of Ioseph the Husband of Mary his supposed Father Hee descended from David through the loynes of Solomon Saint Luke chap. 3. 23. describes the Pedegree of the Virgin Mary his Mother that bare him shee descended from David through the loynes of Nathâ—n The Husband and Wife were both of the same Family and therefore Christ had a title to the temporall Kingdome Crown and Dignity both by the Fathers and Mothers side Heralds came from the East to proclaime him King there saying Where is he that is borne King of the Iewes For we have seen his starr in the East Matth. 2. 2. This Pilate subscribed and would not revoke it Iesus of Nazareth the King of the Iewes He was a Lyon true bred But as for this temporall Kingdome and Dominion over Judah the other Tribes our Lord Jesus Christ would not meddle with it Hee had indeed jus ad rem but would never take possession They would have taken him by force to make him King Joh. 6. 15. but he perceiving it departed and hid himselfe in a Mountaine Hee departed from his owne right abdicated the earthly Kingdome and would not meddle with it Therefore secondly By the Tribe of Judah wee must understand the same thing that is signified by Mount Sion and the City of the living God and the heavenly Jerusalem Heb. 12. 22. And what is that Vers 23. will tell you The generall assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in Heaven The whole company of the Elect who are ordained to life eternall Christ is the King of his Church and the Church is Christs Kingdome The Elect the company of true Beleevers are his subjects and none else Psal 2. 6. I have set my King upon my holy hill of Sion that is over the Church As Pharaoh made Joseph Governour over all his House so God the Father made his Sonne Jesus Christ King and Governour of the house of God that is the Church of God This Nathanael confesseth in his little Creed John 1 49. Thou art the son of God thou art the King of Israel His peculiar jurisdiction is over the Church Quest But is not Christ a great King over all the Earth Psal 47. 2. Answ Christ hath a twofold Kingdome 1. Regnum potentiae his Kingdome of power by which as God together with the Father and the holy Ghost hee powerfully rules over all Creatures in Heaven and Earth And so all Men and Women in the World are his Subjects yea whether they will or no. 2. Regnum gratiae The Kingdome of grace Whereby as Mediator hee calls and governs his Church and chosen And in regard of this latter he is sayd properly and peculiarly to be the King of his Church and of his Church onely Thus you have seen 1. That Christ is a Lyon a King 2. That he is the Lyon the onely King 3. That he is the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah Now attend to the reason of all together Why must the Lord Jesus Christ be such a Lyon such a King He must be a Lyon a King because he is Mediator of his Church This great and high office of a King was so necessary that the Church could never have been saved except Christ had born it A Mediatour is for the reconciling of parties that are at variance and hee that undertakes the work must be in grace and favour with both parties and he must deal not onely between but with both parties with the party offended and the party offending Here the parties at odds are God and Man God is the party offended Man is the party offending You know how the quarrell began man by transgressing against the Commandement and eating of the prohibited Tree highly provoked God here came in the enmity and man cast under an eternall â—curse and must have remained under the sentence of death for ever without a Mediator to take up the quarrell and make peace The Lord Jesus Christ undertakes this office There is one Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus He therefore must deal and negotiate with both parties and to this end he puts himself upon a threefold office of a Prophet Priest and King 1. And first hee deales with the party offended with God for men This hee doth in his Priestly office Every high Priest saith the Apostle is taken from among men is ordained for men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in things pertaining to God that he may offer gifts and sacrifices for sin Here you see he deals with God on the behalfe of men offending and how by offering sacrifices that is by way of satisfaction The sentence was our That day thou eatest that day thou sinnest thou shalt dye certainely Gods justice now could not be satisfied nor any reconciliation made without death no nor without the death of such a person as was without sin without any exception yea such a person as must be God as well as man because the satisfaction must be infinite Jesus Christ is willing Oh the infinite grace of the Lord Jesus Christ to negotiate in this great businesse with his Father and on mans behalfe he doth three things 1. He suffers whatsoever man should have suffered to satisfie God and acquit sinfull man They write of the Lyon that he alwayes hath a quartain ague I am sure Jesus Christ the Lyon of the tribe of Judah hee had a quotidian for us Hee was a man of sorrowes well acquainted with griefe from his birth to the Crosse Yea he dyed a bloody and a most accursed death to appease the wrath of God and slay the enmitty And here the Lyon becomes a Lambe brought as a Lambe to the slaughter and is the very Lambe mentioned in the next Verse which stood in the midst of the Elders as it had been slaine Thus he satisfieth A second businesse he doth for man is as a Priest to pray and intercede to and with his Father that his Sacrifice may be availeable and effectuall to the salvation of his Church I pray saith Christ for these with me now and for all them also that shall beleeve on me Thirdly He doth ingage to his Father that all that the Father hath given him shall beleeve That hee will work faith in them by his Spirit John 6. 3. All that the Father giveth me i. e. all the Elect shal come to me i. e. they shall beleeve Thus Christ is an agent for man with God And in this Priestly office he purchased his Kingdome Therefore saith God the Father will I divide him a portion with the great and he shal divide the spoyle with the strong because he hath poured out his soule unto death and he was numbred with the transgressors and he bare the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressors Againe secondly it is necessary that he deale and negotiate on Gods part with men and this he doth as a Prophet King 1. As a Prophet He
is sent out of the bosome of his Father unto men to open the Book Revel 5. 7. 9. to declare and make knowne the secret counsell and will of God concerning the great work of redemption what a new contract is drawne up between the Father and the Son what Jesus Christ hath done for man how he hath satisfied his debt which he was not able to pay and how God hath accepted of it for all those that do beleeve in him The summ of which negotiation you have John 6. 40. And this is the will of him that sent me that every one that seeth the Son i. e. beleeveth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day 2. As a King To impute and apply that great benefit of Redemption to man and to make it effectuall And to accomplish this he must be a Lyon he must be a King and that for these causes 1. To gaine and gather his Kingdome To gaine them first into the Kingdome of grace and at last to gather them into the Kingdome of glory Now to effect this he must be a Lyon a potent King for he must conquer before he can raigne yea he must make a double conquest 1. Hee must conquer his subjects he finds them all Enemies at first all Rebels it is truely sayd of all the Children of Adam This people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart Now these rebellious hearts Christ must subdue and bring into subjection making them a beleeving a loving a willing people Christ cannot gaine a Subject into his Kingdome but he must first conquer 2. He also must conquer another Lyon the Enemy-Lyon he is described by Saint Peter Epist 1. chap. 5. Vers 8. Your adversary the Devill as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may devour In the pawes of this Lyon are all men and women in the World by nature The Prince of the power of the ayre that evill Spirit worketh in the Children of disobedience Ephes 2. 2. The Lyon of the Tribe of Judah must conquer that roaring Lyon the Devill before hee can gather a Kingdome and raigne Quest But how doth he conquer the Devill how doth he conquer his Subjects Answ Hee conquerd the Devill as he was God by force and might by his infinite power As man and Mediator hee conquered him by his blood by the merit and efficacy of his passion He took part of our flesh and blood that through death hee might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devill And deliver them who through feare of death were all their life time subject to bondage Heb. 2. 14 15. Hee spoyled Principalities and Powers hee made a shew of them openly tryumphing over them in it that is in or upon his Crosse Col. 2. 15. Faith seeth Christ upon the Crosse as sitting in a tryumphall Chariot Duo saith Origen in cruce affixi intelliguntur Christus visibiliter sponte sua ad tempus Diabolus invisibiliter invitus in perpetuum Hee conquers the rebellious hearts of his Subjects and gathers together into one Kingdome the Children of God that were scattered abroad by his voice Scepter and Sword By his voice The Lyonesse as the learned write brings forth her Whelps dead and so they continue three dayes then the other Lyon doth set out his voice and roar over them and then they revive and live Christ is the Lyon his people are his Whelps They are all still-borne Dead in trespasses and sinnes Christ lifts up his voice and roares in the Preaching of the Gospel by which he recovers the life of his people Verily verily I say unto you saith our blessed Saviour Joh. 5. 25. The houre is coming and now is when the dead shall heare the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live By his Sceptor And that is the same even the Preaching of the Gospell Psal 110. 2. The Lord shall send the Rod or the Scepter of thy strength that is the Ministry of the Gospel out of Zion and by it thou shalt rule in the middest of thine Enemies Those that were enemies by that spirituall Scepter thou shalt make them loving Subjects and a willing people vers 3. By his Sword And that 's the same still the Preaching of the Gospell This is the sharpe two-edged Sword that went out of Christs mouth Revel 1. 16. this is quick and powerfull and sharper then any two-edged Sword peircing even to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit joynts and marrow This is the two-edged Sword in the hand of the Saints which binds Heathen Kings in Chaines and Nobles in fetters of Iron That is the Gospel brings Heathen Princes and people into subjection to the Lord Jesus Christ This is that Sword of the spirit even the Word of God spoken of by Saint Paul And there you have the consummation of the conquest Yes when the spirit seconds the Word when the holy Ghost carries it home to the heart Thus the Lyon the King the Lord Jesus Christ conquers thus he calls his subjects together into one Kingdome by the Word outwardly Preached to the eare and by the spirit effectually working upon the heart moving and sweetly perswading it to obey the calling of Christ 2. Christ must be a Lyon a King to governe his subjects his Church Without Government no Society can stand when there was no King in Israel every man did what seemed good in his owne eyes and all things went to wrack Christ must be a King to give Lawes So Christ There is one Lawgiver even this Lyon and to rule so Christ he rules in the hearts of his people and governs them by his spirit They are led by the spirit of God as many as are the sons of God Judah that is the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah is his Lawgiver And he doth not onely give Lawes but that which no King nor Potentate else in the World can do he puts his Law in their inward parts and writes it in their hearts Jer. 31. 33. 3. Christ must of necessity be a Lyon a King to protect and defend his Church people subjects The Lyon will stand to the defence of his young ones even to the death and having the prey in his paw the more any offer to take it from him the faster he holds it So the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah The Kingdome of Christ is ever beset with Enemies The Heathen rage the people conspire the Kings of the earth set themselves and the Rulers take Counsell together against the Lord and against his annointed against his Christ They have not onely flesh and blood but Principalities and Powers also the Rulers of the darknesse of this World and spirituall wickednesse in high places to wrestle withall And therefore without a strong Protector this kingdome would soone be dissolved and layd desolate Now the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah the Lord Jesus
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
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
Deut. 4. 8. In the Lawes of other Kingdomes in humane Lawes there is the wisdome of men but in Christs Lawes there is the wisdome of God Humane Lawes may be unjust Christs Lawes are all righteous and holy The Lawes of other Kings may be burdensome and tyrannicall Christs Yoake is ever easie All other Lawes are imperfect but Christs Law is perfect converting the Soule Other Kings they can write their Lawes in Tables and hang them up upon 〈…〉 sts and Pillars but they cannot sway the hearts of their Subjects to obedience but Christ puts his Law in their inward parts and writes it in their hearts Jer. 31. 33. Yet more In this Kingdome are the best Honours Preferments Dignities and Priviledges There are all Favourites they have ever the Kings mouth and eare They stand before him and hear him speak to them in the Gospell and by the secret whisperings of his Spirit in their Soules And he alwaies holds out the Golden Scepter to them his eare is ever open to their Prayers And is it a small thing to be Favourite to such a King In the light of the Kings Countenance is life and his favour is as the latter raine Prov. 16. 15. They are and shall be all Kings They are already Kings in a state of grace Christ hath made us Kings Revel 1. 6. And they have a better Kingdome in reversion they shall be Kings in the Kingdome of glory Feare not little Flock it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdome Luk. 12. 32. Come in then all you that are yet under the tyranny of the roaring Lyon follow the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah And that you may 〈…〉 o so hearken to the voice of his Heraulds he sends them abroad to invite into his Kingdome The ministers of the Gospel are his Messengers by them he sends forth the rod of his strength Psal 110. 2. Pray pray Thy Kingdome come Matth. 6. 10. You have taken the Oath of Allegeance and Supremacy already all of you have put your Seale too in your Baptisme Now take heed that you revolt not come and joyne to the Tribe of Judah The Trumpet is blown now look to it who is of the Lords side 2. Is Jesus Christ the Lyon of Judah the annointed King of his Church Then be exhorted in the next place to partake of his Annointing take you also Kingly honour be you all Kings The men of Judah yea and the women too even the whole Tribe were Lyons Behold the people shall rise up as a great Lyon and lift up himselfe as a yong Lyon he shall not lye down untill he eate of the Prey and drink the blood of the slaine Numb 23. 24. And here I shall give you a Commission to be as bold as Apame the Kings Concubine in the Apocryphall book Shee took the Crown off the Kings head and put it upon her own yet in the mean season the King gaped and gazed on her and still grew more fond Do you so take the Crown of Christ and put it on not to depose him but to communicate with him in his Kingly Office yea in all the parts of it For this Lyon of the Tribe of Judah hath made us unto our God Kings and we shall reigne on the Earth as you have it in the 10. verse Do you communicate with Christ in the businesse of Vocation he gaines and gathers his Subjects by calling them in Do you so let Ministers of the Gospell in their holy Function and let every man and woman in their private Station endeavour to gain and gather Subjects out of Satans Kingdome into the Kingdome of Jesus Christ Do what thou canst to make thy Flock to make thy Children to make thy Servants to make thy Friends the Subjects of the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah Let the Minister do this by preaching the private person by education instruction and all by Prayer for those under their charge When thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren Luk. 22. 32. Communicate also with Christ in the work of ruling rule well in your severall charges Let the Elders rule well their Flocks Let the Householders keep good rule in their Houses and Families and in especiall manner set up Christs Government in your hearts rule your unrulely Passions and Perturbations and keep them in good order Againe Christ as a King protects his Church his Subjects He is a shield to them that trust in him Communicate with him in this part of his Kingly Office also Be every one of you according to your power and places a defence and a countenance to the true and poore people of God Magistrates by their Authority and all people by their Purses and Prayers let them be as the clefts of the Rock for Christs chased Doves to hide and shelter in And you must be Kings for War Christ had many sharp and sore Conflicts you also must fight and be ever in the field you must take up Armes against Satan against sinfull lusts that fight against the Soule You must war against your owne corrupt wills and carnall reasons yea you must fight against selfe dearest selfe If any man will come after me saith our King and Captain let him deny himselfe and take up his Crosse and follow me Matth. 16. 24. Beat down rebellious and stirring Affections Exercise judiciary power destroy your Malefactors slay mortifie your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleannesse inordinate affections evill concupisence and covetousnesse Once more Communicate with Christ in his Kingly Office in respect of his triumph and Royalty When he had conquered When he ascended up on high he led Captivity Captive and gave gifts unto men Eph. 4. 8. Araunah gave as a King Christ hath made you Kings you partake of his Annointing give gifts unto men give Almes spirituall Almes corporall Almes This is a Character of a spirituall King He hath dispersed abroad he hath given to the poor his righteousnesse endureth for ever his horn shall be exalted with honour Psal 112. 9. Thus let me perswade you to be Kings For if you partake of his Annointing in grace you shall also reigne with him in glory There are multitudes that will not strike a stroke for Christ but let the strong man go away withall But as for you my beloved be as the Tribe of Judah Lyons Kings Ephraim compasseth me about with lies and the house of Israel with deceit saith the Lord But Judah yet ruleth with God and is faithfull with the Saints Hos 11. 12. 3. Jesus Christ is the Lyon because King and Governour of his Church So all other Kings and Magistrates they are Lyons Hieroglyphically represented by that generous and magnanimous Creature Are they Lyons then be exhorted to prostrate to them also The Prince of the Tribe of Judah is a Lyon then his Fathers Children shall bow down before him Gen. 49. 8. Let every Soule be subject to the
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
Testament the things concerning himselfe Luk. 24. 27. All the Jewes beleived in the same Christ that wee do There is one and but one faith Eph. 4. 4. And they were all saved by the same faith in the same Christ who was revealed by Oracles from Heaven foretold and prophesied by the Prophets typified in the Sacrifices Though Christ were not manifested in the flesh till the fulnesse of time though he was crucified in the last age of the World yet the vertue of his death was effectuall and available for the Salvation of all the Elect from the beginning of the World to the end thereof Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. He is the Lambe slaine from the foundation of the World Revel 13. 8. The old people and the new people they are all of one House and Family and so have all one coat of Armes The Lyon of the Tribe of Judah All this Saint Peter shortly concludeth in the Counc 〈…〉 Jerusalem But we beleive that through the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ we shall be saved even as our Fathers were Act. 15. 11. Observ 7. The Lyon is a growing creature Christ's Kingdome is a growing Kingdome This is to be noted from Gen. 49. 9. to which this Text relates The Patriarch Jacob there useth three severall words to signifie three degrees of the Lyons growth 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Catulus a Lyons Wh◠2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leo perfectus a Lyon in full st 〈…〉 gth he couched as a Lyon 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leo Major as an old Lyon Those severall words do set forth the beginning Progresse and complement of Christs Kingdome Of the increase of his Government and peace there shall be no end Esa 9. 7. The bounds of Christ's Kingdome seemed at first but small In Judah was God known his name was great in Israel In Salem was his Tabernacle Psal 76. 1. Salvation was of the Jewes only John 4. 22. They were a very small people in comparison of the rest of the Nations of the World But afterwards Christ comming in the flesh he brings light to the Gentiles And all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God Psal 98 3. Christ is the stone which is cut out with out hands which being at first but small became a great Mountaine and filled the whole earth Dan. 2. 34. 35. These Observations I have propounded to you for instruction and information Now I shall passe on to The second Vse of Reprehension and that 1. OF all those that do not bow down and prostrate before this Lyon of the Tribe of Judah Such as receive not the Lord Jesus Christ to be their King but reject him That say as those Ephraimites Hos 10. 3. We have no King because we feare not the Lord. Or as those malignant Citizens that hated Christ and sent him this message We will not have this man to reign over us Luke 19. 14. or in the Language of those Heathen Kings and mutineers Psal 2. 2 3. That take Counsel together against the Lord and against his Annoynted his Christ saying Let us break their bonds in sunder and cast away their cords from us But are there any such so desperatly rebellious Let that be tryed The designe of a reprehension is not to charge at all adventure but to convince There goeth more to make a subject of Christs Kingdome then a naked and formall profession All men and Women in the world are under Christs Kingdome of power and that Whither they will or no. But the question is art thou a subject of Jesus Christ in the Kingdome of grace I will give you some signes of tryal whereby you may prove that Knowledge All that are the Subjects of Jesus Christ they know their King As it shall be at Christs second comming against men Every eye shall see him Revel 1. 7. So is it in the Kingdome of grace when Christ comes into men every eye sees him They know Christ their King his Natures Person Offices Laws his graces and excellencies No ignorant person is Christ's subject God delivers those from the power of darknesse 1. Of Ignorance whom he hath translated into the Kingdom of his dear Sonne Col. 1. 13. Go no further then this Character and alas how few Subjects hath Christ how many are there that know nothing of Christ more then his bare name Jesus That they can sweare by use it for a Charm and bow to it put of the Hat and make a legge ot a curt'sy But aske them any thing of his Person Offices Lawes of his Incarnation Passion Resurrection Union with Christ c. and they have nothing to answer but as Nabal did to Davids servants Who is David and who is the Son of Jesse who is Christ who is the Sonne of David who is the Sonne of Iesse They know him not Loyalty Fidelity Syncerity to give him the whole heart It stands in Renouncing all other power Serving of him and none else Loving of him with all the heart and trusting in him in Kissing the Sonne Psal 2. 12. But alas what abundance of disloyalty is there how little true faith It hath been formerly observed that many were sworne servants to the King of England that yet underhand were Pensioners to the King of Spaine So are there multitudes who took Iuramentum fidelitatis the oath of Allegiance and fidelity to Christ the Lyon the King in their Baptisme but they are Pensioners to the Devill they serve him wholly by sinning Lying Swearing Killing Stealing Sabbath-breaking Adultery c. There are disloyall wives whorish women who as they they sit at table will looke their Husbands in the face and smile and at the same instant tread upon the Toe of their Adulterous Lovers So may the Lord who is the Husband of the Church complaine as Ezek. 6. 9. I am broken with their wherish heart which hath departed from me and with their eyes which go a whoring after their Idols They seem to fix their Eyes upon Christ yet run after their Covetousnesse and sinfull pleasures contrary to the faith which they have plight with Christ whom they call Husband Honour and feare Honour the King 1 Pet. 2. 17. My Sonne feare God and the King Prov. 24. 21. Heer is the Character of a good subject to honour and fear his Prince Quest But whereby is this Honour and feare manifested Answ By service and obedience Serve the Lord with feare Psal 2. 11. They that dwell in the Wildernesse shall bow before him All Nations shall serve him Psal 72. 9. 10. According to this Rule come to the tryall of your selves and alas how few are there that are true and faithfull Subjects to the Lord and King Jesus Christ how few bow to this Lyon Do not the most say if not in down right Language yet in their practise do they not speak as Pharaoh Who is the Lord
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
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
Againe Dost thou repent unfeignedly of all thy sins and transgressions be of good comfort the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah will have mercy upon thee They say if the Lyonnesse defile her selfe and commit adultery with the Libbard the Lyon will not accompany with her suddenly but if she go and wash her in the water the Lyon will receive her again So the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah Hast thou defiled thy self with sin look that Christ shall stand aloofe off till thou wash thy selfe in a bath of penitentiall teares and then he will receive thee to Communion again Wash you therefore and make you clean repent and be converted and your sins shall be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Act. 3. 19. Solomon tells us that a living Dog is better then a dead Lyon But I say unto you my Beloved that a dead Lyon is better then all the World besides Christ crucified is this dead Lyon unspeakable are the Consolations that spring out of the dead Tree of the Crosse Here is Sampsons Riddle declared Out of the Eater came forth meat and out of the strong came forth sweetnesse what is sweeter then honey and what is stronger then a Lyon Judic 14. 14. 18. Christ crucified is sweet Christ crucified is sweet Christ crucified is sweetest of all Thus have you heard the Trumpet sounded The rare Sight hath also been presented to your view And by this time verily you think it is high time that I should dismisse you I will have done by and by yet I must take a little liberty more As the Trumpet sounded when this glorious Shew was first brought in so now at the close I sound the Trumpet once more Behold behold behold I come to that which hath been my designe and which I have driven at all this while viz. To exhalt Jesus Christ Here in my Preaching I lift up an Ensigne to the people I lift up the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah in this Standard And I if I be lifted up from the earth saith Christ will draw all men unto me I lift up the Lion of the Tribe of Judah before you that I may draw all your eyes and all your hearts to him Eye Christ know Christ gaze continually upon Christ and why for this end that you may be drawn to love admire and adore the Lord Jesus Christ My Beloved My heart is inditing of a good matter I will speak the things which I have made touching the King I will sound forth the Praises of the King of Christ the blessed King of his Church Thou art fairer oh King then the Children of men grace is powered into thy lips Thou art full of Majesty truth meeknesse and righteousnesse all thy Garments smell of Myrhe and Aloes and Cassia Jesus Christ is the chiefest among ten thousand He is the GOLDEN LYON His head is like the most fine Gold his Locks are bushy So is the Noblenesse generousnesse and statelinesse of the Lyon discovered by his shaggy haire covering his head neck and shoulders His mouth is most sweet yea he is altogether lovely The tongues of men and Angels cannot expresse the excellency of Jesus Christ in himselfe therefore love admire adore him Yet eye him a little further and behold what he is relatively in relation to us and then you will see much more to endeare you to him Behold he is not onely a Prophet but your Prophet not onely a Priest but your Priest Not onely a King but your King Behold your King And what is he to you what Rejoice oh daughter of Zion Behold thy King cometh unto thee he is just and having Salvation He brings Salvation along with him for thee if thou beleive in him and receive him He is our Mediator our Redeemer our Saviour He hath called us with a holy calling out of the Kingdome of darknesse into his holy and heavenly Kingdome He hath given us divine Lawes and rules us with the Scepter of the Gospell and with his holy Spirit He is the Cloud and the defence of his Church A shelter to it against all Enemies spirituall and corporall He will utterly subdue all the Enemies of the Church of his people and he will certainly glorifie them and receive them into an everlasting Communion with himselfe and make them all Kings O then let Christ be precious to you all beleive in him love him honour and reverence him This is my aime the Lord give me the desire of my heart herein to kindle in all your hearts a greater flame of love to the Lord Jesus Christ Antoninus Caracalla Rom. Imp. had a Lyon to which he gave an honourable name he nourished it and doted on it He would not onely kisse his Lyon in publick but he did admit it to his Table and his Bed yet doubtlesse his Lyon was not without his stinking breath and deformities How much more should you set your hearts on the Lyon of the tribe of Iudah whose mouth is most sweet and who is altogether lovely I will do but one thing more The chiefe Magistrate hath had his Shield Now I will give to every one in the Assembly an Escoucheon a Coat of Armes That you may behold it afterwards and view it for ever Ever gaze upon it to engage your hearts more and more to Jesus Christ I will give you the Armes of Iudah The Beleiver must beare Mars that is red The charge must be a Lyon Sol that is Gold The Sun of Righteousnesse is the Golden Lyon in a red field a field of blood To speak plain English the Beleiver must ever beare in his heart the memory of Christ crucified But as for the posture of the Lyon in your Banner or Shield Let me tell you the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah hath gone through all postures for your sakes for your Salvation He was conceived in the Womb of the blessed Virgin Then he was a Lyon Latent She brought forth her first-born Son Christ in his Birth was a Lyon Issuant In his whole life he was a Lyon Salient Behold he cometh leaping upon the Mountaines skipping upon the Hils Cant. 2. 8. It was his meat and drink to do his Fathers will and to finish the work of our Salvation He was a man of sorrowes persecuted and pursued and when he was chased he was a Lyon Passant he went on and turned not his head a side for any In his Propheticall Office he is a Lyon Rugient he roares in the Preaching of the Gospell In his Priestly Office upon the Crosse he was a Lyon Combatant he encountred the Enemies of our Salvation He spoyled Principalities and Powers he made a shew openly triumphing over them in his Crosse He was laid in the Grave there he was a Lyon Dormant quiescent yea to speak properly in the Grave he was a Lyon Couchant when hee had conquered hee laid down and rested by the Prey