;So WICKED MEN coMPARED To T ARES. Book IV. I N F E R E N C E ~ I. HOW may this humble fmful Monals' What little caufe have any of the Chil– dren of Men to boafl: of their Riches ? Alas! they are, whether they know it or no, exceedingly in debt, they are worth nothing; and whether they believe it or not, Death will convince them of it. 11. It may f\ir up the Hearts of the Godly to pity Sinners, when you fee poor Pri– foners that are in Prifon for Debt, crying out of the Grates; Bread, Bread, for the Lord's fake! how ready are you to pity them; but how more doleful is that Cry of the rich Glutton in Htll for a Drop of Water to cool his Tongue, and none is given ro him? IlL It fpeaks much Comfort w Believers, who have through that Redemption that is in Chrifl:, obtained the Forgivenefs of all their Debts; Oh! what a Bleffing, thefe Things being conftdered, is Pardon of Sin! Let thy Soul, with David, Blefs the Lord, and all that is within thee praife his holy Name, who forgiveth all thine Iniquities, •who healeth all thy Difeafes, who bath freed thee from thy Sins and the PUizijhment of them, Pfal. ciii. 1, 2, 3· w I c K E D M E N THE R 0 D OF G 0 D. 0 Alfyrian, the Rod of mine Anger, !fa. x. 5· THE Ungodly, and bloody Perfecutors of the Lord's People, are called hts Hand, · his Rod, and his Sword: Deli-ver my Soul from the Wicked, which is thy Sword; from Men of the World, which are thy Hand, 0 Lord,-Pf~l. xvii. 13, u,. P A R A L L E L ~ I. A. Man fmites fuch as have offende,d him with his Hand, and with a Rod or Sword: -" So God makes ufe of the Wicked, as an 1nflrument to chaf\ife his Children, when they uanfgrefs his Law, and grievouily C!n againil: him. 11. As a Hand or Rod lays on harder or fofter Blows, according to the Pleafure and Purpofe of him that !hikes: So God lets the Wicked out upon his own People, to opprefs and afflict them as he fees good, either in a milder or more fevere Manner. 111. When a Farher hath chafl:ifed his Children fufficiently, and thoroughly humbled them, he 1ometimes cafleth the Rod into the Fire: So when Goci !:ath by the Wicked, who are his Rod, thoroughly humbled his People, and taken away their Sin, he will throw the Wicked, their bloody Perfecutors, inro the Fi re of his Wrath: For yet a very little While, and tbe Indignation jhal/ ceafe, and mine Anger in their Deflruflion, lfa. x. 25. w I c K. E D M E N COMPARED TO T A R E s. '!'he '!'arcs are the Children of the wicked One, Matt. xiii. 38. TARES Z•?a>~a, quaji ,-1"?""'"• faith Varineus, quia amet triticum, i!lud ut umbrll corpus Jequitur, imitatus, & jimu/ arefeit, ac ji ejfet de tritici genere: i. e. Becaufe it loveth·the Wheat, and imitates it, as the Shadow imitateth the Body, and groweth up _with it, ~s if it were of the fame Kind with ~he Wheat. It fhould not, fays one, be tranilatcd ']'ares, but evil Seed. It IS that winch we call the deaf Ears, that grow up with the good Corn, and cannot be difcerned till the Harvefl:, and then it proves naught; for Tares and Fitches are foon difcerned and pluckt up. The Enemy fowed ·~ares, ·• Matt. xiii. 25. i. e. corrupted. Ungodly Men compared to Tares. Tares faith a noted Writer, is a fort of Grain that groweth in the Eaf\ern Country; therefore thofe that are called Tares amongtl: us, I fuppofe, are not the Tares our Savior alludes to. • Leigh's Grit, Sacr• PARALLEL.
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