A Treasury of Similes, Part S · Part 40 – Part 42
Sathan.
1 AS a Rauen or carrion Crowe, will ſeaze firſt on the eye of a beaſt that ſeemeth to be dead, knowing that if the eye be out, they may the eaſier get their pray: So Sathan will ſeeke firſt to pecke at our eye of faith, and if that be out, he will rule vsus as he will.
2 As a weak & brittle wall, is eaſily caſt down, & ouerthrowne with eueryevery Engine; but an huge fenſe, a mightie ſtrong wall, and a Tower that is firme, and fenſed on eueryevery ſide, doth ſtand ſurely, & endureth the force that commeth againſt it, without yeelding, ſtaggering, or falling: in ſo much that the enemies that ſeek to ouerthrow it, are driuen and conſtrained, to vſe warlike engines and pollicie; yea and to batter and ſhake it, with engines, torments, and ordenances of warres, which wil ſend and throw out, ſtones, weapons, bullets, and pellets, of yron and lead: Euen ſo Sathan, dooth moſt eaſily ouerthrow, with euerie light temptation, fraile and weak men, which are not well ſetled in vertue, nor grounded in godlineſſe, nor armed with the holy word, and ſpirit of God: but to winne and ouercome (if hee could) men that are furniſhed with a ſtrong and liuely faith, and ſuch as are ſtayed, and do relie vponupon the Lords protection, he vſeth ſundry ſubtilties, and moſt daungerous and forcible temptations. Math. 4.1. &c.
3 Euen as the Fiſher, when he taketh ſome great Fiſh, doth not by & by violently ſtrike, and twitch her, but letteth his fiſhing line go at the length, vntill the fiſh do ſwallow downe the hooke, and ſo worke her owne deſtruction; leaſt if at the firſt, he ſhould twitch her too hard, the fiſhing line or thrid ſhould break, and his baite and hooke loſt, the fiſh ſhould eſcape: Euen ſo Sathan the Diuell, when he hath gotten a poore ſinner, faſt vponupon his hooke, and hath intangled & fettered him, in the chaines of ſome daungerous and deadly ſinne, and hath bewitched him, with the forceries of the fleſh, and the world, he doth not ſodeinly oppreſſe & exaſperate him, leaſt at the firſt daſh, he play the Diuel openly and roughly, like a Diuel, as hee is; the ſinner ſhuld break his bands, and eſcape his ſnares: But he doth cheriſh him, and maketh much of him, and doth ſuffer him now and then, both to ſpeake, and to doo ſome things that ſauour of vertue, that by little and little, hee being made faſt, and dead ſure, vppon the hooke of ſinne and wickedneſſe, hee may by degrees worke his owne woe and vtter deſtruction: So that the diuell doth ſtretch out his angling rod, threed and all, not that hee may let the ſinner eſcape, but that hee may make him the ſurer, and hold him the faſter.
4 As Achfah, who when ſhee had begged of her Father, an inheritance of the South countries, then ſhee muſt hauehave certaine grounds with Wells and Springs: Euen ſo, ſuch a ſhameleſſe begger is Sathan the diuell, that he will ſtill hauehave a little ſinne, and a little, and neuer leaue, till by little and little, he getteth both body and ſoule into hell. Ioſu. 15.18, 19.
5 As little Children, who know not what is good for them, for if they begin to taſte Honie once, they will not leaue eating by their good wills, till they be ſicke with eating: Euen ſo, ſo ſweete hath Sathan made ſinne to the taſte of the wicked, that they crie ſtill a litle more of it, and finde no fault with it; but that there is too little, and they cannot hauehave enough.
6 As Flies are alwayes buſie about a ſore place: So that is a ſport or pleaſure to Sathan, which is a ſore or a paine to man.
7 As an Oxe will eate no kind of graſſe, but that which is greene and freſh: Euen ſo the diuell will be ſure to hauehave his foode, of the fineſt and beſt.
Spirituall graces from God.
LIke as the earth engendereth not raine, nor is able by her owne ſtrength, labour or trauell, to procure the ſame; but receiueth it of the meere gift of God from aboue: Euen ſo faith, grace, forgiueneſſe of ſins, or Chriſtian righteouſneſſe, are giuen vsus of God, without our workes or deſeruings.
2 As the earth of it ſelfe, is not able to get or procure to it ſelfe, ſeaſonable ſhowers of raine to make it fruitfull: Euen ſo much leſſe are we able by our owne ſtrength, works, and deſeruings, to winne & procure to our ſelues, faith, grace, forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, or Chriſtian righteouſneſſe, vnleſſe God himſelfe by meere imputation, and by his vnſpeakable gift, do beſtow the ſame vponupon vsus.
Swearing.
LIke as he that maketh a cuſtome of ſtriking with his hand, it is likely that he ſhould ſometime ſtrike vniuſtly: Euen ſo he that maketh a cuſtome of Swearing in true matters, will at the length, euen forſweare himſelfe, in matters of no importance, by reaſon of his cuſtome and vſe, which he hath got in Swearing.