Wicked Men Compared to Dogs

    WICKED MEN COMPARED TO DOGS

    "Give not that which is holy to Dogs" Mt 7:6.

    "It is not meet to take the childrens' bread, and give it to Dogs" Mt 15:26.

    "Beware of Dogs," Php 3:2.

    "Without are Dogs" Re 22:15.

    A Dog is called in Hebrew, Ketab and Lamas, according to Munster; in Chaldee Kalba; in Arabic, Kelbe; in Persian and Saracen, Kep or Kolph; the Grecians, Kuon; the Latins, Canis, &c.

    In these, and divers other places of holy scripture, Wicked Men are compared to Dogs.

    METAPHOR

    I. There are divers sorts of Dogs, who differ very much in their nature and disposition, some being gentle, and others more curst and snarling; yet all are but Dogs.

    PARALLEL

    I. So there are divers sorts of Wicked Men, and they differ exceedingly in their nature and qualities; some are naturally of a mild and gentle disposition, others very fierce, passionate, and peevish; yet all ungodly, and metaphorically no better than Dogs.

    METAPHOR

    II. Dogs, are base, ignoble, sordid, and impudent creatures, very vile and beastly.

    PARALLEL

    II. So Wicked Men generally are vile, ignoble, and impudent persons, though some more shameless than others, God having given them up to vile affections, to commit all uncleanness with greediness. See what account the holy Apostle gives of some of the Gentiles; "Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, &c. For which cause God left them to themselves, so that their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: and likewise the Men, leaving the natural use of the women, burned in their lusts one towards another, Men with Men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet," Ro 1:25-27.

    METAPHOR

    III. Dogs are not only filthy and unclean creatures, but also foolish; for some of them will, as Naturalists observe, bark at the moon: and also when a stone, or other thing is cast at them, they will follow the stone, and neglect the hand that throws it.

    PARALLEL

    III. So wicked Men are not only vile and filthy, but also foolish, as is fully opened under another head. They, like Dogs, bark and snarl at the light of God's Word, from whence so great benefit arises to poor mortals. Like ravenous curs, they bark at the heavenly doctrine, and its faithful ministers, whom they reproach with impudent scandals, and whose utter extirpation they study. And also when they are under affliction, they take notice of secondary causes, but never regard the hand of God in them, according to the saying of the poet,

    Arripit ut lapidem catulus, morsuq; fatigat,

    Nec percussori mutua damna facit.

    Sic plerique sinunt vexos elabier hostes,

    Et quos nulla gravant noxia, dente pecunt.

    METAPHOR

    IV. Some Dogs have a fierce, angry, and churlish look, enough to frighten timorous persons; and not only so, but grin, bark, and snarl at such as come near them, who design to do them no hurt.

    PARALLEL

    IV. So some wicked Men have a very angry and furious countenance; they look frowningly upon the Lord's people, like as did Nebuchadnezzar upon Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who, it is said, was full of fury, and the form of his countenance was changed against them, when he saw they refused to worship his god, and to fall down before the golden image he had set up: and not only so, but they grin, and gnash their teeth at them, like envious curs: "The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth," Ps 37:12. And thus did the ungodly Jews carry it to blessed Stephen; it is said, "They were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth," Ac 7:54. Yet what hurt did any of these servants of God do, or design to do to these sons of Belial?

    METAPHOR

    V. Dogs will not only grin and snarl, but also bite; nay, not only bite, but bite mortally, and tear in pieces such as offend them, who are not able to deliver themselves from their rage and cruelty. There are some Dogs that are called blood-hounds, and some others may fitly be so called.

    PARALLEL

    V. So some wicked Men do not only gnash their teeth, threaten, and grin at their godly neighbours, but also will, and oftentimes do fall upon them with all the revengeful rage and malice imaginable, to the wounding, cutting, or tearing of them in pieces. How many thousands of precious saints and children of God have the wicked Papists, and others in many ages of the church, destroyed, like hungry and enraged monsters? If ever there were any Men in the world, that justly deserved that ignominious name of Blood-hounds, devouring and malicious Dogs, sure some of the Romish church may be so called; for they have showed themselves rather monsters than men, yea, even devils in the shape of men, as an eminent writer well observes.

    METAPHOR

    VI. There are some Dogs who will not bark and grin as others do, and yet in a sly and secret manner will bite and tear such as they come at, which are looked upon as the most dangerous.

    PARALLEL

    VI. So some Wicked Men will not threaten, nor grin at the godly, like others; and yet in a sly and secret manner contrive their ruin and with all their might would destroy them, and yet make no noise of it; wound them, but not let them know who doeth it.

    METAPHOR

    VII. Some Dogs on the other hand will bark, and make a great noise, and seldom or never bite or hurt any body.

    PARALLEL

    VII. So some wicked Men, contrary to the nature and disposition of others, will give out angry and threatening words, as if they would do this and that, when they never intend to do what they say, nor will they cruelly injure anybody.

    METAPHOR

    VIII. Dogs must not have that which is holy: "Give not that which is holy to Dogs."

    PARALLEL

    VIII. So wicked Men ought not to partake of holy things; holy things belong to holy persons, they ought not to eat the children's bread, to be admitted to the sacrament, &c.

    METAPHOR

    IX. Some Dogs are so fierce, cruel and unruly, that they are forced to be tied or chained up, for otherwise they would do very great mischief: and moreover, to prevent further danger feared, their teeth are sometimes broken out.

    PARALLEL

    IX. So some wicked Men are so cruel and merciless, that God chains them up, i.e., he restrains them from offering that wrong and violence to his people, which is in their hearts to do. And finally to prevent their doing of further mischief God doth as it were break their teeth, that is, destroy their power, or put them out of a capacity of doing hurt. Hence David saith, "Arise, O Lord, and save me, O my God; for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek-bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly," Ps 3:7.

    METAPHOR

    X. Some Dogs are made use of by the huntsman, to observe and mark his prey, that he may seize upon it the more readily; and those are called setting-dogs.

    PARALLEL

    X. So some Wicked Men, the devil, that cunning hunter, makes use of, to observe and mark the godly and upright in the land; they are employed to inform against them, and to discover their holy assemblies, in times of persecution, that others may the better seize upon them.

    METAPHOR

    XI. Some Dogs will not only fall upon mankind, but also snarl, bite, and tare in pieces divers other beasts, though as savage and devouring as themselves.

    PARALLEL

    XI. So some Wicked Men will not only wrong, and seek the ruin of the faithful and sincere people of God; but when any of their own tribe, I mean, ungodly and brutish ones, do offend them, stand in their way, or cross them in their designs, they will fall upon them, to their utter ruin also. Babylon hath not only spoiled God's people, and offered violence to heaven, but hath been a plague and curse to the earth, yea, destroyed the earth, Re 11:18. How have the Egyptians destroyed the Egyptians! viz., one ungodly people destroyed another, as vile and cruel as themselves.

    METAPHOR

    XII. Dogs are a greedy, craving and unsatisfied sort of creatures; they never know when they have enough.

    PARALLEL

    XII. So many Wicked Men, and particularly false teachers, are such a craving, covetous, and unsatisfied generation, some of them, they can not be contented with a benefice of a hundred per annum, no nor with two, three, or five hundred; nay, a thousand will not satisfy some of them: and therefore they are justly called by the holy prophet, "Greedy dogs, that can never have enough, shepherds that cannot understand; they look to their own way, every one for his gain from his quarter," Isa 56:11.

    METAPHOR

    XIII. Dogs are not only a greedy and an unsatisfied sort of creatures, but oft-times vomiting up what they have eaten, they return to it, and lick it up again. Pr 26:11.

    PARALLEL

    XIII. So some Wicked Men are not only greedy and unsatisfied, but having glutted themselves, and filled their sensual appetites, they are constrained sometimes to vomit it up; as is said of such, "He hath eaten down riches, and he shall vomit them up again," Job 20:25. Nay, so like unto Dogs are many of them, that if at any time they vomit up, by seeming repentance, what they have greedily and sinfully taken, they will return to it, and lick it up again; of such the apostle speaks, "He is returned to his own vomit," &c., 2Pe 2:22.

    METAPHOR

    XIV. Some Dogs run mad, and are so much the more dangerous and hurtful, of whom all people labour to beware.

    PARALLEL

    XIV. So Wicked Men, being left to themselves, do abound so in their wickedness, that they run as it were mad in sin, care not what mischief they do to themselves or others; of whom all sober and well minded people ought to beware: "Beware of Dogs," Php 3:2. See Wicked Men compared to Mad Men.

    METAPHOR

    XV. Dogs live an idle and lazy sort of life: and hence the proverb is concerning a lazy person, he hath a Dog's life, viz., hunger and ease.

    PARALLEL

    XV. So Wicked Men generally lead an idle and lazy life, as is opened under the metaphor Sluggard. They care not to encounter with difficulties for the good of their souls, how industrious soever they are about the things of the world. They labour not for the meat that endureth to eternal life, will not take pains for that which is bread, but. are contented with bones, as it were, the crumbs of earthly comforts, Joh 6:27; Isa 55:1-2. So that they have but ease and quite here, they content themselves with the children's leavings. And though their consciences many times, like a hungry stomach, puts them to pain; yet they are not convinced of the necessity of a Christ, but go on in their own careless and wicked courses, never eating of that which is truly good.

    METAPHOR

    XVI. Dogs are commonly shut out of doors, and not suffered to be amongst the children.

    PARALLEL

    XVI. So Wicked Men are shut out of the Church, and shall not be suffered to abide in the New Jerusalem, among the saints: "Without are Dogs," &c., Re 22:15.

    METAPHOR

    I. SOME Dogs are said to be more faithful than servants, watching in the night, and oft-times giving notice, by their barking, of thieves or strangers, that may approach the house, when the family are asleep.

    DISPARITY

    I. BUT some Wicked Men are so unfaithful, that instead of giving the least notice of any approaching danger, to their godly neighbours, that live quietly and securely, by them, they will rather conceal it: and so far are they from preventing danger, that they will encourage, and join with any, let them be never so wickedly inclined or designed to do mischief; as it is said of them, "When thou sawest a thief, thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers," Ps 50:18.

    METAPHOR

    II. Some Dogs are very loving, and show great regard to their masters, and seem to delight in their company, and will not do any injury to any of the family.

    DISPARITY

    II. But some Wicked Men regard neither superiors nor inferiors; nay, so far are they from natural love to such as are their masters, if godly, that many of them despise not only father and mother, brother and sister, but their own wives and children, if there is but the least appearance of God in them; nay, they love not any that are not as ungodly and Wicked as themselves, but to do them all the injury they can.

    METAPHOR

    III. Some Dogs will not only not fly upon sheep or lambs to hurt them, &c., but will sometimes fetch in that which strayeth from the rest, and assist the shepherd to bring them to the fold, and keep them within the bounds of their own pasture.

    DISPARITY

    III. But some Wicked Men do design the greatest hurt imaginable to the sheep and lambs of Christ, nay, much worse than Dogs; for instead of guiding them into Christ's sheepfold, or keeping them within the bounds of his pastures, they drive them out, and not suffer them, if possible, to feed in the green meadows of Gospel-truth, but would utterly destroy them, were it not for the care of Jesus Christ, who is the great Shepherd and Bishop of their souls, Joh 10:14; 1Pe 2:25.

    INFERENCES

    I. It shows to what a dreadful degree Men are degenerated, from what they were in their first make.

    II. It shows how hateful and loathsome sin is to God, that the Spirit in the Word should compare Wicked Men, persecuting Men, such as worry and destroy his people, unto Dogs.

    III. It shows the greatness of God's power and love to his people, to preserve them in the midst of such beasts of prey, as lions, wolves, Dogs, &c.

    IV. It speaks great comfort to those that are truly godly; for though the Wicked do often gnash their teeth at them, yet God hath broken their teeth, they cannot bite as they would.