Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A34759
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The tomb-stone, and A rare sight
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Carter, John, d. 1655.
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1653
(1653)
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Wing C656A; ESTC R36272
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81,644
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218
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a just claim thereunto Mr. Matthew Lyndsey who deceased in the midst of his Majoralty 1650. had the true right to it The Sermon was preached at his request and at his Inauguration He dying it descends by Inheritance upon these his Successors The Sight is very rare indeed but very poorly and meanly set forth Such as it is the unworthy Author humbly tenders to them with apprecation of all Grace Honour and Happinesse A RARE SIGHT OR THE LYON REVEL 5. 5. Behold the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah AT great Solemnities and extraordinary confluences of people it is the ancient use and custome to bring out strange sights and shew farrfetched Rarities This is a solemne day the Cities great anniversary Feast for the Inauguration of the cheife Magistrate Here 's much concourse from several parts I shal therefore at such a time as this being called to stand in the middest of such a multitude produce my Spectacle and present to your view the godliest sight that ever Heaven or Earth afforded a stately and a generous Lion from a farre Countrey Behold the Lion of the Tribe of Judah Concerning which I shall propound two things to your observation the parts of the Text. 1. The Trumpet Sounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold 2. The Sight or Shew presented A rare and strange Living Creature described from His 1. Species kinde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Lion 2. Originall pedegree and Country the most noble and best bred Lion in the WORLD 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the Tribe of JVDAH These are the parts and particulars of the Text. But I will not tye my selfe strictly and punctually to these or at least I will lay them aside a while and according to my plaine and usuall way I shall concerning this Little yea this great portion of Scripture dispatch these foure things 1. I will speak something of the sence and meaning of the words 2. I will give you the summe substance of all in one generall proposition in one plaine doctrine 3. Then in the third place I will returne to the parts and particulars I will review search and examine them for such speciall observations and Instructions as may be profitable besides the main and generall doctrine 4. And last of all I will as God shall enable me endeavour to make profitable use and application of all I stand heer by call and commission from God It s my duty to lift up my voice like a Trumpet to Usher in this rare spectacle and it is required of you that with Moses you will now turn a side and see this great sight Let him that hath an eare heare and let him that hath an Eye behold And let the Eye of the God of Heaven be upon us all for good and let the Lion of the Tribe of Judah be with us and help us and blesse us Amen 1. And first I am to open and expound the Text. Behold This demonstrative hath singular weight and moment Aliquid repentinum et insperatum demonstrat It points to something that is sudden unexpected unhoped for something that is rare excellent and admirable It hath here in this place a two fold use 1. To excite and stir up attention and intention it calls for your ears and eyes 2. To command Thus Christ made use of it It was his word of command He said unto them In his Doctrine Hearken Behold I command you to attend So here it 's the sounding of the Trumpet it invites it commands you all to fix your Eyes upon this rare and excellent sight which is now comming forth Behold then But first I pray before you look for the Lion Lift up your eyes a little higher to the first Verse There you shall see A Throne set in Heaven and one sitting upon that Throne in great glory Majesty and brightnesse That is God the Father In his right hand he holds a book written within and on the back-side and sealed with 7. Seals V. I. Q. What Book may this be A. It is none other but this Book of the Revelation Would you know the Contents of this Book It is a Propheticall-Historicall Decretall Not onely decreed but as it were ingrossed in the Court-Roules of Heaven It was a great Roule written on both sides for the multitude and variety of matters as containing a compleat History of the Church unto the Worlds end and therefore took up both sides of the Book Volume or Roule It containes the decrees Counsels and will of God concerning the future state and government of the Church It contains great Mysteries Of the Kingdome and Tyranny of Antichrist of the persecutions troubles and afflictions of the Church in all Ages till Christ shall come the second time and deliver up the Kingdome to God even the Father It foreshews the patience and constancy of the faithfull the utter ruine of their Enemies and their eternall glory and faelicity at the generall judgement and Consummation These Mysteries are written in a Book i. e. in Gods eternall Praescience Providence and Decree But this Book is clasped up and sealed 1. For matter most excellent and Divine kept secret from the knowledge of al creatures and with seaven Seales most surely as mysteries of the greatest moment Worth and Certainty Therefore behold vers 2. A strong Angel proclaiming with a lond voice Like a Herauld or Officer Who is worthy for the excellency of his person or for his deserts To open the Book and to loose the Seals thereof To disclose these secret decrees and counsels of God to dive into these most deep mysteries that he may make them know to the Church of God in all ages Who O it 's a hard and difficult matter to open the Book and to loose the Seales Verse 3. None in Heaven No Angel None in Earth No Saint living None under the Earth No Saint departed whose body is under-ground or more generally no creature in Heaven Earth or Sea was able to open the Book to read understand or divulge it Neither to look thereon To have any thing at all to do with it Alas alas This is a sad thing Behold verse 5. John the Divine weeps much Because no man was found worthy to open and to read the Book c. He wept much to see himselfe and others deprived of so deep so sweet and so excellent Mysteries but especially to think that God should be deprived of the glory of them What then Shall the Church never know the Contents of that Book Yes yes it shall Behold in the fifth verse a word of Consolation One of the Elders saith unto me weep not One of the body of the Councill of State one of the Assessors one of the glorified Saints representing all the faithfull one to whom the secret of the Lord was revealed He said to John weep not q. d. This is thine infirmity what hast thou forgotten Art thou a Master and Teacher in the Church of God and dost thou
not over rampant not over-rigorous mingle mercy with Justice in your Government Be not righteous over-much Eccles 7. 16. I had thought a Lyon passant might have done well The passant Lyon sheweth but halfe his face as he passeth by this posture sheweth much confidence and resolution It sheweth also much moderation Be you passant towards the faithfull Ministers and Servants of God if for conscience and pure conscience they cannot swallow all things imposed by the State passe by it connive do not turn your head aside to teare and destroy a man that is precious in Gods sight onely because he will not sin against his Conscience The Prelates were Lyons indeed but not passant and therefore the Lord hath passed over them even over their faire neck and brought them low The Lyon therefore which I shall commend to you and charge your Shield withall is passant guardant The Lyon passant guardant shewes his whole face which notes not only Courage and Resolution but Vigilancy also and circumspection Before this Lyon is a flame of fire behind him an empty Charriot the wheels ratling over his head a white Cock with a great red Comb and crowing under him Dogs opening their mouths against him and barking Yet he keeps on his way undaunted not changing his pace or turning his head aside for feare of any And the word Non retrogradior So go on oh you Lyons of our Forrest you Magistrates of this City And more especially you that are this day to be a Lyon ascendent to rise up to the chiefe place of Magistracy Be faithfull and zealous for the Lord. Be vigilant in your great Office not dormant be salient nimble active and industrious Bee just in dispencing punishments and rewards To wicked and obstinate Offenders be rampant and divide the Prey in a just manner distribute rewards and praises to every one that doth good according to the proportion of their deserts Be mercifull in giving and in forgiving And to the Conscientious that cannot swallow every Imposition be passant go by and let them alone Lyon look to thy taile take heed of a secret malignant traine Be bold as a Lyon Couragious let nothing turn you away from God from the truth of Christ from his Ministers and Servants Walk stately let your whole Conversation be humble sober grave holy and as becomes the Gospell And maintain your State and Power and Ensignes of your Authority You are a Lyon let no Anabaptisticall shavers flay off your skin and cut off your haire Know where your strength lyeth labour for a good head and a good heart then in the end you shall Couch with honour and be Leo quiescens You shall rest from your Labours and your workes shall follow you Now the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah strengthen you with his might protect you with his power guide you with his wisedome imbrace you with his mercy and give you rest and reward in the latter end Amen Exhortation 2. To the Ministers of the Gospell One of the Elders sounds the Trumpet in the care of Iohn the Apostle and Evangelist calls upon him to behold to eye this Lyon of the Tribe of Judah q. d. I charge you to mark this Lyon well And why Even that he may compose himselfe to the example of this great Prophet in all things in the execution of his Ministeriall Function Ministers must be Lyons It is an old conceipt constat ex pictura sed non ex Scriptura That the foure living wights cap. 4. 7. did represent the foure Evangelists Matthew was the Man Luke the Oxe John the flying Eagle and Marke the Lyon It is certain that those Creatures import the properties of Angels and are Symbols as of Magistrates so of Ministers The Ministers of the Gospell are Angels and they must be Lyons too In all things comfortable to the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah 1. The Lyon of the tribe of Judah came and tooke the Booke out of the right hand of him that sate upon the throne Vers 7. So the Minister of the Gospel he must take the Book in his hand The Book of God the holy Scriptures he must deliver nothing to the people but what he finds in that Book thence he must fetch the will and counsell of God Search the Scriptures John 5. 29. Hold fast the forme of sound words which thou hast heard from me 2 Tim. 1. 13. The Minister must take what Saint Paul writes what the Spirit of God holds forth in the holy Bible There is a numerous generation now in these dayes that cast the written word aside and pretend altogether to inspirations and revelations the Spirit the Spirit To these I say no more but this if they have any inspirations or revelations contrary to the Book that Christ took into his hand I beleeve verily they are from the Spirit but it is from the evill Spirit from the Devill 2. The Lyon of the tribe of Judah when he had taken the Book he opened it and loosed the Seales thereof So the Minister of the Gospel when hee hath taken the Book hee must open it And when doth he take the Book When a Minister is ordained and set apart by the imposition of hands and sent to do the work to which God calleth him a Bible is given into his hand by the President of the Presbytery And then and not till then hee takes the booke and having taken it hee must open it that is he must expound it and apply it So Ezra the Scribe he tooke the book of the Law and opened it in the sight of all the people Hee read in the booke distinctly he gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading And just so the great Master of the Assemblies the Prophet and Doctor of his Church He came to Nazareth went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read And there was delivered unto him the book of the Prophet Esaias And when he had opened the book he read his Text out of Isa 61. 1. And then he closed the book and preached unto the people shewing how that Scripture was fulfilled that day and making all plain and clear Saint Paul gives Ministers their charge 2 Timoth. 4. 1. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdome V. 2. Preach the Word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine Ministers are Lyons Lyons must not be mute 3. The Minister must be a Lyon bold and couragious in the execution of his office This he must looke for to meet with great opposition and especially from the great men of the World if he shall rebuke them and tell them of their sins plainly But the Minister of Christ must not feare the faces of men but with liberty and freedome of speech utter the message of the Lord And