A Treasury of Similes, Part C · Part 5 – Part 7
Euill Company hurtfull.
1 AS whole and ſound eies with beholding and looking on ſore eyes, be annoyed and hurt: ſo good and honeſt folkes be oftentimes ſtained and hurt with the Company of wicked men.
2 Like as a naturall Father will not willingly ſuffer his childe to come into a place where he may be in daunger to take hurt of his body, either by infection of the plague, or otherwiſe: Euen ſo much more a Chriſtian Father is bound in conſcience to keepe his childe and the reſt of his familie from leaud and wicked Companie, where euen their ſoules ſhould be hurt and poyſoned.
3 As it is a folly or madneſſe to ſhut our doores againſt thoſe who bring the plague, which infecteth only our bodies: So likewiſe it is a much greater folly and madneſſe, to ſet open our doores to ſwearers, blaſphemers, ribaldous talkers, and vngodly liuers, who infect both ſoule and body.
4 As ſweete waters are corrupted and ſpoiled, when they run into waters which are ſault, bitter, or vnwholſome: Euen ſo that man which ioyneth himſelf in friendſhip, and doth couple himſelfe in familiaritie with wicked and vngodly men, becommeth wicked and vngodly himſelfe, and is ſtained and blemiſhed with their vices, although heretofore hee had beene enclined to vertue and godlineſſe. 1. Cor. 5.6.
5 Euen as the Riuer Hypanis, which is very famous, and much ſpoken of, becauſe of the cleareneſſe & ſweetneſſe of the water of the ſame, after that it receiueth into it, the bitter and troubled waters of the Fountaine Erampes, is poyſoned and made vnprofitable. So likewiſe many men of great and excellent wits, which did flowe with the pure and pleaſant waters of vertues, when they hauehave fallen into the ſocietie and familiaritie of vngracious, leaude, and godleſſe men, hauehave bene poyſoned with the leaudneſſe of their liues, and the looſeneſſe of their conditions.
6 As rotten Apples do corrupt thoſe ſound ones that do touch them, and lie cloſe to them: Euen ſo the euill manners and bad conditions of the vngodly, do infect thoſe that keep them companie. Pſal. 1.1. & 26.4, 5. Mar. 14.67. 1. Cor. 15.33.
7 As a Looking Glaſſe, though it be moſt cleare and cleane, with the foule breath of thoſe that blowe vponupon it, is obſcured and dimmed: Euen ſo a man that is honeſt, vertuous and godly, with continuall cuſtome, acquaintance and familiaritie, of diſhoneſt, vngodly, & graceleſſe men, is oftentimes corrupted, infected, and blemiſhed. Eccleſi. 13.1. Deu. 7.1, 2.
8 Like as if it do happen, that a Planet otherwiſe verie beneuolent & wholſome, ſhall be ioyned to other ſtars or Planets, which are maleuolent, & of bad influence, it alſo wil ſend forth influence that is euill and vnwholſome: Euen ſo a man that is vertuouſly giuen, & wel bent to godlines, if he take & ioyne vntounto him, prophane, wicked & vngodly men, into much acquaintance & familiarity, he alſo at length, will become prophane, and vngodly, as they be.
9 As one ſcabbed ſheep infecteth many other: Or as a litle poiſon ſpoileth a great deale of meat and drinke: Or as ſome fewe infected with the plague, may infect a whole houſe, towne or countrey: Euen ſo the familiaritie and company of the wicked, infecteth and hurteth the godly, becauſe there can be no true concord betwixt the ſons of wiſdome, and the ſonnes of folly. 2. Cor. 6.14. Pro. 29.27.
10 As men are woont in their owne bodies, if ſo be any part thereof be feſtered with an incurable diſeaſe, they cut off the ſame, not becauſe they neglect or hate their bodies, but that they may preſerue their other parts from infection: So alſo ought we to deale, we muſt cut and ſhake off wicked and obſtinate ſinners from our ſocietie and companie, that wee bee not infected by them.
11 As ſome little creatures do bite vsus, but we ſcarcely ſeele it, but afterwards we ſhall well perceiue that they hauehave bitten vsus: So in like manner, though we perceiue not the hurt that commeth by ill company at the firſt, yet we ſhall finde it afterwards.
12 As in a generall diſtemperature and corruption of the ayre, it is hard euen for him that hath an healthfull and ſtrong conſtitution of body, to auoyde ſickneſſe: So likewiſe it is in euill Company, in corrupt ages, and places, very hard to liue vnſpotted of the world. Act. 2.40. Math. 24.12.
13 As one that walketh in the ſunne, ſhall be ſunburnt, though the end of his walking in it be not to be ſunburnt: So likewiſe will it be with thoſe that keepe Companie with the wicked. 2. Cor. 6.14, 15, 16, 17. Ephe. 5.11.
Catechiſing.
1 LIke as a Childe that learneth the A, B, C, when he hath once learned his Letters, is yet readie to learne the ſame againe: Euen ſo many Pariſhioners are ſo forgetfull, that when they are paſt one principle and point of Religion, that they muſt yet be brought backe againe to the ſame. Hebr. 5.12, 13, 14.
2 As weake and young Infants muſt hauehave milke giuen them, and not ſtrong meate: Euen ſo many rude people muſt hauehave the rudiments and firſt beginnings of Religion rather taught them, then higher points which their capacitie cannot yet digeſt. 1. Cor. 3.2.
3 As there is litle hope that a childe that cannot abide to eate milke and other liquid and nouriſhing meate, will liue long, for hee cannot then brooke ſtronger meate: Euen ſo thoſe people muſt needes periſh, that will not, nor cannot abide to learne the principles and leaſt points of Chriſtianitie, much leſſe can they brooke higher points.
4 As that Schoolemaiſter which ſtill commaundeth his ſchollers, ſaying learne this, learne this, and yet neuer calleth them to account how the ſame is learned; may aſſure himſelfe, that his ſchollers will hauehave but a ſlender regard to be perfect in that which he commandeth, becauſe they thinke they ſhall neuer be examined how they hauehave profited: Euen ſo falleth it out with the Miniſter towards his Pariſhioners, that although he be verie diligent to Preach vntounto them the principles of Chriſtian Religion, yet if he be not carefull to Catechiſe and examine them particularly therein, there will come and appeare litle profit or none at all by his labours; as experience proueth the ſame.
Originall Corruption.
1 AS children take of their Parents their originall and naturall qualities and conditions: Euen ſo they receiue with the ſame, Originall Corruption of nature, which commeth by Originall ſinne.
2 Like as corne, although it be neuer ſo cleane winnowed and purged from chaffe, yet when it is ſowen, the ſame ſeede will be full of chaffe againe, vntill it be winnowed and made cleane: Euen ſo be children borne full of chaffe and Corruption of originall ſinne, vntill that by Baptiſme in the bloud of Chriſt, through the wonderfull operation of the holy Ghoſt, and be drawn from the louelove of themſelues, and of worldly things, vntounto the pure louelove of God, as their Parents were.