shall beare Azure blew caelestiall Have your Conversation in Heaven Let your charge be a Lyon Now as for the posture of your Lyon I have spent some serious thoughts It must not be a Lyon dormant I beseech you do not sleep neither at the Church nor on the Bench. It were a shame to have it either crouchant or fugient Never yet was seen such a Coat as a Lyon current To flee is a reproach do not flee away do not turn your back on Gods truth on Gods cause and Gods people and all for cowardly feare stand to the Lion of the Tribe of Judah to the last drop of blood Neither should the Lyon be over rampant Rampant sheweth his gesture in seizing on the Prey The Prey that a Magistrate pursueth are evill doers Pursue this Prey be rampant but