A Treasury of Similes, Part N
Naturall thing.
AS the ſalte water being for drinke vnprofitable, yet ſuſteineth and beareth vp the Ship, better then the ſweete, which for drinke is more apt and meete: So euerie Naturall thing hath his owne vſe, whervnto if it bee applied, then it worketh his effect.
Good Name.
1 AS fire once kindled, is ſoone preſerued, but beeing extinct, it is not eaſie to kindle the ſame againe: So is it eaſie to defend a good Name, but if it be once blotted and loſt, hardly ſhall we reſtore it againe.
2 As the Lord by the eight commaundement, bindeth our hands, as it were with a manacle or hand ſhackle, from ſtealing, robbing, or any wayes diminiſhing of our neighbours goods: So alſo by the ninth Commaundement, he bridleth our tongue, that we ſhould not hurt or impaire the good Name, credit, or eſtimation of our brethren; but by louelove to vphold and maintaine the ſame. Prou. 22.1. Eccle. 7.3.
3. As a precious Oyntment, being poured foorth, caſteth out & ſpreadeth abroad, a ſweete, a fragrant, and an oderiferous ſm…ll, far and neare: Euen ſo the good Name and fame, of ſuch Chriſtians as are annoynted with the holy Ghoſt, dooth caſt out and ſpread it ſelfe, farre and neare, very ſweete to the noſthrils of the Almightie; and verie delightfull to the members of Chriſt. Cant. 1.2. 1. Ioh. 2.20, 27.
Noble men, and houſholders.
1 LIke as the Sunne in the Firmament, giueth light to all the regions round about him, and by his bright appearing, expelleth the darkneſſe; comforteth and cheareth the world: So likewiſe ſhould Noble men; Magiſtrates, Gentlemen, Miniſters, and houſholders, labour to baniſh ſinne, and corrupt Religion, and bee a lanthorne of godly life, to comfort and ſhine to others, that they might direct their liues; after their good enſamples. Phil. ….15. Math. 5.16.
2 As Cyprian let no day paſſe, without reading of Tertullian, nor Alexander without reading of Homer, nor finally, Appelles without ſome line proportioned: So is it meete, that no degrees ſhould looſe any opportunitie or occaſion, graunted to the meditation of Chriſtian Religion, but rather being taught by the example of the Emperour Constantine, would repoſe their whole ſtudy in the word of God. Deut. 17.19, 20. Ioſu. 1.8. Pſal. 1.2. Deut. 3.11, 12, 13.
Neglect of heauen, for earthly things.
LIke as if a Golden game of ineſtimable value, ſhould bee propoſed for ſuch as would run, & could win the ſame, and when the courſe or race were begunne, if ſome ſhould ſtep aſide and followe after flies or feathers, that paſſed in the ayre, without any regard of the prize and gole propoſed; who would not maruaile and take pittie of their folly? Euen ſo is it with men of the world, who are placed together in a courſe or race, and that the kingdome of heauen is propounded vntounto vsus for the game or prize, but few endeuour to enter therein; and why? For that moſt men doo ſtep aſide, and leaue the marke: Moſt men doo run awry, and doo follow feathers vp & downe in the ayre; moſt men doo purſue vanities, and hunt after pleaſures, and doo wearie themſelues therewith, vntill they can neither runne, nor goe, nor mooue their limmes any further; and then, for the moſt part, it is too late to amend their folly. 1. Cor. 9.24, 25, 26, 27. Pſal. 4.2, 3. Iere. 2.13, 18.
The Name profiteth none, in whome vertue is n… …
1 AS neither they yearely reuenue… …or the glorious titles and Names …ceſſors, and to diſcend of noble parentage, maketh men noble and renowmed indeed, vnleſſe they themſelues be godly, honeſt, and wiſe: Euen ſo, neither the godly Names, no nor yet the faith and vertue of Fathers, auaileth wicked and vngodly children any thing at all, vnleſſe they repent, and become faithfull as their Fathers were. Iohn. 8.39. Math. 3.…. Gal. 3.7.
2 Like as thoſe children which are named and called by, and after any of the names of Patriarkes, Prophets, Apoſtles, or by the Name of other Saints, man or woman, are not any thing the better, becauſe they hauehave ſuch godly and Chriſtian Names, vnleſſe that they doo immitate and follow them, in faith, vertue and godly behauiour: Euen ſo on the other ſide, they that be not called by ſuch Chriſtian Names, as are mentioned in the ſacred Scriptures, are not in reſpect of their Names any thing the worſe, hauing an aſſured faith in the merites of Chriſt his death, paſſion, and bloud-ſhedding, and leading their liues agreeable to the ſame. Ioſua. 10.3. Daniel. 1.7.
To what ende proper Names were giuen vsus in baptiſme.
LIke as infants in times paſt amongſt our aunceſtors, had their Names giuen them, when they were Circumciſed, to this end that the Circumciſed might be admoniſhed, by the calling by their Names, at what time and place they had their Names giuen them; and ſhould thinke that they are written in the number of the children of God, and ioyned in league with him, and made partakers of the couenant: So after the ſame maner, muſt we remember that hauehave had proper Names giuen vntounto vsus at our baptiſme, for this vſe and end, both to diſtinguiſh betwixt man and man, and alſo to put vsus in mind, that we are by grace adopted to bee the Sonnes of God, and receiued into his fauour; and therefore that wee are Gods owne, and as it were his goods and riches, as they which beare his Name as proper vntounto him. Luk. 1.59. & 2.21.
Wicked Neighbours.
LIke as Thornes cannot be touched nor handled, except mens hands be fenced with hedging gloues: So are wicked Neighbours very cumberſome, except a man bee well defended, and take great heede vntounto himſelfe. 2. Sam. 23.6.
The Nobilitie of aunceſtors, nothing auailable to thoſe that are looſe and lewd of life.
1 AS it profiteth not a Ryuer, to flow from a pure and cleare fountaine, if it ſelfe be foule, filthie, and vnwholeſome: Euen ſo, the Nobleneſſe of Fathers and the honour of elders, and anceſtors, doth nothing pleaſure at all their Sonnes, when they themſelues degenerate from their Noble and honourable parents; bragging onelyonly of their Nobilitie, and chalenging their honour; but deſpiſing their vertues, doo ſhew themſelues wicked, looſe, and lewd of life: For he that is not Nobled, for ſome worthie acts of his owne, nor renoumed by reaſon of ſome famous vertues, knowne and found to be in himſelfe, there no honour in very deed is to bee looked for; ſeeing there is nothing in himſelfe that is good, but onelyonly a vaine, and proud challenging of the worthineſſe and excellencie of other men. Eſay. 1.4. Ezech. 16.3. Ioh. 8.39, 42, 44.
2 Euen as Aeſops Iay, being clad with the faire feathers of other Birds, did namely take vntounto himſelfe a beautie, but beeing diſcouered and ſtript of all, for a reward was throughly ſcorned, and was turned into his olde blacke gowne, when euerie bird had taken from him his owne feather: So they, that make their boaſt of the Noble acts of others, and doo vaunt themſelues, of the dignitie of their predeceſſors, and doo vſurpe vntounto themſelues the Nobilitie of aunceſtors, themſelues being naked of all vertue, and vtterly void euen of common honeſtie, temperance, and ſobrietie, are conſtrained many times, with great ignominie & ſhame, to put off other mens veſture, and with no ſmal diſgrace to forgo their vſurped hono… It is therefore a thing farre more honourable and worthier commendation, that a man nouriſhe, and be famous with his owne vertues, and iuſt deſerts, then to borrow his prayſe and honour of others. Men are fitly, though not naturally called the Sonnes of them, whoſe deedes they doo, and whoſe vices or vertues they immitate.