singular vertues yet if he leaue neuer so little a place discouered vnarmed wherat a man of an euil dispositioÌ„ may let fly from the bow of a wicked intention the enuenomed wounding arrow of his vile speaking tongue he will offend him to the death Of which kind of men Dauid sayd Exacuerunt vt gladium linguas suas intenderunt arcum rem amaram vt sagittent in occuliis immaculatum They haue whet their tongue like a sword and shot for their arrowes bitter words to shoot at the vpright in secret they shoot at him suddenly feare not Yet many times it comes to passe that they which vituperiously beÌ„d the bowe of their lying tongue and against the innocent doe come to the like themselues as they purposed against others and the venemous arrowe of infamy rebounds back at their own breasts Hence grewe the Prouerbe that a lye hath but short legs and hereupon the woorthye Prophet sayde in the fore-recited Psalme Sagittae paruulorum factae sunt plagae eorum infirmatae sunt contra eos linguae eorum They shall cause theyr owne tongue to fall vppon them and whosoeuer shall see them shall flye away Lodouico A most cleere example of what you haue sayd wee reade in the booke of Chronicles where is shewen that the most proude king Senacherib seeking to become Lorde of all Ezechias kingdomes and to terrifie the people sent certaine Embassadors to them who in his name spake such impertinent speeches and so full of pride against the omnipotent God of Israell as I beleeue the like are not to be read in all the holy Scriptures Therein they exalted so highly his strength blaspheming the power of the almightfull God as they did not stick to affirme that God had not the ability to deliuer them out of the Assyrians hands Si enim nullus potuit Deus cunctarum gentium at que regionum liberare populum suum de manu mea de manu patrum meorum consequenter nec Deus vester poterit eruere vos de hac manumea Sed alia multa locuti sunt serui eius contra Dominum Deum contra Ezechiam seruum eius Epistolas quoque scripsit plenas blasphemiae in Dominum Deum Israel loquutus est aduersus eum For none of all the Gods of any nation or kingdome was able to deliuer his people out of my hand and out of the hand of my fathers how much lesse shall your God deliuer you out of my hand And his seruants spake yet more against the Lord God and against his seruant Ezechias He wroté also letters blaspheming the Lord God of Israell and speaking against him For which God as a iust rewarder without Senacheribs becomming Lord of any one citie or sleying any person sent an Angell and so smote the very nerue of Senacheribs armie that as saith the Prophet Esay in whose time this slaughter was made Egressus est autem Augelus Domini percussit in castris Assyriorum centum octoginta quinque millia The Angell of the Lorde went out and smote in the campe of Ashur an hundred fourescore and fiue thousand But that which rendereth more admiration is that Senacherib returning in an infamous flight to Niniuie and beeing sacrificing in the temple of his Idoll Nesroch his owne sonnes Adramelech and Sarasar there murdered him All this befell him not for what hee did in act but because his tongue talked so blasphemously If hee had fought with his power and kept silent his infamous tongue perhaps his punishment had not bin so seuere or his successe against the people of Israell had bin better as it fell out with many other Infâ—rmata est contrae eum lingua eius By his thngue he lost so mighty an armie which by silence hee might perhappes haue defended with his hands The young Amalekite who with the tydings of king Sauls death brought the Crowne and bracelet to Dauid confessing how willingly and in meere pittie he had slayne Saul who had before faâ—ne vpon his owne sword the armie of the enemy comming so fast vpon him was iudged worthie of death by royall Dauid not so much for what he had done as in regard of the words he spake Sanguis tuus super caput tuum Os enim tuum loqutum est aduersum te dicens Ego interfeci Christum Domini Thy blood be vpon thine owne head for thine owne mouth hath testified against thee saying I haue slaine the Lords annointed As if Dauid would haue sayd If thou do suffer the death which already thou hast bestowed vpon an other doe not complaine of mee who as a Iudge commaunds death to be giuen thee But exclaime vpon thy selfe that with thy sworde hast slaine the king of Israell whose very garment thou oughtest not to haue touched And since with thy tongue thou makest vaunte of thy homicide therfore thou hast condemned thy selfe to death Infirmata est contra eum lingua eius with thy sword thou slewest Saul and with thy liberall tongue thy selfe Claudio Let vs therfore set a watch before our mouth and let vs haue a great care of our ouer-slippery tongue for feare of incurring the like misaduenture for to a generous spirit somtimes a bad word is much more iniurious then a wound receiued by a Launce Finis Cap. 6. The Argument Declaring that to keepe our selues idle wandering in our talking it behooueth that our speeche should haue fiue conditions or qualities which the tongue it selfe hath namely sweete Rose coloured sharpe flexible and close couched which are approoued by many authorities of Scripture as also witty saying of the Philosophers and naturall examples Chap. 7. LODOVICO If Senacherib the young Amalekite and all such as haue endured like punishment wold haue set a sure guarde vppon theyr tongue without doubt they had deliuered their soules from many anguishes whereinto else they had never falne Qui custodit os suum linguam suam Custodit ab angustus aniuam suam He that keepeth his toÌ„gue and his mouth keepeth his soule from anguishes sayth the wiseman Plutarch telles vs That the Lydians as well sentenced them with death that by their tongues robd men of their good fame as him that tooke away the life of any Citizen holding the guilt of infamie to be as great as the abhorred act of murder for to lay hand to the weapon vniustly is euen as much as to breed an vniust quarrel with the toÌ„gue Therefore that our discoursing may bee free from all such blamefull note it ought to haue fiue properties which the tongue it selfe hath The tongue is soft and delicate sweete and Rose coloured sharpe in forme of a Launce flexible and voluble close kept walking but in a little roome In like manner our talk ought to be soft by benignity Rose coloured as sweetned by honesty sharpned by seuerity pleasing by sagacity close kept by
Dauid that hee had slaine king Saul as hoping to haue gotten thereby a great reward because Saul was a most heauie enemy to Dauid But albeit hee was cleerelye innocent of the fact yet notwithstanding hee bare the penaltye of a murderer onelie by belying him selfe and accusing him selfe of a deede which hee neuer thought to doe Whereupon Dauid sayd to him Sanguis tuus super caput tuum Os enim tuum loquutum est aduersum te dicens Ego interfeci Christum Domini Thy bloud be vpon thine owne head for thine own mouth hath testifyed against thee saying I haue slaine the Lordes annointed I say againe that the want of speech is the occasion of much quiet because it is no meane labour to speake well to make answere in due time and to apt purpose to talke gratiously and to giue proportionable gesture to our words to adorne our sayings with comelinesse to deliuer sentences with sweetnes to accompany our speeches with the bodies seemely behauiour sometimes speaking lowde sometimes lowe now sweetlie then more sharplie But this you will say is the labour onely belonging to an Oratour Yet let me tell you that the want of speech in consideration of the many harmes whereinto a man falles by the tongue onely is the chiefe way to much quietnesse and the meanes to preuent innumerable euils Diuers haue desired that they could neuer haue spoken but neuer attained to such a happinesse If Cicero the father of Latine eloquence and Demosthenes the splendour of the Greeke tongue had euer been dumbe both the one and other had longer liued and death had been more sufferable to them and much lesse grieuous Claudio Questionlesse whosoeuer considereth our humane frailcie and how procliue a man is to faile in his speaking will allowe dumbenesse to be farre better then speeche He that hath lost the vse of speech hath also lost the arte of lying the consuetude of deceiuing the instrument of enmitie the organe of quarrelling the sower of slaunders and the broacher of blasphemies Many more are they that by their wordes haue become infamous then by their deedes for there is no part of our body more ready to doe harme and harder to bridle then the tongue of man is Therefore they that know them selues apt to faile thereby and consequently to fall into the vices whereon wee haue so long discoursed me thinkes should rather wish them selues to be dumbe then to couet the engine of their owne vnhappines Lodouico It is very true in regard it is a great treasure to be poore in euill Whereupon we may say and very truely that such as are borne without the vnhappy tongue are borne to be rich and they that haue such a wicked kinde of tongue doe loose for euer the eternall riches Thus by a new way may wee become wealthy loosing by finding and finding by loosing because there is no worse thing then to haue an euill tongue Euen so by consequence there is nothing better then in hauing it to remaine as depriued thereof seeing he that gets much that way looseth much more an other way And the tongue is as a fire which consumeth any thing Labia eius repleta sunt indignatione lingua eius quasi ignis deuorans Claudio But what shall we say if the tongue be not good that many yet haue been found to be of innocent tongues euermore praising therewith their Creator If then to loose an euill tongue is to get great riches to loose a good tongue is to loose greater riches Lodouico Hee that hath lost his tongue hath not lost his heart He remaines onely depriued of that member wherewith hee could appeare pleasing but to men but is not robbed of his heart wherewith he pleaseth God onely Being then not secured by that member which wonne him but the bare pleasing opinion of men it is best for him to preserue the heart carefully whereby hee may be thankefull to God to whom though hee cannot speake with his materiall tongue yet may he liberally and freely expresse his whole heart And if the wicked be said to haue the lippes of the heart how chaunceth it that the iust haue them not also Of the wicked saith Dauid Labia dolosa in corde corde loquuti sunt Flattering with their lippes and speake with a double heart The iust haue the mouth and tongue of the heart wherewith they may freely speake vnto God which made Dauid say of him selfe Non est occultatum os meum à te quod fecisti in occulto My bones are not hid from thee though I was made in a secret place Or as if he should say Lord the mouth of my heart which thou hast created for me in the most secret part of my body from thee it is not hidden because thou searchest into the secrets of the heart and hearest the moouing of the lippes of the thoughtes Dominus autem intuetur cor Praise then the Lord with the tongue of the heart because he is wont to be much more attentiue to that kinde of language then to the other idle talkatiue noise of the voice And in the presence of his omnipotent Maiesty there is no clamour more loude more vehement nor more moouing then that of the heart is because otherwise as we haue already sayd hee onely delighteth in silence This clamour did that Shepheard of his flocke and afterward the guide to numberlesse people Moyses breath foorth when praying in silence with a most earnest spirit his zealous cryes entred the eares of the Almighty which made God himselfe say Quid clamas ad me Wherefore cryest thou vnto me He spake not neither mooued his lippes and yet it is sayd he cryed As we perceiue then that he whom god heares is not dumbe because he speaketh to him with his heart euen so may we say that he who hath lost the tongue of outward crying and of the voyce whereby hee would striue to be vnderstood neyther wantes his materiall tongue nor voyce vocall Moreouer losse of the vse of speech hath been very aduantagious to diuers men because thereby their thoughtes haue had the more gentle freedome Which made King Dauid say that it behooued to set a good watch before the tongue Pone Domine custodiam orimeo ostium circumstantiae labits meis Set a watch O Lord before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lippes Dixi custodiam vias meas vt non delinquam in lingua mea I sayd I will take heede to my waies that I sinne not with my tongue Posui ori meo custodiam dum consisteret peccator aduersum me I will keep my mouth bridled while the wicked is in my sight And Salomon his sonne sayd that it behooueth with all diligence possible to keep the heart as that which is the fountaine of life Omni custodia serua cor tuum quoniam ab ipso vita procedit Keep
And in a thousand other places we reade that such are properly called hypocrites which in a lying habite haue seemed to be obseruers of the diuine lawe but a good intention hath altogether bin wanting in them In regard that whatsoeuer they haue doone hath not beene to the honour of God but to be reckoned as Saintes in the eyes of men Wherefore it is sayde that receperunt mercedem suam they haue their reward And these hypocrites haue practised long time to perseuere in such a lying kind of life because their hope and intent is to go masked in sheepes cloathing vntill the very houre of their death Claudio It merits some blame my Lord that you will reduce a name generall for feigners onely to such as may seeme to dissemble well and yet no way be really the same in trueth Because an hypocrite if we shall giue credite to Budeus is euery dissembler that representeth any other condition then he is indeede Heereupon stage players and all kind of Comedians were tearmed hypocrites and the action of Comedians called hypocrisie and dissimulation because themselues were but Apes of mens actions representing diuers other personages in liuely imitation And this to be true we reade it approoued by that greate greeke Father of eloquence who beeing asked what was the first and cheefest parte of an Oratour constantly answered Hypocrisis simulation hypocrisie Being asked againe what was the second parte returned the same answere Hypocrisis and on the thirde demaunde for the thirde parte of an Oratour did alwayes make the selfe same answere For to speake vprightly the principall part of an Oratour is hypocrisie that is imitation to imitate the gesture voyce words and action of som person that the subiect whereof the Orator speakes maketh relation vnto So then euery one that resembles another bodies person is called an hypocrite it is not meant of him onely as you say that shews himself in appearance to be good yet afterward prooues naught whose dissembling happily is not so hard to be noted as it is in the contrary body Beside Christ himself saith A fructibus eorū cognoscetis eos You shall know them by their fruits It may be there are som who are more perseuerāt in a dissembling course of life then others can be the better to compasse gaine in their own greedy desires all is done with a golden tongue which yet may prooue but copper too But let the woolfe be cloathed or shaddowed in a sheeps skin euen as cunningly as he can deuise to be yet in the end some part of his body must needs be discouered so he shal come to be generally known Either by his head that is the beginning of his peruerse actions or by his feet that is his progression in his dissēbling works or by his tayle that is the vttermost end of al he can do Let it suffice then Nemopotest diù fictam ducere personā as likewise the Comical person can not always of himself abide in place to fill the Scene Lodouico I did not deriue this name of hypocrite from his amplenesse or large scope in dissembling but gaue it according to the vse of the world in these our dayes which tearmes them to be hypocrites that do faigne themselues outwardly to be full of great holynesse alwayes praying and seeming euermore to be as it were euen tied or vnited to god himselfe in their ceremonious kind of praying but their harts in soundnesse true effect are very far off both from his most sacred maiesty any good or vertuous action Transfiguring themselues like their father into Angels of light albeit inwardly they are such saints as seeming to haue the lips of the Cherubines that cease not continually to praise the Lord do containe yet within them such diuels harts as neuer make an end of blaspheming god Of whom we may wel say that sentence of the royal Prophet Dauid Et dilexerūt eum in ore suo lingua sua mentiti sunt ei Cor autem eorum nō erat cum eo nec fideles habiti sunt in testamento eius They flattered him with their mouth dissembled with him with their tōgue For their hart was not vpright with him neither were they faithfull in his couenaunt Now if you will haue it that stage-players shall be sayd to be hypocrites we may then with as much reason say that such behauior as comes from those Comedians doth best bewray the nature of hypocrisie For many times may be easily seene that one of bad or base cōdition one of the very meanest among the people taks on him the shape or Idea of a person royal in very rich costly habilimēts with graue gesture witty speeches kingly cariage so that euery simple vnwary eye is pleasingly deceiued in him Yet at the length when his counterfeited garments are cast off he returned into his owne proper apparell then his true nature and quality is discerned Euen so the hypocrite making a protestation of holy speeches such as may seem pleasing outwardly in the eye of heauen afterward when his lying dissembled cloake is thrown off then hel takes hold of him and quite bereaues him of heauens happinesse Claudio O tongue thou accursed deceiuer twofold or double like to the best most esteemed Greyhoundes or hunting dogs whose tongue is so apt pliable as very easily it is euery way turned double And who can tel but that this might be the meaning of the prophet Dauid whē he said Lingua canum tuorū ex inimicis ab ipso The tongue of thy dogs in the bloud of the enemies These men are at one instant both in heauen on earth for their vnclean lips in praising of god do appear to seek nothing but his diuine glory but in true effect they go licking like the wandring Bee among al the fraile flowrs of worldly glory which in one moment vanish suddenly away Wherupon Iob that great Prince of the East said Gaudium hypocritae ad instar pūcti The ioy of hypocrites is but a momēt Therfore said Dauid posuerūt in coelum os suum lingua eorū trāsiuit in terra They set their mouth against heauē and their tongue walketh through the earth To haue the tongue in or aloft toward heauen is nothing else but to talk ouer liberally of heauēly things wheron grew the old Adage Noli ponere os in coelū as much to say as with vncleane lips let no man talke of heauēly matters And the tongues extention vpon earth may happely be taken in this kind by ouer great affection to the things of this world And as the Bee couets hony euen so do double tongu'd hypocrites speak with their dissembling mouthes of celestiall happinesse but their desires stretch wholly to worldly glories Lodouico Let vs then say of these trewantly tongues that they are like
coard about his neck and other such like penalties were inflicted on him onely to make this sin most odious to the people The imperiall lawe of Iustinian the most Christian Emperour commaunded that the blasphemers head should bee smitten off Among the very Paganes also there was a terrible lawe as wee may reade in the third Chapter of Daniel where it is shewen That Nebuchadnezzer hauing seene the great marueyles of God in the three children put into the fiery Ouen commaunded that whosoeuer did blaspheme that God should be slayne his house ouerturned and raced from the foundation A me ergo positum est hoc decretum vt omnis populus tribus lingua quaecunque loquuta fuerit blasphemiam contra Deum Sidrach Misach Abednago dispereat domus eius vastetur Therefore I make a decree that euery people nation and language which speake any blasphemy against the God of Sidrach Misach and Abednago shall be drawn in pieces their houses ruined And Mahomet himselfe who was drawne by the diuell to seduce so many soules commaunded that his body to be deuided and cut in quarters that shold blaspheme God Christ or the blessed virgine If all lawes haue condemned the blasphemer not only among beleeuers but euen among the very Infidelles themselues it may then easily appear what an abhominable and detestable sin it is and that it were much better to bee without a tongue then thereby to offend so highly our creatour redeemer and glorifier Muta fiant labia dolosa Finis Chap. 19. The Argument Approouing that it is better to haue no tongue at all and to be silent eternally then to fall into any of the before remembred vices What benefit ensueth by the priuation of speeche of which although we should haue no vse at all yet we are not voyde of the speeche of the mind which is much more excellent and sooner listened vnto by god himselfe then to the carelesse and idle babbling of the lippes He that wanteth speeche is disburdened of a heauy loade and may the easier preserue himselfe from many heauy charges because by the tongue of the body we please men onely but by the tongue of the hart we become pleasing to God Euery man hath two lippes but the iust man hath his vpper lip much greater then the nether Contrarywise the wicked man hath his nether lip so great as therewith he couereth his whole face and all the strength of bad men consisteth in their lips which is approoued by a short yet sweet discourse and afterward pleasingly concluded on the befalf of silence approouing it to be much more allowable then speeche Chap. 20. LODOVICO Pursuing this case of the blasphemer we may without any doubt at all ad to the rest which is gon before that in regard the opposeth himselfe immediatly against his Creator thereby he coueteth no lesse but would enforce as much as in him lieth that he neither is or shold be iust good omnipotēt wise and merciful And he that desireth or seeketh after these things would willingly haue God not to be God In like manner when he wold haue him to be voide of eies wherby he beholdes his sinnes and discouers his deceiptfull deuises he wisheth him also to be as empty of power whereby to punish him or to censure him with paines of condemnation And faine he wold haue such a potency to remaine within him selfe whereby he might as easily afflict his creator as hee dares venture with his deuilish tongue to blaspheme and abuse him This is a denying of the diuinity in God with a meere hellish deuillish presumption a sinne so immane and monstrous as much better were it not to haue a heart to thinke it or a tongue to vtter it A sinne so horryble that the Iewes by nature obstinate and addicted to many vices would yet stop their eares from hearing it rent their very garments in peeces in signe that it did split their very hearts in sunder when any such blasphemy was deliuered as we may read in the Actes of the Apostles in the Gospels and in many other places of the holy Scripture Who can heare a worse or viler thing then blasphemy is Will yee listen what Saint Bernard saith thereof in his Canticle of the Septuagesi Serm. 2 Vult ergo non esse Deum qui quantum in ipso est aut vult eum impotentem aut iniustum aut insipientem esse vult Crudelis planè omnino extrema malitia quae Dei potentiam iustitiam sapientiam perire desiderat Qui autem vult Deum esse iniustum vult non esse Deum qui desiderat Deum non esse nonne quantum in se est Deum occidit Claudio I could wish such a one not onely to bee depriued of his tongue wherewith he hath so blasphemed the diuine goodnes of God but rather then to offend in any of the before named vices that he had no life at all in him euen any one whatsoeuer that shold be so displeasing to his heauenly maker Many times it happeneth that sickenesse is much more auaileable then health not onely because vnthankefull man scarsely knows a benefit giuen him by God till first he haue endured the losse therof but in regard also that infirmitie and debilitie in our naturall forces doth beget and bring foorth the surer health of the soule Such a hurt is worthily to be wished for that shewes it selfe to bee a remedie to a farre greater inconuenience and is a secure escape from harme of higher qualitie But this being vtterly vnknowen in our selues we cannot deuise how to helpe it and wee being ouerslouthfull in seeking redresse doe thereby grow to a more daungerous weakenesse of the minde which taking away the light of the soule becomes a prouder nourishment to the flesh Much better then doe I reckon the infirmitie of the body that engenders the soules health then the health of that which weakens and makes the soule to be sicke Wee often times doe foolishly conceipt in our selues that by recouerie of health after some long sicknesse wee are quite set free and escaped from death But euen then doe wee run with the greatest haste of all toward him and are euen neerest to death when we imagine him to bee furthest off The depriuation of speech nay death it selfe is farre better then long time of life and offending our heauenly creator by those meanes which were made for his laude and magnifying Lodouico Priuation or lacke of speech begetteth the security and quiet of the minde Many meere innocents of thier hands haue yet beene condemned by their tongues because they haue fondly taken great pleasure in appearing before men to haue done such things as they neuer did nor perhaps euer could do and so haue made them selues guiltie by their tongues of that which their hands neuer performed As in the like case it happened to the young Amalekite who vaunted before
soules it is not necessary therfore that he who comes to reprehend should enter our soules house making there a curious enquiry and search after other mens transgressions to compasse occasion of imperious reproouing For Christ giues no such commandement but rather aduiseth vs to staye without doors that is not to charge our neighbours weak consciences with other mens infirmities but if we happen to see our brother sin to correct him charitably so signifieth this conditionall Si If. Lodouico If we our selues are stained with the selfe same transgressions ought we then to imploy our officious tongues in administring correction How can a foule hand make the face cleane except it self be first washed Otherwise the delinquent may vse the wordes of Christ vnto vs Quid vides festucam in oculo fratris tui trabem in oculo tuo non vides Why seest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye and perceiuest not the beame that is in thine owne eye Or else this other Medice curate ipsum Physitian heale thy selfe For it appeareth that by our correction we may couer our owne proper vices which is no way conuenable in a Christian Claudio In such a case sayth Father Augustin We ought rather to condole and weep with him then come to correct and controâ—le him mutually wishing one another to repentance especially if the sin be publique For it will be a scandale to many for him to be a reproouer that in himselfe deserueth reproouing beside it is a sin of very great pride Lodouico If the delinquents sinne be publique ought the correction notwithstanding to be priuate This breedes in mee a doubt of Christes wordes who onely sayth Si peccauerit in te If he sinne against thee whether any other should be present or no Claudio If the sin be publique the correction should be publique also sayth the Apostle Peccantos coram omnibus argue vt caeteri timorem habeant Them that sinne rebuke openly that the rest also may feare VVe ought therefore to consider well how our brother hath sinned and not blindly go to reprehension till first we be certain of the sin for preuention of others infamy scandall Si peccauerit sayth Christ therefore looke well before and saye nothing Else in saying I thought he had sinned it may fall out as it did to vnaduised Lamech who going on hunting and seeing he knew not what to stir among the leaues imagining it had bin some wild beast there hidden drew his bow and losing his arrow when he supposed he had slaine a saluage beast he found he had slaine his father Caine. VVhereupon repenting himselfe for this ill shot arrowe he sayd to his wiues Adah and Zillah Audite vocem mâ—am vxores Lamech auscultate sermonem meum quoniam occidi virum in vulnus meum adolescentulum in liuore meo Heare my voyce you wiues of Lamech for I would slay a man in my wound and a yoâ—ng man in mine hurt Lodouico If the sin be secret but against a community or a whole State a good mind in me is not enough for reprehension of the offender neither auayleth hope by any respects to drawe him to amendment what correction then should such a one haue Claudio Beeing assured of no fruitefull successe as in this case it cannot bee you ought more to respect the weale publique then a priuate mans condition And in matter of faith not onely the meanest ought in humilitye to reprehende the mightier but in such a case an equall estimate shoulde bee in correction we beeing all Christians and all bound together for defence of the faith As Saint Paule reprooued Saint Peeter being aboue him in regard of the scandall which might arise Reprehendi eum quia reprehensibilis erat He withstoode him to his face for he was to be blamed Therefore sayth the greate doctour of the Church Whensoeuer the daunger of the faith is discerned wee ought to withstand it euen to life it selfe Corripe eum VVe find two seuerall kinds of correction one is the acte of iustice as when the Iudge sentenceth the guiltie and this only beloÌ„geth to theÌ„ in gouernmeÌ„t vpon whose shoulders lies the weight of iustice The other is the act of charity and particularly belongeth to euery man Therfore they which professe religion and yet vsurpe vpon these words they presume on that which appertaineth to the Iudge onely and in stead of their tongue doo strike with a sword Corripe eum inter te ipsum solum Tell him his fault betweene thee and him alone Not like vnto such as set vp writings infamous libels and Pasquilling slanders on publique poasts Corripe eum inter te ipsum solum And not in company of brauers swaggerers sworders and lawlesse quarrellers as seeking that way to please thy mind He sayth Corripe not Occide correct not kill tell him not defame him as now it is become the practise of the world Corripe eum not seeke reuenge because such correction belongeth to God onely VVe are the sonnes of God by adoption therefore let vs doo like vnto a childe when he is any way iniuried first runnes and telles his Father the wrong doone vnto him And the fatheâ— sayth to comfort him Peace my Sonne I will be thy reuenger So when any one hath offended vs let vs freely pardon him neuer mooue a hand to wreake our wrong it is enough for vs that our heauenly father knowes our iniury he will be our iust auenger Mihi vindicta ego retribuam â—is in tempore vengeance is mine and in time I wil repay it No sooner had Cain committed his murder but immediatly God said vox sanguinis fratris tui clamat ad me de terra The voyce of thy brothers bloud crieth vnto me from the earth implying therby that he would be his reuenger Scarsely had Myriam ended her murmuring against her brother Moyses but suddenly the Lorde strooke her with a leaprosie And you my Lord know much better then I how much christ desended Mary Magdalen against Iudas murmuring at the Pharisies supper Also of her sister Martha who lamented that Magdalen would not helpe her in her businesse But what was Christs answer Martha Martha sollicita es turbaris erga plurima Maria optimam partem elegit c. Martha Martha thou carest and art troubled about many things Mary hath chosen the good part So was Iob defended by God against the iniury of his three friends Susanna from the old luxurious Iudges and Dauid from the iniuries of Saul All that we ought to do is to pray vnto the Lord to giue vs patience and to illuminate the vnderstanding of our enemy to the end he may haue knowledge of his error in this kind also ought we brotherly to correct him Corripe eum Lodouico Ought we to
the Scarabe Flye that breedes in foule dung or putrified carion AllusioÌ„ of the detractour murmurer to that foule Flye The Pharises that murmured against Christ Luk. 15. 2. Comparisons how the Pharises murmuâ—ed Sentence Example of Solomon Prouerb 14. 19. Prouerb 21. 4. A question demanded how it can be sayd that whatsoeuer the wicked maÌ„ sees is sin Answere is made by Aristotles learned sentence Example of our vnderstaÌ„dings perfection CoÌ„parison of a Garden of Orenge trees ComparisoÌ„ by the art of engrafting or planting How the wise mans proposition is to be vnderstood The heretiques abusing of the sacred Scriptures the godly maÌ„s good vse of theÌ„ ComparisoÌ„ of the vine and the Hemlock the Bee and the Spider their allusion Example of Plistoanax sonne to Pausanias A Simile worth the obseruation AllusioÌ„ to the murmurer detractour ComparisoÌ„ of the Rauen alluded to the detractour ComparisoÌ„ of a Butchers dogge with the allusion CoÌ„parison of dogs that bark at the moone the allusion therof Example of Apelles drawing the picture of king Antigonus The painters witty answer aptly applyed Prouerb 17. 11. The cruell messenger sent by god against the murmurer Example of Zoilus Zoilus tearmed the Father of detractours Socrates his answere of one that spake euil of him Seneca writing on the same occasioÌ„ When men of good conuersation doo speake hardly of a man it is more to be weighed then coÌ„ming from bad mens mouthes Prouerb 14. 2. ComparisoÌ„ to very good purpose in seueral kindes but iumping al in one period An excellent Similie and wel alluded It is a shame to be praised of an euill tongue Luke 4. 35. Eccl. 15. 9. Seneca concerning the praises of wicked men Antisthenes his greef for a bad mans commendation Example of another Philosopher Seneca his sentence of euill men Cicero to the same purpose S. Peter to the like effect 1. Pet. 3. 13. 14. Dauid his rule for our obseruation Psal 60. 5. Murmurers are compared to diuels in their temptations Diogenes his allowance of enemyes as wel as friends for the trial of good life Prouerb 24. 9. The reason wherefore Salomon cals the detractor abhomination it selfe Prou. 24. 21. 22. ComparisoÌ„ of the Sithe of an vnskilfull mower and the Authors allusion to Salomons wordes Psal 73. 9. Example out of S. Gregorie in the fourth booke of his Dialogues Example of a religious man in lib. Exemp dist 9. Ex. 57. A fearfull exaÌ„ple of Gods iustice to bee well regarded of all detractours What coÌ„panie we ought to make election of Similies and their allusioÌ„s to vertuous men Seuerall ExaÌ„ples wel worth the respecting In seeking other mens health we may foolishlie loose our owne Example of Myriam the Sister of Moyses smitten with a leaprosie Numb 12. 14. Detraction murmuring most infectious Exod. 15. 2. Moses a prince and Aaron the high priest both beloued of God Of few wordes do often arise infinite discords Eccl. 11. 32. Similie the allusion A comparison of difference in doing or committing a harme according to the malicious intent The comparison very singularly alluded to the murmurer and detractor A bad tongue doth somtimes good against his owne will ComparisoÌ„ of the awe the Schoolmistres keepes her Schollers in while she abideth in the schoole Allusion to the former comparison in a very materiall case ComparisoÌ„ of a Riuers ouerflowing his baÌ„ks or bouÌ„ds The coÌ„parison in very apt manner alluded to the incoÌ„siderate maÌ„ Detraction is the cause of forgetfulnesse and makes a man a theefe to himselfe ComparisoÌ„ of a mans voluntary yeelding to his owne robbing in what nature the same is alluded to al the faculties in the detractors body What time the diuel choseth for his entrance into man and how he makes man a theefe to himselfe If there wanted a listner there would be no teltale Two apt comparisons Of the foure mysterious beastes in Ezechiell Ezech. 1. 9. Sentence Some kinde of men that goe backwarde Prouer. 10. 23. The Authors interpretatioÌ„ of the Prophets words and his application of them Psal 50. â—1 The authors conceite of gods speaking to the wicked sinner Psal 31. 19. The lyer and detractor shall be cast into hell Psal 31. 20. Dauids deuout prayer to God Psal 119. 134. Detractours are worse theÌ„ Tirants in oppressioÌ„ of their people approued by comparisons To say and vnsay all is one with the slaunderer Example of Haman Hest 7. 7. Example of Laban Gen. 31. 33. Example of Ioseph Gen. 43. 32. Example of Hely 1. Sam. 1. 13. Example of the Disciples Act. 9. 26. Example of Ieremy Ierem. 37. 13. Example of the Iewes Act. 2. 13. We ought not to be ouer-hasty in speaking iudging God came downe to see the Sodomits in their sinning against him Gen. 18. 20. 21. The readines of some in ouer rash censuring and iudging others Of such as tie their toÌ„gues to their eares Psal 73. 9. The Authors exposition of Dauids sentence Sentence Of staÌ„merers and corrupt speakers signied by the prophet Esay 32. 4. Example of certain bulles in India according to Plinie alluded ComparisoÌ„ of a brokeÌ„ glasse alluded Eccle. 16. 9. A good lesson for meÌ„ to obserue in hearing or reporting speeches of their neighbours DetractioÌ„ offends as wel amans owne selfe as others Among bad men none is more to be shunned then slaunderers Slaunderers are giuen to the world as a plague A great mystery in Gods sending of Frogges to the Aegyptians compared with the offensiue qualities of other creatures Exod. 8. 2. 3. 4. Dauids acknoledgement of this prodigie Psal 105. 30. A custome obserued among noblemen being iniuried by a base person seruing as a comparison to this purpose The same is exampled among brute beasts Petrarchs report of a dogge that scorned to fight with a Lyon God offended with Pharao for withholding his people How odious this plague of Frogges was to the Aegyptians The Plague of detractours backbiters worse then that of Frogges ComparisoÌ„s of the wicked tongue with the Frogges qualities and how they agree in their seuerall natures God only is to deliuer the world of the wicked toÌ„gue Prouer. 16. 1. Example of the prophet Esay how his mouth was purified Esay 6 6. 7. Concerning those Angells sent by God to the worlde how he sends them The cure or recouery of the wicked tongue belongeth only to God himselfe Luk. 11. 14. Mat. 12. 22. Seuerall examples performed by our Sauiour himselfe Mat. 9. 32. 33. Marke 7. 35. Concerning the dumbe man whereof the seueral Euangelists doe make differeÌ„t mention A noate worth the obseruation Psal 13. 18. 19. 1. Cor. 6. 10. what differeÌ„ce is betweene raylers and theeues by coÌ„parison of either The diuersitie of punishmeÌ„t on raylors theeues Of the rauenous foules forbidden in sacrifice Deut. 11. 13. 14. 15. 2. Cor. 10. 11. Detâ—actours called theeues in sacred scripture according to the Septuagint Ezech. 22. 9. One thing to be coÌ„sidered in the standerer Example of rauenous
of Christ the haÌ„dle or holde of this keye Iohn 3. 14. 15. Til Christ suffered on the Crosse heaueÌ„ was continually lockt vp before The signe of heauens preseÌ„t opening Luk. 23 43. Before christs death many sought to enter paradise but could not Esay 64. 2. Esay 16. 1. Gods sending of the key Esay 22. 22. An excellent comparisoÌ„ for proofe of the key How Christ is called the key of Dauid Rom. 1. 3. ComparisoÌ„ of a key that locks the door of an house Psalm 132. 11. 1. The gate of heauen Iohn 3. 13. 2. The gate of terrestriall Paradise Gen. 3. 24. 2. Cor. 10. 11. 3. The gate of heauenly mysteries Acts. 8. 31. 4. The gate of holy scripture 5. The gate of gods maruels Psal 28. 5. 6. The gate of the Prophets mouths Ierem. 1. 6. Psal 51. 15. Luke 1. 20. 7. The gate of the Tabernacle Exod. 40. 2. How all these gates opened at the coÌ„ming of Christ 1. The temple Math. 27. 51. 2. The Prophets mouths Luke 1. 64. 3. The scriptures Luke 24. 45. 4. Christs side Iohn 19. 34. 5. The Graues Math. 27. 52. 6. Their eyes Luk. 24. 31. 7. Heauen opened 8. Of men and women the mouthes opened 9. The virgin Mary Luke 1. 40. Luke 2. 15. 10. The sheepheards 11. The wise men Mat. 2. 2. 12. The Apostles Acts. 2. 4. The general benefit receiued by this key The greatnes of this key Psal 129. 3. Concerning the cariage of this key by meÌ„ now a dayes Of pocketprofessors fearefull cowards Luke 21. 14. Psal 38. 13. Psal 51. 15. Psal 81. 10. Psal 119. 131. Dauids reioycing for this key Psalm 40. 3. Concerning words put into the mouth CoÌ„parison of a Master speaking to his Schollers very aptly alluded Psal 144. 7. Luke 21. 14. 15 Caietanus his interpretatioÌ„ of Dilata os tuum Psal 51. 1. The implication of Dauids words by the Author concerning what our requestes ought be to God The same fâ—ormand order to be obserued by vs in our petitions Example of Perillus request made to Alexander The example alluded An excellent collect or praier obserued by the Church for our instructioÌ„ Cleansing of our harts purifying of our minds sanctifying of our words Psal 51. 16. Without gods assistance all our prayers are friuolous ComparisoÌ„ of the sounding Organe and application thereof Cant. 2. 14. Of the iust man Eccle. 15. 5. 6. He must desire that would obtain Sentence The duety of giuers and receiuers in giuing and receiuing How christ opened his mouth Mat. 5. 2. Acts. 10 34. 2. Cor. 6. 11. Act. 8. 35. Aâ—t 2. 4. Christ opened his mouth to teach the Apostles to learne Math. 5. 2. Act. 2 4. Iohn 20. 22. Example of fish shelles found on the Sea shoares applyed to the iust man He whom god filles with his spirit must first be emptied of his own Psal 104. 29 30. The Authors applying of the words Ephe. 4. 24. Of the iust man he being filled with the holy spirit Psal 45. 2. A glasse ful of water compared to the iust man in doing good to others Arist in Prob. 27. part 5. Of the nature of the winde Of the holy ghost Act. 2. 2. Cant. 4. 16. Luk. 1. 35. How the word shadowing is expounded by the Doctours An excellent saying of S. Iohn Chrysostome Esay 60. 8. Mantuan The Apostle Peters first Sermon Act. 2. 41. Wisedome is required in an Orator according to Tully Iobs discourse concerning wisedome Iob. 28. 28. Psal 111. 10 The Peripatecians deAristo in lib. Eth. 6. Cap. 6. Metap lib. 1. Cap. 5. The Stoickes definition of wisedome Seneca de tranqu anim The diuines concerning wisedome The innocent man neerest to God Of him that partaketh not with the spirit of wisedome Psal 9. 7. 8. Prouer. 30. 14. The wicked tongue compared to a sword Psal 57. 4. The Authors application by the interpretation of Caietanus How the wicked tongue coÌ„mits deadly sinne in seuerall manner wel worth the consideration The common behauiour of too many now adaies The trickes of knauish Critticks on Stages or else where Hypocriticall seekers of conformity Trencher flyes parasiticall table talkers Not so many letters in the Alphabet as abuses in the tongue A very good aduise S. Ieromes counsell for ordering of our words How great our imbecility and weaknes is without gods assistaÌ„ce We are not able to thinke one good thought 2. Cor. 3. 5. God first speaking to our harts our speaking will be the better Math. 10. 20. Ose 2. 14. The application of the Prophets words by the Author to exceeding good purpose The holy Angels inspiring our soules Esay 60. 14. CoÌ„parison of the preachers words to his auditory Gods great fauour in speaking to the heart Our duety of assisting one an other by the tongues office Iere. 15. 1â— The Authours application of Ieremies words Of the help of our neighbor the reasons binding vs therto Example of two trauailers together on the way The example alluded to our neighbour Many vertuous actions may be done by the tongue The helpe the insensible creatures doe yeeld to one another The giftes of god bestowed on man We ought to call for others ayde if our own be not sufficient for our neighbor Man erreth beyond all other comparison Sentence Other creatures are not composed as man is Example of heauy and light things Aristotle concerning brute beastes The wil is the handmaid of vnderstaÌ„ding The fantasie of man is indeterminate Roman 1. 20. The reason of our affecting the world more then heauen The wil of the Angells Psal 14. 2. 3. Man is coÌ„posed of two coÌ„trary natures God gaue Adam originall iustice c. To Adam being falne god gaue the lawe natural c. The written lawe The law Euangelicall Of brotherly correction Math. 18. 15. What good may be don by charitable correcting of our brother How holding our peace is a great offence Esa 6. 5. The cause why Esay coÌ„plained of holding his peace The iustice of God vpon the king that would needs goe beyond his regal authority The Authors implication Esay 6. 5. A lesson for such as little regard what is committed to their charge S. Greg. in Pasto Example of Mice for theyr safety among their enemies The allusioÌ„ to all the correctioÌ„ of greate meÌ„ How repreheÌ„sion is to bee deliuered 1. Tim. 5. 2. The answere of Antisthenes for the rebuking of princes Example of King Saule possessed A lesson for bould presumers with princes There is a time apte for all things Eccl. 3. 1. 7. How somtime by speaking we holde our peace How we breake sileÌ„ce in holding our peace and yet in talking are silent Of negatiue precepts Of affirmatiue precepts Of precepts consisting of both natures Of restitutioÌ„ The precepte of brother lie correction Math. 18. 15. 16. 17. How it is taught vs by Christ himselfe Three things things to be obserued 1 The place for speaking 2 The time for speaking Of time vnbefitting Example of Noahs seauen dayes wayting for the doues returnes Gen. 8. 11. The Authors morall application of this example Psal 69. 1. The forme of vse for this application The secoÌ„d obseruation for brotherly correction 3. The maÌ„ner Example of Dauids dispossessing Saule Example of Eliseus sending Gehezie to the widdowes son How we should reuiue our brother from sinne Luk. 23. 22. Our immitation of Elizeus Gal. 6. 1. The Authors commendatioÌ„ of this course ComparisoÌ„ of blowing the fire alluded to our brothers nature ComparisoÌ„ of a sick mans feeding The applicatioÌ„ of the coÌ„parison Psalm 107. 18. The administering of brotherly correction The Authors institution for the maner of correcting The allegatioÌ„ on Gods behalfe The maner concerning our selues 2. Kings 4. 34. ReprehensioÌ„s compared to Physical pilles ComparisoÌ„ of the Ague The application ComparisoÌ„ of the Physition ComparisoÌ„ of huntsmen in their seuerall pastimes ObseruatioÌ„ for a differeÌ„ce to be made in persons Example of the Patriarkâ— Ioseph Gen 45. 24. The Authors allusion ApplicatioÌ„ to our selues Psal 73. 22. The way of this world The conditional word If. ExaÌ„ple out of tâ—e old lawe Deul 24. 10 11. The example applied A seÌ„teÌ„tious demaunde Mat 7. 3. Luke 4 23. The words of Father Augustine He ought not reprooue that deserues reproofe Publique of â—ending must haue publique reproof 1. Tim. 5. 20. Example of Lamech Gen. 4. 23. Of secret sin but against a community In matter of faith Galat. 2. 11. Thom. Aquin. Sum. Cap. 20. Two kindes of correction 1. The act of Iustice 2. The act of charity Between him thee alone Correct not kill Example of children offended ApplicatioÌ„ to our selues Roman 12. 19. Example of Cain Gen. 4. 10. Example of Myriam to Moyses Example of Mary Magdalen and of Martha Christs answer Luke 10. 14. 15. Iob. Susanna Dauid Our own duty Al sins are not alike in quality The correctioÌ„ of deadly sins Of sins of lesse quality The words of Cirillus Alexandrinus Consideration of our own faults Esay 38. 12. ComparisoÌ„ of sounding a Trumpet applyed to preaching Of the number of reprehensions Math. 18. 22. A finite number put by an infinite Seauenty times seauen times according to Saint Ierome According to S. Augustine The writing of seauenty seauen by figures alluded to the workes of mercy A second coÌ„ceipt on the figures by the senses A third proof of the figures by the seauen deadly sinnes and seauen ages of man A third proof by the giftes of the holy ghost the vertues S. Origen vpon S. Mathew Math. 18. 17. The coÌ„mand of Christ for our neighbors good Cant. 2. 9. Comparison of an Army encamped The first Sentinell The second Sentinell The whole corps du gard