GREAT VOWS AND SMALL PERFORMANCE
Illustration★★★★It is storied of a merchant that in a great storm at sea he vowed to Jupiter if he would save him and his vessel, to give him a heca- tomb. The storm ceaseth, and he bethinks that a hecatomb was unreasonable; he resolves on seven oxen. Another tempest comes, and now he vows again the seven at least. Delivered then also, he thought that seven were too many, and one ox would serve the turn.
Yet another peril comes, and now he vows solemnly to fall no lower; if he might be rescued, an ox Jupiter shall have. Again freed, the ox sticks in his stomach, and he would fain draw his devotion to a lower rate; a sheep was sufficient. But at last being set ashore, he thought a sheep too much, and purposeth to carry to the altar only a few dates.
But by the way he eats up the dates, and lays on the altar only a few shells. After this rate do many perform their vows.
They promise whole hecatombs in sickness, but they reduce them lower and lower still as they grow well (Ps. lxvi. 13).
The point
A merchant repeatedly vows to Jupiter ever-smaller offerings as storms pass and comfort returns—illustrating how humans bargain with God in crisis then renege when danger passes.