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 ...

[ 1755] The uncharitable Christian described.

DIogenes,* 1.1 a witty beggar, would usually walk in a place, where earthen Statues were erected in honour of some that dyed for their Country; To them he would pray, to them reach out his hand, bow, and begg; being asked the Reason, he answered; Nihil aliud quam repulsam meditor, I think of no∣thing but a repulse, or denyal: We have many such living Statues in these strait-laced times of ours, meer Idols that have mouthes and speak not, eyes and pity not, hands and give not, the Poor are sure of nothing but a repulse; They are just like St. Peter's fish,* 1.2 it had money in the mouth, but not a hand to give it; like Dives his doggs, they can lick a poor Man with their tongues, else give him no relief; The Papists will rather lose a penny, then a Pater-noster, these will give ten Pater-nosters before one penny; They give the words of Neph∣thali, pleasant words, but no meat; as if the poor were like Ephraim, to be fed with the wind; or as if their words were Verbum Domini,* 1.3 the Word of God that men might live by it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Diog. La••rt. in vita.
• * 1.2

  —Deus emit sanguine ser∣v••s; M••rcari exigu•• nos piget 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Deum. Bislius.
• * 1.3

  Hos. 12. 1. Matth. 4. 4.