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 ...

[ 934] To promise much and perform little, reproveable.

LIvy said of Hannibal,* 1.1 that he never stood to his promise, but when it made for his profit; And Antigonus was called Doson, in the future tense, as being a∣bout to give, yet never giving: whereupon grew the Proverb upon him that promised much and performed little, that he was a Doson: The World is at this time surely full of many such, such as one would think were born in the Land of Promise, who feed their Prisoners of hope with future promises, as Ephraim with

wind;* 1.2 meer Alchymists whose Promises are gold, payment but dross, putting off, as the trick is, either with improbable rever••ions, or Promises of Promises, like the Devills omnia dabo, imaginary and delusory; whilst their Patients, like that Man of many years infirmity in the Gospel, fainting by the pool, and none to put him in, lie languishing at Hopes Hospital,* 1.3 like a hungry man dreaming of meat, and when he awaketh his soul is empty;* 1.4 or like Men in a swoon, cheared with strong water, they revive onely to beweary their eyes with further expectation, and to witnesse the fallibility of Promise.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Plutarch. in vita Paul. A••mil. Erasm. Adag.
• * 1.2

  Hos. 12. 1. Math. 4. R. Senhouse Serm. at Court, 1617.
• * 1.3

  Joh. 5. 7.
• * 1.4

  Esay 29. 8.