Tropes and Figures · Benjamin Keach
Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 8 · Part 31 · Subpart 15
Wicked Men compared to Dogs.
Mat. 7.6. Give not that which is holy to Dogs.
Mat. 15.26. It is not meet to take the Childrens Bread, and give it to Dogs.
Phil. 3.2. Beware of Dogs.
Rev. 22.15. Without are Dogs.
A Dog is called in Hebrew, Ketab and Lamas, according to Munſter; in Caldee, Kalba; in Arabick, Kalbe; in Perſian and Saracen, Kep or Kolph; the Grecians, Kuon; the Latins, Canis, &c.
In theſe, and divers other Places of holy Scripture, wicked Men are compared to Dogs.
| Dogs. | Parallel. |
| THere are divers Sorts of Dogs, who differ very much in their Nature and Diſpoſition, ſome b… ing gentle, and others more curſt and ſnarling; yet all are but Dogs. | SO there are divers Sorts of wicked Men, and they differ exceedingly in their Nature and Qualities; ſome are naturally of a mild and gentle Diſpoſition, others very fierce, paſſionate, and peeviſh; yet all ungodly, and metaphorically no better than Dogs. |
| II. Dogs are baſe, ignoble, ſordid, and impudent Creatures, very vile and beaſtly. | II. So wicked Men generally are vile, ignoble, and impudent Perſons, tho ſome more ſhameleſs than others, God having given them up to vile Affections, to commit all Uncleanneſs with greedineſs. See what Account the holy Apoſtle gives of ſome of the Gentiles: Who changed the Truth of God into a Lie, Rom. 1.25, 26, 27. and worſhipped and ſerved the Creature more than the Creator, &c. For which cauſe God left them to themſelves, ſo that their Women did change the natural Ʋſe into that which is againſt Nature: And likewiſe the Men, leaving the natural Ʋſe of the Women, burned in their Luſts one towards another, Men with Men working that which is unſeemly, and receiving in themſelves that Recompence of their Error which was meet. |
| III. Dogs are not only filthy and unclean Creatures, but alſo fooliſh; for ſome of them will (as Naturaliſts obſerve) bark at the Moon: and alſo when a Stone, or other thing is caſt at them, they will follow the Stone, and neglect the Hand that throws it. | III. So wicked Men are not only vile and filthy, but alſo fooliſh, as is fully opened under another Head. They, like Dogs, bark and ſnarl at the Light of God's Word, from whence ſo great Benefit ariſes to poor Mortals. Like ravenous Currs, they bark at the heavenly Doctrine, and its faithful Miniſters, whom they reproach with impudent Scandals, and whoſe utter Extirpation they ſtudy. And alſo when they are under Affliction, they take notice of ſecondary Cauſes, but never regard the Hand of God in them, according to the Saying of the Poet, Arripit ut lapidem catulus, morſú que fatigat, Nec percuſſori mutua damna facit. Sic plerique ſinunt vexos elabier hoſtes, Et quos nulla gravant noxia, dente pecunt. |
| IV. Some Dogs have a fierce, angry, and churliſh Look, enough to frighten timerous Perſons; and not only ſo, but grin, bark, and ſnarl at ſuch as come near them, who deſign to do them no hurt. | IV. So ſome wicked Men have a very angry and furious Countenance; they look frowningly upon the Lord's People, like as did Nebuchadnezzar upon Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednego, who (it is ſaid) was full of Fury, and the Form of his Countenance was changed againſt them, when he ſaw they refuſed to worſhip his God, and to fall down before the Golden Image he had ſet up: And not only ſo, but they grin, and gnaſh their Teeth at them, like envious Currs:Pſal. 37.12 The Wicked plotteth againſt the Juſt, and gnaſheth upon him with his Teeth. And thus did the ungodly Jews carry it to bleſſed Stephen; 'tis ſaid, They were cut to the Heart, Acts 7.34. and they gnaſhed on him with their Teeth. Yet what hurt did any of theſe Servants of God do, or deſign to do to theſe Sons of Belial? |
| V. Dogs will not only grin and ſnarl, but alſo bite; nay, not only bite, but bite mortally, and tear in pieces ſuch as offend them, who are not able to deliver themſelves from their Rage and Cruelty. There are ſome Dogs that are called Blood-hounds, and ſome others may fitly be ſo called. | V. So ſome wicked Men do not only gnaſh their Teeth, threaten, and grin at their godly Neighbours, but alſo will, and oftentimes do fall upon them with all the revengeful Rage and Malice imaginable, to the wounding, cutting, or tearing of them to pieces. How many Thouſands of precious Saints and Children of God have the wicked Papiſts (and others in many Ages of the Church) deſtroyed, like hungry and enraged Monſters? If ever there were any Men in the World, that juſtly deſerved that ignominious Name of Blood-hounds, devouring and malicious Dogs, ſure ſome of the Romiſh Church may be ſo called; for they have ſhewed themſelves rather Monſters than Men, yea, even Devils in the Shape of Men, as an eminent Writer well obſerves. |
| VI. There are ſome Dogs who will not bark and grin as others do, and yet in a ſlie and ſecret manner will bite and tear ſuch as they come at, which are look'd upon as the moſt dangerous. | VI. So ſome wicked Men will not threaten, nor grin at the Godly, like others; and yet in a ſlie and ſecret manner contrive their Ruin; and with all their Might would deſtroy them, and yet make no noiſe of it; wound them, but not let them know who doeth it. |
| VII. Some Dogs on the other hand will bark, and make a great Noiſe, and ſeldom or never bite or hurt any Body. | VII. So ſome wicked Men (contrary to the Nature and Diſpoſition of others) will give out angry and threatning Words, as if they would do this and that, when they never intend to do what they ſay, nor will they cruelly injure any Body. |
| VIII. Dogs muſt not have that which is holy: Give not that which is holy to Dogs. | VIII. So wicked Men ought not to partake of holy Things; holy Things belong to holy Perſons, they ought not to eat the Childrens Bread, to be admitted to the Sacrament, &c. |
| IX. Some Dogs are ſo fierce, cruel, and unruly, that they are forced to be tied or chained up, for otherwiſe they would do very great Miſchief: And moreover, to prevent further Danger feared, their Teeth are ſometimes broken out. | IX. So ſome wicked Men are ſo cruel and mercileſs, that God chains them up, i. e. he reſtrains them from offering that Wrong and Violence to his People, which is in their Hearts to do. And finally, to prevent their doing of further Miſchief, God doth as it were break their Teeth, that is, deſtroy their Power, or put them out of a capacity of doing hurt. Hence David ſaith, Ariſe, O Lord, and ſave me, O my God; Pſal. 3.7. for thou haſt ſmitten all mine Enemies upon the Cheek-bone; thou haſt broken the Teeth of the Ʋngodly. |
| X. Some Dogs are made uſe of by the Huntſman, to obſerve and mark his Prey, that he may ſeize upon it the more readily; and thoſe are called Setting-Dogs. | XI. So ſome wicked Men, the Devil (that cunning Hunter) makes uſe of, to obſerve and mark the Godly and Upright in the Land; they are employed to inform againſt them, and to diſcover their holy Aſſemblies, (in Times of Perſecution, that others may the better ſeize upon them. |
| XI. Some Dogs will not only fall upon Mankind, but alſo ſnarl, bite, and tear in pieces divers other Beaſts, tho as ſavage and devouring as themſelves. | XI. So ſome wicked Men will not only wrong, and ſeek the Ruine of the faithful and ſincere People of God; but when any of their own Tribe (I mean, ungodly and brutiſh Ones) do offend them, ſtand in their Way, or croſs them in their Deſigns, they will fall upon them, to their utter Ruin alſo. Babylon hath not only ſpoiled God's People, and offered violence to Heaven, but hath been a Plague and Curſe to the Earth, yea, deſtroyed the Earth. Rev. 11 18 How have the Egyptians deſtroyed the Egyptians! viz. One ungodly People deſtroyed another, as vile and cruel as themſelves. |
| XII. Dogs are a greedy, craving, and unſatisfied Sort of Creatures; they never know when they have enough. | XII. So many wicked Men, and particularly falſe Teachers, are ſuch a craving, covetous, and unſatisfied Generation, (ſome of them) they cannot be contented with a Benefice of a Hundred per an. no, nor with two, three, or five Hundred; nay, a Thouſand will not ſatisfy ſome of them: And therefore they are juſtly called by the holy Prophet, Greedy Dogs, that can never have enough, Shepherds that cannot underſtand; they look to their own Way, Iſa. 56.11. every one for his Gain from his Quarter. |
| XIII. Dogs are not only a greedy and an unſatisfied Sort of Creatures, but oft-times vomiting up what they have eaten,prov. 26.11 they return to it, and lick it up again. | XIII. So ſome wicked Men are not only greedy and unſatisfied, but having glutted themſelves, and filled their ſenſual Appetites, they are conſtrained ſometimes to vomit it up; as is ſaid of ſuch, He hath eaten down Riches, Job 20.25. and he ſhall vomit them up again. Nay, ſo like unto Dogs are many of them, that if at any time they vomit up, by ſeeming Repentance, what they have greedily and ſinfully taken, they will return to it, and lick it up again; of ſuch the Apoſtle ſpeaks,2 pet. 2.22. He is returned to his own Vomit, &c. |
| XIV. Some Dogs run mad, and are ſo much the more dangerous and hurtful, of whom all People labour to beware. | XIV. So wicked Men (being left to themſelves) do abound ſo in their Wickedneſs, that they run as it were mad in Sin, care not what Miſchief they do to themſelves or others; of whom all ſober and well-minded People ought to beware: Beware of Dogs. phil. 3.2. See Wicked compared to mad Men. |
| XV. Dogs live an idle and lazy ſort of Life: And hence the Proverb is concerning a lazy Perſon, He hath a Dog's Life, viz. Hunger and Eaſe. | XIV. So wicked Men generally lead an idle and lazy Life, (as is opened under the Metaphor Sluggard.) They care not to encounter with Difficulties for the Good of their Souls, how induſtrious ſoever they are about the Things of the World. They labour not for the Meat that endureth to eternal Life,Joh 6.27. Iſa. 55.1, 2 will not take Pains for that which is Bread, but are contented with Bones, as it were, the Crumbs of earthly Comforts. So that they have but Eaſe and Quiet here, they content themſelves with the Childrens Leavings. And tho their Conſciences many times, like a hungry Stomach, puts them to pain; yet they are not convinced of the Neceſſity of a Chriſt, but go on in their own careleſs and wicked Courſes, never eating of that which is truly good. |
| XVI. Dogs are commonly ſhut out of doors, and not ſuffered to be amongſt the Children. | XVI. So wicked Men are ſhut out of the Church, and ſhall not be ſuffered to abide in the New Jeruſalem, among the Saints: Without are Dogs, &c. Rev. 22.15. |
| Metaphor. | Diſparity. |
| SOme Dogs are ſaid to be more faithful than Servants, watching in the Night, and oft-times giving notice, by their barking, of Thieves or Strangers, that may approach the Houſe, when the Family are aſleep. | BUt ſome wicked Men are ſo unfaithful, that inſtead of giving the leaſt notice of any approaching Danger (to to their godly Neighbours, that live quietly and ſecurely by them) they will rather conceal it: and ſo far are they from preventing Danger, that they will encourage, and join with any, let them be never ſo wickedly inclined or deſigned to do Miſchief; as it is ſaid of them, When thou ſaweſt a Thief, Pſal. 50. thou conſentedſt with him, and haſt been Partaker with Adulterers. |
| II. Some Dogs are very loving, and ſhew great regard to their Maſters, and ſeem to delight in their Company, and will not do any Injury to any of the Family. | II. But ſome wicked Men regard neither Superiors nor Inferiors; nay, ſo far are they from natural Love to ſuch as are their Maſters, (if godly) that many of them deſpiſe not only Father and Mother, Brother and Siſter, but their own Wives and Children, if there is but the leaſt appearance of God in them; nay, they love not any that are not as ungodly and wicked as themſelves, but do them all the Injury they can. |
| III. Some Dogs will not only not flie upon Sheep or Lambs to hurt them, &c. but will ſometimes fetch in that which ſtragleth from the reſt, and aſſiſt the Shepherd to bring them to the Fold, and keep them within the Bounds of their own Paſture. | III. But ſome wicked Men do deſign the greateſt Hurt imaginable to the Sheep and Lambs of Chriſt, nay, much worſe than Dogs; for inſtead of guiding them into Chriſt's Sheepfold, or keeping them within the Bounds of his Paſtures, they drive them out, and not ſuffer them (if poſſible) to feed in the green Meadows of Goſpel-Truth, but would utterly deſtroy them, were it not for the Care of Jeſus Chriſt,Joh. 10.14. 1 Pet. 2.25. who is the great Shepherd and Biſhop of their Souls. |
Inferences.
IT ſhews to what a dreadful degree Men are degenerated, from what they were in their firſt Make.
II. It ſhews how hateful and loathſom Sin is to God, that the Spirit in the Word ſhould compare wicked Men (perſecuting Men, ſuch as worry and deſtroy his People) unto Dogs.
III. It ſhews the Greatneſs of God's Power and Love to his People, to preſerve them in the midſt of ſuch Beaſts of Prey, as Lions, Wolves, Dogs, &c.
IV. It ſpeaks great Comfort to thoſe that are truly godly; for tho the Wicked do often gnaſh their Teeth at them, yet God hath broken their Teeth, they cannot bite as they would.