Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A34759
|
The tomb-stone, and A rare sight
|
Carter, John, d. 1655.
|
1653
(1653)
|
Wing C656A; ESTC R36272
|
81,644
|
218
|
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
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