Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 8 · Part 31 · Subpart 12
Wicked Men compared to the Troubled Sea.
Iſa. 57.20. But the Wicked are like the troubled Sea, &c.
Jer. 51.4. The Sea is come up upon Babylon, with the Multitude of the Waves thereof. Caldee, the King, with his numerous Hoſts, in Plenty like the Sea, is come up againſt Babylon, &c.
Note. The Wicked are compared to the Troubled Sea, and to many Waters, &c.
Parallels.
THe Sea is a great Convention, (as one words it) or a Multitude of Waters; The gathering together of the Waters called he Seas: Gen. 1.So the Wicked are a Multitude of People.
II. The Sea ſometimes ſwells, roars, and riſes very high, threatning the Earth as if it would ſwallow it up immediatly: So the mighty Concourſe of the wicked and tyrannical Powers of the Earth, many times ſwell in Pride and Arrogancy, and make a fearful Noiſe, as if they would in a moment ſwallow up the Lord's People.
III. The Sea hath its Bounds ſet by the Almighty: He hath ſhut up the Sea with Doors, Job 38.8, 11.&c. and hath ſaid, Hitherto ſhalt thou come, and no further; and here ſhall thy proud Waves be ſtayed: So the Lord ſets Bounds to the Wrath and Rage of the Ungodly; no Creatures can go further than God permits them. As he that made the Sea, can maſter it; ſo he can ſoon put a Stop and Curb to the proudeſt Oppreſſor and Perſecutor in the World. Let Men be as angry as they will, let them be as ſtormy as the boiſterous Seas; yet the Lord hath ſaid, Hitherto ſhall ye come, and no further. Pſal. 65.7.He ſtilleth the Noiſe of the Seas, the Noiſe of the Waves, and the Tumult of the People. Nay, the Devil himſelf is like a Sea ſhut up, he cannot do what he would, he hath Bounds ſet him, &c.
IV. The Sea at God's command is ſtill; The Wind and Seas oby him: So with one Word ſpeaking (as it were) he can quiet the Wicked, and make them ſilent in Darkneſs;Pſal. 107.29. He can make this Sea and frightful Storm a Calm, and cauſe the proud Waves to be ſtill.
V. The Sea produces or brings forth many ſtrange Monſters: So the Multitude of the Wicked, this metaphorical Sea, hath brought forth many a vile and ſtrange Monſter. See Dan. 7.3. And four great Beaſts came up from the Sea, diverſe one from the other; the firſt was like a Lion, and had Eagles Wings, &c. Theſe four Beaſts ſignified the four Monarchies of the Earth; what a Monſter the fourth hath been, all the World hath had full Experience of, that had great Iron Teeth, &c. What Devils incarnate were many of the Roman Emperors, particularly Nero, who ripp'd up the Belly of his own Mother! &c. And what a Monſter hath the little Horn been, I mean the Papal Power! what a mighty Maſs of innocent Blood hath the Beaſt and Whore devoured! &c.
VI. The Sea is very reſtleſs, it ebbs and flows, and ſeems to be continually troubled: So the Ungodly are always reſtleſs in their Spirtis, like wicked Haman, they never ceaſe Plotting againſt the Juſt. Tho they have very great Power, Riches, and Honour, yet becauſe God's Mordecai's will not bow down their Souls for them to go over, all ſeems as nothing to them; they have Riches, much Gold and Silver, but not ſatisfied; they enjoy all the Delights and Pleaſures the World can afford them, but yet are like the troubled Sea: Many times alſo their Conſciences ſorely diſquiet them. What Reſt ſoever they may have, yet certainly they are continually void of the true Peace of God, and in this Sence there is no Peace to the Wicked, &c.Iſa. 57.21.
VII. The Sea continually caſteth forth Mire and Dirt: So the Ungodly never ceaſe caſting forth their abominable Wickedneſs.
Inferences.
LEt not the Saints fear the Ungodly: What tho they ſwell and roar? God hath ſet Bounds to them: The Wrath of Man ſhall praiſe thee, Pſal. 76.10and the Remainder of Wrath ſhalt thou reſtrain. No more Wrath of Man ſhall be let out, no higher ſhall theſe Seas ſwell, than ſhall tend to the Glory of God; the Over-plus, that Wrath that would indeed prove hurtful to the Godly, and to the diſhonour of the Almighty, the Lord will reſtrain.
II. Pray hard, that God would keep the Doors and Bars of theſe troubleſom Seas faſt, and prevent the Danger. I will yet for this be enquired of by the Houſe of Iſrael,Ezek. 36.37. to do it for them.
1. Pray, that God will keep the Sea of Man's Wrath within its limited Bounds.
2. Pray, that God would not ſuffer Satan to break forth too furiouſly upon us. If God did not ſet Bounds to him, no Man could live quiet one hour.
3. Pray, that God would ſet Bounds to the Sea of Prophaneneſs.
4. And alſo that he would ſet Bounds, and drive back the Sea of Error and falſe Doctrine, &c.
III. This ſhews the woful Condition of ungodly Men: They have no Peace, true Peace, whilſt they live, and be ſure ſhall have none at Death. Peace is the Portion only of the Lord's People: Great Peace have all they that love thy Law, &c. My Peace I give unto you.