Book iv. M A N COMJ>ARED TO A w 0 R M: ME T A P H 0 R. P A R A L L E L: ·+· There are fome Worms that 4· T'here are fome Men who deceive their Neighdeoeive the Eye, feeming to be bars: They take them to he holy and good Men. what they are not. Many have precious Saints of God, and }~t are greatly mif– thought they had feen Fire in the taken in them, they being no better than painted Night, when they have call: their Sepulchres., mere Hypocrites; and notwith!land– Ey.e .upon them in the Place where ing their outward Shc.w of Holinefs .and Sanctity, they have lain. Thefe are called .are but Eanh-vi!orms, having the World, viz.• Glow-Worms. R. fV. tells llS a e>:ternal Advantage, or vain Glory, in th.eir Efe, Story of aParfon, that m theN tght, as the great Thing they aim at in their Profdlion.; .be111o- drunk, c.a!hng hiS Eye llpOA IH1d in the Day of lhrilt, they will appear to be one 0 of thefe V\'orms, ha.vmg h1s what in truth they are. · Pipe of Tobacco filled, went b<>ldly towards it, crying out, F'i"', I hqpe.; Fire, I hope. WheA the Light .COA'\el. rhe!e appellr to all to be but vVorms. 5· There are fome very hurtful <. So there .are fome Mon, who, like io the(e Worms, which fpoi!Trees,Flowers, \Vorm~, are of a very hurtful Nature, and endeat' •nd the Fruits of the Earth: Such vor to lpoi.l Chrifr's jpiritual Trees, Flowers, and are the Palmer-Wonn, the Caterpcecious Fruit, &c. They are called Locufls or pi!lJr, aoJ the Canker- Worm.: Ccte~;pillars hy the Holy Gho!l,; they are faid to Which Sort of hurtful Vermin God come om of the bottomlefs Pit: And to them was hath often brought upon a People given Power, ·as tbc Scorpions of the Earth have .and Nation, as a Punift>m<nt of Power, &c. Rev. ix. 3· ' .By .thefe Locu!ls are their Sins. See Joeli. 4· Ar,10s i-v. 9· ·• meant, (as Francifcus Claudius, a Carmelite Friar. and others expound the Place, as is noted by Mr. Wiifon) ' thofe great Swarms of Popiih Prie!ls, Friars, Monks, Cardinals, ·even the ' whole 1'opifi1 Hierarchy, and Ponrificial Clergy. Thele .are ·fitly likened ·unto Lt>– _, cufl:s, which are a little vile Vermin, fiJringing, as fome fay, cut of Smoke, &c... And rruly this is made too evident of that Sort ot Men this .Day in England, and othe.r .N.aions of Europe. Nevt>r were a mofl>_ ddl:ruEtive Gennation of vile Vermin in the vVorld; none n1Jke, or threaten m make greater Spoil of Cluifi's Vineyard, and pre– cious Fruit- Trees, than they. And in that rhey are let in twon us, We may .plainly read God's Difpleafure againll: us thereby; and rwthing but unfeigned Re.pentance and .ReformJtion will douhrlefs free thiS poor Nation from them, for at this very Time we .are fadly pla:g,red and peftered with them. SiJe God an Hufbandman. 6. There are alfo .lome profita6. This Sort of Worms refemble the laborious ·b!e Worms, who are very laboand faithful Miniflers of Chril1, who fpend them– ·Tious, and doathe the World with .felves<n Pr;aching, and in divine Prayer and Me– Silk; and they are called Silkditation, that Jo they may enrich Mens Souls with :worms. ' Grace and m1e Virtue. Thefe, as Inftruments in God's H<tnd, may be faid to.cloathe Men and Wo– men with SiJok, or glorioufly adorn their better Part, though hereby, through Zea) and ·faithful lnduflry for God's Giory, they wa!le and confume their own Carcafes, fpend~ ing, and being [pent, as the Apoflle' !peaks. X. The Houfe or Place of di– vers Worms is the Earth; they lie hid in the Ground. X. So Man, who is .a ·worm, mufl take up his Place for a !hort Time in the Earth: 'Ihe Grave is my Ilouf<, !aith Job, the Pla£e appoiuted for all Living, Job x-vti. 10 . This Worm muft go to .his Fellows, to the Worms. 1 N F E R E N C E S. I. BY this me may fee what a poor Tbing Man is: The mighty ones of the Earth, who bo.rft: of great Matters, are but Worms. And if Man be but a Worm, why doth he fwell above .the Cloods, as if he wol>lGl make his Ne!t .among the Stars, ·where as he mull: fhortly faH among the Cl0ds., and be eaten of Worms·? I!. Take h e.ed of having Me~s Perfons in Admiration; it ,is a vain Thing to g.ive fiatterrng Tttlcs to oth.ers. A·s 1t becomes us not to reproach or vilify any MaA, though all Men be but as Vlorms; fo it is a God-provokincr Evil, to flatter Men thereby, creating .high Thoughts in them of them!Clves; as f;me once ferved Herod, 3 crying
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