Book II. G 0 D AS A L E 0 p A R D. S I M I L E. P A R A L L E 1.: God and not Man; my Heart is t!trlled in me, my Repentings are kindled together, 'fer. xxxi. zo. Hof. xi. 8, 9· Though God is a terrible Lion, yet it is only to the Impeni– tent, anc) thofe that Hand out againft: him. XI. A Lion (asPliny, and divers XI. God is a great Enemy to Flatterers. and other areat Naturalilts tell us) is a 'Tyrants, wh1ch fooner or later will be the SubJeCts great Enemy to Apes andWolves. of his Wrath and Fury, whom he will tear in pieces and devour. SIMILE. THE Lion is a proud and lofty Creature, a tyrannical and cruel Bealt, ~ great Dellroyer of Sheep, Lambs, and other poor innocent and harmlefs Creatures; befides he hath many other evil Qo1aliries. Hence the Devil and wicked Men are compared to a Lion; to which .Similes we refer you. D IS PAR IT Y. JN divers RefpeCl:s God cannot by any Means be compared to a Lion. He is not proud, cruel, nor will he caft off or deftroy an upright and inno– cent Perfon, whatever the Provocation be; but he is in the higheft Degree of Eminency, quire contrary to all thefc evil Qualities, as is lhewed elfewhere. C 0 R 0 L L A R E s. 1. IS God compared to a Lion in thofe RefpeEts you have heard1 then let Sinners tremble,for they are like to be the only Prey of this dreadful and terrible God. Art thou able to encounter him, or to !land before him 1 I will be unto Ephraim as a Lion, and as a young Lion to the Hott{e of J udah : I, even I will tear, and go away, and nonejhalt rejctte him, Hof v. 14. Doth not this Lion begin to roar 1 JVill a Lion roar in the Fo– reft, whm he hatb no Prey ? Shall the 'l'rumpet be blown in the City, and the People not afraid.< Sure God is ariflng up to the Prey, and He will jhake terribly the Earth, Amos iii. 4, 6, 8. What will ye do, can you !land before his Indignation 1 2. Is God compared to a Lion1 let Sinners take heed, lelt they awake and rouze him up. 3· See from hence what the Nature of Sin is; it is only that which caufes God to break forth againll Man, as an hungry Lion. It is Sin that provokes him to Anger, and fills him with Wrath anci Indignation. God greatly delights in Mercy; and to execute Judgment, is called hisflrmzge Work, Ifa. xxviii. 21. 4· There is no Way for the guilry or rebellious Soul to take, but to fall down before the dreadful God, to proft:rate irfelf at the Feet of the Lion of the 'l'ribe of J udah : He will have Mercy on thee, if thou doft fubmit thyfelf unto him. G 0 D AS A LE 0 PAR D. And as a Leopard will! obftrve them, Hojca xiii. 7· SIMILE PARALLEL I. THELeopard is a great EneI. WICKED Men fiy in the Face of God 1 my to Man, and fo fierce, they are faid to fight againft: him, Afls that he immediately flies into the v. 39· and vii. 51. and now faith God, I will be Face of him, and pulls out his velike a Leopard, I will as it were fly in your Faces, ry Eyes. I will come furioufiy upon you in the Way ofmy Judgments : I will not only as a Lion, tear the Caul of your HeartS; but as a Leopard, I will pull out your Eyes, and ye lhall wander in Darknefs. I!. The Leapord is a very fwift Beall: '!'heir Horfes arefwifter than the Leopards, Hab. i. 8. · Ill. The Leop"'d in watchino- his Prey is very fubtil; he obfe~ves fit Times and Senfons when to I I. God fays, he will be afwift Witnefs againO: the Wicked: S·wift!y will I (faith God, fpeaking to the Enemies of his People) return Y""' Recom– pmce upon your own Heads, Joe! iii. 4· 11I. In this Scripture chiefly God compares himfelf to a Leopard, in refpeEt of watching the Ungodly: As a Leopard willlobftrvethem. This 3 Y fer•
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