WICKED MEN COMPARED TO THE SEA. Rook IV. them become plain. This was, it is true, one great DeGgn of the MiniO:ry of John Baptift; Every Valle)'jha/1 befilled, and cver)' Mountai11 and lii/1 /hall be brought low, &c. Luke 1ii. 4· But this Work is not done upon the Spirits of wicked Men, bllt by the mighty Power of ·God. II1. Mountains and Hills are commonly barren and unprofitable Ground: So the 'Wicked, who are lifted up in Pride and Arrogancy, &c. are fpiritually a barren, ufe– lefs, and unprofitable fort of Men. IV. Mountains were accountecl Places of Defence, whither Men ufed to Ay in time of Danger, though many times they fai led them: So Men oft-times fly to the lofty Enemies of God, the opprclling, tyrannical Powers of the Earth, tO kcure themfdves from approaching Dangers; but in vain, aLts, is Salvation looked for from thefe :Moun– .rains and Hills in the Day of God's Anger. N F E R E N C E. JN this Saints have caufe to rejoice; God harh promiled to throw down all the Bills · and Mountains of the Earth; that are lifted up : W ho art thcu 0 great Mountain! Before Zerubbabelthou Jhalt become a 1'/ai>~, Zech. iv. 7· ·wiCKED MEN C0\1PARED TO :niE TROUBLED SEA. But the Wicked are like the troubled Sea, &c. !fa. \vii. 20. ·'The Sea is come up upon Baby ion, with tbe Multitude of the Waves thereof. Caidee, the King, with his numerous H.ojls, in.PieJZt)' like the Sea, is come up againjf Baby Ion, Uc. ]er.\i. 4· .Note. The Wicked are compared to the troubled Sea, and to ma::)' WaterJ, &c. P A R A L L E L S. I.THE Sea is a great Convention, as one words ir, or' Mubtude of Woters,; 'The gatherilzg together of the Waters called he Seas, Gen. i. to the Wicked are a Mul– titude of Peopk. .I I. The Sea fometimes [wells, roars, and rifts very high, threatening the Earth as if <it would fwallowjt up immediately: So the mightyConcourle of the w1cked ar.d ty– r.annical Powers of the Earth, many times f,.e]] in Pride and Arrob""ncy, .and make a fearful Noife, as if they would in a Moment [wallow up the L •rd's People. Ill. The Sea hath its bounds fer by the •\ lmighty: !le bnth )hut up the Sea with .Doors, &c. and hatb Jaid, Hithe1·to )halt thou ca>m, end no further; and here )ha!/ thy proud Waves be flayed, Job xxxv1ii. 8, 11. So the L vrd fet< Bou.1ds tu tne W r.rh a"d Raae of the Ungodly; no Creatures can go further than God pcrn,its them. As he tha~made the Sea, can maO:er it; fo he can !(:on put a Stop and Curb to the prouJdl: . Oppreflor and Perfecutor in the "World. Let Men be as angry as they w:li, let them :be as !tormy as the boiO:erous Seas ; yet the-Lord hath fard, Hitherto Jhalt )'e come, an/J 1lO further. He jfi!leth the Noife of tbe Seas, the Ncife of the Waves, and the 'Iumult1 of the People, Pfal. xv. 7· Nay, the Devtl himiCif is like a Sea lhut up, he cannot uo what he would, he h.rh Bounds let bim, &c. IV. The Sea at God's cornm:uld is fbll ; 'Tbe Wind and SeaJ obey him : So with one vVord fpeakino-, as it were, ·he can quiet the Wicked , and make them lilent in Dark– nefs; he can ;:ake this Sea·and frightful Storm a Calm, and caufe tJ,e proud \Va~es .to be flill, Pfal. cvii. ""'9· V. The Sea produces or brings forth maR)' flrange Monflers : So the Multitude of the Wicked, this metaphorical Sea, hath brought forth many a v.i]e and !trange Mon– fl:er. See Dan. vii. 3. And four great Beaj!s came up from tbe Sea, dive1je one from the other; tbc,jirjf waJ like a Lio.r, and had Eagles Wings, "&c. Thefe four Beafls lirmi– fied the four Monarchies of the E.anh ; what a Mon!ler the Fourth hath hecn, all"'the World bath had fc.\1 Experience of, that had great ir·on 'Teeth, &c. Wha• De·.-rb rn– carnate were many of t h~ Roman Emperors, particularly Nerq, who ripped t'p the "Belly of his own Mother ! &c. And what a Monfl:er hath the lttt!e l·hrn been, J .1 mean the Papal Power! What a mighty Mafs of mn'lcent Blood bath the Beafl and Vfhore aevomeC.: ; C!J' c. VI. The
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