[ 588] Great Promises in Adversities, without performance in Prosperity, condemned.
ERasmus wittily lashing at Romes follies,* 1.1 describeth unto us this custom of their Marriners in a fear of Ship-wrack: An English-man (saith he) being there, promiseth no less then golden Mountains to the Lady of Walsingham, if he came safe to Land; Another voweth to go on Pilgrimage to St. Iames of Compostella, bare-foot and bare-headed in a shirt of Male next his skin, and begging all the way; A third promiseth unto St. Christopher, whose vast Statu•••• (Mons verius quàm Statua) a Mountain rather then a Statua is to be seen in the great Church of Paris, that he will give him a VVax candle as big as himself, whom one of his fellows presently checked, saying, Though thou shouldst ••ell all that thou hast, thou coudst not perform thy word: But he replyed softly, (lest St. Christopher should hear him) Hold thy peace fool,* 1.2 dost thou think that I ever meant to do it, If ever I recover shore, he gets not so much as a Tallow candle of me: And thus many men deal with God in times of sickness, or of any trouble, promising Mountains, but performing Mole-hills; some to refrain one sin, some another, some every sin; and when his hand is once off, they commit sin with greater greediness than before,* 1.3 and then some worse thing justly hap∣peneth unto them.