Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

Section VII.

DR. FULLER.

Know, next religion, there is nothing accomplisheth a

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

MISCELLANEOUS.*

He must rise early, yea, not at all go to bed, who will have every ones good word.

He needs strong arms who is to swim against the stream.

it

may

He that falls into sin is a man; that grieves at be a saint; that boasteth of it is a devil. It is hard for one of base parentage to personate a king without over-acting his part.

Charities' eyes should be open as well as her hands. Surely king Edward the Sixth was as truly charitable in granting Bridewell for the punishment of sturdy rogues, as in giving St. Thomas's Hospital for the relief of the poor.

The Pope knows he can catch no fish if the waters are clear.

The Cardinals' eyes in the court of Rome were old and dim; and therefore the glass, wherein they see any thing, must be well silvered.

Many wish that the tree may be felled, who hope to gather chips by the fall.

* From the Holy War.

The Holy Ghost came down, not in the shape of a vulture, but in the form of a dove.

THE SKELETON.

A naked cage of bone,

From whence the winged soul long since is flown.

WISDOM IN ITS OWN CONCEIT.

Humility is every where preached, and pride practised; they persuade others to labour for heaven, and fall out about earth themselves; their lives are contrary to their doctrines, and their doctrines one to another.

THE RELIGION OF MAHOMET,

It may justly seem admirable how that senseless religion should gain so much ground on Christianity; especially having neither real substance in her doctrine, nor winning behaviour in her ceremonies to allure professors. For what is it but the scum of Judaism and Paganism sod together and here and there strewed over with a spice of Christianity? As Mahomet's tomb, so many sentences in his Alcoran seem to hang by some secret loadstone, which draweth together their

gaping independencies with a mystical coherence, or otherwise they are flat nonsense. Yet this wonder of the spreading of this leprosy is lessened, if we consider that besides the general causes of the growing of all errors (namely the gangrene-like nature of evil, and the justice of God to deliver them over to believe lies who will not obey the truth) Mahometanism hath raised itself to this height by some peculiar advantages; first, by permitting much carnal liberty to the professors (as having many wives) and no wonder if they get fish enough that use that bait; secondly, by promising a paradise of sensual pleasure hereafter, wherewith flesh and blood is more affected (as falling under her experience) then with hope of any spiritual delights; thirdly, by prohibiting of disputes, and suppressing of all learning; and thus Mahomet made his shop dark on purpose, that he might vend any wares: lastly, this religion had never made her own passage so fast and so far, if the sword had not cut the way before her, as commonly the conquered follow for the most part the religion of the conquerors. By this means that cursed doctrine hath so improved itself, that it may outvie with professors the church of Rome, which boasteth so much of her latitude and extent; though from thence to infer that her

« VorigeDoorgaan »