Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 10 · Part 12
Metaphors, Similes, AND Other Borrowed TERMS, CONCERNING The Devil, or Evil Angels.
The Devil called the God of this World.
2 Cor. 4.4. In whom the God of this World hath blinded the Minds of them which believe not.
THE Devil here is called a God; not that he is a God, either by Nature, or hath this name conferred upon him by the Almighty, in reſpect of his Office, but rather he is called ſo in reſpect of wicked Men, who ſerve and obey him as their God, and in whom he rules and works effectually, as in his own People and Subjects.
Properly there is but one God: tho there are many who are called Gods, yet they are not Gods by Nature; I am God and none elſe. Ʋnto us there is but one God: one eternal, immenſe,Iſa. 45.22. infinite, and incomprehenſible Majeſty. And this God is either conſidered Eſſentially, God is a Spirit, Joh. 4.24. or elſe Perſonally, viz. the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; There are three that bear Witneſs in Heaven, &c. and theſe three are one.
Improperly, (1.) Idols are called Gods; (2.) The Ark, 1 Sam. 4.7. (3.) Magiſtrates, I have made the a God to Pharaoh. Thou ſhalt not revile the Gods; Exod. 7.1. Exod. 22.28.the Chaldee ſaith [Rab] that is, a Maſter; the Hebrew Elohim (God) as Mr. Ainſworth obſerveth upon the place, is attributed to Judges and Magiſtrates, I ſaid ye are Gods, theſe are Gods by Office. (4.) Satan,Pſal. 82.6. as in this Text, who would be look'd upon and worſhipped as a God, he is properly an Angel, once an Angel of Light; God created him; and before he fell, he was a good Angel, as other Angels are who kept their firſt Eſtate; he is called a God; but there is one Word that confines his Power and Soveraignty, and greatly degrades him, limits him, and ſpoils his Divinity, makes him but a poor petty God, he is but the God of this World, both for extenſion and duration; he bears no rule above, nor ſhall he bear any ſway in the World to come: If the God of this World, 'tis by Uſurpation; he is like an audacious Traitor who rebels and ſtrives againſt his Lawful Soveraign, For the Earth is the Lords, and the fulneſs thereof; Chriſt is Heir of both Worlds; tho he admits Satan to God it here for a while, he is a falſe God, an Enemy to God, and no God.
Diſparity.
GOD is without Beginning; the Devil had a beginning: God is an uncreated Spirit, the Devil an Angel and a created Spirit (I do not ſay he was created a Devil) Sin made him a Devil. God can do what he pleaſeth, he hath an unlimited Power; the Devil's Power is limited, he can go no further than God permits him. God hath a juſt and rightful Power, Satan hath only an uſurped Power, &c. God is infinite, immenſe, &c. But ſome may ſay, in what Senſe is Satan ſaid to be God of this World? What World? &c. The word World is a convertible Phraſe, and here I underſtand it is to be taken for the Inhabitants of the World; I mean the Wicked, diſtinct fr…m the Godly. He is the wicked Man's God three ways.
1. By Devolution, they have fallen off from God to Satan, they have departed from the true God, and his Service, and have cloſed in with the Devil; and ſo Satan owns them to be his Subjects. The whole World is divided into two parts, two Bodies, and are under two Heads, either Subjects of Chriſt's Kingdom, or of the Kingdom and Power of Satan; they are either of the Army of Light, or Regiment of Darkneſs.
Rom. 6.16.2. The Devil is the wicked Man's God by voluntary ſubmiſſion, His Servants ye are to whom you obey. Wicked Men are Satan's Volunteers.
3. By God's juſt Deſertion, as they have caſt off God and his Service, and deſire not the knowledg of his ways; ſo God hath caſt them off, and ſuffered Satan to poſſeſs them, &c.
The Devil a Prince.
Joh. 14.30. —The Prince of the World cometh, &c.
Eph. 2.2. According to the Prince of the Power of the Air.
Rev. 9.11. And they had a King over them, which is the Angel of the bottomleſs P…t.
THE Devil is in theſe Scriptures called a Prince, Prince of Darkneſs, Prince of the Power of the Air, King of the bottomleſs Pit, &c.
Parallels.
PRince is a Term that denotes Power and Soveraignty; Satan hath great Power over wicked Men, &c. There is alſo, no doubt, ſome kind of Supremacy or Superiority amongſt the evil Angels; we read of the Prince of Devils, He caſts out Devils by Beelzebub the Prince of Devils. Alſo ſome of theſe wicked Angels are called Principalities and Powers, which ſignifieth Eminency of Place, above others. What degrees or order there is amongſt Devils is hard to find out, what ever Order there is amongſt them, yet we know he is the Maſter of miſ-rule amongſt Men, &c.
II. A King or Prince ruling and reigning, imports a Kingdom: for what is a King without a Kingdom and Dominions over which he reigns? The Devil hath a Kingdom. There is a twofold Spiritual Kingdom ſpoken of, viz. the Kingdom of Light, and the Kingdom of Darkneſs, called ſometimes the Kingdom and Power of Darkneſs. …1. His Kingdom is in the Hearts of ungodly Men, he rules and reigns there. 2. His Kingdom takes in all the Confines and Territories of Anti-Chriſt, and all other falſe and corrupt, erroneous and tyrannical States whatſoever, throughout the whole Earth, where his Power is owned, and his Authority ſubjected to. 3. He is ſaid to be King of the bottomleſs Pit.
III. The Name of ſome Kings puts an awful fear upon Men: So the Name and Power of Satan is ſuch, that it makes many Souls to dread and quake at the Thoughts of him.
IV. Some Kings have been great Tyrants. There is no Tyrant in the World, nor ever was, ſo vile as the Devil. True, ſome have acted like Devils, they ſeemed more like Devils than Men, as Nero, who cauſed the Bowels of his own Mother to be ripped up to ſee where he lay, &c. [See Lion and Dragon.]
V. Some Kings are mighty in Power, and their Dominions very large: Satan is a mighty King, he hath a Power that no meer human force can ſtand againſt, hence called the ſtrong Man armed; none ever ſeemed a match for him but the Prince of Peace. Beſides, he rules over all the Nations of the ungodly, and by force or fraud enſlaves to his helliſh Scepter Millions of Souls, there is no Kingdom, or Nation, in the whole Univerſe, but he pretends to ſome Right, Supremacy, and Authority in it; the World is full of his Creatures; nay there are more Souls who are his Vaſſals, than the Son of God hath faithful Subjects.
The Devil a Hunter.
Pſal. 91.3. He will deliver thee from the Snare of the Hunter.
Prov. 6.5. Deliver thy ſelf as a Roe from the Hand of the Hunter.
By the Hunter in theſe places, I ſee no ground to doubt, but that the Holy Ghoſt principally intends the Devil, who is the great Hunter and Deſtroyer of Mens Souls, out of whoſe Hand, i. e. Power, Wiſdom adviſes her Son to deliver himſelf.
Parallels.
A Hunter is one that purſues, or eagerly follows after his Prey, what ſort of Beaſts ſoever he hunts, he ſeems unwearied in his Purſuit, his Heart is affected with his Game, and hence takes great delight in it: So the Devil purſues Sinners, nay and the Godly too, for they are part of his Game, and how eagerly doth he purſue them, 'tis the only thing he ſeems to delight in, he is never weary of this work, nor in the work.
II. A Hunter in purſuing after the poor ſenſitive Beaſt, deſigns to kill and deſtroy them, 'tis to take their Lives away, &c. So the Devil in hunting after the Souls of Men, his grand deſign is to deſtroy them, He ſeek…th whom he may devour; 'tis the Soul, the Life of the Soul, he ſtrives to deſtroy. As David ſpeaks of his Enemy, Thou hunteſt after my Soul to take it, 1 Sam. 24.12.ſo may every Man and Woman ſay of Satan.
III. A Hunter has many Devices and cunning Stratagems to enſnare the Game he purſues: So the Devil hath many Snares and cunning Wiles to catch and deſtroy the Souls of Men, Hence he is compared to a Serpent: We are not ignorant ſaith Paul, of his Devices, 2 Cor. 9.11.and in another place, he exhorts the Saints to put on the whole Armour of God, that they may be able to ſtand againſt the Wiles of the Devil. The Greek Word ſignifies ſuch Snares as are ſet to catch a Man, He will deliver thee, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, from the Snare of the Hunter, Pſal. 91.3.meaning (ſaith Ainſworth) the Devil; Satan hath many Devices and Snares to draw Men into Sin. 1. By perſuading the Soul it is no great matter, 'tis, ſaith he, but a little one. 2. By preſenting the Pleaſure and Profit of ſinful Practices, and hiding the Shame thereof, and the Wrath and Miſery they will certainly bring on the Soul at laſt. 3. He lays before a Man the Sins of good Men, O ſaith he do you not find that ſuch and ſuch Godly Men have done as bad as this, was not David overcome with Adultery, Ezekiah with Pride, and Noah with Drunkenneſs, &c. but all the while he ſtrives to hide from them their Vertue and unfeigned Repentance, and utter abhorrence of theſe Sins afterwards. 4. He preſents God to the Soul, as one made up all of Mercy, and that Repentance will make all whole again; but afterwards, it may be, when the Soul is defiled by yielding to his Temptation, perſuades Souls the Sin is ſo great, and God ſo juſt, that he will not pardon Sin, 'tis little before committed, but great when 'tis committed, and this way he ſeeks to enſnare the Sinner. 5. Another way he hath to catch his Prey with, is by leading the Soul into the way of Sin, it may be, to the Harlots, Door, he allures into the Company of Sinners, and entices the Soul to contemplate upon Sin to toy a little with Dalilah (as it were) and a Multitude of other Snares he hath.
IV. A Hunter, that he may the better catch his Prey, hath not only his Snares, but alſo his Dogs, and them of every ſort fit for his Sport and Enterprize, he hath his ſetting-Dogs, his ſcenting Dogs, his race-Dogs, ſome to ſtart his Game, and others to purſue his Game, &c. So the Devil, the great Hunter of Souls, hath, beſides his ſubtile Wiles and Snares, fit Inſtruments to effect and accompliſh his Deſign; he has his Dogs (for ſo as we have ſhewed you elſe where) wicked Men are called, and them alſo of every ſort, ſome great ones, and ſome ſmall ones, ſome that are like ſetting-Dogs, who watch how they may trapan, and prey upon the Godly to draw them into Sin, or into Sufferings; and others, who are like cruel Blood-Hounds, who, as being void of Mercy, endeavour to tear the Saints in pieces.
V. Some Hunters mind little elſe, ſave Hunting; 'tis ſaid of Nimrod, Gen. 10 9.he was a mighty Hunter▪ &c. So the Devil he is a mighty Hunter, he minds nothing more than the hunting of the Souls of Men, O the Millions, that he hath catched and deſtroyed, he is a moſt cruel Hunter.
VI. Some Hunters are very ſwift and diligent in the purſuit of their Prey, they will ride over many Fields in a day, they will ſearch and beat about with abundance of dilig…nce, to find out their Game, they are it may be here now, and a few hours hence many Miles off, and hardly allow themſelves time to eat their Meat, &c. So the Devil is a ſwift Hunter, he is like Lightning (as it were) ſwift in Motion, he is a Spirit, and ſo has the advantage to leap ſuddenly upon his Spiritual Prey, he has his Eyes upon all the ways of Men, he is here to tempt this Man, and preſently in another place to catch unwary and ſecure Souls.
VII. A Hunter is diligent to obſerve the Diſpoſition of the Creature he hunts, and alſo the places where it haunts: So the Devil, he obſerves the Diſpoſitions and natural Inclinations of Men and Women, and alſo all their haunts, that ſo he may the better prey upon them, he knows what Men are prone to Lying, and what Men are addicted to Covetouſneſs, and who are naturally inclined to the Luſts of Uncleanneſs, and who are ſubject to Paſſion, &c. and according to the various Tempers and Inclinations of Perſons, he ſuits his Temptations.
VIII. A Hunter ſeeks to come ſometimes, if poſſible, on his Prey unawares, when they are ſecure, to ſteal as it were upon them: So the Devil comes upon Chriſtians many times when they are aſleep and in a ſecure ſtate; an Enemy hath done this whilſt Men ſlept. And hence Solomon's advice is to the Sons of Wiſdom, not to Give ſleep to their Eyes, nor ſlumber to their Eye-lids, P…ov. 6.4, 5.and to deliver themſelves from the Hand of the Hunter, &c.
Diſparity.
OTher Hunters generally hunt for their Recreation, 'tis not out of Envy and Hatred they bear to the Creatures they hunt: But the Devil hunts the Souls of Men out of that implacable Hatred he bears to them, 'tis not his Pleaſure, but his Malice, which ſtirs him up to kill and deſtroy poor Sinners, he knows he is miſerable himſelf, and he would make, if he could, all the Children of Men as miſerable as himſelf.
Inferences.
THis may ſerve to awaken all Men, to take heed and deliver themſelves from this mighty Hunter; Soul fly to Chriſt, he is able to ſave thee, who hath promiſed to deliver thee from the Snare of the Hunter, &c. labour to be like the Roe, ſwift-footed, O labour with David for Hinds Feet.
The Devil a Fowler.
Prov. 6.5. Deliver thy ſelf as a Roe from the Hand of the Hunter, and as a Bird from the Hand of the Fowler.
AS Satan is likened to a Hunter, ſo he is likewiſe unto a Fowler, they are both Metaphors of a like Import.
Parallels.
A Fowler hath his Nets, Gins, and many Allurements to catch the poor ſilly Bird: So hath Satan to catch the Souls of Men, ſome of which we mentioned before.
II. A Fowler having taken divers Birds, he makes uſe of them, in a crafty manner, to bring others to his Net: So doth Satan, he this very way ſeeks, to allure Sinners, he ſets before the Eyes of the unwary Soul, how many Birds he hath got in his Snares, and yet they ſing moſt ſweetly, and leap about as if they had all Joy and Enlargements in the World; he would perſuade Gods Children none have ſo ſweet and pleaſant a Life as the Ungodly, who flouriſh in Proſperity, and are not plagued like other Men, and by this means, this cunning Fowler oft-times enſnares the Souls of Men.
III. A Fowler is very cautious how he ſpreads his Net in the ſight of any Bird: So Satan craftily ſtrives to hide his Net and Snare, by which he ſeeks to catch the Souls of Men, he preſents the Golden Cup, but hides the Poyſon. Thus he deceived Eve, he ſtrove to affect her Heart with the choiceſt and excellent Nature of the Fruit of the Tree, Ye ſhall be as Gods, &c. This was the Bait, but the Net or curled Hook is hidden, he ſeems to court her as a cordial Friend, as one that wiſhed her the greateſt Happineſs imaginable; but alas! his deſign was to catch her in the Net of Rebellion againſt God's Law, to deſtroy and undoe her for ever; In vain is the Net ſpread in the ſight of any Bird.Eccl.
IV. A Fowler ſtrives to counterfeit the real call of Birds, thereby to entice them into the Snares and Nets he hath ſpread for them: So Satan endeavours to transform himſelf into an Angel of Light,2 Cor. 11.14, 15. and alſo teaches his Miniſters to counterfeit the Garb, Behaviour, and Call of Chriſt's true Miniſters, thereby to deceive and draw Souls into Perdition and Deſtruction. who more ready to preſs Holineſs, and Self-denial, &c. than ſome of the grand Deceivers of this Age, They come to you in Sheeps cloathing, Mat. 7.15.but inwardly they are ravening Wolves.
V. A Fowler ſome times in the Night dazles the Eyes of the poor Birds with a great Light, and thereby moſt eaſily ſpreads his Net over them: So Satan by falſe Lights preys upon the Souls of Men, who crys out, Light, Life and Power, &c. and this hath ſo dazled the Eyes of People, that many have been taken, and little think where they are, nor the danger they are in, alas! the cunning Fowler has got his Net over them.
The Devil a Lion.
2 Pet. 5.8. Be ſober, be vigilant, becauſe your Adverſary the Devil, as a roaring Lion, walketh about, ſeeking whom he may devour.
CHriſt is compared to a Lion, ſaith the learned Glaſſius, becauſe Noble, Heroick, and Unconquerable. 2. Wicked Men and Tyrants are ſo called, becauſe Fierce, Outragious and Cruel. And 3. The Devil is called a Lion, becauſe Roaring, Rapacious and devouring, &c.
Some of the common Epithets of a Lion, as we have under another Head noted, are theſe, viz. Bold, Stony-hearted, Preying, Ravening, Stubborn, Cruel, Bloody, Terrible, Swelling, &c. Which ſets forth his Natural Evil, and worſt Properties, upon which account the Devil, as all the Learned obſerve, is compared to him.
Parallels.
THE Voice of the Lion is called Rugitus, that is, Roaring, or Bellowing, which is very terrible to other Beaſts, who when they hear him roar, tremble; he roars when he is hungry and wants Prey: So the Devil is ſaid to walk about like a roaring hungry Lion, who is not ſatisfied with the Prey he hath already got, but ſeeks to devour more Souls: for as the Lion is a very greedy and unſatisfied Beaſt; ſo is the Devil, he would, did not God reſtrain him, deſtroy the whole World, not a Soul ſhould eſcape.
II. A Lion is a very ſtrong Beaſt, What is ſtronger than a Lion? So the Devil is a ſtrong Enemy; and one reaſon, doubtleſs, why he is compared to a Lion, is to ſignify his Strength, as his being compared to a Serpent, doth his Subtilty. Hence God hath laid help for us upon one Mighty to ſave, viz. the Lord Jeſus, who was able to encounter with this ſtrong and furious Adverſary, For to this end was the Son of God manifeſt, that he might deſtroy the Works of the Devil, and deſtroy him who had the Power of Death, 1 Joh. 2.14. Heb. 2.8.which is the Devil.
III. A Lion is a very bloody and tyrannical Beaſt,To…ſ l…, p. 361. he will ſet upon and deſtroy whole Flocks and Heards of Cattel, he is a great Enemy to Sheep and Lambs and other innocent Creatures: So the Devil is very bloody and cruel, as appears in Job's Caſe, he took away his Cattel, and then all his Children, and after that ſmote his Body with Biles; he ſeeks to deſtroy the Bodies and Souls of Men too, the Godly ſtand in fear of him; for Chriſt's Sheep and Lambs, have not a more cruel and bloody Foe in the World.
The Devil a Dragon.
Rev. 12.7. And the great Dragon was cast down, that old Serpent called the Devil and Satan, &c.
AS the Devil is compared to a Lion, ſo likewiſe to a Dragon. Some are ready to queſtion whether there be any ſuch Creature, or no; but it is without any juſt ground, ſince the holy Scripture ſpeaks of them in ſo many places: Beſides, we have approved Hiſtories and Hiſtorians, which treat of them, as Aelianus, Ariſtotle, Pliny, Mantuan, Geſner, Ovid, &c.
Parallels.
THe Dragon is a flying Serpent, he is deſcribed with Wings very voluble, and ſpreading themſelves wide according to the quantity or largeneſs of the Dragon's Body; which cauſed Lucan the Poet to write in this manner,
Vos quo que qui cunctis innoxia numina terris
Serpitis, aurato nitidi fulgore Dracones,
Pestiferos ardens facit Africa; ducit is altum
Aëra cum Pennis, &c. —
You ſhining Dragons, creeping on the Earth,
Which fiery Africk holds, with Skins like Gold,
Yet peſtilent by hot infecting Breath,
Mounted with Wings in th' Air we do behold.
The Devil is ſaid to have Wings, to denote his Swiftneſs in purſuing his Prey. He is like to a furious flying Dragon. No Man can get out of the reach of Satan; let them climb up never ſo high in Grace and Vertue, Satan hath Wings, and can purſue them with his poyſonous Breath of Temptations.
Elianus, Megasthenes.II. Naturaliſts obſerve, that Dragons ſeldom hurt in the Day-time, but in the dark Night they come out of their Holes, and deep Caves: So the Devil does the greateſt hurt in the Night of Ignorance; he hates the Light, like his curſed Children; his Kingdom is the Darkneſs of this World.
Topſell, p. 706.III. Naturaliſts ſay, Dragons have cruel Teeth, and that they have a treble Row of them in their Mouths, and that their Bite is very dangerous. Teeth, ſaith Glaſſius, denote Virulence, and an hoſtile Power, becauſe Beaſts, when they fight, uſe them as offenſive Weapons. The Wounds the Devil gives to poor Sinners by his prevailing Power, are venemous and mortal.
IV. Dragons are mortal Enemies to Mankind, and Multitudes have been deſtroyed by them; in this they fitly reſemble the Devil.
V. Dragons have a cruel infectious Breath: Thoſe in Phrygia, when they are hungry, turn themſelves towards the Weſt, and gaping wide, with the force of their Breath (ſaith my Author) they draw the Birds that flie over their Heads into their Mouths; which ſome attribute to the infectious Nature of their Breath: Alſo they kill with their Tails; nay, ſome ſay, the Strokes of their Tails are more deadly than the biting of their Teeth. The Devil, like the Dragon, has many ways to wound and deſtroy Mankind. Sin is like the biting of Dragons,Deut. 22. and falſe Doctrine in Scripture is called Dragon's Poyſon, 'tis the Poyſon of this old Dragon: Their Wine is as the Poyſon of Dragons, and the cruel Venome of Aſps.
VI. They will fight terribly, and are (as Naturaliſts note) always in War with the Elephant, and with divers other Beaſts, both wild and tame, for he is the cruel Enemy of them all:Rev. 12.7, 8. So the Devil makes War with the Lamb, and with all his Followers: There was War in Heaven; Michael, and his Angels, fought againſt the Dragon; and the Dragon fought, and his Angels, and prevailed not. The Lord Jeſus is too hard for this old Dragon.
VII. There are in Ethiopia, and other hot Countries, Multitudes of Dragons, ſome greater, and ſome leſſer, alſo ſome of a red colour. We read of ſome that have been found to be nine Cubits long, and of a great Thickneſs. Neither is it to be thought, (ſaith Mr. Topſell, out of Geſner) incredible,Topſell, p. 704. that the Souldiers of Attilius Regulus killed a Dragon, which was an hundred and twenty Foot long. Dragons (ſaith he) are certainly great Beaſts, and there are few or none bigger on Earth: So there are many Devils, and by ſome places of holy Scripture, we may conclude there is a chief or grand Devil, one whoſe Helliſh Power is above the reſt, &c. The Earth and Air are full of theſe curſed Dragons, but being Spirits, we cannot ſee them: Beſides, we may ſuppoſe, that they may abound more in ſome Countries than in others.
The Devil a Serpent.
2 Cor. 11.3. But I fear leſt by any means, as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his Subtilty, &c.
Rev. 12.9. The old Serpent, the Devil, &c.
SErpents are venemous Beaſts, that creep upon the Ground, or go as it were upon their Bellies, w…ich, as it appears from Gen. 3.14. was laid upon them at firſt as a juſt Judgment of God: Ʋpon thy Belly ſhalt thou go; meaning, ſaith Ainſworth, in great Pain, &c. This Creature the Devil made uſe of to deceive Eve; the Devil ſpake in, or by the Serpent, i. e. opened the Serpent's Mouth; for we are not to conclude that Serpent was the Devil, becauſe the Text ſaith poſitively, it was a Beaſt of the Field, who (as ſome conceive) is ſaid to be more ſubtil than any other Beaſt, by means of Satan's Influences; yet all agree, that naturally the Serpent, or ſome Serpents are very crafty and ſubtil. Ariſtotle and Galen define a Serpent to be, Animal ſanguineum, pedibus orbatum, & oviparum; that is, A bloody Beaſt, without feet, laying Eggs.
There are divers ſorts of Serpents; we read of the Adder, Aſp, Dart, Dragon,Dipſus. Cockatrice, &c. Some affirm that the Cockatrice or Baſilisk hath Wings, from Iſa. 14.29. Out of the Serpent's Root ſhall come a Cockatrice, and his Fruit ſhall be a flying Serpent. The Baſilisk is eſteemed the King of Serpents, partly for the great Strength of his Poyſon, and partly for his ſtately Pace, and magnanimous Mind; for he goes upright with his Head, near half a Yard in length.
Parallels.
SErpents are a venemous ſort of Creatures, eſpecially the Cockatrice: For his Poyſon (Naturaliſts affirm) infecteth the Air, and the Air ſo infected killeth all living Creatures, and all green Things, Fruits and Plants of the Earth; it burneth up the Graſs whereupon it goeth, or creepeth; and the very Fowls of the Air fall down dead, when they come near his Den or Lodging: So the Venom or Poyſon of the old Serpent, viz. Sin, is very deadly, and of an infectious Nature, as hath been largely ſhewed. What Creature hath not been hurt and corrupted, more or leſs, by this Poyſon? It hath diſordered the whole Creation; the very Ground is curſed,Gen. 3. and bringeth forth Thorns and Thiſtles hereby.
II. Amongſt all living Creatures, there is none that periſheth ſooner than doth a Man, by the Poyſon of a Cockatrice, for with his Sight he killeth him, the Beams of his Eyes do corrupt the Spirit of a Man; nay, ſaith my Author, he kills other Serpents by his Sight, ſuch is the Venom of his Poyſon: So no Creature hath ſuffered, or received ſuch hurt, as Mankind hath by the Poyſon of the old Dragon. Tho the Sin of Man, which is the Venom of this Serpent, hath been a Plague to all Creatures, yet Man receives the greateſt Ruine by it, it deſtroys him eternally. Wicked Men, who are compared to Serpents, are deſtroyed by this old Serpent.
III. A Serpent is a very ſubtil Beaſt; Be ye wiſe as Serpents, &c. The Devil being compared to a Serpent, it principally denotes his Subtilty, who hath a thouſand Ways to deſtroy and undo the Children of Men.
IV. Serpents are moſt envious, implacable, and furious Beaſts; they are immitiſſimum animalium genus, Topſell. Elianus. Pliny.a moſt ungentle and barbarous kind of Creatures, ſaith my Author; as appears by the Rage of a little Snake, one of the leaſt of the Serpents kind: for when he perceives he is hurt or wounded, he never ceaſeth caſting out his Poyſon, until he hath done harm, or died of Madneſs. In this he is the very Image of the Devil, who is ſo outragious, and filled with Envy, to Mankind, that he cares not what Miſchief he doth, though it greatly heightens his own Puniſhment in the end. There is an irreconcileable Enmity between the Serpent and the Woman, and between his Seed and her Seed.Geſner. Topſell. A Man naturally; by a kind of ſecret Inſtinct, abhorreth the ſight of a Serpent; and ſo doth the Serpent the ſight of a Man.
Pliny Seneca.V. There is a certain ſort of Serpents, that if a Man look ſtedfaſtly upon them with one Eye, with a ſingle Eye, they will run away from him: Such a Serpent is Satan; for if a Chriſtian face him with a ſingle Eye, that is, look upon him with an Eye of Faith, it will reſiſt him, and make him flie.
Inferences.
FRom the Whole we may perceive, what the Nature of Sin is: Theſe evil Angels were glorious Creatures at firſt, before they fell: but behold, what vile, curſed Creatures and Monſters their departing from God, and Rebellion againſt him, hath made them!
II. It may teach all Men to beware of the Devil, to watch againſt him, to avoid Sin, and the Venom of Sin, as they would a Serpent.
III. It may be of uſe to ſtir up the Godly to Diligence and Watchfulneſs, &c. Be ſober, be vigilant, &c.
IV. It may teach us to bleſs and praiſe God for Chriſt, in whom, through Faith, we get the Victory over this terrible and crafty Enemy.