Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 8 · Part 31 · Subpart 10 – Subpart 11
Wicked Men compared to Thorns.
Numb. 33.55. They ſhall be Pricks in your Eyes, and Thorns in your Sides, &c.
Joſh. 23.13. But they ſhall be as Snares and Traps unto you, and Scourges in your Sides, and Thorns in your Eyes, &c.
Cant. 2.2. As a Lilly among Thorns.
Nah. 1.10. For whilſt they are folden together as Thorns, &c.
THorns (as Glaſſius and others obſerve) in theſe Places of holy Sripture, ſignify wicked, miſchievous Men. Numb. 33.55.
| Simile. | Parallel. |
| THorns came in with the Curſe, Curſed is the Ground for thy ſake, Gen. 3.18. Thorns alſo and Thistles ſhall it bring forth unto thee, &c. Had not Adam ſinned, we ſhould not have been troubled with Thorns. | SO wicked Men came in with the Fall, and as the Fruit of the Curſe. Had not Adam ſinned, the World had never been troubled with theſe Briars and Thorns; but ever ſince the Curſe, for Adam's Sin, the World hath been full of theſe Thorns. |
| II. A Thorn is no tender Tree, but contrary-wiſe ſturdy, hard, knotty, and full of Knobs and Pricks, dangerous to meddle, or have to do with. | II.Clopham. So the Wicked, theſe Sons of Belial, Belegnol, without Yoke, that is, ſuch as will not come under the Yoke of Obedience; or Beli Gnalah, not aſcending, becauſe their Males proſpered not. Theſe Thorns, wicked Men,2 Sam. 23.6. are hard-hearted, knotty-conditioned, full of pricking and ſtinging Words and Works. What can he expect that meddles with a Thorn or Briar, but to be ſcratch'd, prick'd, and wounded in his ſo doing? So that Man that has to do with ſome wicked Men, ſhall be ſcratch'd or prick'd in his good Name and Eſtate, one way or other. |
| III. Thorns are Trees of little worth, low and baſe Things, hurtful to Fields, Gardens, and Vineyards, &c. | III. So wicked Men are of little worth and value in God's ſight; they are of a baſe Spirit and Principle, Lovers of Pleaſure more than Lovers of God, preferring Earth above Heaven:Prov. 10.20. The Heart of the Wicked is little worth. And as they are unprofitable, and little worth in themſelves; ſo they are offenſive and prejudicial to God's Garden; they hinder the Growth of the Saints as much as in them lies, wounding the Lilly that groweth among them. See Lilly among Thorns. |
| IV. Thorns nevertheleſs do ſerve ſometimes to make a Hedg to keep out wild Beaſts from breaking into a Field or Vineyard. | IV. So ſome of theſe wicked Ones God now and then makes uſe of to be a Hedg to his People, to keep out a more bloody and cruel Adverſary:Rev. 12, The Earth helped the Woman; that is, Wicked Men, Men of the Earth, ſtood up for, and ſided in with the Church and People of God, and ſo proved as a Wall of Defence or Hedg to them. Beſides, God makes uſe of them ſometimes as a Hedg to ſtop his People in their evil Courſes, by ſuffering theſe Sons of Belial to afflict them: I will hedg up her Way with Thorns. Hoſ. 2.6. |
| V. Thorns and Briars, when they are grown to any height, are oft-times by the Owner cut down, and caſt into the Fire. | V. So the Wicked and Ungodly, when they are grown to a great height of Wickedneſs, provoking God againſt themſelves, are cut down, and caſt into Hell. That which beareth Briars and Thorns is near unto Curſing, whoſe end is to be burnt. He 8.6.8. |
| VI. Thorns and Briars are not able to ſtand before a devouring and conſuming Fire. | VI. So the Wicked are not able to ſtand before the dreadful and angry God. For while they be folden together as Thorns, Nah. 1.10. and whilſt they are drunken as Drunkards, they ſhall be deſtroyed as Stubble fully dry. Iſa. 27.4. Who would (ſaith God) ſet the Briars and Thorns againſt me in Battel? I would go through them, I would burn them together. |
Inferences.
IS it not a ſtrange and marvellous thing, that God's People are no more ſcratch'd and prick'd with theſe troubleſom Thorns, conſidering what a Multitude of them are amongſt us?
2. It may caution all true Chriſtians, how they meddle with theſe pricking Thorns.
3. It ſhews the Folly of the Wicked, who ſtrive with the Almighty, and ſet themſelves in Battel againſt Him, who is a conſuming Fire, and they but Thorns and Briars, or like Stubble fully dry.
Wicked Men compared to Mountains.
Iſa. 41.15. Thou ſhalt threſh the Mountains, and beat thm ſmall, &c.
Iſa. 2.14. Ʋpon all high Mountains that are lifted up, &c.
Zech. 4.7. Who art thou, O great Mountain? &c.
Parallels.
MOuntains are high and lifted up, and ſeem to have the Preheminence: So the wicked Princes and Potentates of the Earth are high in Power, and ſeem to be lifted up in Pride and Arrogancy, and to have Preheminence over the Righteous.
II. Mountains are hard to be removed out of their Places: So the Wicked, having taken ſuch Root in Sin, &c. 'tis very hard and difficult to remove them, and make them become plain.Luk. 3 4. This was ('tis true) one great Deſign of the Miniſtry of John Baptiſt; Every Valley ſhall be filled, and every Mountain and Hill ſhall be brought low, &c. But this Work is not done upon the Spirits of wicked Men; but by the mighty Power of God.
III. Mountains and Hills are commonly barren and unprofitable Ground: So the Wicked, who are lifted up in Pride and Arrogancy, &c. are ſpiritually a barren, uſeleſs, and unprofitable Sort of Men.
IV. Mountains were accounted Places of Defence, whither Men uſed to flie in time of Danger, tho many times they failed them: So Men oftentimes flie to the lofty Enemies of God, the oppreſſing, tyrannical Powers of the Earth, to ſecure themſelves from approaching Dangers; but in vain (alas!) is Salvation looked for from theſe Mountains and Hills, in the Day of God's Anger.
Inferences.
IN this Saints have cauſe to rejoice; God hath promiſed to throw down all the Hills and Mountains of the Earth, that are lifted up: Who art thou, O great Mountain? Zech. 4 7.Before Zerubbabel thou ſhalt become a Plain.