A Treasury of Similes, Part P · Part 117 – Part 121
Vaine Pleaſures.
1 AS pilgrimes and ſtraungers, doo not vſe to delight themſelues with the Pleaſures of the Country, whither they trauell as ſtraungers, but ſo vſe them, that they ſet not their hearts on them; but are readie, and willing to leaue them, if it were to morrow: So alſo muſt we, being pilgrimes heare on earth, neuer ſet our hearts or affections, on the vain Pleaſures of this life, but vſe this world as though we vſed it not. 1. Pet. 2.10.
2 Euen as there is a kind of tickling in the fleſh, which cauſeth laughter, that is both vncomely and vnſeemely; and like vntounto a convultion, and ſhrinking of the ſinowes: So likewiſe all thoſe Pleaſures of the body, which are prouoked onelyonly by fantaſie and conceit of mind, are ſottiſh, feeble, troubleſome, and farre differing from nature.
3 Euen as the affection, which a wicked perſon beareth to a ſtrumpet, dooth exceedingly diminiſh the louelove which he ſhould beare vntounto his lawfull wife: So likewiſe the louelove wee beare to theſe vaine and tranſitorie things, and eſpecially vntounto Pleaſures, which is like vntounto an olde and common whore, who draweth vsus exceedingly from our duties, and diminiſheth that zeale and affections wee ſhould beare towards our ſpouſe Chriſt Ieſus, & to thoſe things, which he commaundeth vsus.
4 As Bees doo firſt giuegive Honie, and forthwith pricke with their ſting: So bodily Pleaſures (of which the Epicures make three ſorts; namely to feed delicately, to drink pleaſantly, and to liue lecherouſly; the reſt ſeruing herevnto, whether they delight the eyes, or prouoke the bodie, by what meanes ſoeuer vntounto pleaſure, they call appurtenances) beareth a ſhewe of goodneſſe, while it tickleth the minde by her enticements; but in the end it bringeth moſt bitter ſorrow. Prou. 5.3.4.
5 As drunkards do by drinking not quench the thirſt, and ſatisfie their appetite, but encreaſe the burning thirſt of their bodies, and the inſatiable intemperance of their mindes: So all other worldly Pleaſures, the longer they are enioyed, the more greedily they are deſired, and more obſtinately preferred before God, and ſpirituall graces. Iere. 13.23.
6 As the bough of a tree, being by the growth of many yeares, become ſtiffe and ſtrong, is now farre more eaſily broken then bowed: So for the moſt part, men of age, experience, and worldly wiſedome, doo ſooner looſe their liues, then leaue their vaine Pleaſures, and carnall deſires, which they hauehave carefully nouriſhed, and ſtrengthned all their life time.
7 As affliction and miſerie, doo ſtrike at the faith of a Chriſtian; So the enioying of worldly Pleaſures in the time of proſperitie, doth diminiſh the other parts of ſanctification, by the immoderate and vnlawfull ſeeking and vſing of earthly pleaſures.
Keeping of Promiſe.
LIke as the Mulberrie-tree, is ſaid to be the wiſeſt of all trees, becauſe it buddeth laſt of all, and not til the cold be paſt, and bringeth forth fruite firſt, which is ripe before the cold commeth againe: So we muſt be ſlow in promiſing, and quicke in performing.
Pride maketh God to take his graces from vsus, and to beſtow them vponupon others.
1 AS the ſlaue that hath ſtolen from his Lord and Maiſter, and wil acknowledge no dutie, no rent, nor any ſeruice wherein he is bound vntounto him, doth deſerue to looſe all ſuch lands as he holdeth of his Maiſters: So in like maner, if God, who requireth nothing of vsus, but a confeſſion and acknowledgement, of the good he hath done for vsus, ſeeing vsus to refuſe this, dealeth iuſtly with vsus, if he ſhut vp his liberality from vsus, and beſtoweth the ſame vponupon others.
2 Like as if a great Lorde ſhould receiue ſome poore man into his houſe, giuing him nothing, but wherewithall he might maintain himſelfe in mean eſtate, and ſhould perceiue that within two or three yeares after, he purchaſed lands, put money to vſury, kept a great port, and to be at other exceſſiue charges, his maiſter might hauehave good occaſion to thinke he were a thiefe, ſeeing that he had nothing when his Lord tooke him into his ſeruice: So likewiſe we, conſidering how poore we are by nature, & that we came into the houſe of our God all naked, laden (as it were) and couered with filth and beggery; if being there we wil vaunt our ſelues, in ſo doing, we ſhould rob God of his glorie, and giuegive him iuſt cauſe to take them from vsus, and to giuegive them to others.
Pride corrupteth all our workes.
1 AS a little Worme-wood will quickly marre a whole veſſel of wine: So in like manner, when as our life is moſt perfect & godly, yea moſt diuine and angelicall, the leaſt Pride that may be, wil wholly corrupt it, and make it worſe, and more imperfect, then euer it was good.
2 As it were a lamentable thing, to ſee a Marchant, after a long and proſperous Nauigation, ſuffer Shipwracke in the hauen, and loſſe of al in that place, where he hoped to repoſe himſelfe, and enioy the fruit of his labours: So in like manner it is, when a man (like vntounto the Phariſie) hath liued well in this world, carefully obſeruing the commaundements of God, and wiſely and politickly carried himſelfe among men, & in the end through a preſumption and Pride in himſelfe, or contempt of his neighbour, he vtterly caſteth himſelfe away.
3 Like as when we are on the top of an hill, or of ſome high place, we take good heed to our feete, and we walke warily for feare of ſtumbling: So in like maner muſt they behaue themſelues, whome God hath exalted aboue others, either in authoritie, knowledge, vertue, or wealth, or any other grace whatſoeuer it hath pleaſed him to beſtow vponupon them in particular maner; conſidering that the meanes to bee preſerued and continued in that eſtate wherein they are, is to truſt in him, and continually to cleaue vntounto him, to the end that they always may liue in his feare, and in humble manner retaine and keepe their minds in his obedience, in remembrance and conſideration of his goodneſſe, and not to be Proud and arrogant.
4 As the Peacocke beholding his gay and goodly feathers, waxeth forthwith very proud thereof, but as ſoone as he caſteth downe his eyes, and looketh vponupon his feete, which are farre, different in beautie, his Pride is quickly abated: So likewiſe, if in ſome reſpect of ſome prerogatiues and preheminences, which God hath giuen vsus aboue other men, we find our ſelues to be ſollicited by our fleſh, or entiſed by the diuell to become proud, let vsus conſider that we are but duſt, corruption and vanitie, the better to repreſſe this Pride.
5 As wee would laugh at a begger, who hauing borrowed princely apparell, to play the part of ſome King, vponupon a ſtage, wil needs afterward retaine and keep his apparell ſtill, proudly and gloriouſly behauing himſelfe in them, as if they were his owne; Euen ſo in like manner, if a rich man would glorie in his wealth, a Philoſopher in his knowledge, a ſtrong man in his force, a Marchant in his wealth, a woman in her beautie, or an hypocrite in his vertue, they all deſerued to be laughed at: for this world is as it were a Theater, and all the honours and dignities which men hauehave therein, are as it were ſeuerall attires, which God hath diſtributed & giuen to eueryevery one, as is moſt requiſite to play his part in, which is not to this end, to attribute them vntounto himſelfe, or to glorie in them: but contrariwiſe, to honour him, who gaue them, and to helpe their neighbours.
6 As Pride was the firſt vice that entered into our nature, for the corrupting and defacing of that image which was in vsus: So likewiſe is it the laſt that commeth out of vsus: and before we be wholly cleared thereof, we cannot attaine vntounto our former perfection and integritie.
Princes.
1 AS Princes ſeeke for nothing but to be honored, ſerued and obeyed of their ſubiects: So there is no better nor readier way to attaine this their deſire, then to ſhewe themſelues, milde, gentle, and mercifull, euen in thoſe puniſhments which are due to offenders.
2 As skilfull Surgions, who when they will feare or cut off any putrified or rotten member, vſe to deale tenderly, gently, and in as milde manner as poſſibly may be; thereby to comfort their patient, and to diminiſh his paine: So likewiſe a Prince to mittigate the ſharpneſſe of the paine, which is often due by rigour of Lawe, muſt mixe equitie, and moderation therwith, ſhewing both in his words and countenance, a cōmiſſeration towards the offender, who notwithſtanding, by reaſon of his euill deſerts, by force of his Lawes, muſt needes be condemned.
3 Like as Scipio the great (the Paragon of all nobilitie in his time) aunſwering one of his Captaines, who told him, that with the loſſe of two or three hundred of his men, he might win the Citie, which hee then beſieged; ſaid, he had rather ſaue one Citizen, then deſtroy a thouſand enemies: So in like manner, it is the dutie of a good Prince, to defend, cheriſh, preſerue, keep, ſupport, & comfort all poore and deſolate perſons, and to bee as it were a Sanctuarie to ſuch as are purſued, whereto they may retire without daunger.
4 As the head giueth moouing to the whole body, and all the parts thereof; but to the principall parts in the head, the eyes, tongue, eares; it giueth beſides, the facultie of moouing, the ſence alſo of ſeeing, taſting, hearing: So in like manner in the Common-wealth, by the Princes authoritie, all perſons are kept in order, and vrged to looke to their charge, both ciuill officers and ſpirituall.