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 ...

[ XXXVIII] The devout Soul will admit of none but Christ.

WHen Cyrus took the King of Armenia, and his son Tigranes, and their wives and children prisoners, and upon their humble submission, beyond all hope, gave them their liberty and their lives; in their return home, as they all fell a commending Cyrus, some for his personage, some for his puissance, some for his cle∣mency; Tigranes asked his wife, What thinkest thou of Cyrus? is he not a comely and a proper man, of a majestick presence? Truly (said she) I know not what manner of man he is, I never looked on him. Why, quoth he, where were the eyes all the while? up••n whom didst thou look? I fixed my eyes, saith she, all the while upon him, (meaning her hus∣band) who in my hearing offered to Cyrus, to lay down his life for my ransome. And thus▪ if any question the devout soul, whether she be not enamoured with the beauty of Cherubins, Seraphins, Angells and Saints, with the pomp and splendour of that Heavenly Court; her answer will be that of Tigranes his wife, That she never did so much as cast a look upon them, because her eyes were never off Him, who not onely offered to lay, but did lay down his life for her, and ransomed her with his own blood: Whom should she have in Heaven but Him, who hath none on Earth but her?

Notes

• Xenoph. cyro 〈◊〉〈◊〉. lib. 3.
• D. Featly, ut antea.
• Si Christum dis∣cis, satis est 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••aetera n••scis.