The sacrifice of thankfulness A sermon preached at Pauls Cross, the third of December,…The sacrifice of thankefulnesse A sermon preached at Pauls Crosse, the third of December,…

No man wonders at Dogs, and Wol•••, and Foxes; but at Satires and Centaurs, and such Monsters in nature, all gaze upon. Ebriety, Adultery, Avarice (though equally heinous) are less odious; because they have Nature and Custom on their sides. But an Unthankful person named, we all detest, as a solecism in sense, a paradox in manners, a prodigy in nature.

No man wonders at Dogges, and Wol•••, and Foxes; but at Satyres and Centaures, and such Monsters in nature, all gaze vpon. Ebrietie, Adulterie, Auarice (though equally hainous) are lesse odious; because they haue Nature and Custome on their sides. But an Vnthankefull person named, we all detest, as a sole•isme in sense, a paradoxe in maners, a prodigie in nature.

To demonstrate this sin to be so far from humanity, that the very Beasts abhor it. There is a St•ry of a poor man, that went often to a Forrest to gather Sticks; where suddenly one day, he heard the voice of a man in distress: making towards it, he found a rich Neighbour fallen into a deep Pit; and together with him an Ape, a Lyon, and a Serpent: he made his moan, being endangered both of the Pit, and of the Beasts: Pity and Charity moved the poor man to help the rich, and that seldom moves the rich to help the poor; He lets down the Cord, wherewith he bound his Sticks, and up comes the Ape: Again he puts for the man, and the Lyon ascends: A third offer he makes, and the Serpent takes the advantage: last he draweth up the man; who freed by his help from instant death, promised him a bountious requital, ⟨p. 32⟩if on the next day he did visit him. The poor man affying his word, came to him accordingly, in a hopeful expectation of reward. But now the rich man would not know him; he hath forgotten that ever he stood in any need of him, and impudently denies him any recompense. The discomforted poor man is fain to travel the Forrest again for his Fuel, where the Ape spying him, had ready broken with his teeth and nails, Sticks enough for his burden: there was his utmost Gratitude. Another day coming, the Lyon approacheth him, preseting to him divers laden Camels; which driving home, and disburdening, he found precious Treasure, that enriched him. A third time upon other occasions travelling the Forrest, the Serpen creeping salutes him with a Precious stone in her mouth, letting it fall at her savers feet. The intent of the Fable is to demonstrate, that Beasts and Serpents condemn Man of Ingratitude.