Selected quad for the lemma: glory_n
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A46691
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Daniel in the den, or, The lord president's imprisonment, and miraculous deliverance represented in a discourse from Heb. XI V. 33 / by S. J., rector of Chinner ...
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Jay, Stephen, d. 1689.
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1682
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Wing J497; ESTC R16865
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20,234
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40
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DANIEL IN THE DEN OR THE LORD PRESIDENT' 's Imprisonment AND MIRACULOUS DELIVERANCE REPRESENTED In a DISCOURSE from HEB. XI v. 33. By S. J. Rector of Chinner in the County of Oxon. DAN 6.23 Innocency was found in me and also before thee O King have I done no hurt LONDON Printed by J. A. for John Dunton at the Sign of the Black Raven in the Poultrey 1682. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE ANTHONY EARL of SHAFTSBVRY Late Lord PRESIDENT of his Majesties most Honourable Privy Council My Lord HOly Writ acquaints us with many cursed Conspiracies against the Innocent and the Good But I find none more sottish and cruel than that we read of John 12. v. 10.11 Where the High-prists consult to put not Jesus only but Lazarus also to Death because by reason of him many of the Jews believed on Jesus Lazarus wasguilty of no Crime but because he was It seems his very Being and Life was fault enough which though redeem'd by a Miracle must now be destroyed by Malice For his bare Presence and Motion Drew Disciples his very Looks preached the Gospel he opened his Eyes and Taught And while thus doing he would never make an end of doing mischief to them Therefore they consult to dispatch him out of sight and to silence this Teacher by muffling him up in a Napkin again and laying him under a Stone It is certain My Lord that every Turn of your Head Glance of your Eye Motion of your Hand Step of your Foot is a vexation and a Plague to your Enemies the Papists who believe your very Shadow so fatal to all their Contrivances and Aims that whilst You live they Shrivel and Wither Your Breath strikes confusion to all their Plots and therefore no wonder they have variously consulted your Death as well as your Great Masters Lazarus must dye too But then to promote it by projecting a Design of setting Jesus against Lazarus and imposing a belief that He Innocent He should conspire the ruine of his Masters Honour and Kingdom is a Plot like to prosper into the same Glory of the Projectors as this your Lordship will hear of in the following Discourse One would swear such Men were Planet-struck their Counsels confounded from Heaven as the Languages at Babel and the Witnesses stammering out an improbable Evidence Praised be God who hath frustrated hitherto all their Hellish attempts both against your Soveraign and Self May his Majesty live for ever a sure Defender of our Faith and Church And may your Lordship live too the Dread and Eye-sore of the Enemies of its peace And may You never be Imagin'd to be lessened in the Affections of your Prince nor in your own to the Interests of his Royal Person and Kingdom but may Realize in your Devotion to Majesty those Hyperbolical expressions of Allegiance and Duty wherewith Furre and Velvet have even tired the Court all this Year And let that idle imputation and reproach of a Republican Design be equally the Subject of your Diversion and scorn When all wise Men know you too Prudent and Politick to endeavour the unhinging those firm Establishments of Church and State to whose fixation and Glory you lent so Great an hand and I doubt not bear so true an Heart however enviously the contrary be insinuated by your Inveterate Enemies And no wonder when Jesus himself who dar'd the World and Devil to convince him of sin against God was yet Indicted of Treason against Caesar Joh. 19.22 and bawl'd to death by the Exclamations of those whose Hypocritical pretences to Loyalty serv'd only to mask very fitly the Face of their Cruelty From which God ever defend your Lordship and all Good Men. I am My Lord Your Lordships Most humble Servant S. J. HEB. XI 33. Who through Faith stopped the Mouths of Lyons THis Chapter as a Cabinet enrich'd with Variety of costly Jewels is all throughout Enamell'd with the Glories of Faith Some very Antique even from the first World the Lustre of Abel Enoch and Noah shine here The rest not Modern Abraham Isaac and Jacob Moses Samuel and the Prophets as Stars of the first Magnitude dart down their several Rayes and Influences upon the Church in all Ages and here altogether make up a glorious Constellation And thou Daniel the Prophet art not the least among all the Princes and Prophets of Judah for out of thee proceeded this Eximious Faith in the Text That stopped the Mouths of Lyons so as they could do thee no harm because Innocency was found in thee c. The Text being Historical will necessarily enforce me to give you a Cursory and Paraphrastical account of this Prophets Story and the several Remarques of his Life and Honours but especially of his Sufferings and Imprisonment and the Faith that procured him the Miraculous Deliverance from the Lyons Please you therefore to take a Transient view of him as the Holy Ghost has drest him up and display'd him before us in his own Book 1. In his Lineage and Descent 1 Daniel's high Birth he is if not of the Blood Royal at least of the Seed of the Princes and Noble Chap. 1.3 And the Great Soul that managed all his Actions with that Bravery and Courage confirms the highness of his Extract E fortibus creantur fortes Our Prophet was Born Honourable and the whole Series of his Life was no whit derogatory from but Ornamental to the Glory of his Birth 2. In the Beauty of his Personage 2 Perfect Beauty the Gracefulness of his Body vying perfection with the Graces of his Mind each striving in him for Superiority and both rendring him very amiable and lovely Chap. 1.4 3. In his excellent Breeding and Education 3 Good Breeding He is a choise Spirit cull'd out to be trained up and instructed by Royal Mandate in all the Learning of the Chaldees and taught the Mysteries and Policies of State that he might stand before the King verse 5. And is therefore wrought up to be a polished Pillar for the support of the Government 4. In the admirable Abstinence of his Youth 4 Admirable Abstinence he Religiously declines from the Luxuries of the Court and the Delicacies of the Kings Table and abstemiously satisfies himself with Pulse and Water v. 12. A Rare Example 5. In his Sublime Wisdom and Knowledge 5 Sublime Wisdom God also overlaying his humane Acquisitions with the Gold of Divine Grace Sanctifying him into a knotty and puzling Prophet hard to be understood and giving him a particular Skill and Understanding in Unridling Dreams and Visions of the Night v. 17. And dissolving hard Questions Cap. 5.12 As also the Spirit of Government and fitness for publick Affairs 6. In his Merited Promotion 6 Merited Promotion for his Wisdom he is preferred and made a Great Man by the King Lord Lieutenant over the whole Province of Babylon to inspect the Kings Treasures c. Cap. 2.48 And Chief Governour and Master of all the
him The Third Ruler in the Kingdom Chap. 5.29 But alas this Glory was very short-liv'd Belshazzer slain for the Fountain of it lyes that very Night bleeding in the Dust The Prophesie was fulfill'd and the King call'd for to Judgment v. 30. However upon the Change our Prophet is no loser for the Kingdom being translated to Darius the Mede Darius succeeds who makes him to whose Ears the Report and Fame of the great Daniel's Parts and Excellency quickly arrives and himself being Old for the Ease of his Government 1. He Constitutes under him an Hundred and twenty Deputies Chap. 6.1 2. Over all these Three Presidents to whom they were to make their Accounts 3. And of these three was our Daniel chief in Commission Lord chief President The very first Minister of State Thus you have him in the Zenith of his Honours Lord high President over all the Kings Councils and Treasures next and immediately under himself Supreme Governour together with the Reason which justifies the Kings great Prudence and Policy in promoting him to so high Degree And wherefore viz. Because an Excellent Spirit was found in him He was every way qualified for his Station But this Mighty Preferment soon contracts an universal Envy upon him from those whose Dim Eyes could not see The Princes Envy or whose Cankered Spirits would not weigh his Merits in a Righteous Scale The Hill of Honour is dangerously trod though by never so fair and meritorious Feet Envious Men hate to acknowledge a worth beyond their own and look with a squint Eye on all above themselves The Promotion that falls not on their own Heads grieves their Hearts and is plotted against Indeed Daniel was an Alien and a Captive and for such a One to top them in their own Countrey was they thought insufferable For this Stranger to Monopolize their Princes affections and bear away the greatest share of his Heart and Preferments while themselves must truckle under him dance his attendance and strike Top-sail to him This they could with no patience endure Therefore the Presidents and Princes sought to find occasion against Daniel Yet Safely may the Heavenly Aspirer fix his steps while he has no Competitor to contend with him Note and few are Emulous of the Caelestial Crown The Four and twenty Elders may pass an Eternity e're any below disturb their Honours while weak Eyes wax sore at the sight but of a Coronet though the King himself has stuck it on They sought to find occasion c. And Consult against him And methinks I fancy them sitting in close Consult against him and ransacking every Inch of his Life and Manners Not an under-Officer but is brought in and strictly examin'd upon Oath if possibly the least defect might be found in his Managements or Accounts And perhaps the very Attendants of his Family Brib'd or Menac'd into an unreserved confession and disclosure of the daily Customs of his House nay and those of his very Oratory and Bed-chamber Nor must the freedom of his Table be allowed him unpurged if probably even There but a Syllable might escape him which may be Artificially interpreted into Treason or wrench'd but into the misprision of it Or but any thing which might bear the least shadow or Reflexion of dishonour or damage to the great Person Dignity or Interest of his Royal Master But when now after all this Nothing is squeezed out that can though but colourably charge him How do they fret and vex and are ready to Indict even his Care and his Caution And are vext that they want Eyes to penetrate into the very Recesses of his Soul For it may be There might Sculk some Trayterous and Disloyal Thought which gladly would they tear out from his Heart and produce in Evidence against him But if even That be White and Innocent too they again wax Mad and Curse his very Lovalty and Truth and could wish that his Snowy Innocence would take a Crimson Dye But find nothing to charge him with and be though but Superficially Criminal They sought occasion but could find none for as much as he was faithful Neither was there any Errour or Fault found in him Chap. 6.4 Prying Inquisition is the Jackall to Malice which fetches in the Stores it feeds on And if it chance to light on a full Prey how greatly does it gratifie the Beast it 's Master but if it make but a lean Hunt what a Deal of groaning and grumbling Discontent is there What a plague is it to envy Innocence and to make anothers Health Ones own Disease Is thine Eye Evil because mine is Good And 't is madness to forget Note into how many Snares and fatal Dangers the loose and unguarded Life betrayes Men in the World when the greatest Circumspection and most accurate Vigilance shall not secure the Wary and Provident Daniel from the Gripes of his malicious and conspiring Enemies Yet for ever be it Remarqu'd ☞ to the Honour of these eager Conspirators That the height of this Feavourish Rage did not distemper them into the Distraction of perjurious Revenges nor the Detestable Contrivances of Subornation against him they hate They will not Damn Souls to destroy Bodies Their very Heathen Consciences boggled at that Hellish practice 'T is enough for Rome and Hell to boast such impious Customs and produce such frightful Monsters where they are dispens'd with and encourag'd with due rewards unless perhaps they have of late Landed among us in hopes to serve a Great Turn but in Vain and O God may these Vermine return again to their own home and no longer infest our Air with their infectious Breath And now very despair make these Plotters Witty they alter the Measures of their Counsels They alter Counsels And since nothing can be discovered Defective in his Allegiance to his Prince they will weave a Net that shall ensnare him in the exactness of his Obedience to his God His very Devotions shall be twisted into a Cord that shall strangle him And if he dare pay service to his Maker And Plot against Religion even That shall be High Treason against his King And to save them the Labour he shall Pray himself into the Grave For said these men we shall find no occasion against this Daniel except we find it against him concerning the Law of his God verse 5. But I would wish no greater Judgment upon Plotters than to find them bending their Wits against Heaven which is ever engaged to destroy Them for its own Security and Honour Nor can an Arrow be shot against Piety without hitting God himself directly in the Face Since all that is in the World is but his Reflexion upon the Soul and He is as much in one Beam or Ray of his Holiness that shines in the Creature below is in the whole Sun of it that makes Glory above The Malice that wounds a Saint would destroy the Deity if it could