Satan seems marvellous frank and kind at first: Munera magna quidem praebet, sed praebet in hamo. They are beneficia viscata, ensnaring mercies. As the Tree is the Birds refuge when she flies from the snare; and lo, there she finds Bird-lime, that tears off her ⟨p. 104⟩flesh and feathers. Conuivia, quae putes, insidiae sunt. They are baits, which thou takest for banquets. The poor man is going to prison for a small debt: the Usurer lends him money, and rescues him: two or thee winters after, his fit comes again, and by how much an Usurer is sharper then a mere Creditor, he is shaken with the worse Ague: that kindness plungeth him into a deeper bondage: the first was but a threaden snare, which he might break, but this is an infrangible chain of iron. Men are in want, and necessity is (durum telum) a heavy burden: the Devil promiseth supply. Behold, the drunkard shall have Wine, the thief opportunity; the malicious revenge; if they be hungry, he hath a Banquet ready: but, as I have seen Empirics give sudden ease to a desperate & inveterate grief, yet either with danger of life, or more violent revocation of the sickness; so their misery ere long is doubled: and that which was but a stitch in the side, is now a shrewd pain in the heart. The Stag and the Horse (saith the Fiction) were at variance: the Horse, being too weak desires Man to help him: Man gets on the Horses back, and chaseth the Stagge, Usque ad fugam, usque ad mortem, to flight, to death. Thus the Horse gets the victory; but is at once victor & victus, Captain and captive: for after that he could never free his mouth from the bit, his back from the Saddle. Non equitem dorso, non fraenum depulit ore. Man is beset with exigents: he wails his weakness: the Devil steps in with promises of succour. Judas is made rich, Gehesi gets change of suites: Nero is crowned Emperor, but withal he gets possession of their affections, whence all the power of man cannot untenant him. Thus the ilast slavery is worse then the first, and the cheer is not so cheap at sitting down, as it is dear at rising up.
Sathan seemes marueilous franke and kinde at first: Munera magna quidem praebet, sed praebet in hamo. They are beneficia viscata, ensnaring mercies. As the Tree is the Birds refuge when shee flies from the snare; and loe, there shee findes Bird-lime, that teares off her ⟨p. 104⟩flesh and feathers. Conuiuia, quae putes, insidiae sunt. They are baites, which thou takest for bankets. The poore man is going to prison for a small debt: the Vsurer lends him money, and rescues him: two or thee winters after, his fit comes againe, and by how much an Vsurer is sharper then a meere Creditour, hee is shaken with the vvorse Ague: that kindnesse plungeth him into a deeper bondage: the first was but a thredden snare, which he might breake, but this is an infrangible chaine of yron. Men are in want, and necessitie is (durum telum) a heauy burden: the Deuill promiseth supply. Behold, the drunkard shall haue Wine, the theefe opportunitie; the malious reuenge; if they be hungry, he hath a Banket ready: but, as I haue seene Emperickes giue sudden ease to a desperate & inueterate griefe, yet eyther with danger of life, or more violent reuocation of the sickenesse; so their miserie ere long is doubled: and that vvhich vvas but a stitch in the side, is now a shrewd paine in the heart. The Stagge and the Horse (sayth the Fiction) were at variance: the Horse, being too vveake desires Man to helpe him: Man gets on the Horses backe, and chaseth the Stagge, Vsque ad fugam, vsque ad mortem, to flight, to death. Thus the Horse gets the victorie; but is at once victor & victus, Captaine and captiue: for after that he could neuer free his mouth from the bit, his backe from the Saddle. Non equitem dorso, non fraenum depulit ore. Man is beset vvith exigents: hee vvailes his vveakenesse: the Deuill steps in with promises of succour. Iudas is made rich, Gehesi gets change of suites: Nero is crowned Emperour, but vvithall hee gets possession of their affections, whence all the power of man cannot vntenant him. Thus the ilast slauerie is worse then the first, and the cheare is not so cheap at sitting downe, as it is deare at rising vp.
- iMatth. 1•.45.
