The World Compared to a Wilderness

    "Who is this that cometh out of the Wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?"&c. Song 3:6; 8:5.

    Wilderness, XXXXX tohu. A Wilderness is properly a wild place, a place without shape or order. Moses hath this word, Ge 1:1, to express the chaos, "The earth was without form and void."

    1. Metaphorically, it is taken sometimes for affliction, Ho 2:14; Re 12.

    2. For this World, and so understood generally hy expositors in this and other places, i. e. for the present state, ways, worships, and pollution of the World, &c.

    PARALLELS.

    I. A Wilderness is commonly a waste, wild, and barren place, some of which are of a vast bigness; this World is of a vast bigness, and very barren of grace and holiness.

    II. A wilderness abounds with briars and thorns; so doth the World with wicked and ungodly men, who are compared to thorns and briars.

    III. In a Wilderness are many wild and devouring beasts, so that it is dangerous to dwell in it, or pass through it; so this World abounds with cruel and unmerciful men, who are called wolves, lions, bears, dogs, dragons, &c., by which means God's people are always exposed to great trouble and danger, whilst they remain therein.

    IV. In a Widerness a man may soon lose his way, and wander up and down; so whilst men abide in this World, they are subject to go astray, and wander from the path of peace and righteousness, and therefore have great need of a guide.

    V. In a Wilderness commonly grow trees of divers sorts, some good and some evil; so in the World are men good and bad, righteous and wicked.

    VI. In a howling Wilderness a wall of fire is exceeding necessary to preserve from wild and ravenous beasts; God upon this account is said to be a wall of fire to his people, whilst they remain in this World, among the sons of Belial, Ec 2:5.

    VII. In a Wilderness there is no tilling, sowing, nor planting; so in the common field of this World there grows little or nothing, but what the carnal and natural hearts of sinners bring forth.

    VIII. A Wilderness is a solitary and dolesome place; so is this World to a godly man.