794 WICKED MEN coMPARED To L I 0 N S. Book IV. MET A PH 0 R. VI. Bulls fometimes, to prevent their doing of hurt, are fhackled and penned up, who by that means grow rather the more fierce and mad, and would do the greater Mifchief coul<;l they get loofe. PAR ALL EL. VI. So wicked Men fometimes are by the Al– mighty re!hained many \¥ays from running at, and fpoilingof the Lorcl's People; Ezek. xxxiv. 4· he puts Shackles as it were upon their Legs, and Hooks into their Jaws, which doth greatly enrage them; fain would they be revenged, and vent their eruel Malice upon the Saints, but cannot, thei; Ways are fo blocked up. I N F E R E N C E ~ I. THIS farther fhews.the bafe and cruel Nature.of the Ungodly.. !I. It ferves to inform us, what a Mercy tt ts they are reftramed. Ill. It may teach us alfo to cry to God to fhackle and pen them up, and break their Horns, 'Viz. deftroy or take away their Power. WICKED MEN COMPARED TO L I 0 N s. 'J.'he Roaring of lht Lion, mtd tht f7oice of the fierce Limt, and the 'feeth of the yowtz Lions are broken, ]ob iv. 10. 1 was deliwred out of the Mouth of the Lion, 2 'fim. i v. 17. lvfy Soul is among Lions, Pfal. lvii. + THE Lion in Hebrew, as Writers obferve, hath feveral Names, as Ari, and Ariel; they call the Male Lion Labi, and the Female L ebia: Behold, my People jba/1arife like Labi, and be lifted up like Ari. There the Caldee Tranflation rendereth Labi, Leta; the Arabian, ]ebu; the Perfian, Scher; and Munfter faith, that Labi is an old Lion. ln ]ob xxxviii. Labaim fignifieth Lions; in Pfal. lvii. Lebaat fignifieth Lionelfes; in Nab. ii. Laifch is by the Hebrews tranilated Lion; and the fame Word, Ifa. xxx. is by the Caldees tranilated Liolls Whelp. The Word A<W> is derived,..,.. T~AM, which fignifies to fee. The common Epithets of a Lion are thefe, 'Viz. wrathful, maned, fierce, deadly, flout, great, preying, ravening, frubborn, fnatching, cruel, bloody, terrible, [welling, ftony-hearted, frowning, violent, &c. Expofitors feem to be of a mind, that P11ttl, in faying, 2 'fim. iv. 17. he was deli– 'Uerea out of the Lion's Mouth, means Nero, who with open Jaws was ready to devour and deftroy him. However, it is evident, wicked Men, or cruel Tyrants, are often in holy Scripture called Lions, in refpeCl: of fome of the Properties of a Lion ; for one Metaphor, as Gla.flius well obferves, is brought to fignify feveral Things, with refpeCl: to their different Qualities and Attributes. Thus, faith he, 1. Chrift is caUed a, Lion, Rev. v. 5· becaufe noble, heroic, and unconquerable. 2. The Devil is called a Lion, becaufe roaring and devouring. 3· Wicked Men and Tyrants are called Lions, be– caufe they are fierce, outrageous, and cruel to weaker Men, as Lions are to weaker ereatures, &c. MET A PH 0 R. l· THE Lion is a proud and ftately Creature. I!. Lions are courageous and >Jodaunted ln their ACts of Cruel– ty; they wlll do what they lift, let "'ho will look on. PARALLEL. I. so fome wicked Men and Tyrants are very proud and frately. II. So fome wicked Men and Tyrants feem to aCl: in Ways of Oppreffion and Crudty undaunt– edly, with great Courage and Boldnefs. Cou– rageou{nefs, faith Mr. Caryl, in any noble or good Way or Caufe, in whicl\ Senfe, Prw. xxviii, ,, <J'he Righteous are. M bold as a LiQn, is the Courage of Sainrs: But to be valiant and courageous in doi11g Mifchief, in wronging and opprefilng the Weak and Innocent, is the Courage of a Beaft. That Courage which is out of the Way of Truth and J uf– ti~e, is a Lion-like Courage. Ill. Lions are very ftrong, the ftroqgeft of all Creatures; what is itronger than a Lion ? · 2 Ill. Some Tyrants have been very thong, Ty– ' ranny muft have Strength to back it. Hence ~ they who mean to opprefs, forti fy themfel ~es ~ Wlth
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