Kaina kai palaia Things new and old, or, A store-house of similies, sentences, allegories, apophthegms, adagies, apologues, divine, morall, politicall, &c. : with their severall applications / collected and observed from the writings and sayings of the learned in all ages to this present by John Spencer ...

The Natural Mans blindnesse in Spiri∣tuall things. [ 1394]

WHen Xeuxes drew his Master-piece, and Nicostratus fell into admiration of the rarenesse thereof,* 1.1 highly commending the exquisitenesse of the work, there stood by a rich Ignorant, who would needs know what he had dis∣covered

worthy of so great applause? To whom Nicostratus made this answer; My Friend, couldst thou but see with my eyes; thou wouldst soon see cause enough to won∣der as well as I do.* 1.2 Thus it is, that the dear Children of God have inexhaustible treasure, even in the midst of their poverty, transcendent dignity in the midst of their disgraces, heighth of tranquillity in the very depth of tribulation; their pulse and Locusts relish better then all the Gluttons delicious fare; their Sheep-skins, Goat-skins, and Camels hair wear finer then all the Purple and soft ray∣ment;* 1.3 the Worlds hate makes them happier then all the applauses of the Capitol; Now the sensual, carnal Naturalist sees none of all this, he perceives not the things of the spirit, neither indeed can he, for they are spiritually discerned, no Man knowes them,* 1.4 but he that hath them; but had he spirituall sight, were but the scales fallen off from his eyes, as they did from S. Paul's at the time of his Conversion, then he would clearly see and say, as the same S. Paul did, That though we suffer tribulation in all things,* 1.5 yet we are not distressed; we are brought into perplexities, yet we are not forsaken.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Coel. Rhodog. Var. lest. lib. 17.
• * 1.2

  Aeliani Vat. hist.
• * 1.3

  W. Strong, Serm. at Westm. 1650.
• * 1.4

  Act. 7.
• * 1.5

  2 Cor. 4. 8.