M A N COM~ARED TO A F L b w E R. Book IV. crying out, It is the Voice of a God, and not of a ]\l{an: But the Almighty, to !hew how much he abhorred fuch as gave not him the Glory, made them know he was but a :Worm; and therefore the Angel of the Lord · fmotc him, and he was eaten up. of \¥arms, Afls xii. 22. . Ill. Be not envious at others, though more rich and honorable thari thee. The· greate!l of Men are but Worms: And though fame fparkle and !hine in outward Glory and Splendor, and feem to excel every way, yet they may be but like Glow-Worms; it is but for a Night they feem like Stars, in the M orning the\' will appear like others.. IV. Let us learn from hence not to overvalue·ourfelves, nor our Lives: What is the Life of a Worm! V. What Fools are the wicked of the Earth, to mufter up their Force again!1: God's People! Whom do they come out againft? It is but again!l a Worm. Could they prevail, what Honor would they gain by it? Is it fo great a matter to de!lroy a vVorm1 for fo Jacob in his low E!late is called: Fear not, thou Worm Jacob. Bm let them know, this Worm bath a mighty God to take its Parr: I will help thee, &c, !fa. xli. I·+· Why !hould Worms leek to de!lroy one another? VI. La!1:ly; What caufe is there, thefe Things confidered, to admire, that the ··glorious God of Heaven and Earth !hould be mindful of a Worm, nay, to fet his ' Heart upon him, and give his Son to die for him; and to take fuch a poor and con– t~mjJtible Thing as Man into Union and Communion with himlelf! Job vii. 17. MAN COMPARED TO A F L 0 wE R. Re cometh up like a Flower, and is cut down, Job xiv. All Flefh is Grafs, and all the Goodnefs thereof as the Flower of the Field, lfa. xl. 6. A Man in his beft E!late, and in every E!1:ate, is altogether Vanity; fo he is in his . bell Days, and i'n all his Days, but a Flower, or may be compared to a Flower. METAPHOR. 1, A Flower hath a Root, from whence it grows and fprings up. IL AFlower fprings up out of the Earth fuddenly, and at firlt is but a tender Bud, frc!h and Auu– rifhing. Ill. A Flower bath hut a little TimeofContinuance; rho11gh fame abide longer than others, yet moft Flowers Jail not long. IV. 1'here are divers Sorts of li'Jowers; fame fair to look upon, •ery lovely to the Eye, but of an ill Savor. V. There are fomeother Flowers .that are not beautiful to the 'iight, whofe Nature and Virtue is moft excellent. VI. Great Care is taken offome dtoice and rare Flowers; t.hcy arc prized at a high Rate by fuch as .own them, and know their Worth. PARALLEL. I. so all Men have one common Root, from whence they fpring up, ':Jiz. the firlt Adam. II. So Man fprings up like a Flower, and at firit is like a tender Bud, fre!h and ftouri!hing. Ill. So M an that is born of a ·woman is but of few Days, his Time is but !hart upon the Earth; though fame continue longer than others, yet ge– nerally their Days on the Earth are but few, in a comparative Senfc, Job xiv. I. IV. So there are divers Sorts of Men and Wo– men; fame very fair and amiable to the outward Sight, bm of an ill and !linking Saver in their Lives and Converfarions, in the Noflrils of God and all good Men, having no Grace, and are be– fides of a perverfe and crooked Nature. V. So th.l.-e are fame Men and Women, who though they be not love·ly and beautiful to carnal Eyes, yet arc of moll fweet and gracious Difpo– fitions, and whofe Worth and Excellency ;sex– cetding great, Pfal. xlv. VI. So the Saint<, who are choice Flowers i.n God's E!leem, are greatly cared for; be elleems them above what Men elleern of their cboiceft Flowers; they are his J eweis, and prized by him as his chreft!t Treafu,e; of them he hath faid, '!'he World was not worthy, Ileb. xi. x VII. So
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