c H R I s T COMPARED TO AN, H A R T. Book It. S I M I L E. Rock, or other bufhy and inaccef– fible Place, covering them; and if they be !\ubborn and wild, beat– ing them with her Feet, until they lie clofe and contented. They leap over their Young, teaching them to run, and leapover Buthes, Stones, and fmall Shrubs, againft a Time of Danger. Or as Pliny * faith, their little Ones they teach and exercife to ufc their Legs from the very Beginning, &c. They bring them to high, !l:eep, and ragged Rocks, and there fhew them how to leap, and withal acquaint them with their Dens, and Places of Harbor. PARALLEL. Power, Love, and gracious ProrcEtion, coverind. them with. the Mantle of his pardoning M<rcy~ But tf Bdtevers are ftubborn and difobedi<nt kicking like an untamed Heifer, the Lord Jefu~ in a way of M.ercy beats them with the Rod, lays AffiiC\ions upon them, to humble them, and bring them to fubmit to his bleffed Pleafure, and caufing them to be contented with their Condi– tion. He teaches his Saints to leap over all Oo– polition, or exercifes them to ufe their Feet fro'm the Beginning, how to improve thier Graces, and learn Experiences fo, that they may efcape the Danger of the Hunter, and keep clear of the Hounds. And becaufe he would every way fecure and fave them from Death, he acquaints them where their Dens, Place or Places of Safety and fure Harbor are. Behold, there is a Place by me, and thou jhalt .ftand upon a Rock,-! willput thee in a Clift ofthe Rock, and will cover thee with my Hand, &c. Exod. xxxiii. 2 I, 22. XII. The Hart when it is huntXII. Jefus Chrift, when purfued, and under the ed by the Dogs, 'will fly to Men ; heavy Preffure or Weight of our Sins, law the nay, rather than be made a Prey great need he had of Help and Succor; and there– to the Hounds, run to theHunt{~ fore it is faid, In the Days of his Flejh he offered man : In fhon, it greatly delires up Prayers, with .ftrong Cries and 'Iears, unto hi1n and pants after He!p and Relief that was able to Jave him from Death, and was in its Diftrefs. heard in that he fem·ed, Heb. 5· 7· He accepted XIII. Mirabilis eft ""'"'"&"'" inter Cervos & Serpmtes, &c. There is, lay Hiftorians, a marvellous Anttpathy, and continual Enmity between the Hart and Serpents. , . The 'Hart knows, by a won– derful In ninC\ of Nature, in what Holes or Caverns they lurk and hide themfelves, and by his Breath brings them out, that he may fpoil and deO:roy them. 2. The Hart is hard befet, and much annoyed by Serpents, in L)'bia. t Multitudes of them do fet upon him together, faftening their poifonous Teeth in every part of his Body ; fome on his Neck, Breaft, Sides, Back; twine about his Leas, biting him with mortal Rage,.ewhich he, throwing him– felf upon the Ground, defl:roys; others he bruifes, and fo clears himfelf of them. :j: of Relief from the very Angels, who in his Dif– trefs !hewed their Readinefs to comfort him. XIII. There is an irreconcileable Enmity be– tween Jefus Chrift, and the old Serpent, and his Race. I will put Enmity between thy Seed and her Seed, &c. Gen. iii. I 5· I. Jefus Chrift knows all the Holes and lurk– ing I'laces of the old, venomous, and mifchievous Serpents, and by his Spirit, and Breath of his Mouth, viz. the Preaching of the Gofpel, brings them out of the Hearts and Bodies of Men, that he may difpoffefs, fpoil, and deftroy them. 2. Chrif1: was hard befet with evil Spirits, his Enemies were numerous; the Devil tempted him; many with ferpentine Rage afliwlting him, crrievouOy annoyed him ; and at lait, holY did ~his venomous Offspring fet upon him, and tor– ment him in eVery Part of this Body, and caft Contempt upon all his Offices, Matt. iv. J, 2, 3, 4· And to this Day, how doth Satan and his Inftru– ments, twine about and annoy every Member of his myftical Body? But Chrift, notwithftanding all their Racre, by humbling himfelf unto Death, overcame them all. He Jpoiled Pri11cipalities and • Powers, he made a Jbew of them openly, triumphing over them in it, Col. ii. '5· He Jhall brv.ife thy Head, Gen. iii. 15. 'l'o this End was the Son of God manifefled, that he might dejtroy the.Works of the De'!il, • John ii!· I· XIV.Cer·vi,devoratisSerpentibus, XIV. Chrijtus deflruens _Dzabolum, .vere. fen.fit ita injlammantur, ut ardmtiffimam ardmtiffimum onus trd! Dct tn fe dertvart, &c. .fitim concipiant,-ejulationes edant, When Chnf1: came to deftroy, break the Head of, donee ad fontem perwniant,§ &c. or devour the Serpent, (the Serpent as It wa~ fore- • Pliny, lib. S. p. ziJ. t !bid, p. 214. . + Topfall, p. 100. §Wolf. Franz, Hijl. if Animah, P· r6+· told,
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