Who hath not seen the truth of all this in our days; we have had Lions, roaring Lions, rending, tearing Lions amongst us: It was usual among the Heathens in their persecutions, to cry out, Away with the Christians to the Lions: This we have often 1seen, in the figure, poor Christians sent to the Lions, put under the power of men, as cruel, as bloody, as insatiable as Lions: Many a one might say (as David, Psal. 57. 4.) My soul is among Lions: When the watch-man (in the Prophet) was asked, Watch-man what of the night? he answered. A Lion my Lord (Isa. 21. 7.) Our sorrowful watch-men, standing upon their Towers, (considering those sad times) being asked, what of the day? have answered, We see a Lion, a company of Lions. tearing and rending in many parts of the Nation; not bodies and estates only, but souls and consciences. God hath wonderfully delivered his darling from the Lions, his Daniels from the Lions den: He hath already delivered us so far, that the Lions dare not roar, as they were wont, the teeth of many of the young Lions are broken, many of the old Lions are ready to perish for want of prey, and not a few of their whelps are scattered abroad; God hath raised up Samsons to tear these Lions, which roared upon us; he hath stirred up Davids to smite these Lions, and rescue the prey out of their teeth: ⟨p. 68⟩And though many Lions are amongst us, yet they dare not roar, much less, tear as they have done; though the beasts be alive, yet (for the most part) the Lions are dead: they are beasts still, as base, and vile, and bloody in their natures as ever, but their powerful Lion-like strength is abated: That glorious prophecy, is in some sense, and in some part, fulfilled at this day; The wolf dwells with the lamb, the leopard lies down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion, and the fatling together, and a little child may lead them; they cannot, they dare not, hurt nor destroy in all our mountain, Isa. 11. 6, 8. I am sure, we may set our seal to this truth of Eliphaz, we have seen Lions, and fierce Lions, old Lions, and young Lions, even the stout Lions whelps, some scattered abroad, some destroyed, some consumed by the mighty power of God.
Who hath not seen the truth of all this in our dayes; we have had Lions, roaring Lions, rending, tearing Lions amongst us: It was usuall among the Heathens in their persecutions, to cry out, Away with the Christians to the Lions: This we have often 1seene, in the figure, poore Christians sent to the Lions, put under the power of men, as cruell, as bloody, as insatiable as Lions: Many a one might say (as David, Psal. 57. 4.) My soule is among Lions: When the watch-man (in the Prophet) was asked, Watch-man what of the night? he answered. A Lion my Lord (Isa. 21. 7.) Our sorrowfull watch-men, standing upon their Towres, (considering those sad times) being asked, what of the day? have answered, We see a Lion, a company of Lions. tearing and rending in many parts of the Nation; not bodies and estates only, but soules and consciences. God hath wonderfully delivered his darling from the Lions, his Daniels from the Lions den: He hath already delivered us so farre, that the Lions dare not roare, as they were wont, the teeth of many of the young Lions are broken, many of the old Lions are ready to perish for want of prey, and not a few of their whelps are scattered abroad; God hath raised up Sampsons to teare these Lions, which roared upon us; he hath stirred up Davids to smite these Lions, and rescue the prey out of their teeth: ⟨p. 68⟩And though many Lions are amongst us, yet they dare not roare, much lesse, teare as they have done; though the beasts be alive, yet (for the most part) the Lions are dead: they are beasts still, as base, and vile, and bloody in their natures as ever, but their powerfull Lion-like strength is abated: That glorious prophecie, is in some sense, and in some part, fulfilled at this day; The wholfe dwels with the lambe, the leopard lies downe with the kid, and the calfe and the young lion, and the fatling together, and a little childe may leade them; they cannot, they dare not, hurt nor destroy in all our mountaine, Isa. 11. 6, 8. I am sure, we may set our seale to this truth of Eliphaz, we have seene Lions, and fierce Lions, old Lions, and young Lions, even the stout Lions whelps, some scattered abroad, some destroyed, some consumed by the mighty power of God.
- 1Christianos ad Leones.
