:77+ 'WICKED N'IEN coMPARED TO PAINTED SEPULCHRES. Book IV. S I M I L E. P A R A L L E L. on Wind, mzdfolloweth after the Eaft Wind, !l~(. xii. 1. whic1, fitith Mr. Bttrrougbs., is a proverbial Speech, to note the tollowing atrer vain and unprofiroble Things; that is to feed on the Wind, when Men pleafe themfdves in their own ConceiiS, and in their own Counfe!s and Plots, &c. J, When they promile to thernltlves great Matters ,by Ways of their own, and leave God's Ways and !nilitutions, they may be faid to feed on the Wind; and the Prophet rebuketh the ten Tribes for this. 2. They feed on the Wind, faith he, and fo their Hearts are _pufFed up in Pride and carnal Confidence. You know, according to the .Food a Man or Woman feederh upon, fo will their Bo– dies be; fo thofe that feed upon the Wind, mull needs have _proud Hearts, or be puffed up with Pride and Self-conceitednefs. 3· Evil Men, that live upon Comforts that a'e carnal, and feek for the Honor and Applaufe nf Men, tlwy feed upon the Wind, th~y .[eek to fatisfy themfelves with Vanity, they !hive to 1ake hold of a Shadow, and fol– low after the Wind, Things that cannot !ill the Soul, nor fatisfy its Defires; Things that are uncertain, lofl: by one Swrm ar Sea, confumed by one Spark of Fire, or gone by a falfe Oath, or wafted by rhe Badnefs of .Trade, or by the Extravagancy of an evil .and foolifh Son, and 1herefore are Fools. XII. Is not he a Fool, that ef~ XII. Wicked Men fer their HeartS upon their teems the greateil Evil above the bafe and curli:d Lulls, love their Sins more than ,greateil Good ? God and Chriil. We read of lome who are Love~; of P!eafitre more tban Lovers of God, 2 '.lim. i1i. + .Now is not Sin the greateil Evil, and God the greateft Good? There is nothi,;g bit– terer than the on,,, nor nothing better than the other; and yet they chule Sin, and re– fufe the Good that is in the etrrnal God, 2nd account Chrift not worth the Pleafure of one wicked Luft, and therefore..Fools. XIII. Is not he a Fool, who to X Ill. Wicked Men, to avoid a little Trouble avoid a. Spark, leaps into the Fire; and Affiifrion in •his 'vVorld, expofe themlelves to or to fave his Hat, lofes his Head? eternal Torment, before tbey will deny themfelvos of their Lulls, tlwy will burn in Hell for the"'; rather thango to Prifon for Chritl, they will go to Hell for denying of hm1. N F E R E N C E ~ I. LAMENT over wicked Men; Fools are to be pitied. II. Be patient, and thou wilt lee what will become of thefe .Fools. Ill. It !hews what abundance of Folly and Fools there are in the \oVorld. IV. It 01ews us bow ftrangely ungodly Men, worldly wife Men are deceived in them· -felves. V. It fhews what tn1e Wifdom is: '.lhe Fear of the"Lord is the Beginning of Wifdom, and to depart from Evil is 'i]nderjlanding; Pfa!. cxi.. to. and in anot her place it is fa id, '[be }ear of the Lord i.r the Beginningof Wifdom, and-a good Underftanding have all they that do his Commandments. VI. Let it caution thee to rake heed leO thou art a Fool: The CharaC\e" of fuch an -one, .as given by wife Solomon, rake os followeth. ( •.) H e will be meddiinP', Prc·o•. ii. 3• (2.) One that is, as you have heard, mifchievous, P ro·v. x. 23. (3.) One that many Afflictions and Stripes .will not work upon nor humble. (4-i One whofe Sin cleaves to him, Prov. xxvii. 22. (5 ) One that is full of Word,, Ecc!tf x. 14. ((r.'7 One that will mter a!l his Mind, Prcv. xxix. lL fjJeaks that which he D:ould.ccnceaL (7.) One that Profperity dcftroys, Pro'O. i. 32 . (8.) One that is Oothful, Ecc!ef iv. 5- (9.) One that trufleth in his own Heart, Prov. xxv1ii. 26. (10.) One that holdeth it Folly to depart from Ev1l, Prov . xiii. '9· WICKED MEN · coMi'ARim TO PAINTED SEPULCHRES. JVo unto yott Scribes al!d Phari(ees, HJ-pocrites, for )'e are like unto whited Sepulchres, which indeed appear biautiful without, but witbin jit!! of dead l'vfen's Bo;m, and all Undeannefs, Matt . xxiii. ~7· THEY are principally Hypocrites which ·our Savior refemblesto whited Sepulchres.; and how firly they may be compared thereunto, ts fhewed m. the followmg Parallel. J. so
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