A Treasury of Similes, Part S · Part 32 – Part 39
Scholler.
1 AS if Appelles ſhould ſee the forme of Venus, or Protogenes, the Image of Hialiſus, all with myre and dirt defiled, they would no doubt be ſorie: So if a man ſee his Scholler, whome he hath brought vp, now enclined and giuen to lewdneſſe, he cannot chuſe but greatly lament.
2 As there be ſome women that cannot conceaue of ſome men, yet accompaning with others, they are become fruitfull, for the encreaſe of children: So there bee ſome Schollers, that bee vnapt to learne vnderunder ſome Tutors, & Schoolemaiſters, but vnderunder others, they will ſoone proue of a good quicke wit, and learned.
3 As the goodneſſe of the ground, is not much profitable for Corne, vnleſſe there be a meete husbandman to till and ſowe the ſame: So it is not enough to finde good towardnes in a Scholler, vnleſſe there be added vntounto him, a meete Schoolemaiſter to further the ſame.
4 As a drop of water falling from the houſe Eaues, weareth and holloweth the hard ſtone; not by force, but by his often falling: Euen ſo a Scholler proueth learned, not by power or ſtrength, but by much diligence, and great reading.
5 As Appelles became an excellent Painter, becauſe there was neuer a day, but hee laboured himſelfe to ſome learning: So in like manner, a diligent Scholler, by dayly applying of his learning, and often exerciſing of vertue, attaineth to perfect honour and vertue.
6 As young men, which hauehave beſtowed their time in labouring for learning and knowledge, happily are apt and prone to come to great honour and preferment: So contrariwiſe, thoſe Schollers which are giuen to their owne ſenſualitie and appetite, are to bee auoided of all good men.
7 Like as the goodneſſe of the ground, is not ſufficient to bring foorth Corne, except there bee a good Plower, and ſeede: Euen ſo a toward and wittie Scholler, is not like to get good learning, except he hauehave a maſter, a good inſtructor, and bookes.
Suites in Law, how they are lawfull.
1 AS a Souldier in lawfull warre may kill his enemie, and yet louelove him: Euen a man may forgiue an iniurie that is done againſt him, and yet ſeeke remedie by Law, ſo it be in a Chriſtian manner; that is, without priuate reuenge: that it bee not ſcandelous to the Church; that it bee to maintaine peace; and that the partie offending, may bee chaſtiſed, and brought to repentaunce for his fault.
2 Like as Phyſitions vſe deſperate remedies, when weaker will not ſerue: Euen ſo muſt men vſe Law, as the laſt meanes, when all other faile.
Who is a Spirituall man.
AS the Scriptures call that man carnall, which is not renued by the ſpirit, and borne againe in Chriſtes fleſh, and all his workes like, euen the very motions of his heart and mind, as his learning; doctrine and contemptation of high things; his preaching, teaching, and ſtudie in the Scripture; building of Churches, Schooles, or Hoſpitals; founding of Colledges; giuing of Almes; and whatſoeuer hee doth, though they ſeeme Spirituall, and after the Law of God neuer ſo much: So contrariwiſe, he is Spirituall which is renued in Chriſt, and all his workes which ſpring from faith, ſeeme they neuer ſo groſſe; as the waſhing of the Diſciples feete, done by our Sauiour Chriſt, and Peters fiſhing after the reſurrection; yea deedes of matrimonie are pure, Spiritual, if they proceed of faith; and whatſoeuer is done within the lawes of God, though if bee wrought by the body, as the very wiping of ſhoes and ſuch like, howſoeuer groſſe they appeare outwardly, yet are ſanctified. Ioh. 3.6. 1. Cor. 2.15.
The Scripture ſufficient to confute errours.
1 LIke as if a man being taken with a Phrenſie, the Phyſition ſhould come & offer him a medicine, which is of vertu to purge the ſuperfluous humor, that cauſeth the diſeaſe, & to make him whole & ſound, and the phrantike man ſhould refuſe it, and take an other to his owne contentation, that would doo him no good; were this medicine ſtrengthleſſe, and not able to helpe his diſeaſe, becauſe the patient deſired to hauehave an other, rather then that? Not ſo. So in like manner, although ſome men refuſe to hauehave their errours, and falſe opinions to be confuted by the word of God, deſiring rather to be tried by the writings of men, which can do them no good to eſtabliſh their faith; this maketh not, but the Scripture is ſufficient to confute and refell erronious doctrine, and all falſe opinions, though they take it not ſo.
2. As in the night ſeaſon in darkeſome places, men are wont to doo all their buſineſſe by candlelight, ſo continuing vntill the broad day: Euen ſo in like ſort whilſt we abide in this world, where we are compaſſed about with the groſſe darkneſſe and ignorance of heauenly things, wee muſt carefully giuegive eare to the prophecies of the word, take counſell at them, & gouerne our ſelues wholy by them, ſo long, till the day of the Lord approach, and the time wherein we ſhall clearely behold thoſe things in the preſence of God, which now in this pilgrimage of ours, we beleeue and hope after. 2. Pet. 1.19.
3 As men enterchaungeably, are ſaid to be wiſer one then an other, when as one is wiſer in diuers points, and an other againe in ſome other points: Euen ſo, if mans wiſedome bee able to doo that which the reuealed wiſedom of God is not, then is God wiſer then man, not ſimply, but in ſome pointes; and man wiſer then God, not ſimply, but in ſome points; and therefore ſuch as avouch, that the wiſedome of man is not able to refell and confute ſome errors, hereſies, and falſe opinions, which the word and reuealed wiſedome of God cannot, is to make man wiſer then God. Eſay. 29.14. 1. Cor. 1.20, 25. & 3.19.
4 Like as Abraham ſaid to the rich glutton, being in torments, who would hauehave had him to hauehave ſent one to his Fathers houſe, to warne his fiue brethren, leaſt they alſo ſhould come into that puniſhment. They hauehave Moſes, and the Prophets (ſaid hee) let them heare them; and if they will not heare them, neither wil they be perſwaded, though one riſe from the dead againe: Luk. 16.29, 31. Euen ſo, they that will not be perſwaded by ſuch reaſons as may be alleadged and brought, both for confirmation and confutation of any point, either of doctrine or manners, out of the ſacred Scriptures; ſurely they will not bee mooued any thing at all, either with the authorities of Poets, Phyloſophers, Oratours, or other prophane writers whatſoeuer; neither yet with the reaſons, that may be brought out of an Eccleſiaſticall writer, how famous, learned, or notable ſo euer he were.
Sanctification.
1 LIke as Lot was vexed, and his righteous heart was grieued, with the vncleane conuerſation of the Sodomites from day to day: Euen ſo ought our ſoules to be vexed and grieued continually, at the wickedneſſe of our time; and to ſend vp prayers to God for them, that they may be brought to the obedience of his holy wil. 2. Pet. 2.7. Ezech. 9.4.
2 Like as Ioſeph, Elias, and Elizeus, left their garments behinde them: Euen ſo muſt the children of God, leaue their carnal affection, &c. before they can pleaſe God, and attaine ſaluation by Chriſt.
3 As Wormes and Flies, that hauehave layne dead all winter, if they be laid in the Sunne in the ſpring time, begin to reuiue by vertue thereof: Euen ſo when wee are vnited to Chriſt, and are as it were laid in the beames of this bleſſed Sonne of righteouſneſſe, vertue is deriued thence, which warmeth our benummed hearts dead in finne, and reuiueth vsus to newneſſe of life, whereby we begin to affect and like good things, and put in practiſe all the duties of Religion.
4 As the ſight of him that is bleare-eide, is hurt by looking againſt the Sunne: Euen ſo likewiſe, it is very daungerous to handle a thing that is pure, with handes vnwaſhed: and a man not to purge himſelfe, that hee may become a veſſell ſanctified to honour; meete for the vſes of the Lord, and prepared to all good workes. 2. Timo. 2.19, 21.
The Seruice of God, is to be preferred before all earthly things.
1 LIke as if a Seruant that is factor for his M. beyond the ſeas, after many yeares returning home to giuegive accounts to his maiſter, ſhuld yeeld a reckoning of ſo much time & mony, ſpent in carding, dicing, dancing; ſo much in courting and wanton company; we would laugh at ſo fond a reckoning: but being further asked by his maiſter, what time he beſtowed on his marchandiſe which he ſent him for, if he ſhould anſwer none at all, nor that hee euer thought or ſtudied vponupon that matter, we might thē thinke him wel worthy of al ſhame & puniſhment: Euē ſo ſurely with much more ſhame and confuſion ſhal they ſtand before God at the day of iudgemēt; who being placed here to ſo great a buſineſſe, as is the worſhip & ſeruice of God, hauehave notwithſtāding neglected the ſame, beſtowing their ſtudies, labors & cogitatiōs, in the vain trifles of the world: which is as much from the purpoſe, as if men being placed in a courſe to run at a goldē game of infinit price, they ſhuld leaue their mark, and make ſome ſtep aſide after flies or feathers, in the aire; and ſome other ſtand ſtil, gathering vp the dung off the ground: we would thinke theſe men not worthie to receiue ſo great a reward as this that was propoſed and offered to them.
2 Like as Doues, Pigeons, and Lambes, were offered in ſacrifice, and ſanctified vntounto the Lord, vnderunder the Lawe, as well as Oxen: Euen ſo children & young men, ought to dedicate themſelues to worſhip and ſerue God, as well as old folke. Leuit. 5.5, 6. Numb. 28.3, 9. 2. Chro. 7.5. Pſal. 8.2. & 119.9. & 148.12.
3 As the ſacrificing Fire neuer went out, but burned continually vponupon the Altar: Euen ſo Chriſtians ought to hauehave a continuall care of Gods Seruice. Num. 6.13.
Scorners.
LIke as olde men for the moſt part are wayward, and thinke ſcorne to be told of their faultes: So likewiſe is this doating age of the world, wayward and waſpiſh, if when a Preacher ſhall reproue them of any vice that they are faultie in.
Sinne left by vngodly meanes.
AS a Bird, the more ſhe ſtrugleth, hauing lyme twigges on her wnges, the faſter is ſhe enſnared: Or likewiſe a Fiſh taken with a baite: Or as a man that waſheth him in a poole that is muddie in the bottome, the fowler he is: So likewiſe a man being in Sinne, ſtriuing to get out by vngodly meanes, hee infecteth himſelfe the more with Sinne.