In Praise of Folly: Illustrated with Many Curious CutsErasmus, Desiderius
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In Praise of Folly: Illustrated with Many Curious Cuts
Erasmus, Desiderius
Folly -- Early works to 1800
To the same purpose did our blessed Lord frequently
condemn and upbraid the scribes, pharisees, and lawyers, while he
carries himself kind and obliging to the unlearned multitude: for what
otherwise can be the meaning of that tart denunciation, _Woe unto you
scribes and pharisees_, than woe unto you wise men, whereas he seems
chiefly delighted with children, women, and illiterate fishermen.
We may farther take notice, that among all the several kinds of brute
creatures he shews greatest liking to such as are farthest distant from
the subtlety of the fox. Thus in his progress to Jerusalem he chose to
ride sitting upon an ass, though, if he pleased, he might have mounted
the back of a lion with more of state, and as little of danger. The Holy
Spirit chose rather likewise to descend from heaven in the shape of a
simple gall-less dove, than that of an eagle, kite, or other more lofty
fowl.
Thus all along in the holy scriptures there are frequent metaphors and
similitudes of the most inoffensive creatures, such as stags, hinds,
lambs, and the like. Nay, those blessed souls that in the day of
judgment are to be placed at our Saviour's right hand are called sheep,
which are the most senseless and stupid of all cattle, as is evidenced
by Aristotle's Greek proverb, a sheepishness of temper, a dull,
blockish, sleepy, unmanly humour. Yet of such a flock Christ is not
ashamed to profess himself the shepherd. Nay, he would not only have all
his proselytes termed sheep, but even he himself would be called a lamb;
as when John the Baptist seeth Jesus coming unto him, he saith, _Behold
the Lamb of God_; which same title is very often given to our Saviour in
the apocalypse.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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