Book IV. W I C K E D M E N D E B T 0 R S. 777 METAPHOR. X. The Wild-boar is of a more flubborn and mifchievous Nature, and commonlydoth more hurr, be– ing very fhong, chan any other Swine. Naturalifl:s tell us, that the Wild- boar is almoft as fl:rong and cruel as a Lion ; and that he will often whet and rharpen his Teeth, and run upon the 1-1unrfman. XI. The Swine under the Tree in a greedy Manner eat up the Acorns, but never look up to the Tree or Oak from whence thev fall. XII. Swine will refufe Pearl for Peafe; if ye caft Pearls before them, they will tread them under their Feet. PARALLEL. X. So Antichri(t, who may fitly be compared ta a Wild-boar, I mean his Un-holinef<, that Firft– born of Samn, is and hath been more mifchievous than any other of the Herd; he having got a ~rea~: Degree of Power, which he hath from rime t<> time exercifed againfl: God's People, to the waft– ing and fpoiling of his fpiritual Vine and Vineyard. 'Ihe Boar out of the Wood doth wafle it, and the 'Wild Bet'jl out of the Fte!d doth devour it, Pfal. lxxx. 14. XI. So wicked and gracelefs Men, though they enjoy all this World's Good, never look up in a due Manner to God, who is the Tree of Life, and is the Author and Giver of it. XII. So wicked Men will refufe Grace for Gold; give them but this vVorld, and let who will take the Pearl of great Price, the Love and Favor of God. Give them Counfel to leave their Sins, or cafl: the Pearl of good Infl:ruC\ion before them, and they will tread it under their Feet; they will cafl: that at their Heels, which they rhould apply to their Hearts, and revile you, if ~hey do not tear and rend you into the Bargain, Matt. vii. 6. METAPHOR. I. SWINE were created fuch, they were Swine from the Beginning. 11. Swine retain their own Na– tme, and it is impoffible for them to ceafe being Swine. D IS PAR IT Y. I. M AN was created holy and upright at firfl:; ..... this Cwiniib and brmilh Nature came in by the Fall. · ll. But wicked Men may be changed, and be– come gracious ; it is poffible for them to become Sheep and Lambs of Jefus Chrifl:, fo as to hate that which they once loved. Grace, when infufed into the Soul, makes a real and wonderfd Change. N F E R E N C E S. !. THIS fhews the brutifh and bafe Nature of Jinful Man; what is more contemp– tible in our Eyes than a Swine? Il. It fhews what a vafl: Difference there is between a true converted Soul, and a brutifh Sinner; God efl:eems of the one as of his choiceft Treafure, but ungodly Men are meer Swine and brutifh Creatures in his Sight. W I C K E D M E N D E B T 0 R S. Agree with thine Adverfary quickly, whilft thou art in the Way with him; left at any 'time the Adverfary deliver thee to the Judge, and the Judge deliver thee to the Officer, mrd thou be cafl into Prifon. Verily, I fay unto thee, 'Thou jhalt by no Means come out thence, till thou haft paid the uttermofl Farthing, Matt. v. 25, 26. And whm he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten 'fhou– fand 'talents, Matt. xviii. 24. IN borh thefe Places Sin is called a Debt, and the Sinner a Debtor: The Reafon of which is rhewed under the Head of Metaphors concerning Sin, where Sin is com– pared to a Debt ; unto which we refer you. MET A PH 0 R. I. A Debtor is one that oweth Money, Duty, f.5c. to his Neighbor; alfo one that is a Tref– paffer, an Offender, or guilty PerPAR ALL EL. I. M AN oweth all that he is, bath, or can do, unto God; he having received his very Being, and all other good Things that he enjoys, from God, as fo many Talents lent him, which 9 M !1e
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