Simile. | Parallel.
Thorns came in with the Curse, Cursed is the Ground for thy sake, 1Thorns also and Thistles shall it bring forth unto thee, &c. Had not Adam sinned, we should not have been troubled with Thorns. | SO wicked Men came in with the Fall, and as the Fruit of the Curse. Had not Adam sinned, the World had never been troubled with these Briars and Thorns; but ever since the Curse, for Adam's Sin, the World hath been full of these Thorns.
II. A Thorn is no tender Tree, but contrary-wise sturdy, hard, knotty, and full of Knobs and Pricks, dangerous to meddle, or have to do with. | II.2 So the Wicked, these Sons of Belial, Belegnol, without Yoke, that is, such as will not come under the Yoke of Obedience; or Beli Gnalah, not ascending, because their Males prospered not. These Thorns, wicked Men,3 are hard-hearted, knotty-conditioned, full of pricking and stinging Words and Works. What can he expect that meddles with a Thorn or Briar, but to be scratched, pricked, and wounded in his so doing? So that Man that has to do with some wicked Men, shall be scratched or pricked in his good Name and Estate, one way or other.
⟨p. 225⟩III. Thorns are Trees of little worth, low and base Things, hurtful to Fields, Gardens, and Vineyards, &c. | III. So wicked Men are of little worth and value in God's sight; they are of a base Spirit and Principle, Lovers of Pleasure more than Lovers of God, preferring Earth above Heaven:4 The Heart of the Wicked is little worth. And as they are unprofitable, and little worth in themselves; so they are offensive and prejudicial to God's Garden; they hinder the Growth of the Saints as much as in them lies, wounding the Lilly that groweth among them. See Lilly among Thorns.
IV. Thorns nevertheless do serve sometimes to make a Hedge to keep out wild Beasts from breaking into a Field or Vineyard. | IV. So some of these wicked Ones God now and then makes use of to be a Hedge to his People, to keep out a more bloody and cruel Adversary:5 The Earth helped the Woman; that is, Wicked Men, Men of the Earth, stood up for, and sided in with the Church and People of God, and so proved as a Wall of Defence or Hedge to them. Besides, God makes use of them sometimes as a Hedge to stop his People in their evil Courses, by suffering these Sons of Belial to afflict them: I will hedge up her Way with Thorns.6
V.
Simile. | Parallel.
THorns came in with the Curse, Cursed is the Ground for thy sake, 1Thorns also and Thistles shall it bring forth unto thee, &c. Had not Adam sinned, we should not have been troubled with Thorns. | SO wicked Men came in with the Fall, and as the Fruit of the Curse. Had not Adam sinned, the World had never been troubled with these Briars and Thorns; but ever since the Curse, for Adam's Sin, the World hath been full of these Thorns.
II. A Thorn is no tender Tree, but contrary-wise sturdy, hard, knotty, and full of Knobs and Pricks, dangerous to meddle, or have to do with. | II.2 So the Wicked, these Sons of Belial, Belegnol, without Yoke, that is, such as will not come under the Yoke of Obedience; or Beli Gnalah, not ascending, because their Males prospered not. These Thorns, wicked Men,3 are hard-hearted, knotty-conditioned, full of pricking and stinging Words and Works. What can he expect that meddles with a Thorn or Briar, but to be scratch'd, prick'd, and wounded in his so doing? So that Man that has to do with some wicked Men, shall be scratch'd or prick'd in his good Name and Estate, one way or other.
⟨p. 225⟩III. Thorns are Trees of little worth, low and base Things, hurtful to Fields, Gardens, and Vineyards, &c. | III. So wicked Men are of little worth and value in God's sight; they are of a base Spirit and Principle, Lovers of Pleasure more than Lovers of God, preferring Earth above Heaven:4 The Heart of the Wicked is little worth. And as they are unprofitable, and little worth in themselves; so they are offensive and prejudicial to God's Garden; they hinder the Growth of the Saints as much as in them lies, wounding the Lilly that groweth among them. See Lilly among Thorns.
IV. Thorns nevertheless do serve sometimes to make a Hedg to keep out wild Beasts from breaking into a Field or Vineyard. | IV. So some of these wicked Ones God now and then makes use of to be a Hedg to his People, to keep out a more bloody and cruel Adversary:5 The Earth helped the Woman; that is, Wicked Men, Men of the Earth, stood up for, and sided in with the Church and People of God, and so proved as a Wall of Defence or Hedg to them. Besides, God makes use of them sometimes as a Hedg to stop his People in their evil Courses, by suffering these Sons of Belial to afflict them: I will hedg up her Way with Thorns.
- 1Gen. 3.18.
- 2Clopham.
- 32 Sam. 23.6.
- 4Prov. 10.20.
- 5Rev. 12,
- 6Hos. 2.6.
