iG I Of the Advancement of Lear?img, Lib. Vllt 



THE PARABLE. 



iccicf..x. XXL There Tipas a little City, andmann'dhtit by a 

 few; and there was a mighty King that drew 

 his army to it, and erecled bulwarJ^s againfl it, and 

 intrench d it round. Now there was found with- 

 in the walls a foor wife man, and he by his wif- 

 dom raised the fiege, but none rememhred that fame 

 foor man. 



1 Mei 



THE EXPLICATION, 



Parable defcribeth the depraved aad malignant nature of 

 Men : In extremity and ftraits they common!)' flie for landu- 

 ary to men of vvifdora and power, whom before they dilpis'd ; but fo 

 foon as the ftorm is gone, they become unthankful creatures to thdr 

 Difcotfo To- confervers. Machiavel not without reafbn propounds a Queftion^TP^^- 

 pra Liv. Lib. therjijould be more ingrateful to VPtU deserving Perjons^ the Prince or the 

 People} But in the mean time, hetaxeth them both of Ingratitude. 

 Notwithftanding, this vile dealing arifeth not from the ingratitude of 

 the Prince or People alone ; but oft-times there is added to thele t-ke 

 envy of the Hobtlity^ who in (ecret repine at the event, though happy 

 and profperous , becaufe it proceeded not from themfelves , where- 

 fore they extenuate the merit of the Aft, and depress the Author. 



THE PARABLE. 



prov. , 5 . XXII. The way of the jlothful is a Hedge of Thorns, 



THE, E XPL IC ATION. 



T He Parable expreiTeth moft elegantly, that Jloth proves labori- 

 ous in the end: For a diligent and (edulous preparation ef- 

 feftsthis, that the foot doth not ftrike it felfagainft any impediment, 

 but that the way is levell'd before it be gone. But he that islloth- 

 ful and puts off all to the laft point of Execution, it muft needs fol- 

 low, that continually, and at every ftep hepafles, as it were, through 

 Briars and Brambles, which ever and anon entangle and detain him. 

 The lame oblervation may be made upon the governing of a Family, 

 wherein if there be a care and providence taken, all goes on cheer- 

 fully, and with a willing alacrity, without noife or tumult: but if 

 thele fore-cafts be wanting, when fbme greater occafions unexpefted- 



