Oxen ready down upon the Nail, to either Apollo, or Æſculapius, which of the Two would Deliver him from This Diſeaſe. Ah my Dear, (ſays his Wife) Have a care what You Promiſe? for where would you have Theſe Oxen if you ſhould Recover. Sweet Heart (ſays he) thou talkſt like a Fool. Have the Gods Nothing elſe to do, doſt think, then to leave their Bus'neſs, and come down to me thee in an Action of Debt? They Reſtor'd him however for That Bout, to make Tryal of his Honeſty and Good Faith. He was no ſooner up, but for want of Living Oxen, he made out his Number upon Paſt, and Offer'd them up in Form upon an Altar. For this Mockery, Divine Vengeance Purſu'd him, and he had an Apparition came to him in a Dream, that bad him go and Search in ſuch a Place near the Coaſt,and he ſhould find a Conſiderable Treaſure; Away he went, and as he was looking for the Mony fell into the Hands of Pyrates. He bege'd. hard for his Liberty, and Offer'd a Thouſand Talents of Gold for his Ranſome; but they would not Truſt him, and ſo he was carried away, and ſold afterwards as a Slave for as many Groats.
The Moral.
The Dev'll was Well, the Dev'll a Monk was He.
REFLEXION.
This Fable applies it ſelf to Thoſe that Promiſe more in their Adverſity then they either Intend, or are Able to make good in their Proſperity; but they muſt not think to bring themſelves off at laſt with a Concert; for in the Sight of God, an Equivocating Juggling Sham, is as much as a Groſs, Downright Lye.
'Tis the Prattice of the World for People in Diſtreſs to ſerve God and Man, in Several Reſpects, both Alike; That is to ſay, when they lye under any Heavy Affliction, or Propoſe to themſelves any Conſiderable Advantage, and find they have Need of Anothers Help; how do they Beg, Vow, Promiſe, Sollicite, Swear, Sign and Seal and yet Conſcious to Themſelves all this while, that they neither Intend nor are able to make One Article Good? Wickedneſs comes on by Degrees, as well as Virtue; and Sudden Leaps from One Extreme to Another, are Unnatural Motions in the Courſe of our Lives and Humours. Here's firſt a Raſh, and a Knaviſh Promiſe; for the Promiſer knew he was notable to make it Good. When he has broken the Ice, he Advances, from Cozening of God, to making Sport with him, and pays him with Paſt for Fleſh: But Vengeance Overtook him in the Concluſion, and gave him to Underſtand, that God will not be Mocked. The Moral of This Sick Man is the Caſe of Every Soul of us in the Making, and the Breaking of our Vows.
Fab.
