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 ...

An idle man subject to the least temptation. [ XXVIII]

SEt a narrow mouthed glasse neer to a Bee-hive,* 1.1 and you shal soon perceive how busily the Wasps resort to it, being drawn thither by the smell of that sweet li∣quor, wherewith it is baited; and how eagerly they creep into the mouth of it, and fall down suddainly from that slippery steepinesse, into that warry trap, from which they can never rise; but after some vain labour and wearinesse, they drown and die: Now there are none of the Bees that so much as look that way, they passe directly to their hive, without any notice taken of such a pleasing bait. Thus idle and ill disposed persons,* 1.2 are easily drawn away with every temptation, they have both leasure and will to entertain every sweet allurement to sin, and wantonly prosecute their own wicked lusts,* 1.3 till they fall into irrecoverable dam∣nation; * 1.4 whereas the diligent and laborious Christian, that follows hard and con∣scionably the works of an honest calling, is free from the danger of those deadly

enticements, and laies up honey of comfort against the winter of evill.

Notes

• * 1.1

  B. Hall, ut an∣tea.
• * 1.2

  In promptu cau∣sa est, &c.
• * 1.3

  Ovid.
• * 1.4

  Variam semper dant otia men∣tem. Lucan.