The Tombstone, Sermon · Part 1
Branch. 1. The Lord Ieſus Chriſt is a Lion.
The truth of this, with the reaſon, I will give you both together. It is both propheſyed, and typified, Gen. 49. 9. Iuda is a Lions Whelp. Iudah! this cannot be meant of the perſon of Judah, that's certaine: for he crouched, and bowed downe to Joſeph his younger Brother, and dyed in Aegypt.
Therefore it muſt be underſtood firſt, Num. 24. 9of the poſterity, of the Tribe of Judah. The Ofſpring of Judah ſhall be a Lion's Whelp: but for what cauſe is he ſo deſcribed? Propter dignitatem Regiam. The Lion is Rex quadrupedum: The nobleſt of all fourefooted creatures: and the King of all beaſts. Pro. 30. 30. 31. A Lion, and a King put together. In the 8, 9, and tenth Verſe of that 49. cap. of Gen. you have a graphicall deſcription of the Kingly power and Soveraignty that ſhould be in the Tribe of Judah many Generations after: ſhewing, that Iudah ſhall meet with many potent, and implacable enemies to conflict withall: that he ſhall conquer and ſubdue them all. Ver. 8. Thy hand ſhall be in the neck of thine Enemies. Ver. 9. From the prey, my Son thou art gone up. 1. Iudah ſhall 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 Leo Coronatus.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, Leo regnansKING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
He was qualified with all Kingly graces, and gifts. He was annointed a King: The foreign 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 1 Sam. 10. 1. 2 King. 9. 3. 1 Sam. 16. 13.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. foreignHe was annointed within, and without, foreignall 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 Geſner.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! 1 King. 3. 12.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 onelyonly 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 Luk. 19. 41. Matth. 9. 36 Heb. 2. 17.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, Angell, nor Arch-angell; none in Heaven, and Earth, can be found meet to under-go this Office, onelyonly 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 …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.