Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 8 · Part 31 · Subpart 17
Wicked Men compared to Lions.
Job 4.10. The Roaring of the Lion, and the Voice of the fierce Lion, and the Teeth of the young Lions are broken.
2 Tim. 4.17. I was delivered out of the Mouth of the Lion.
Pſal. 57.4. My Soul is among Lions.
THe Lion in Hebrew, as Writers obſerve, hath ſeveral Names, as Ari, and Ariel; they call the Male Lion Labi, and the Female Lebia: Behold, my People ſhall ariſe like Labi, and be lifted up like Ari. There the Caldee Tranſlation rendreth Labi, Leta; the Arabian, Jebu; the Perſian, Scher; and Munſter ſaith, that Labi is an old Lion. In Job 38. Labaim ſignifieth Lions; in Pſal. 57. Lebaat ſignifieth Lioneſſes; in Nah. 2. Laiſch is by the Hebrews tranſlated Lion; and the ſame Word, Iſa. 30. is by the Caldees tranſlated Lions Whelp. The word foreign is derived foreign, which ſignifies to ſee.
The common Epithetes of a Lion are theſe, viz. Wrathful, maned, fierce, deadly, ſtout, great, preying, ravening, ſtubborn, ſnatching, cruel, bloody, terrible, ſwelling, ſtony-hearted, frowning, violent, &c.
Expoſitors ſeem to be of a mind, that Paul, in ſaying, 2 Tim. 4.17. he was delivered out of the Lion's Mouth, means Nero, who with open Jaws was ready to devour and deſtroy him. However, it is evident, wicked Men, or cruel Tyrants, are often in holy Scripture called Lions, in reſpect of ſome of the Properties of a Lion; for one Metaphor (as Glaſſius well obſerves) is brought to ſignify ſeveral Things, with reſpect to their different Qualities and Attributes. Thus (ſaith he) 1. Chriſt is called a Lion, Rev. 5.5. becauſe noble, heroick, and unconquerable. 2. The Devil is called a Lion, becauſe roaring and devouring. 3. Wicked Men and Tyrants are called Lions, becauſe they are fierce, outragious, and cruel to weaker Men, as Lions are to weaker Creatures, &c.
| Metaphor. | Parallel. |
| THe Lion is a proud and ſtately Creature. | SO ſome wicked Men and Tyrants are very proud and ſtately. |
| II. Lions are couragious and undaunted in their Acts of Cruelty; they will do what they liſt, let who will look on. | II. So ſome wicked Men and Tyrants ſeem to act in Ways of Oppreſſion and Cruelty undauntedly, with great Courage and Boldneſs. Couragiouſneſs (ſaith Mr. Caryl) in any noble or good Way or Cauſe, (in which Sence, Prov. 28.1. The Righteous are as bold as a Lion) is the Courage of Saints: But to be valiant and couragious in doing Miſchief, in wronging and oppreſſing the Weak and Innocent, is the Courage of a Beaſt. That Courage which is out of the Way of Truth and Juſtice, is a Lion-like Courage. |
| III. Lions are very ſtrong, the ſtrongeſt of all Creatures; what is ſtronger than a Lion? | III. Some Tyrants have been very ſtrong,Caryl. Tyranny muſt have Strength to back it. Hence they who mean to oppreſs, fortify themſelves with Titles and Priviledges, with Honours and Relations: Solomon conſidering the Oppreſſions that were under the Sun, obſerves Tears on the one ſide, and Strength on the other;Eccleſ. 4.2. On the ſide of the Oppreſſor there was Power. |
| IV. A Lion is a crafty and very ſubtile Creature, and hence ſaid to lurk in ſecret places, and lyeth in wait ſecretly in his Den. | IV. So Tyrants, as hath been ſhewed, are very ſubtile, they have a great ſtock of Policy as well as Power. Tho as Mr. Caryl notes, we uſually oppoſe the Lions Skin and the Foxes Skin, yet many times they meet both in one; ſome are double Skin'd as well as double Cloath'd.Pſal. 10.9. Hence we have that Phraſe (when David compares a Wicked Man to a Lion) He lieth in wait ſecretly as a Lion in his Den; Like as a Lion that is greedy of his Prey, Pſal. 17.12 and as it were a young Lion lurking in ſecret places: They will (as Naturaliſts obſerve) hide themſelves in the Dens, leſt Paſſengers ſhould be afrighted at them. |
| V. Lions, eſpecially, are cruel Blood-ſucking and devouring. Polybius affirmeth, that he ſaw them beſiege, and compaſs about ſeveral Cities of Africk; they will devour both Man and Beaſt, ſetting upon Troops of Horſe-Men, deſtroying Flocks and Herds of Cattel, carrying ſome alive to their young Ones, killing five or ſix at a time, &c. | V. So Wicked Men are great Tyrants, and have always been very cruel and Blood-thirſty. What bloody Wretches were Nero, Caligula? &c. And what Tyrants and devouring Monſters have the Popes and bloody Papiſts been? For beſides the many thouſands of Innocent Chriſtians they have inhumanly butcher'd (Hiſtory ſhews) they deſtroyed in America, See Clark's Examples. Vol. 2. no leſs than fifteen Millions of poor Heathens, ſparing no Sex, young nor old, cutting Men, Women and Children in pieces, flaying their Skins off, and Roaſting them alive, and burning them to Aſhes, making Children to kill their own dear Parents, &c. |
| VI. Lions will roar terribly. When the Lion roareth, all the Beaſts of the Forreſt tremble. The Naturaliſts obſerve,Geſner. that tho many Creatures are ſwifter of Foot than the Lion, yet when he roars they all fall down, and he overtakes them with his aſtoniſhing Voice; when a Lion is angry he beateth his Tail againſt the Ground. | VI. So Tyranical Men with their roaring Words, their loud and terrible Threatnings, often afright and daunt poor timerous Chriſtians; what ſaid the tyranical King of Babylon? Whoſoever falleth not down and worſhippeth the Golden Image, Dan. 3.11. ſhall be caſt into the midſt of a burning fiery Furnace. And now, Act. 4. 1 Pet. 3. Lord, behold their Threatnings, &c. Be not afraid of their Terrour, &c. |
| VII. Lions are of a fierce, ſower and ſtern Countenance; Geſner. Topſel. p. 370. and in the ſight of Men, 'tis ſaid, he is ſeldom found without Rage. | VII. 'Tis ſaid of the fourth Beaſt, his Looks was more ſtout than his Fellows.Dan. 7. Wicked Perſecutors, and Tyrants, look oft-times upon the Godly with an angry Countenance. Much of Man's Heart is known by his Face; Frowns are as Blows, hence we call it Brow-beating. The Love of God (ſaith Mr. Caryl) is expreſt by the pleaſantneſs of his Face, and the Light of his Countenance; ſo alſo is the Love of Man. And we may ſee what the intent of a Perſon is, by his Looks; many are in this reſpect Lion-like: They have (as Ariſtotle ſaith of the Natural Lion) Clouds and Storms hanging about their Eye-Brows; it was a threatning againſt the Jews, in caſe of Diſobedience, that God would ſend againſt them, A Nation of a fierce Countenance, Deut. 28.50. which ſhould not regard the Perſon of the old, nor ſhew favour to the young. |
| VIII. Lions are hungry and greedy Creatures. | VIII. So are Wicked Men and Tyrants, They have ſet their Eyes bowing down to the Earth: Pſal. 17.11, 12. like as a Lion that is greedy of his Prey. |
Diſparity.
THere are many excellent Qualities in a Lion, which no way agree to Wicked Men and Tyrants, which we ſhall leave to the Reader to find out; upon which account God and Chriſt are compared in the Scripture to a Lion: See pag. 40. & 135. Book 2. of the firſt Volumn.
Inferences.
THo theſe Lions are very ſtrong and powerful, yet God is ſtronger than they, and he is againſt them: And he in a ſpecial manner deſires, ſaith Caryl, Caryl on Job. ch. 4. p 65, 66, 67, 68.to be dealing with theſe, for they in the Pride of their Spirits think themſelves a Match for God; tho indeed their Strength is but Weakneſs, and their Wiſdom (notwithſtanding their Fox-like Craft) but Fooliſhneſs, yet in their own conceit they are ſtronger and wiſer than God himſelf. Hence (like Pharaoh) they ſend Defiance to Heaven, and ſay, Who is the Lord? When God ſees the Hearts of Men ſwoln to this height of inſolent Madneſs, he delights to ſhew himſelf,Exo. 5.11. and graple with them that their Pride may come down.
What are all theſe Lions to the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, if the Lord do but roar, if the Lion of the Tribe of Judah do but come forth againſt theſe Lions, they will run to hide themſelves, and call to the Rocks and Mountains to cover them, &c. God is ſaid in the Holy Scripture, to deſtroy theſe Lions by Degrees,Rev. 6.15, 16. he proceeds gradually againſt them.
Firſt, he ſtops the roaring of the Lions, they ſhall not be able to make ſuch a dreadful noiſe as heretofore; their roaring may be ſtopt when their Voice is not, tho they can ſpeak, yet they ſhall not yell.
Secondly, In the ſecond place, He breaks the Voice of the Lions, they ſhall only not roar, but they ſhall not ſo much as ſpeak, either againſt the Lambs, or againſt the Sheep, or for themſelves, The Voice of the fierce Lion ſhall be taken away. God is able to ſilence Lions and ſtop their Mouths, not only from devouring and roaring, but from ſpeaking.
Thirdly, When their Voice is taken away, and their roaring, yet their Teeth will remain; and they will be biting and tearing ſtill, tho they have done roaring and yelling; therefore at the third Stroak God breaks out their Teeth, The Teeth of the young Lions are broken. So the Pſalmiſt prays, Pſal. 58.6. Break their Teeth in their Mouths, break out the great Teeth of the young Lions, O Lord; that is, take away the Inſtrumen…s by which they oppreſs, the means by which they tear and rend, as Lions with their cruel Teeth.
Fourthly, Chriſt deals further with theſe Lions, he not only breaks their Teeth by which they uſed to hurt others, but he takes away their Prey and their Meat; they ſhall not have wherewith to live themſelves, they were wont to ſuck the Blood of the Slain, and to eat the Fleſh of the Poor; but now the Lord will pluck away their Prey, they themſelves ſhall be ſtarved or pinched with Hunger.
Laſtly, Not only ſhall their Meat be taken away, but they themſelves ſhall be ſcattered and diſperſed; this is the laſt ſtep of their calamity. Their Dens ſhall be broken up, and their lurking places ſhall be opened, they ſhall run from place to place, from Nation to Nation: this is the Judgment of the Lord upon Lions, and the Portion of the cruel Enemies of our God.
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 Heathen in their Perſecutions to cry out, Away with the Chriſtians to the Lions! this we have often ſeen, in the Figure, poor Chriſtians ſent to the Lions; put under the Power of Men, as cruel, as bloody, as Lions. Many an one might ſay (as David, Pſal. 57.4.) My Soul is among Lions. When the Watchmen (in the Prophet) was asked, Watch-man, what of the Night? he anſwered, A Lion, my Lord, (Iſa. 21.8.) Our ſorrowful Watch-men ſtanding upon their Towers (conſidering theſe 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 States only, but Souls and Conſciences. God hath wonderfully delivered his Darling from the Lions, his Daniels from the Lions Den. He hath already delivered 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 Sampſons 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; and tho many Lions are amongſt us, yet they dare not roar, much leſs, tear as they have done; tho the Beaſts be alive, yet (for the moſt part) the Lions are dead: they are Beaſts ſtill, as baſe, vile, and bloody in their Natures as ever, but their powerful Lion-like Strength is abated. That glorious Prophecy is in ſome ſence, 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 Whelp…, ſome ſcattered abroad, ſome deſtroyed, ſome conſumed by the mighty Power of God.
Further, It is here ſaid in the Text, That the old Lion ſhall periſh for want of Prey. It is a ſtrange Expreſſion; Lions have the greateſt Power to get Proviſion to ſatisfy their Hunger, yea their Appetites and Humour; yet theſe ſhall want, theſe Lions who have all their life time preyed upon the States of other Men, even theſe ſhall want; Note hence the Juſtice of God, Such as have made others want, ſhall at laſt come to want themſelves, they ſhall periſh for want of Prey; they ſhall have nothing to eat, When thou ceaſeſt to ſpoil, thou ſhalt be ſpoiled, ſaith the Prophet; And when thou ſhalt make an end to deal treacherouſly, they ſhall deal treacherouſly with thee. We muſt not underſtand it, as if wicked Men do ever give over ſinning; Sin, and their deſire of ſinning, is in a kind Infinite: they never ſay, Now we have done, and will ſin no more; but the meaning is, when thou canſt ſin no more, nor deal treacherouſly no more; when thou haſt done thy utmoſt, and ſpent thy Strength in ſpoiling others, or taken all their Spoil, ſo that thou haſt done ſpoiling, becauſe there is no more to ſpoil; then others ſhall ſpoil thee. And thou Lion, who haſt preyed upon others along time, ſhalt not have a bit thy ſelf, but ſhalt periſh for want of Prey.
It is the Promiſe of God unto his own People, Pſal. 34.10. That the Lions ſhall lack and ſuffer Hunger, but they that fear the Lord, ſhall not want any good Thing: he expreſſes it by Lions, to note, that certainly they that fear him, ſhall not want; for if any Creatures in the World can preſerve themſelves from Hunger, Lions can; if they do but roar, the very Beaſts will fall down as a Prey before them: but yet (ſaith God) theſe, even theſe ſhall rather periſh for Hunger, than any one that feareth me ſhall want. God provides for his Lambs, for innocent Perſons, for thoſe that fear him, tho they have no Strength to provide for themſelves; but the Wicked who have greateſt Power, and have been moſt active to provide for themſelves, ſhall pine with want; they who have cauſed ſo many to be bitten with Hunger, ſhall at laſt be Hunger-bitten, and for want of Meat gnaw their Tongues.
Laſtly, Where it is ſaid, that the Lions Whelps are ſcattered abroad, obſerve, God will not only deſtroy the Perſons of Wicked Men, but their Families and Poſterities, they and their Whelps ſhall all be ſcattered, He will not leave them ſo much as a Man or a Remembrance, Pſal. 36.6. I ſought his place (ſaith the Prophet) and he could not be found, there was no print of him, no Man could remember that there was ſuch a Man in the World, unleſs to curſe his Memory.
I ſhall only give one caution concerning this, and ſo conclude the Point: That which is here affirmed in the General by Eliphaz, concerning the deſtruction of Wicked Men, Lions, and fierce Lions, is not to be taken as a Truth in the univerſal Experience of it; we are not to underſtand it thus, as if all Perſons, all Lion-like Perſons, at all times, periſh, are deſtroyed, and ſcattered abroad; but Eliphaz ſpeaks of what is uſually done; or he ſpeaks of what God can eaſily do at any time, and of what God may juſtly do at all times. Lions, fierce Lions, Tyrants, Oppreſſors, he both may, and can ſcatter when he pleaſeth, yet we find, that God hath permitted ſome Lions, to live long, and die quietly; they ſpend all their days in roaring and rending, in tearing and devouring, and yet themſelves are not devoured: God ſuſpends his Juſtice, but it is for weighty reaſons. For in word,
Firſt, If God ſhould deſtroy all Lion-like Men, the Joints of the World would be uncloſed, and the Bands of human Society broken aſunder. God forbad the Children of Iſrael to deſtroy all the Canaanites, leſt the Beaſts of the Field ſhould multiply, &c.
Secondly; If God ſhould hunt all theſe Lions out of the World, his own People would live by Senſe, rather than by Faith, and ſeem to be terrified by the viſible Actings of Wrath, rather than allured by the Promiſes of Mercy, or Tenders of free Grace.
Thirdly; He defers them, until they have ſuck'd Blood enough, rent enough, done Evil enough, even fill'd up the meaſure of their Sin, and fulfilled the righteous Purpoſe of God, by their Unrighteouſneſs. As theſe Lions fill their own Bellies, ſo they fulfill God's Counſels; therefore he lets them alone, that they may do his Work, tho they little think of it, and leſs intend it.
Laſtly; Eliphaz ſpeaks of what God did frequently in thoſe Times of the World wherein he lived; for then God dealt more by outward Judgments, than in theſe Goſpel-Times. As his Mercies are now more ſpiritual, ſo uſually are his Judgments.