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
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
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
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
A Consul's Servant whose name was Androdus for an offence was brought forth to this Lyon either to fight with him and conquer him or else to be torn in peeces by the Lyon and nothing else could be expected When this fierce Lyon saw Androdus afar off hee made a sudden stand as it were in admiration afterwards by little and little hee comes on to the man tanquam noscitabundus as if he thought he knew him and were desirous to know him more perfectly Then he wags his taile after the manner of a fawning Dog rubs his body against the body of Androdus who was almost dead for feare and gently strokes his thighs and hands with his tongue Upon this kindnesse of the Lyon Androdus begins to recover his Spirit and fixing his eyes upon the Lyon he and the Lyon as knowing one another began to renew acquaintance and rejoyce and play together Hereupon there was a strange admiration and shout Androdus was called before Caesar and the cause enquired why the most fierce and barbarous of all the Lyons should spare him and none else Then Androdus gave a full account of the whole matter I was a Servant sayes hee to a Proconsul a Lord-deputy in Africa there having hard use and continuall stripes from my Master I was forced to run away Wandring in solitudes that I might not be found again by my Master about Noon-tide in a hot scortching day I enter'd a Cave for coolnesse presently after this very Lyon came into the same Den with a halting and bloody foot sighing and moaning and as begging pity At the first sight of the Lyon I was terrified but the Lyon soon espying me in a corner of his Den came towards me in a peaceable manner held up his wounded foot shewed it me as craving my helpe I pulled out of the plant of his foot a great thorne or shiver that stuck in it nipped out the blood and corruption cleansed the wound and healed it The Lyon finding ease and cure by my industry rested his foot in my hand And from that day I lived three yeares in that Den with this Lyon and we had the same dyet For when the Lyon had hunted and caught his Prey he would bring the fattest and loveliest peeces to me and because I wanted fire I rosted them against the Sun dryed them and eat them But growing weary of that kind of life with the wilde Beast when on a day the Lyon was gon out after Prey I left the Den and ran away and after some three daies wandring I was taken by the Souldiers and brought to Rome to my Master he presently condemned me to be thrown to this Lyon And I understand that as soon as ever I was parted from the Lyon the Lyon also was taken in his ranging abroad and brought to Rome and now shewes me this kindnesse for his cure Appion said he heard Androdus make this relation It was soon published abroad and all the men petitioned Caesar that the man might be pardon'd and set free and that the Lyon might be given to him And upon the request of the people it was granted Afterwards saith Appion we saw Androdus leading the Lyon about the City by a small Cord from Tavern to Tavern the people gave him money and all as they met him would say Hic est Leo hospes hominis Hic est homo medicus Leonis Here is the Lyon the mans Land-Lord and here is the man the Lyons Surgeon The Story hath been something long I will give you the Application short and quick The man plucked a thorne out of the Lyons foot the Lyon gave the man his life for a reward And will not the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah do more then a Lyon of the Forrest Dost thou see in any of Christ poor Members a thorne a thorn of extream poverty and want a thorn of misery that they are ready to perish Pull out the thorn ease them help them refresh their bowels Christ will give you life even eternall life for your reward He will feed and protect you here and glorifie you hereafter Here what this Lyon this King this Jesus will say to you when he shall come in his glory Come yee blessed of my Father receive the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I was an hungred and you gave nee meat I was thirsty and you gave me drink I was a stranger and you took me in naked and you clothed me I was sick and you visited me I was in prison and you came unto me Matth. 25. 34. 35. 36. Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtain mercy Matth. 5. 7. You have heard the word of Exhortation now followes the fourth and last Vse 4. Of Consolation Jesus Christ is the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah the Almighty and eternall King of his Church This opens a wels-spring of comfort to all the Lyons true-bred Whelps to all the Subjects of Christs spirituall Kingdome The Lord Jesus Christ reigneth let the Earth rejoyce let the multitude of the Isles be glad thereof Zion heard and was glad and the Daughters of Judah rejoyced because of thy judgments oh Lord. Various and manifold are the Consolations I will propound them to you that your joy may be full and as shortly as is possible because I hasten to a conclusion and desire not to trespasse too much upon your patience Consel 1. Against all the Churches Enemies The Church and people of God may alwaies sing that Psalme O Lord how are my Foes increas'd And especially at this time Now doubtlesse Rome and Hell all Jesuited spirits all Hereticks and Sectaries who love to fish in troubled waters are busily plotting the overthrow of our Religion and Peace But this is the comfort the Church is not without a King a pâ—â—ent King For the Lord Jesus Christ is our Judge the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King he will save us Isa 33. 22. He may seem a Lyon dermant for a season he slept till the tempest was very high Matth. 8. 24. But the Lyon is awake even when he seemeth to sleep He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep Psal 121. 4. The Lord shall awake as one out of sleep and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of Wine and he shall smite his Enemies in the hinder parts and put them to a perpetuall reproach All attempts against the Church are vain The Gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it The Lord Jesus Christ will be a Lyon to them and rent and teare Zions Enemies in peeces and there shall be none to help For hee must reigne till he hath put all Enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15. 35. Consol 2. Against our ignorance and blindnesse The poor Christian complaines as Agur Prov. 30. 2. Surely I am more brutish then any man and have not the understanding of a man 3. I neither learned wisdome nor have the knowledge