CHRIST A L I 0 N. Book II. MET AP HO R. VI. The Lion is a very fierce, fearlefs, and terrible Creature, ef– pecially when he is roufed up, and provoked by an Enemy. VII. A Lion _hath a terrible Voice; when he roaretl1, all the Beafts of the Field tremble. PARALLEL. . VI. Cluift, when he is roufed up by the Cruel– ties of the Enemtes of his Church, and the Cries of his People, will be very terrible ; he will come upon Princes, ::_s upon Mortar, Ija. xli. 25. T hough now he leems fttll and peaceable, like a Lamb; yet the Day is at hand, when he will rife up like a L ion, to deftroy and devour at once. VII. When Chrift fhall utter his Voice at the !aft Day, and come to Judgment, he will make the Nations of the World quake. Let all the Inha– bitants of the Earth tremble, for the Day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand, Zeph. i. r 4• 'The L ord .fha/1 a!Jo roar out of Zion, and utter his J/oice from Jerufalem, and the Heaven and Earth jhall jhake, &c. Joel iii. r6. , VIII. A Lion ·is fharp-fighted ; his name Arwv is derived of Aaw, a Greek Verb, that figni6es to fee. VIII. There is nothing hid from the Eyes of Chrift, he fees into the darkeft Corners of Mens Hearts and I maginations; the moft fubtil Sinners cannot efcape his Notice. There is no fecret Place, where the Plotters, or wicked Men, can hide themfelves from him ; he fees all their horrid Defigns and Combinations. IX . The Lion feems to be a IX. Jefus Chrift will reward every one accordCreature much for J uftice, and ing to the Nature of his Works, in the great Day; will retaliate to others, according and when he comes forth to judge Baby/on, he to the Nature ·of the Offence done. will retaliate upon her according as floe hath done. See the Metaphor where God the 'Thou haft given them Blood to drink, for they are Father is compared to a Lion. worthy, for they have jhed the Blood of thy Saints and Prophet.r, Rev. xvi. 6. Reward her as jhe X. A Lion marks thofe that have ;,~ured him, or abufed or wronged his young Ones, and will revenge it; as appears by divers Paffages mentioned by Naturalifts, one of which take as followeth : bath rewarded you, Rev. xviii. 6. X. Chrilt marks all thofe that injure h;m and his People. Wherefore doth the Wicked con– temn God.? he faith iu his lleart, he will not re– quite it. 'Thou haft feen it, for thou beholdefl Mif– chief and Spite, to 1·equite it with thy Hand, Pfal. x. 1 3, 14I remember that which Amalek did to lfrael, now go andfmite Amalek, I Sam. xv. 2, 3· I will contend with them that contend with thee, and I will fave tby Children: .lfnd 1 will feed them that opprejs thee with their own Flejh, and they jhall be drunken with their own Blood, as with fweet Wine, Ija. xlix. 25, 26. In Bangius, aMountain of 'Thra– cia, there was a Lionefs which had ·whelps in her Den, which Den was obfervecl by a Bear. The Bear one Day finding the Den unforti– fied, by the Abfencc both of the Liol) and L ionefs, entered into the fame, and flew the Lions Whelps, afterwards went away, and fearing Revenge, for better Security againft the Lion's Rage, climbed up into a Tree, and there fat as in a fure Caftle of Defence. At length the Lion and the Lionefs returned both home, and finding their little Ones dead in their Blood, according tO natural AffeCtion, became both exceeding forrowful, to fee them fo flaughtered, whom they loved ; but fearching out the Murtherer by the Foot, followed with great Rage up and down, unnl they came to the Tree whereon the Bear was afcended ; and feeing her, looked both of them ghaftly upon her, oftentimes affaying to get up into the Tree, but in vain, not being endued with the Power of climbing. Then the Male forfook the Female, leavmg her to watch the Tree, and he, like a mournful Father for the lofs of his Children, wandered up and down the Mountains, making great Moan and Sorrow, till at !aft he faw a Carpenter hewing Wood, who feeing the Lion coming towards him, let fall his Ax for fear; but the Lion came very lovingly towards him, fawning gently upon hts Breaft with his Fore-foot, licking his Face with his Tongue. Which Gentlenefs of the Lion the Man perceiving, he was aftomfhed; and betng more and more embraced and fawned upon by the Lion, he followed htm, leavmg hts Ax behmd; whtch the L10n perceiving, he went back, and made Signs with his Foot to the Carpenter, that he fhould take it up. But the Lion feeing the Man did not take it up, he brought lt himfe!f
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