covetousnesse to do the will of God faithfully and enjoy the light of his countenance let that satisfie you They write that in some Regions there are black Lyons to be seen too many such I feare have been seen in our City I beseech God I beseech you that we may see no more of them I have shewed you wherein you ought not to be like Lyons I shall endeavour next to shew you wherein you are to be like Lyons Be like the Lyon of the tribe of Judah in all things yea be like the ordinary and common Lyon in these following properties qualities and deportments 1. The Lyon is vigilant a waking and a watchfull creature The names in the Hebrew and Greeke import so much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Videre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Video The Lyon is of sharp sight and sleepeth with his eyes open Herein be you like the Lyon yea be like the Lord whose eyes run too and fro throughout the whole earth Let your eye be every where as farr as it can possibly reach have your eye about in the Church mark what is done there Let your eye be about in the Market to see what measures and weights and wares are there Let your eye be about upon the Sabbath dayes in the streets and open places to take notice how the day of the Lord is prophaned Let your eye be about in every Inn and Alehouse to observe what disorders are there Make use also of the eyes of others that will be faithfull How can you ever reforme what is amisse if you doe not know and see what is out of order The Lyon of the tribe of Judah is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Visitator I will English it in Daniels words A watcher and a holy one Be you so 2. Justice appeares notably in the Lyon in distributing and in punishing The Lyon is very just in distributing the Prey he doth not feed one and leave the rest hungry but the Lyon doth teare in peices enough for his Whelps for every Whelp enough and also for his Lyonesses The Lyon is also just in punishing Nunquam se vindicat ultra modum so they write Hee doth never take revenge beyond the measure of the injury he hath received if any man throw a dart at him and yet hurt him not the Lyon will throw him downe that threw the dart but not hurt him if any man wounds the Lyon the Lyon will wound him and no more hurt if any man kill a Lyons Whelp the Lyon will kill him And herein be you a Lyon All Magistrates be you Lyons learne righteousnesse to execute judgement and justice It is sayd of the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah The Scepter of his Kingdome is a right Scepter or a Scepter of righteousnesse Be just in your distributions Viz. of your favours and rewards ever countenance and cherish those that are good and feare God let your frownes be upon those that doe evill It is observed of the Lyon that he is benigne to men but fierce against beasts be you so To men First to such as are good extend your favour but to Beasts to a beastly generation be severe For Rulers are not a terrour to good works but to the evill Governours are sent of God for the punishment of evill doers and for the praise of them that do well The Lyons in the Den will teach you what to do not to hurt Daniel but to flye upon false witnesses and persecutors of the servants of the Lord to roare and be terrible unto them Be just in punishing offenders to correct in a proportion If the wicked man be worthy to be beaten the Judge shall cause him to lye downe and to be beaten before his face according to his fault in a certaine number Deut. 25. 2. that is according to the proportion of his sin They were to moderate the punishment according to the nature of the trespasse and the Delinquents ability to beare the stripes Eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand foot for foot Burning for burning wound for wound stripe for stripe The Law of retaliation is an exact law God doth all his works of Justice as well as his works of power in number weight and measure Learn Justice of the Lyon 3. The Lyon is eminent for mercy For mercy in giving the Lyon is liberall in giving it eates not the prey alone but divides it to other creatures which cannot hunt for themselves Also for mercy in forgiving The Lyon spares all that prostrate and bow to him The Lyon of the tribe of Judah is gentle and mercifull Behold thy King cometh to thee he is meek Be you also mercifull Shew mercy in giving distribute liberally to the necessity of the Saints of Christ The Lyon of the tribe of Judah what did he give to relieve and save your Soules He gave himselfe The bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the World Hath Jesus Christ given his flesh and blood for you and to you and will not you give common bread to his poor Members to comfort their bodies in these pinching times Shew mercy in forgiving Parcere prostratis scit nobilis ira Leonis Tu quoque fac simile The Lyon did not tyrannize over the Carkasse when it was down nor tear the Asse being an innocent thing The Ruler must have mercy to shew compassion to the oppressed to use mildnesse and lenity to penitent Offenders to remit and mitigate the rigour of the Law Parcere subjectis as well as Debellare superbos You should consider that even you are not without your Infirmities All Authors agree in this that the Lyon hath a continuall Feaver a quartain Ague The reason they give is this God hath so provided because he is a fierce Beast and if he had no Infirmities of his own he would not only insult over but devoure also all the Beasts of the field So also God hath provided that the best Christians and the highest in place shall ever have some Infirmities and Fraileties which may temper and allay their severity against others Be not so hot in the Execution of Justice as to rent and teare every Delinquent that hath perhaps failed in some petty matters Consider your own Infirmities Brethren If any man be overtaken in a sault yee which are spirituall restore such an one in the spirit of meeknesse considering thy selfe least thou also he tempted The Lyon of the Tribe of Judah was made like unto his Brethren God only knowes how soon you your owne selves may stand in need of mercy and that not only from God but even from men also What you would that men should do to you the same do to them This is Christs golden Rule And know yea and remember it too That hee shall have Judgment without mercy that hath shewed no
Angell nor Arch-angell none in Heaven and Earth can be found meet to under-go this Office onely Jesus Christ God-man could beare it You have seene how the Lion Messiah the Prince was annointed within Now secondly I will make out his Title to the Crown He had an externall Unction he was annointed a King The ancient annointing of Kings was an outward manifestation and declaration to the whole World of their undoubted Right and Title to their Kingdomes it was also a publick Assignation And this externall Unction had Jesus Christ not with materiall oyle but he had a full and undoubted right to the Government He was no usurper he had a solemn calling from God the Father to this Office and from him he derived a three-fold right The Kingdome was his 1. By Assignation from the Father Psal 2. 6. I have set my King upon my holy Hill of Zion Act. 2. 36. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath â—ade that same JESUS who was crucified both LORD and CHRIST 2. By inheritance Psal 2. 7. I will declare the decree the Lord hath sayd unto me Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Heb. 1. 2. God hath appointed him heire of all things Even the wicked Husbandmen acknowledged thus much This is the heire Mat. 21. 38. 3. By free Donation Psal 2. 8. Aske of me and I shall give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession By this time the first branch or Proposition is true and evident Christ is a Lyon that is A King Therefore as after the anoynting of Jehu they blew with Trumpets and proclaimed saying Jehu is King So here having seen the anoynting I blow the Trumpet proclaim Behold Christ is King Behold Christ is King Branch 2. The Lord Jesus Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lyon The Lyon of Lyons The most excellent Lyon the onely Lyon Christ is a King and there 's no King but Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa 43. â— I am the Lord and beside me there is no Saviour The cheife Priests sayd We have no King but Caesar Christians must say We have no King but Christ But haply some will object Are there not many other Kings Were there not Kings of Israel and Judah Had not Aegypt their Pharaohs and the Philistims their Abimelechs Do wee not read in Daniel of the head of Gold the Silver breast and armes the Brasse belly and thighes the Iron Legs the four ancient and famous Monarchies Did wee never heare of the Emperours of the West And are there not many Kings at this very day in the World What is there but one Lyon in the Forest I answer with Saint Paul There are Lords many many Kings And Saint Peter mentions The King as supreame and that as an Ordinance But such a King as the Lord Jesus Christ is not in the whole World And I will shew you some differences between Christ the King and all other Kings 1. Christ is the onely absolute supream soveraigne independent King the onely Lord Paramount all other Kings have but a derived delegated power from him Pro. 8. 15. By me Kings raigne saith the Lord Jesus the wisedome of the Father and Princes decree Justice All other Kings are but subordinate Viceroys Lord-Deputies 2. All other Kings are men meer men Jesus Christ is God and man as he is the man Christ Jesus so he is God over all blessed for ever No other King God-Man but he 3. In regard of bounds all other Kings they have Dominion only over some part and a little part of the World Indeed there have been Monarchs that have styled themselves Emperours of the World but they were mistaken two wayes First in their times scarce halfe the habitable part of the World was discovered Secondly Had they had all they layd claime to it was but to the lower and baser part of the World the Earth But the Lord Jesus Christ hath an universall Kingdome Psal 72. 8. He shall have Dominion from Sea to Sea and from the River unto the ends of the Earth v. 9. They that dwell in the Wildernesse shall bow before him and his enemies shall lick the dust v. 10. The Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring presents the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts v. 11. Yea all Kings shall fall down before him all Nations shall serve him He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords yea he is King of Heaven and Earth and of all things in them There is no universall King but he 4. In respect of duration All other Kings are men that dye and their Kingdomes have their fatall periods few Kingdomes continue above five hundred years We use to say So many yeares raigned the Chaldeans and Babylonians so many the Medes and Persians so many the Graecians and so many the Romans that I meddle not with the fatall mutations in our Nation The Lord often speaks to earthly Kings in his wrath The Lord hath rent the Kingdome of Israel from thee saith Samuel to Saul even this day he hath done it and hath given it to a neighbour of thine that is better then thou And this was the Writing that was written concerning Belshazzar Thy Bingdome is divided and given to the Medes and Persians But unto the Sonne unto the Lord Jesus Christ the Father saith Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever God the Father speaks concerning his Son as Jupiter is brought in speaking of the Romans His ego nec metas rerum nec tempora pono Imperium sine fine dedi His seed will I make to endure for ever and his Throne as the dayes of Heaven His Throne shall be as the Sun before me It shall be established for ever as the Moon and as a faithfull witnesse in Heaven SELAH The Angell Gabriel was sent from God to the Virgin Mary with this Oracle Thou shalt conceive bringforth a Son and shalt cal his name Jesus He shal be great and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his Father David And he shall raigâ—e over the House of David for ever and of his Kingdome there shall be no end Jesus Christ is the Lyon The Lyon is a Creature as Pliny writes that lives long to an incredible age but Christ is the Lyon that never dyes And there is no eternall King but Christ You have the second Branch or Proposition I passe to Branch 3. Jesus Christ is the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah First And according to the Letter He was King of Iudah He had a just right and title to the temporall Crowne and Kingdome He was of the Seed of David according to the flesh lineally descended from his loynes and by undoubted succession the King and Prince being of the Kingly race This will appear by the Genealogies Saint Matthew chap. 1. sets downe the Pedegree
refresh your memories Here take him for your patterne Bee yee followers of God of Christ of your good Grand-Father also as dear Children and tread in his steps It was the saying of a learned and godly Divine unto his children when he was at the point of death How will you looke me in the face before the dreadfull Tribunall of Jesus Christ if any of you appeare before me then in an unregenerate condition How will any of you look your Venerable Grand-Father in the face at that terrible day If you be found in any Error Heresie Schisme or inordinate walking as becomes not the Gospell of Iesus Christ It is our great honour that we had such a holy root such a Father of our Family It will bee our greatest shame a blot never to be wiped out if any of us shal degenerate This was the Brand and Ignominy of multitudes of the Iewes they boasted and said We have Abraham to our Father but Christ said to them again Yee are of your Father the Devill for the lust of your Father ye wil do These things I write not that I suspect you much les condemn you Of many of you I am confident but in tenderness of love to warn you and excite you to walke accurately The blessing of my Fathers God be upon you al. Accept in good part this poor remembrance from Your Affectionate Vncle JOHN CARTER To his wel-beloved Country-men the Inhabitants of BRAMFORD AND BELSTED in Suffolk EVen Nature teacheth us to love dearely the Land of our Nativity I cannot but wish well to that place and people where I drew my first breath viz. Bramford as also to that place and people where my good Father finished his course and breathed his last viz. Belsted To both those places and peoples I send Salutations But that is not my main designe Brethren My hearts desire and prayer to God for you is that you may bee saved The meanes of Salvation you enjoyed a long time under the Ministry of yout Ancient Pastor my deare Father Mr. John Carter He appeared to you all that while as that bright Star Matth. 2. By his light and motion by his Doctrine and Conversation he guided you to Christ He so long as hee was in his Tabernacle of Clay was not negligent to put you alwaies in remembrance of those things which concern your everlasting peace That which I drive at is Now that hee hath put off his Tabernacle now in his stead to admonish you Remember therefore how you have received and heard and hold fast and repent Remember how hee was an example of Beleivers in word in conversation in Charity in Spirit in faith in purity Consider how shall you escape if you neglect so great Salvation Will it not be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom in the day of Iudgment then for you Now for the eternal good of your Souls here I send nou your old Pastor again I confesse his livelie voice that cannot be recalled but his life and example I endeavour to revive again The rich man in Hel spake thus Father Abraham If one were sent to my Fathers house from the dead they would repent I commend unto you your ancient spirituall Father in some sort raised from the dead Now look to your faith look to your repentance look to your holy walking else his Ministrie will rise up in iudgment against you For hee being dead yet speaks O that you would now so conform to his Doctrine and practise that when hee and you shall stand together at the last day before the great Shepheard of the Sheep Hee that had the rule over you might bee able to say with ioy Lord here I am and the Children which thou hast given me This is and shal be the prayer of him that is Your wel-wishing Friend and Country-man JOHN CARTER TO HIS REVEREND BROTHER AND Fellow-Labourer in the Lords Vineyard Mr. Samuel Clark Pastor of Bennet Fink LONDON Worthy SIR THAT which Naomi spake to Ruth concerning Boaz Hee hath not left off his kindnesse to the living and to the dead It is fully verified of your selfe you cease not to shew kindnesse to the living and to the dead To the living by your preaching and Ministry you make Saints daily To the dead Saints you shew kindnesse by perpetuating their Names to their honours and the good of many And herein you are a great gainer you shine your selfe by making others shine Amongst the rest of those that honour you I am one though I never saw your face otherwise then in the Frontispice of your learned Bookes In your first part of the marrow of Ecclesiasticall History We had information that you did resolve to add a second part and to put in the Lives of such godly Divines and others as were eminent in these latter times if you were furnished with faithfull information Hereupon divers did set upon me with very great importunity to write the life of my deare Father and to send it up to you Truely Worthy Sir I was desirous of the thing but durst not undertake the work I was sensible of mine own weaknesse and also that his sayings and doings had so far slipped the memories of this Generation that I should have brought to light such an imperfect thing as rather would have been a blemish to so eminent a Saint then an honour Hereupon I laid all thoughts aside of medling or attempting such a thing I knew that he is glorious in heaven and on the Earth too so far as his name is spread Now good Sir let me be bold to give you a short account of my selfe Some few daies since I went about to make a new Diary for my selfe I was desirous in the first place to set down some passages of my Father for mine own satisfaction and use I began so and before I was aware it amounted to so much as I thought better that published then nothing at all and at the last my Spirit grew restlesse I could not satisfie my selfe till I had digested it into some order and made it publike And now Sir here it is I present it to your judicious view accept it in good part from a meer stranger Because it was so short therefore I joyned it to a weak and unworthy piece of mine own to make it a Book My humble request to you worthy Sir is this that though I slipped the last opportunity yet if you shall set forth any more lives or if you shall have a new Impression of any of the former that you would extract so much of my precious Fathers life as you shal judge fit and place it where you please in your Ecclesiasticall History Your Monuments will bee lasting in after ages when my poore Pamphlet will bee worne out with time Pardon my boldnesse The Lord strengthen out your daies for the good of his Church and the honour of his Saints Your most observant Friend and Brother that
hee spake was an Oracle to her and her will ever closed with his Judgment He lived to eighty yeares of age When I the youngest of nine and the unworthiest of all was born he was forty years of age He called me the Son of his age yet lived to see me forty yeares old before he dyed He was much and frequent in secret fasting And when he kept a day hee told none of the house of it save my Mother onely who would not eate that day that he fasted but oft-times she was with him in his retyring Chamber to joyn with him in prayer yet all the Family knew it because at night hee supped not but onely had a Toste and a draught of ordinary Beer to sustaine nature On the Sabbath day he never had any thing rost to Dinner because hee would have none detained at home from the publique Ordinances The Pot was hung on and a peice of Beefe and a Pudding in it that was their constant Lords-day Dinner for well-nigh sixty years His Church at Belssed stood in a very solitary place He alwayes kept a Key of it and would often resort thither all alone A Gentleman once espying him going to the Church-ward on a private day hid himselfe till my Father was past and in the Church then hee came close up to the Church wall desirous to peep in at some Window to see what he did and to listen him if he sayd any thing And the Gentleman told me the last time I was at Belsted that he prayed then read a Chapter and after that prayed largely and very heavenly as if he had been in his Family or in the publique Congregation He vigorously held on the course of his Ministry to the last It may be said of him as of Caleb and Joshua he was as fit for Service in Gods Harvest-field at fourescore as he was at forty Some abatement of bodily strength there was as old Age did steale upon him After his after-noon Sermon on the Sabbath he would be something faint and commonly when he came home he would call for some comfortable Draught and when he had lifted up his eyes to Heaven and taken it he would say to them about him these are Crutches to shore up a ruinous house But in his Intellectuals and Spirituall strength there was no failing I cannot but here intersert a Passage that now comes in my minde Old Mr. Benton of Wramplingham in Norffolke a holy man of God being upon occasion in Suffolke in those parts could not but give a visite to his old friend Mr. Carter of Belsted Being with him he heard him discourse with holy Gravity a mixture of all kind of Learning Solidity and Wit he stood amazed and said Mr. Carter I see you are like the Palm and Cedar that bring forth more Fruit in your Age. I thank you said my Father for telling of me what I should be And now the time of his departure was at hand Some fortnight or three weeks before his translation there appeared some decaies in his Body and his memory did a little faile He would sometimes but very rarely call to go to Sea and to his better Country Yet he sat up from morning to night and walked commonly up and down the Room and never failed the performance of Prayer and other Family duties and so as none could discern any considerable defect in his spirituall or naturall strength Onely this when he had done he would presently call to begin again and say Daughter Eunice for my Mother being dead about two yeares before she was the stay of his house and staff of his Age shall we not go to Prayer and when she should answer him you have been at Prayer already and you are weary he would answer I feare we have not done what we should do It was an ordinary yea a constant passage in every Prayer that God would vouchsafe a mercifull and easie passage out of this life And most graciously did the Lord answer it Febr. 21. 1634. being the day before the Sabbath in the Evening he calls very earnestly for Paper Ink and two Pens for by Gods grace saith he to morrow I will Preach twice But God knowes he was not in a fit condition for Study yet with that resolution he went to Bed and God gave him some rest that night In the morning upon the Sabbath-day he did rise out of his Bed as he used to do came out of his Bed-chamber into the Hall and after Prayer he called for his ordinary Breakfast before he went to the Church for still he held his resolution of Preaching which was an Egge he took it in his hand but alas it would not down Eunice saith he I am not able to go to Church yet I prethee lead me to my Bed I will lye down a little and rest me So he arose up out of his Chaire and walked she supporting of him And when he came to the Parlour-door before he put his foot over the Threshold Oh Eunice sayes he what shall I do Put your trust saith she in that God of whom you have had so much experience who never yet did leave you nor forsake you He said The Lord be thanked So he gather'd up himselfe went to the Beds-side sate downe upon it and immediately composed himselfe to lye down He lifted up one of his Legs upon the Bed without any great difficulty laid down his Body and rested his head upon the Pillow My poor Sister stood by expecting still when he should lift up his other leg she thought he had been fallen asleep And she was not mistaken so it was it proved his last sleep and before she could discern any change in him his Soule had taken its flight to Heaven even into the Armes and Embraces of his blessed Saviour whom he had faithfully served Hee intended a Sabbaths Labour for Christ and Christ gave him rest from his Labour even the rest of an eternall Sabbath When my Sister began to speak to him and lift him she found that his breath was departed and yet no change in his Countenance at all his eyes and his mouth continuing in the same posture they used to be in his sweetest sleeps Thus the Lord gave unto his faithfull Servant the desire of his Soule such an easie passage that his death could not be discerned from a sweet naturall sleep Not many daies before he dyed he called my Sister Daughter saith he remember my Love to my Son John I shall see him no more in this life and remember me to the rest of my Children and Family and deliver this message to them all from me Stand fast in the Faith and love one another This was the last message that ever he sent Hee ended his life with a Doxology breathing out his last with these words The Lord be thanked When he had thus yeelded up his spirit into the hands of his heavenly Father my Sister Eunice dispatched a Messenger to me to
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
teare his Enemies in pieces as a Lion rents his prey He stouped downe he couched as a Lion and as an old Lion That notes a full victory over all his Enemies The Lion's couching is not for feare but because he hath conquered his prey and scattered all opposition and now lyeth downe by it in tryumph feeding and resting himselfe in peace So shall Judah tread on the neck of all his enemies and sit downe in peace But to raise it to the height it signifies that Judah shall be the Kingly Tribe in which should be the Regall power 1 Chr. 5. 2. Judah prevailed above his Brethren and of him came the cheife Ruler This signified Vers 8. Thy fathers Children shall bow downe before thee Vers 10. The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from betweene his feet untill Shiloh come And this was fulfilled in David first and in Solomon But though the Prophesie were in part fulfilled in the temporall Kingdome of Judah yet chiefly all is verified in Christ and it hath its complement in the Kingdome of Christ and is interpreted and fully fulfilled in my Text. Jesus Christ is the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah which words are nothing but a Periphrasis an elegant metaphoricall description of the Kingdome of Christ Jesus Christ is a Lyon that is Jesus Christ is a King Christ a King Promised Jerem. 23. 5. Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous branch and a King shall reigne and prosper and shall execute judgement and justice in the Earth Born Matth. 2. 2. Where is he that is born King of the Jewes Proclaimed Zechariah 9. 9. Rejoyce greatly Oh Daughter of Zion shout oh Daughter of Jerusalem Behold thy King cometh unto thee he is just and having Salvation c. Inaugurated Matth. 21. 5. Crowned Psal 21. 3. Thou settest a Crown of pure Gold on his head Cantic 3. 11. Go forth yee Daughters of Zion and behold King Solomon That is Jesus Christ with the Crown wherewith his Mother Crowned him in the day of his Espousals Revel 6. 2 He had a Bow and a Crown was given him Cap. 19. 12. On his head were many Crowns And verse 16. Thus runs his royall Title KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS He was qualified with all Kingly graces and gifts He was annointed a King The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 45. 7. God thy God hath annointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse above thy fellowes Of old they did annoint their Kings but Christ had an Unction above all other Kings Saul had a Viall of oyle poured on his head Jehu a box of oyle David a horn of oyle every one had their measure But Christ was annointed not with materiall oyle as they but with the Holy-Ghost and that with all fulnesse God gave the Spirit unto him non ad mensuram Not by measure He was annointed within and without all over 1. Within his inward Unction was with Kingly graces There are certain gifts and qualifications requisite for the discharge of the Kingly Function without which no Monarch can weild the Scepter happily 1. Strength and Courage the King must be a mighty and a valiant man to defend his people and fight their Battels 2. Wisdome and understanding to discern between good and bad and to judge his people 1 King 3. 9. 3. Justice Prov. 16. 12. The Throne is established by righteousnesse 4. Mercy Prov. 20. 28. Mercy and truth preserve the King and his Throne is upholden by mercy All these were eminently yea infinitely in Jesus Christ and therefore he was meet to be a King He was a Lion 1. The Lion is strongest among Beasts Prov. 30. 30. Courageous and Magnanimous So Jesus Christ he excelled all others in power might and courage The Government is upon his Shoulder And he is called the mighty God Isa 9. 6. All power is given him in Heaven and Earth Matth. 28. 18. He is the Almighty Rev. 1. 8. Christ is the generous Lion of undaunted Courage and invincible strength to grapple with the Hunters and savage Creatures 2. The Lion is an Emblem of Wisdome as well as of Strength a Creature that hath great Sagacity Strange things are written of the wisdome and policy of the Lion by and by you shall meet with some of them He is crafty in waiting for the Prey watching his opportunities Psal 10. 9. He lyeth in wait secretly he lurketh in his Den. He is subtle in deceiving the Hunter When he is hunted sometimes he goeth forward sometimes backward and sweeps out his footsteps that are from the Hunter with his taile that no track of his may be found Whence it became a Proverb Leonis Vestigia quaeris In this grace also Christ excelled all others Solomon was famous for wisdome for he had sought it of God for there was none like him before nor after But behold here is a greater then Solomon a wiser then Solomon the Lord Jesus Christ In him are hid the treasures of Wisdome and Knowledge Col. 2. 3. And wisdome for Government is better then Strength 3. In the Lion is observed strict Justice Non punit ultra condignum If any one hit him or throweth a dart at him hurts him not the Lion will onely rush against him that strook the blow throw him down but not hurt him If any wound the Lion and draw blood the Lion will turn again and teare him but not to death but if any kill the Lions Whelp the Lion will slay him In this grace of Justice Christ excelled all others He shall order his Kingdome and establish it with Judgment and with Justice for ever Isa 9. 7. He loveth righteousnesse and hateth wickednesse Psal 45. 7. A Scepter of righteousnesse is the Scepter of his Kingdome Heb. 1. 8. He is Melchesidec King of righteousnesse Heb. 7. 2. 4. In the Lion also is clemency and mercy He is benevolent to mankind spares them that prostrate to him and will not hurt Women nor little Children And in this grace also Christ exceeded all others Matth. 21. 5. Behold the King cometh unto the Meek and sitting upon an Asse and a Colt the fole of an Asse Isa 42. 2. He shall not cry nor lift up nor cause his voice to be heard in the street 3. A bruised Reed shall he not breake and the smoaking Flax shall he not quench He wept over Ierusalem and had compassion on the multitude He was a faithfull and a mercifull high Priest And he was a faithfull and a mercifull King See the oyle with which he was inwardly annointed poured upon his head altogether Isa 11. 2. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the Spirit of wisdome and understanding the Spirit of Counsel might the Spirit of Knowledge and of the feare of the Lord. Here are his Kingly graces his Lion-like qualifications whereby he was fitted to weild the Kingdome No man
Christ undertakes the protection of it Hee will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion and upon her Assemblies a cloud and a smoak by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night for upon all the glory shall be a defence And the Gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it 4. The Lord Jesus Christ must be the Lyon the King to exercise judiciary power to execute judgement To bring Malefactors to condigne punishment to destroy the implacable Enemies of his Church and Kingdome He is therefore a Lyon and a Bear too Hos 13. 7. Therefore will I be unto them as a Lyon as a Leopard by the way will I observe them Vers 8. I will meet them as a Bear that is bereaved of her Whelps and will rent the Caul of their heart and there will I devour them like a Lyon the wilde beast shall tear them Luke 19. 27. But those mine enemies that would not that I should reign over them bring hither and slay them before me Hee also must be a Lyon a King to distribute rewards to his good and faithfull Subjects The Lyon doth teare in peices enough for his Whelps and strangled for his Lyonesses and filled his holes with prey and his dens with Ravine So the Lord Jesus Divides the spoyle with the strong He spoyled Principalities and Powers He ascended up on high hee led Captivity captive and gave gifts to men Ephes 4. 8. As a King hee will hee will inrich his subjects with grace here and glory hereafter he will reward his followers not for their merits sake but for his mercies sake He will say to one Well done thou good servant because thou hast been saithfull in a very little have thou authority over ten Cities And to another Be thou also over five Cities And they that follow him in the Regeneration when Christ the King shall sit in the throne of his glory they also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel And every one that hath forsaken houses or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands to become his subjects shall receive an hundred fold and shall inherite everlasting life Thus have you the generall Doctrine 3. Before I come to make application of it I will addresse my selfe to my third task and returne to the parts of the Text and take a review of them and speake something to them and observe something from them distinctly and very shortly The parts you may remember are two 1. The Trumpet sounded 2. The sight or shew presented 1. For the first The Trumpet sounded Behold This demonstrative as it points to some admirable thing so it is a word of command Here Observe It is the duty of every Christian to behold the Lord Jesus Christ As Saint John the Divine is here called upon to behold so is every one enjoyned to eye the Lyon that is the Lord Jesus John the Baptist calls as much upon his Disciples to behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sins of the World John 1. 29. Even Pilate could call unto the Jews saying Behold your King John 19. 14. But why must we alwayes set our eyes upon Christ There are many reasons I will fasten onely upon one namely Wee must alwayes behold him that wee may imitate and follow him Behold thy King saith the Prophet Zechariah how he cometh he is just meeke and lowly And why must we thus behold him Christ himselfe will give you the reason Matth. 11. 29. that you may learne of him to be meeke and lowly in heart I have given you my example saith the Lord Jesus John 13. 15. that you should do as I have done to you Judah had a Lion in their Standard and that they were to follow Jesus Christ is our Standard The root of Iesse i. e. Christ springing out of Davids stock shall stand for an Ensigne of the people Luke 2. 34. Behold saith Simeon this Childe Iesus is set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a Banner which shall meet with contradiction a military signe It is our duty to follow our Ensigne and that is a Lyon 2. You have heard the Trumpet sounded I will now lead you to the second part of the Text Viz. The sight or shew The Lyon of the tribe of Iudah and why of the Tribe of Judah The Apostle shall give you the reason clearly Heb. 7. 14. For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Iudah Observe then the Pedigree of this Lyon He came out of the loynes of Judah the fourth Son of Jacob and was born in that Tribe In the words next following my Text Christ is called the root of David which metaphoricall expression doth imply two things 1. That Christ indeed is Davids root David sprang from him David in spirit called him Lord and hee might also call him Father for Jesus Christ is the everlasting Father Isa 9. 6. All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made Iohn 1. 3. Even David had his originall from him Secondly and most properly the meaning is that David was the root of Christ that is Christ sprang from David God raised up Christ out of the decayed House of David by his mighty arme So plainly Isa 11. 1. There shall come forth a Rod out of the stemme of Jesse and a branch shall grow out of his roots You have both together Revel 22. 16. I am saith Christ the Root and the Off-spring of David I bear David in regard of my Deity and I come of David in regard of my Humanity The whole amounts to thus much That Christ is Man He is God of the substance of his Father begotten before the Worlds and Man of the substance of his Mother borne in the World Of a reasonable soule and humane flesh subsisting Jesus Christ our Lord was made of the Seed of David according to the flesh Rom. 1. 3. He took our flesh he took all our infirmities sin onely excepted 4. I have by Gods gracious assistance finished the Doctrinall part I enter now upon my fourth and last taske but not the least It is to make application Put all together that I have spoken and it will be profitable 1. To instruct 2. To convince 3. To exhort 4. To comfort I shall prosecute these distinctly the Lord order and direct my tongue and rightly dispose your hearts for the obedient receiving of the word Behold and hearken And first it wil serve for our Instruction From all that hath been said we may gather divers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corollaries Consectary conclusions as additions for our better information concerning this Lion this King Obs 1. Quale Regnum What manner of Kingdome the Kingdome of Christ is A Spiritual not a temporall Kingdome The Conquest of temporall and earthly Kings is of Countries Cities Castles Navies The Conquest of Christ our King is of
the hearts of his people he brings them into subjection The Rule of Temporall and Earthly Kings is over the bodies and goods of their Subjects But Christs Throne is set up in the Soules of his people by his Spirit he rules in the inward man Temporall Kingdomes are obtained defended by force of Armes carnall Weapons the Arm of flesh but Christs Kingdome is won and maintained by Spiritual Weapons the Word and Spirit For the Weapons of our Warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it selfe against the Knowledge of God and bringing into Captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2. Cor. 10. 4. 5. Christ himselfe renounceth all temporall and earthly Dominion Thus Iesus answered Pilate My Kingdome is not of this World if my Kingdome were of this World then would my Servants sight that I should not be delivered to the Jewes but now is my Kingdome not from hence Joh. 18. 36. In respect of Dominion Right and Title all the Kingdomes of the World are the Lord Iesus Christ's He hath jus ad rem But in regard of Possession and use hee abdicates all He never owned any temporall Possessions When they would have come and taken him by force to make him King he departed alone himselfe and hid himselfe in a Mountaine Ioh. 6. 15. The more is their folly that by being Subjects of Christs Kingdome expect chiefly temporall good things Riches Honours and Pleasures So the Iewes they alwaies dreamed of a worldly Kingdome and yet expect a Messiah to come with outward Pomp and worldly Glory Yea the very Apostles were nibling at this Act. 1. 6. Wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdome to Israel And the Mother of Zebedees Children lingred after this Grant that these my two Sons may sit the one at thy right hand and the other on thy left in thy Kingdome She meanes a temporall Kingdome But what saith Iesus Christ to her Yee know not what you ask are you able to drink of the Cup that I shall drinke of and to be baptized with the Baptisme that I am baptized with Can you drink of a cup of deadly Wine with me Can you endure to be plunged over head and eares in a flood of Afflictions This you must look for in my Kingdome Riches and Honours and Offices these are not the good things of Christs Kingdome no no. The Kingdome of God is not meat and drink but righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy-Ghost Rom. 14. 17. 2. Against the Chiliasts or Millenaries That the 1000 yeares reigne of the Saints upon the Earth is but a meer dream a falshood a grosse error They fancy to themselves that a 1000 years before the generall resurrection Christ in his humane nature shall come to Ierusalem where he was crucified that all the Martyrs and Saints departed of the old and new Testament shall rise in their Bodys and that they and all the liviug Saints shall raign with him 1000 yeares They shall subdue with bloudshed all wicked Princes and disobedient Nations They shall live without any disturbance from any enemy without or within That they shall all live without sin and without Ordinances that they shall passe these 1000 years with all manner of earthly delights begetting many children eating and drinking and making merry This error first set a foot by that Arch-heretick Cerinthus I will not enter the lists to encounter it I will not meddle with the controversy I shall only speak a word if it may be to shame the fautors of this fond fancy What a Saint and so addicted to carnall pleasures Did Christ ever enjoy such an earthly Kingdome Alas alas The Foxes have holes and the foules of the Aire have nests but the Sun of man had not where to lay his head He contemned these low things And what must the Saints his followers look for upon earth Christ himselfe shall tell them If any man will come after me let him deny himselfe and take up his Crosse and follow me Christ went through this World bearing the Crosse and shall the Saints look to weare Crownes here below The generous Lyon will not eat any dead thing or stinking carcase only what is living and sweet he takes his prey eats it whilest it bleeds and trembles These earthly things riches honors pleasures are but dead things stinking carkases Surely all those whose hearts and affections feed upon them they are not right whelps of the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah If you be not ashamed of the love of the World The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the Pride of life The worlds Trinity Pleasures profits preferments Yet be ashamed to affect a temporall reigne because Christ renounced it I shall say no more to them that expect such a carnall raigne with Christ on earth but what Saint Augustine saith to the Theife upon the Crosse in his elegant Prosopopoeia Lord sayes the Malefactor to Jesus remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdome Kingdome sayes Augustine Quid Regium vides What royalty Oh! wretched man dost thou behold what Crown dost thou see but a Crown of Thornes what Robe what Purple but a Common Souldiers tattered Red-coat what Scepter but a Reed what homage but the mocks and taunts of the raging multitude what throne but the Crosse what guard but the barbarous executioners Here 's Christs raigne upon earth hee raigned in suffering he conquered by dying he tryumphed in the Crosse go thou and be content to do likewise Obser 3. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah the King of his Church Then the government of the Church is Monarchicall This is the happinesse of the Church Monarchy is the best Government and Christ is the best King And no King of the Church but Jesus Christ God hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church which is his body Eph. 1. 22 23. Here at one blow off goes the triple Crowne The Popes Kingdome is overthrowne and the High Priest of Rome the Universall Bishop is deposed if the Pope be King then there are two Kings of the Church and Jesus Christ is not THE Lyon the onely King Bellarmine grants it that Christ is the onely King and Monarch of the Church which doth spiritually and invisibly govern it yet saith he the Church being corporall and visible it stands in need of some one to be the visible and highest judge to decide controversies to compose all strifes about Religion to ordaine all inferiour Officers Bishops Pastors c. To containe them in their duties and keep them in unity and the visible government of the Church must be Monarchicall The Church of Rome hath found out other Lyons besides the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah They usually called their Popes Leones In 440. they had
that I should obey his voice I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go May not the Lord write it before them in a Table and note it a Book that this is a rebellious people They many of them know the Lawes of their Prince and yet transgresse against them and walk contrary Christ saith thou shalt not be angry with thy Brother rashly but they will continue malicious and revengefull Christ saith Thou shalt not look upon a Woman to lust after her but they have eyes and hearts full of Adultery Christ saith swear not at all but they upon every light occasion upon no occasion blaspheme the name of God and take it in vaine Christ saith Love your enemies blesse them that curse you do good to them that hate you but they continue full of malice returning rebuke for rebuke curse for curse wrong for wrong evil for evill Christ saith He that will be my Disciple let him Deny himselfe they make self their God Christ saith Let my Disciple take up his Crosse and follow me They say as the reviling Passengers if thou be the Son of God come down from the Crosse free us from the Crosse or we will not follow thee Christ saith Learn of me to be meeke and lowly but they are fierce and proud Christ commandeth faith and love These are the two great Gospell-Lawes but the most of the Children of men are full of unbeliefe and haters of the Brethren O what a little Kingdome is Christs Kingdome Sign 4. Faithfull payment of Tribute as Augustus Caesar so the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah Christ the King of his Church doth lay Taxes upon all his Subjects And it is the Character of a right Subject to render Tribute to whom Tribute is due and to give to Caesar the things which are Caesars And according to this rule how small is Christs Kingdome in comparison There is a Tribute of our time due to him every seventh day is his but alas How many prophane persons give away that day to the Devill Yea which is more sad how many are there in these daies that mask under the name and shape of Saints that deny this Tribute altogether and maintain it that there is no such day due to Christ at all now under the Gospell The morality of the Sabbath is gone every day is a Sabbath no day is a Sabbath This is the Doctrine of Devils and Rebels against Jesus Christ There is a tribute to go out of our time every day we live There is a certain Kingdome I remember not the name of it at present in which there is sometimes but rarely a Fish taken which by reason of the greatnesse and excellency and rarity is the Kings Right and Royalty and therefore called the Kings Fish The King alwaies gives the bulck and body of this Fish to those that catch it but he reserves to himselfe Capita Caudas the heads and the tailes as a tribute and acknowledgment that all was his due to him In like manner precious time it is all Christs own all due to him yet he gives his Subjects the body of time the body of the week the body of the day he reserves to himselfe onely capita caudas the ends of time the Morning and the Evening and what other convenient time may be redeemed these are his tribute But how few pay this Little faithfully How few who give to Jesus Christ a Morning Sacrifice How few with Isaac go out to meditate in the Evening How rare is it to finde a man that with David will pray and cry aloud Evening and Morning and at Noon There is a Tribute due to Christ our King out of our Estates and here the poore Members of Jesus Christ are his Receivers Withhold not good from them to whom it is due The poore are in a sense owners of some thing in our hands we are but stewards under Christ to distribute to them I perswade my selfe this kind of tribute I mean Almes is as unjustly and brokenly paid in this City and in this whole Nation as it is in any part of the Christian World and this I feare Christs Collectors and Receivers will witnesse against this hard-hearted Generation There are extraordinary Taxes upon extraordinary occasions you are pretty well acquainted with them Such there are in the Kingdome of Christ in times of trouble and persecution Christ calls for thy Goods Liberty Life for thy dearest blood Tell me art thou willing to part with these when Christ requires them A good Subject will fight for his King If my Kingdome were of this World sayes Christ then would my Servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jewes Joh. 18. 36. But alas alas how few Champions hath the Lord Jesus Christ Nebuchadnezzar made a Degree that every People Nation and Language which speake any thing amisse against the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego shall bee cut in peices and their houses be made a dunghill But now Hereticks that speak amisse of God and of Christ and of the Scriptures and most horrid Blasphemers do swarm and are I had almost said tolerated and cherished Who fights against them Who opposeth them Who contends for the faith for the truth and for the honour of Jesus Christ To endeavour the increase and honour of his Kingdome In the multitude of people is the Kings Honour Prov. 14. 28. He that is a right and faithfull Subject will endeavour with all his might to bring in Subjects to the Kingdome of Jesus Christ I will put you upon examination now Let Magistrates ask their owne hearts whether they in their places by executing Judgment do seek to lessen Satans Kingdome and to enlarge the Kingdome of Christ Let Ministers aske their owne hearts whether they in their places by preaching and practise by life and Doctrine do endeavour to lessen Satans Kingdome and advance the Kingdome of Jesus Christ Let Parents and Masters aske their owne hearts whether they in their places do endeavour by private inflructing of their Families to bring their Children and Servants and all committed to their charge out of the Devils Kingdome into the Kingdome of Jesus Christ Andlet all that are before me this day aske their owne hearts whether they do outof a zealous desire of the increase and honour of Christs Kingdome incessantly pray that all those that are held in captivity under Satan under chaines of darknesse that the Lord would translate them out of the Kingdome of darknesse into the Kingdome of his deare Son Do they daily pray thy Kingdome Come 7. For a ful-do And not so much a new signe as the sum of all before Is sin Is Satan cast out Hath Jesus Christ his Throne in thy heart Doth he rule in thee altogether art acted not by Satan not by the World not by the Flesh but by the Spirit of Iesus Christ then
thou art his Subject But they that are not ruled and governed by Christ by his word and Spirit they reject Christ and say we will not have this Lyon this King to Reigne over us These are under another King Sin reignes in them and they have a King over them indeed it is the Angell of the bottomlesse Pit whose name is Abaddon and Apollyon Revel 9. 11. The Devill is their King and they are his Vassals These lye under the wrath of God And how dreadfull that is Solomon will tell you The Kings wrath is as the roaring of a Lyon but his favour is as the dew upon the grasse Prov. 19. 12. And do they say we will not have this King to reigne over us they shall be subject at the long-run if they will not bend in time they shall be broken if they will not come into the Kingdome of grace they shall be subdued by the Kingdome of his power I have sworn by my selfe saith the Lord the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse and shall not return that to me every Knee shall bow Isa 45. 23. They that here will not kisse his golden Scepter shall at the last and dreadfull day be dashed in peices with his iron Rod. Then shall he say to his mighty Angels Those mine Enemies that would not that I should Raigne over them bring hither and slay them before me Luk. 19. 27. Those that in time will not prostrate to this Lyon of the Tribe of Judah he will be to them at last a fierce and furious Lyon and will rent and teare them to peices when there is none to help Reprehens 2. Is Jesus Christ the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah This checks not onely the arrogance and boldnesse but also the madnesse and folly of all such as provoke this Lyon and rise up against him There are such fighters against God who oppose themselves and exalt themselves above all that is called God This is Antichrist And as Saint John speaks in his first Epistle Chap. 2. 18. Even now there are many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time Not onely that Antichrist the great Whore of Babylon sitting upon seven Mountaines with a Golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthinesse and drunken with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus But all Hereticks and Blasphemers that rise up against this Lyon Viz. Such as rise up against the very person of Christ some against his Divinity others against his Humanity and many against whole Christ Such as rise up against the Scriptures of God crying them downe for a meer humane invention such as rise up and fight against the truth of Christ the Gospel of Christ all the Ordinances of Christ the Government of Christ These my Beloved Christs Gospel Truth and Government are his Scepter The rod of his strength which hee sends out of Zyon These are the sharp two-edged Sword which cometh out of the mouth of Christ whereby he conquers and rules in the midst of his enemies And all such as oppose the truth Ordinances and Government of Jesus Christ they set up their power against the power of Christ they draw out their Sword against Christs Sword Against these the Lyon of the tribe of Judah will roare yea he will tear them in peices But especially he will be feirce and terrible against them that hurt and kill his Whelps But who are the Whelps of this Lyon The old Patriarch Jacob shall tell you Judah is the Lyons Whelp Gen. 49. 4. Judah that is the Church and people of God The annointed of the Lord his Prophets and his Saints Psal 105. 14 15. And here I may turne my reprehension into lamentation Oh God! the Heathen are come into thine inheritance thy holy Temple have they defiled they have layd Jerusalem on heaps The blood of thy Saints have they shed like water round about Jerusalem We are become a reproach to our neighbours a scorn derision to them that are round about us The Lord hath sent Prophets wise men and Scribes and some of them have they killed and crucified and some of them have they scourged and persecuted from City to City I saw the soules of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus and for the word of God and which had not worshipped the beast neither his Image neither had received his marke upon their foreheads or in their hands But it may be sayd as the King answered Ester Who is he and where is hee that durst presume in his heart to do so And Ester sayd The Adversary and Enemy is this wicked Haman Hee was a great Favorite politick and potent and hee presumed upon his owne greatnesse So may I say the Adversaries and Enemies that have done these things are a wicked Generation but how dare they doe these things How dare they not They are great in power and riches and strength able to crush all that stand in their way they are politick and crafty who can over-reach them they stand strong and who can bring them downe They have sayd Wee will prevaile who is Lord over us But can they prevaile against the Lyon of the tribe of Judah whose Whelps they have injured and killed Let me tell these deceitfull and bloody men two or three things 1. That there is no creature more tender of their young ones then the Lyon the Lyon will defend his Whelps from injury till he fall downe dead I have read so much in approved Authors 2. Let me tell them they are indeed Lyons themselves base savage Lyons of the Forest Davids cruell Persecutors were gaping ravening and roaring Lyons Nero was a Lyon and such are all Tyrants But the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah is stronger then they Hee is the strongest among Lyons and a King against whom there is no rising up Prov. 30. 30 31. He is a foole that will contend with one that is mightier then himselfe Eccles 6. 10. 3. Let me tell them yet further the Lyon may seem to sleepe a while even whilest his Whelps suffer but hee will rouse up and roare Some write that the Lyon never sleeps but often seemes to sleep when he is most awake I am sure the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah doth neither slumber nor sleep Hee may seem to sleep but hee will awake as one out of sleep and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of Wine And he will smite his Enemies in the hinder parts he will put them to a perpetuall reproach Psal 78. 65 66 4. And lastly let me tell them a Story which I have read in a learned and approved Author which he relates and affirms to be true his end is to prove as the strength so the wisedome of the Lyon above other creatures A Lyon and a Lyonesse having Whelps went both out to hunt for prey
In their absence a Beare entred their Den tore and killed the young Lyons not able to defend themselves soon after the old Lyon with the Lyonesse returned to their Den and finding their young ones slaine they were filled with bitter grief and great rage out they go together to finde out the Enemy and be revenged they quickly espyed the Beare yet bloody and pursued it The Bear to escape their fury climbed up into a tree and so got out of their reach for the present The Lyonnesse stood still at the root of the tree the other Lyon went away and ranged up and downe in the Mountaines till at last he came where a man was hewing of wood He makes to the man the poore man in feare let fall his Hatchet and began to run away after hastens the Lyon gets to him casts his tayle round about him like a Girdle embraced him and licked him and by the strength of his tayle pulled him led him sayes my Author whither hee would or no First he brought him to his Hatchet and pointed to it with his foot to have the man take it up he understood not the Lyons language the Lyon then took up the Hatchet in his owne mouth and so carryed it leading the man into his Den. There he layd downe the Hatchet a while looked upon the man and then looked upon his murdered Whelps made piteous moane and then wound his tayle about the man againe tooke up the Hatchet in his mouth and having shewed him that dolefull sight led him directly to the tree where the Bear was on the top and the Lyonesse standing at the root The Lyon looks up shewed him the Bear and then the man began to suspect that it was the Beare that had done the wrong to the Lyon He takes his Axe heweth the tree downe falls the Beare and the Lyon and his mate fall upon him and tare him to peices that done the Lyon carryed the man with the Hatchet just to the place where he found him and there left him unhurt to hew wood againe This is credibly related I will not warrant the Story to be Gospel but I will warrant the application to be no lesse Tyrants and Persecutors that murder the Whelps of the Lyon of the tribe of Judah that massacre the Saints of Christ are usually called Bears in holy Writ For their security and safety they climbe up their tree and their towre is the arme of flesh their greatnesse their multitudes their amunitions their military skill their riches their freinds The rich mans wealth is his strong City and as a high wall in his owne conceite Prov 18. 11. They think in their ruffe and gallantry that none can pluck them down they vaunt who shall us controule How soon can the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah fetch Hewers out of the Mountaines and hew down their Tree wherein they trusted and teare them in peices when there shall be none to help Jesus Christ can soon call in Carpenters to cut and saw of the hornes which have scattered Judah Israell and Jerusalem And he will certainly do it I will passe their doom yet not I but the Lord and so leave them Therefore the Lord will bee unto them as a Lyon as a Leopard by the way he will observe them He will meet them as a Beare that is bereaved of her Whelps and will rent the Caule of their heart and there will he devoure them like a Lyon the wild Beast shall teare them Hos 13. 7. 8. From hence I shall slip to the third Use viz. Exhortation And here I sound the Trumpet again Behold Christo Duce Sequimini Behold the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah The Lyon couchant was the Ensigne of Judahs Tribe and Family And the Lord Jesus Christ the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah is the Ensigne of his Church And in that day there shal be a root of Jesse which shall stand for an Ensigne of the people to it shall the Gentiles seeke Isa 11. 10. Behold this Child the Child Jesus is set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a Signe or Banner for many in Israel for the Church Then follow follow your Captain your Ensigne Eye him by knowledge by faith walk after him tread in his steps imitate him Christ is now lift up here he stands as Gideon and saith to you all Looke upon me and do likewise Or as Abimelech what you have seen me do make hast and do as I have done And here I must crave liberty to branch out my Exhortation and that I may as a faithfull Steward divide to every one in Gods house their part and portion I shall direct my Exhortation 1. To the New-elect and the other Magistrates 2. To the Ministers of the Gospell 3. And lastly to all promiscuously My first addresse is to the New-elect whose Inauguration we celebrate and who this day enters upon the chief place of Magistracy in this City and also to the rest of the Magistrates present whether of the City or Country that in his charge they may heare theirs Worthy Praetor you are ascending this day to the highest place of Government in this place where God hath laid out the bounds of your Habitation Behold the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah Behold your King the Lord Jesus Christ and follow him step after step Be you a Lyon also Judah the Prince and Governour was a Lyon Judas Macchabeus that Worthy hee in all his acts was like a Lyon and like a Lyons whelp roaring for his Prey The Roman Emperours and Bishops were called Leones Lyons Many Kings and Common-Wealths have the Lyon for their Armes This was symbolized by the steps of Solomons Throne The King made a great Throne of Ivory and over-laid it with pure Gold And there were six steps to the Throne and staies on each side of the sitting place and two Lyons standing by the staies and twelve Lyons stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps And even you also give for you City Armes a Lyon with your Castle Matth. 8. 34. The Lyon is a rare Creature not bred in many places neither shall we see in the Common-wealth many Lyons indeed many beare in their Banners and Escoucheons the Lyon but in their Administration they perform none of those things which are propounded in the Lyon Be you a Lyon let the rest be Lyons carry your selves like Lyons Let me speak to you as the Prophet did to the Altar Isa 29. 1. O Ariel Ariel that is Leo Dei the Lyon of God so was the Altar called because fire came down from Heaven suddenly as a Lyon out of his Den and consumed the Sacrifice Let fire come down from Heaven upon your heart even the fire of true love to God and zeale for God Aristotle attributes to the Lyon a round face and makes it to represent the Sun the shaggy haire not being unlike the glorious rayes
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
keepe nothing of Gods counsell back He must lift up his voyce like a Lyon and roare in the eares of Kings Potentates and the greatest States-men The Lyon must roare though the Doggs bark and the Wolves howle and all the Beasts of the Forrest do yell and grin A soule-searching Ministry is gall and wormwood to unreformed persons Ministers that cast the Pearles of reproofes before Doggs and Swine must expect that such brutish creatures will fly in their faces and if it be in their power will rent and teare them But what saith the Lord Thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speake Be not afraid of their faces for I am with thee to deliver thee Jer. 1. 7 8. Make thy face strong against their faces and thy forehead strong against their foreheads Ezek. 3. 8. Ministers must have undaunted resolutions ahd be as bold as Lyons 4. Ministers of the Gospell must not forget the stately gate of the Lyon The Lyon is comely in his going Ministers should be carefull above all others to walke as becomes the Gospel of Christ A holy walking that is the comely walking I beseech you behold how the high Priest is adorned and how he walks He had a plate of pure Gold upon his forehead and upon that Plate was ingraven HOLINESSE TO THE LORD Upon his Brestplate the URIM and the THUMMIM Viz the light of knowledge and the perfection of holinesse these were upon Aarons heart when hee walketh when he goeth in before the Lord. He had a Robe down to his feet and towards the bottome beneath upon the hemme of it a golden Bell and a Pomegranate a Golden Bell and a Pomegranate round about The golden Bell signifies the sound of pure Doctrine and the Pomegranate a sweet and savoury fruit notes that holinesse of Conversation that was in the High-priest view him well and you see him adorned with holinesse Cap a pe from head to foot It is the duty of Ministers Vivere concionibus concionari moribus to live Sermons Melius docemur vita quam verbo Examples prevaile more with men then Precepts In all things shew thy selfe a Pattern of good Workes saith Paul to Titus in Doctrine uncorruptnesse gravity sincerity In the frame of the Temple upon the borders were painted and ingraven Lyons Oxen and Cherubims To shew what kind of persons they ought to be who serve in Gods house As Angels for knowledge to dive into the Mysteries of the Gospell laborious and painfull as the Oxe They must be Lyons also for courage and boldnesse and they must be comely in their going their Conversation must be holy and lovely I shall commend at this time but one thing more to my Brethren of the Ministry and that is Prayer Let us be much and earnest in Prayer Alas we shall never be able to open the Book except the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah help us verse 4. John wept much because none was found worthy to open the Book and to read it We must weep and pray pray and weep that we may be enabled to open the Booke For there are sublime things in the Book and hard to be understood Alas our hearts will faile us and we shal be afraid of the faces of men if the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah do not strengthen us and put Courage into us keep up our Spirits to him therfore we nought to make our Addresses Yea in this let me beg help for my selfe and others wel-beloved I speak to you all that are before me this day in the words of Saint Paul Eph. 6. 18. Pray alwaies with all prayer and supplication of the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance supplication for al Saints 19. And for me and for all the faithfull Ministers of the Gospell that utterance may be given unto us that we may open our mouths BOLDLY to make known the mystery of the Gospell Exhortation 3. I passe on now to the third Exhortation and that is to all in generall men women and young ones And there are various and sundry duties which I shall endeavour to perswade you to And first Is Jesus Christ the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah Then prostrate bow to this Lyon tremble at his voice Is Christ the King of his Church and People then come all in shake off all other yoakes Satans Dominion and Sins Reigne and list under this King be his Subjects kisse his Scepter and kneele to him know your King be loyall to him give him your whole heart honour feare and obey him give to Caesar that which is Caesars pay him all his Tribute of time of your Estates of every thing Fight for him contend for the faith the truth the honour of Jesus Christ Let the Lord Jesus Christ have a Throne in all your hearts say We have no King but the Lord Jesus Christ To move you hereunto consider the excellency of this Kingdome above all other Kingdomes in the World It hath the best King He is fairer then the Children of men He is the supream the absolute King of himselfe all other earthly Kings are but Vice-roys Lord-deputies All other Kings are but meer men he is God and man all other Kings have but a little peice of earth to set their feet upon he is the great Monarch of Heaven and Earth all other Kings weare but a corruptible Crown but his Kingdome endureth for ever Such a King there is not another What the Queen of Sheba said of Solomon the Type hath its Complement and perfection in Jesus Christ Happy are the Servants and Subjects of this King Blessed be the Lord thy God Oh thou Lyon of the Tribe of Judah which delighted in thee to see thee on the Throne of Israel because the Lord loved his Israel for ever therfore made he thee King It hath the best Scituation I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion There is the nether Zion and the upper Zion both pleasant Of the nether or lower Zion the Pilgrim Church upon Earth it is said Beautifull for scituation the joy of the whole Earth is Mount Zion the City of the great King And what is the beauty thereof The presence of God dwelling in the midst his people and protects them God is known in her Palaces for a Refuge Of the upper Zion the triumphant Church in Heaven it is said Yee are come unto Mount Zion and unto the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the first-borne which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus Heb. 12 22 23 24. It hath the best Lawes What Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and Judgments so righteous as all this Law which I set before you this day
higher Powers Rom. 13. 1. Give to Caesar the things that are Caesars Honour Obedience and Tribute Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as supream or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evill doers and for the praise of them that do well Feare God honour the King 1 Pet. 2. 13. 14. 17. Couch to the Civill Magistrate The Donatists and their Successors Anabaptists and Libertines take away all Magistracy out of the World they are Children of Belial that will not be subject to any Yoake Though some of them be constrained to acknowledge Magistracy under the old Testament yet they maintain it unlawfull among Christians under the new Testament But you have heard it from Christs own mouth and Pauls Pen That Magistracy is a Gospell Ordinance and a great blessing Take away Magistracy and the World will soon ruine I exhort you therefore that first of all Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of thanks he made for all men for Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a godly and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty 1 Tim. 2. 1. 2. 4. Christ is the Lyon thereby is signified his Propheticall office as well as his Kingly He shall roare like a Lyon Saith the Prophet Hosea cap. 11. 10. That is saith the gloss Christ shall cause the sound of the Gospel to sound all the world over All God's faithfull Ministers are Lyons also Then be exhorted to hearken to the Prophets of the Lord when they speak in the name of the Lord I say to thee the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah roares in thine ears The Lyon hath roared what 's that The Lord God hath spoken Amos 3. 8. who will not feare who will not tremble You shall meet with a remarkeable story in the first Book of the Kings cap. 20. 35. One of the Prophets said unto his Neighbour in the word of the Lord Smite mee I pray thee a strange command one would think and the man refused to smite him q. d. I will obey you in something else but not in this What saith the Prophet to him because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the Lord behold as soon as thou art departed from me a Lyon shal slay thee And as soon as he was departed from him a Lyon found him and slew him Did the Lord shew this severity for not obeying one word spoken in his name by his Prophet and that so unusuall a command what shall the end of those be that contradict the Prophets of the Lord that speak in the language of those Ierem. 44. 16. As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee What shall the end of those be of all those that in these dayes hate despise and contemne the Ministers of the Gospel yea and the very office of the Ministry and make it their designe to root it out I feare I feare my beloved that we may read England's doome 2 Chron. 36. 15. And the Lord God of their Fathers sent to them by his Messengers rising up betimes and sending because he had compassion on his people on his dwelling place 16. But they mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy if the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah be not hearkned unto nor regarded when he roares in the preaching of the Gospel he will soon roar against those Rebells in fury and rent them in pieces and there shall be none to help 5. Jesus Christ is the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah that is lineally descended out of that Tribe from the loines of the Patriarch Iudah Then be exhorted to have respect to that Tribe love and honour the Jewes What a deare love had Saint Paul to his Country-men He calls Christ to witnesse that he had great heavinesse and continuall sorrow in his heart That he could wish himselfe accursed from Christ for his Brethren his Kinsmen according to the flesh And why Because they are Israelites and the adoption and the glory and the Covenant pertaineth to them But especially because of them as concerning the flesh Christ came Do you love the branch and wil you not love the root yea though it be but the root of his humanity Ob. But some will say the Jewes did crucifie the Lord of life and therefore deserve to be detested And do we not say well we hate such a one as we hate a Jew Answ Take heed of malice and bitternesse against that Nation They did slay the Messiah the holy one its true but they did it ignorantly in unbeleife and therefore Christ prayeth for them Father forgive them for they know not what they do Luk. 23. 34. And they have suffered abundantly for their sin as their wickednesse was exceeding great so the Lord hath been very severe to them The blood of Christ lyeth heavie upon them and upon their Children They are scatter'd in all Lands and are for a reproach and a hissing unto this day But hath God cast off his people God forbid God will deale more favourably with the Jewes afterward They have fallen by the edge of the Sword and are led away Captive into all Nations and Jerusalem shall be troden down of the Gentiles til the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled Luk. 21. 24. Now they are troden under foot but its onely for a time They are as you see miraculously preserved in all Countries though hated and oppressed And God will not forget his Covenant made with Abraham and his friend so many ages since It is not for nothing that Christ is stiled the glory of the people Israel Luk. 2. 32. And doubtlesse they shall have a glorious Restauration As for the dream of another temporall pompous Monarchy on Earth I leave it to the fanaticall Millenaries but that there shall be a spirituall conversion of the Jewes which shall exceed in glory I conceive it to be most plain The Redeemer shall come to Zion and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob saith the Lord As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy Seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever Isa 59. 20. 21. For I would not Brethren saith Saint Paul that yee should bee ignorant of this Mystery that blindnesse in part is happened to Israel untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved As it is written there shall come out of Zion the Deliverer and shall turn away ungodlinesse from Jacob. Rom. 11. 25. 26. Since therefore they are broken off but for a time since we look for
their restauration and that ere long there will be one Sheepfold under one Shepheard since we hope to meet aâ—remnant of them according to the election of grace as God shall call in the Kingdome of Glory Let us do nothing to exasperate them and so to hinder their Conversion but let us love them as the root of the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah and pray for them that God would perswade Shem to dwell in the Tents of Japhet 6. Behold Heer I sound the Trumpet yet again Behold and in the sixth place I shall endeavour to quicken and stir you up to behold the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah My last word of Exhortation is to perswade you to eye the Lord Jesus Christ with all diligence and intention Look upon him that you may imitate and conforme your selves to him in all things As I have observ'd it in the Limner when he drawes a Picture his eye is ever and anon upon the Person whose similitude he takes a line and then a look and all that he may draw it to the life So ought you ever to eye Christ set his example before you continually that you may be so many living Representations of Christ that all that behold you may say that Christ liveth in you The Lyon was Judahs Ensigne which they followed in their war-fare Jesus Christ is our Ensigne and Banner Follow follow your Colours Follow the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah in His Kingly Vertues Graces Stately Deportment 1. In his Kingly Graces Learn of me saith Christ that I am lowly and meek Matth. 11. 29. Hee is wise and be you renewed in knowledge in wisdome according to his Image Col. 3. 10. He is strong as a Lyon be you so Be strong in faith Rom 4. 20. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Eph. 6. 10. He is just merciful I wil put them he together And herein he is a pattern to thee He hath shewed thee oh man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walke humbly with thy God Micah 6. 8. Put on therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercies kindnesse humblenesse of minde meeknesse long-suffering Forbearing one another and forgiving one another Coloss 3. 12. 13. 2. Behold follow the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah in his stately Deportment walk as hee walks the Lyon hath a comely gate Let your whole practise be conformable to the example of Christ I have given you an example that you should do as I have done Joh. 13. 15. Let us walk honestly saith Saint Paul Rom. 13. 13. The word signifies decently composedly How is that verse 14. By putting on the Lord Jesus Christ 1. By expressing the life of Christ in your lives Christ is represented to you here as your King and Captain behold your King and as you see him do so do you In every Action set Christ before your eyes and ever think with your selves how would Jesus Christ act if he were in my room Art thou a Magistrate and going to the Bench think thus with thy selfe how would Christ proceed in executing Judgment if he were in my room Art thou a Minister and going into the Pulpit think with thy selfe how would Christ preach of this subject if he were in my room Art thou a Trades-man a Husbandman a Servant a Child Think with thy selfe how would Christ carry himselfe in my Calling in my Relation Art thou to treat with thy Adversary about reconciliation thinke with thy selfe how would Christ temper himselfe how hath Christ carried himselfe to us when we were Enemies You are now going from hence to a sumptuous Feast oh think with your selves what would Christ do if he were at the Table in what measure would he eat and drink what divine and holy discourse would he have When you are at your rich Dishes and full Cups Behold the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah Do all things according to the pattern shewed thee in the Mount Heb. 8. 5. Do not feed your selves without feare Chrysostome wisheth that people at their Feasts and Cups would think of Hell and feare The Lyon trembles at fire Herein be Lyons think of the fire of Hell and be afraid Yet further the Lyon loves and frequents the tops of Mountaines So did the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah often very often whole Nights together he was in the Mountaines praying Mount Olivet was his Chappell of ease his Oratory Follow the Lyon to the Mount be much in retirement in secret prayer and communion with God One thing more let me commend to you and then I shall cease exhorting The dolefull times call for it the Lyon is compassionate and liberall he will distribute of his Prey not onely to his Whelps but also to Beasts of another kinde if they be hungry So the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah he is a compassionate King and a mercifull High-priest he went about doing good healing diseases visiting the sick feeding the people thousands of them that were ready to faint in the Wildernesse Herein I beseech you behold the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah When you are full distribute of the Prey to those that are hungry and for whom nothing is prepared you that are now ascending to the highest Seat of Authority in this City and the rest of the Magistrates I beseech you have compassion of the poor Look into the poor ruinous dismal Towers and Cottages mark the many pale and wanne faces and the trembling hands think of the hungry and almost-starved multitude In the name of the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah take care for them let something be distributed amongst them to refresh their bowels I but perhaps you will say you talk of Cost and this will ask a deale of labour and take us off from our worldly Affaires be it so let me tell you in answer to your Objection your labour shall not be in vain your cost shall not be lost what you do for the poore Members of Christ Christ takes it as done to himselfe The King shall say in as much as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren yee have done it unto me Matth. 25. 40. The Lyon is the most gratefull Creature in the world And here give me leave to insert a Story both for the remarkablenesse of it and also for the aptnesse of it as I apprehend to our present purpose A. Gell. Noct. Att. Relates the story from Appion Polyhister Who did affirm to him that in the City of Rome he saw the thing with his own eyes he was a Spectator There were in Rome many monstrous and savage Beasts Above all the rest there was one Lyon who for vast magnitude incredible strength dreadfull roaring long and bushy haire waving about his head neck back and legs was terrible to behold and strook the Beholders with amazement
of the holy And for this he weeps and laments But heare what the Elder saith Weep not behold the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah hath prevailed to open the Booke and to loose the seven Seales thereof The Lord Jesus Christ is appointed of God to reveale the decree the whole will and counsell of God concerning mans Salvation He is made unto us wisdome 1 Cor. 1 30. No man hath seen God at any time the onely begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father hee hath declared him John 1. 18. There followed great joy Songs and Musick in Heaven when the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah had taken the Book and undertaken to open it Consol 3. Against all our spirituall Enemies the Enemies of our Salvation Sin Death the Devill The Lyon of the Tribe of Judah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vicit hee hath overcome and prevailed He hath vanquished Death Hell and all the power of the Adversary The Lyon of the Tribe of Judah hath spoyled the roaring Lyon that walketh about seeking to devoure us He overcame in dying and so obtained high Dignity and became Lord of all Now he coucheth as a Lyon and none can drive him from his Prey which he caught out of the Dragons Pawes Saint Paul is Herauld to the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah proclaimes his Victory and declares him Conquerour with a word of triumph and solemnity Death is swallowed up in Victory Oh death where is thy Sting Oh Grave where is thy Victory The Sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law But thanks be to God which giveth us Victory through our Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. 54 55 56 57. All the strength of death and the Devill was from sin but Christ hath taken that quite away Here in this verse Iohn heares of Christ as a Lyon but in the next verse he seeth him as a Lamb slain sacrificed and he is the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world Ioh. 1. 29. He made peace by the blood of his Crosse Consol 4. Against Defects wants of righteousnesse Alas saith the poor Creature without holinesse no man shall see the Lord And I have no righteousnesse or at least very imperfect none that will justifie It is true Christian if thou speakst of thine own righteousnesse inherent and actuall it s at the best but as a short Garment and a spotted Cloath Woe be to them that have no other Robe to cover them But look up and behold the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah He hath a Golden Skin to cover thee withall I will tell you a peece of Herauldry There are used in Armes Colours and Furres Furres are the Skins of certain Beasts stripped from their bodies and artificially trimmed for adorning of Garments for Kings and great men The Lyon is Iudahs Armes The Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah is the Churches Ensigne and Shield Jesus Christ will give thee Colours and Furres Colours he will make the white by encreasing in the more and more the grace of Sanctification And he hath Furres for thee too his own Skin his own Righteousnesse to cover thee to justifie thee withall Jesus Christ is made unto us Righteousnesse and Sanctification 1 Cor. 1. 30. Hast thou nothing in thy selfe there is enough in Christ Consol 5. Against all afflictions and troubles that the Children of God meet withall here Poverty Persecution and the like Art thou in great streights Yes perhaps thou will say but alas I cannot pray yet bee of good comfort Jesus Christ at the right hand of his Father doth pray and make continuall Intercession for thee He is of the Tribe of Judah And you know that Judah was an Intercessor for his Brother Iudah said oh do not slay our Brother And herein a Type of Christ The Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah making continuall intercession for his Brethren Art thou poore and knowest not where to get bread Jesus Christ is thy King and he is a Lyon and will teare in peeces enough for his whelps and distribute it to his hungry ones Do thy afflictions and troubles continue it is but for a time it can be no longer then this transitory life continueth and then Christ will glorifie thee he will give you the Kingdome Here you have had great consolation from Christs Kingly Office against the implacable Enemies of the Church against blindnesse and ignorance against all Spirituall Adversaries of our Salvation Sin Death the Devill against wanâ—s and defects of righteousnesse against all afflictions and miseries of this life Ob. But haply some will say is Christ able and willing to do all this for his people Answ To this I answer and that shall be Consol 6. He is able to do it for he is a Lyon The strongest The Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty He is also willing for this end he was sent and for this purpose he took our Nature and came into the World he is our bone and our flesh The Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah our Kinsman our Brother our Husband Ob. But alas will some poor Christians say all these things may belong to others but we are not qualified we are not prepared and therefore not capable of these great Prerogatives Answ To this I shall answer with a Caution with a limitation The Consolation doth not belong to all onely to the Lyons whelps onely to the Tribe of Judah onely to such are true and faithfull Subjects of the Lyon of the King Christ Jesus And who are they I will tell you shortly such as beleive and repent and this I shall add as a seventh Consolation Dost thou beleive in the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah in Jesus Christ be of good comfort Sin and Satan shall never hurt thee To him to the Lord Jesus Christ give all the Prophets witnesse that through his name whosoever beleiveth in him shall receive remission of sins Act. 10. 43. Pliny writes that if any one be annointed with the blood of a Lyon or the fat the bitings of no venomous Creature can hurt him If thy Soule be annointed with the blood of the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah sin cannot sting thee and the bitings of the old Serpent cannot harm thee Dost thou finde wants and defects in thine own righteousnesse yet dost thou beleive in the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah Be of good comfort he hath Righteousness enough to justifie thee I read that Garments wrapt up in the Golden Skin of the Lyon are safe from Moths Art thou by faith wrapt up in the glorious Robe of Christs Righteousnesse Be of good comfort the Moths and defects of thy Sanctification shall not prejudice thy justification for thou shalt stand before the Judge of all the World Not having thine own Righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ Phil. 3. 9.