Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	incline_v	law_n	mercy_n	16,911	5	10.2109	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19072	Politique discourses upon trueth and lying An instruction to princes to keepe their faith and promise: containing the summe of Christian and morall philosophie, and the duetie of a good man in sundrie politique discourses vpon the trueth and lying. First composed by Sir Martyn Cognet ... Newly translated out of French into English, by Sir Edward Hoby, Knight.; Instruction aux princes pour garder la foy promise. English	Coignet, Matthieu, sieur de La Thuillerie, 1514-1586.; Hoby, Edward, Sir, 1560-1617.	1586 (1586)	STC 5486; ESTC S108450	244,085	262

vs hauing beene hitherto verie yl considered of the Spaniardes who for hauing exercised all their crueltie and inhumanitie which they were able to imagine against the poore Indians for the most part haue ended their liues most miserably as such as haue entreated of this historie more at large declare and that the same Spaniards counterfaiting as though they would instruct them in the trueth thorough their wicked life and excesse haue most estranged them from it and of a most populous countrie made a most horrible desert This trueth is called a vertue because they that vse to tel the trueth doe loue it and shee hath such a force that wheresoeuer shee is seene shee causeth her selfe to be the rather desired and loued Now since that our Creator of his pure grace performeth all the promises which he hath made vnto vs in the trueth whereof consisteth our assurance and saluation wee likewise ought to make good whatsoeuer in our christian professiō we haue promised to him seruing for nought els then our owne good quiet and happinesse And leauing all togither the Philosophers dalyings touching the true marke and knowledge of the trueth nor respecting their opinions who haue doubted of all things and helde for certaine that no man knew ought seeing how senselesse they were we wil wholie cleaue to common sense the onely meane betweene the senses and vnderstanding and will thinke that reasonable which we haue seene heard tasted and felt and so haue recourse to ech one in his science as Lawyers and others yeeld to Phisitions in their arte and runne to Astrologians when they woulde vnderstande by what meanes the Sunne is one hundred threescore sixe times greater than the earth and sixe thousande fiue hundred and fiue and fourtie times greater than the Moone albeit there be no appearance thereof at all And wil wholly followe the rules and maximes of Diuines who thorough the verie worde of God declare his will infallible trueth And herein it behoueth vs to shunne two faults which S. Augustine doeth thinke greatly hindereth the knowledge of the trueth to wit desperation presumption But most especially to haue a great desire to knowe it as a treasor and true science according to the exhortation of Salomon And humby beseeche at Gods handes that wee may learne and vnderstande it and let vs bende our selues thereto by readinge of good bookes and frequenting of Sermons and honest companie not imagininge wee see more then in deede wee doe see following the lesson of our Sauiour to the Scribes and Pharisees in the ninth of Saint Iohn and in the Chapter going before where he sayde to his disciples If you continue in my worde you verilie are my disciples and shall knowe the trueth So must wee heare the worde of God as beleeuing it and perseuering therein For thorough faith is our entrance thereto In this respect spake Saint Peter in the name of the whole in the sixth of Saint Iohn Master to whome shall wee goe thou hast the wordes of eternall life And wee beleeue and knowe that thou art the Christe the sonne of the liuinge God Saint Augustine likewise is of opinion that mans minde giuen to vice cannot be capable of the trueth Some haue writen that Saint Peter sayde that God did not couer nor hyde the trueth vnder a mountaine to the ende that none but such as toyled farre for her might finde her But as with the heauens he hath enuironed the earth and the hilles so hath he couered the trueth with the vayle of his charitie whereby whosoeuer will knocke at the heauenly dore might easily enter in Therefore it is a matter necessarie that who so will loue the trueth must first knowe her and louing her search her out and searching her must knocke at the gate of the heauenly loue our Sauiour hauing promised that Aske and it shalbee giuen you Seeke and you shall finde knocke and it shalbe opened vnto you And those of olde time haue set downe two principall partes to be especiall in man to wit his vnderstanding and his will which beeing once corrupted turne him cleane from the waye of trueth and leadeth him into an infinite number of discommodities and errours And all good things haue this nature and propertie that they be desirous not onely to bee knowen but likewise to bee beloued and coueted and the vnderstanding doth serue as a meanes to affection to shewe what it shoulde most of all pursue as hereafter wee will more at large declare CHAP. II. The definition of the trueth and faith CIcero writeth that the trueth causeth vs to speake assuredlie without chaunging of oughte which hath beene is or shall bee and that it is a vertue thorough which wee are enclined to speake no otherwise then as wee thinke The which definition Sainct Augustine followed in his Booke of true Religion addinge it further to bee a true signification of the voyce it is taken for the Gospel and the woorde of God the which as Dauid and Sainct Peter saieth is A lanterne to our feete and a light that shineth in a darke place And our Sauioure saieth that this trueth shall deliuer vs from the Worlde sinne and Diuell through faith which wee haue in him beeing giuen vs from God for righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption who came into the worlde to accomplishe the trueth of the promises of God who is as Sainct Paul saieth A light that none can attaine vnto to the which Christe Iesus doeth guide vs being the cleerenesse of the worlde and his reconciliation It is likewise taken for an inwarde integritie and a rule teachinge to liue well accordinge to the holye will of God And when Ezekias desired there might bee trueth in his dayes it is interpreted that thereby hee meant the continuaunce of a quiet and peaceable state And as the trueth conformeth wordes according to the meanyng of the hearte so doeth faith in the promises beeing a vertue which maketh our deedes aunswerable to our promises and a habite through which wee are enclined to perfourme whatsoeuer wee haue promised And our Sauiour in the Gospel of Sainct Matthewe saying that the weightie matters of the Lawe consisted in iudgement mercie and fidelitie by this word of fidelitie meant a trueth farre from anie disguising and treacherie And the Romanes in old time dedicated a temple to Faith the better to cause the people to keepe and reuerence it I leaue to the Diuines the definition of Faith which consisteth in the substance of that we hope for and in the knowledge of the good will of God towards vs of our reconciliatiō iustification founded vpon the promises freely giuen vnto vs in Christ Iesus which quickneth the soule and purifieth the heart maketh vs the children and sonnes of God causeth in vs a desire to walke holie and vnblamable taketh away the poyson abateth the sting of death

receaued an iniurye ought to keepe and obserue as aboue I haue touched and it is onelye longe sufferinge that in the ende byteth And to pardon is a signe of a heroicall and noble heart and as Homer wryteth the more excellent a man is the lesse is his anger burninge and euerye gentle hart is easelye contented Sainct Paule wryteth to the Collossians As the elect of God holye and beloued put on tender mercy kindenesse humblenesse of minde meekenesse long suffering forbearing one an other and forgiuing one an other if anye man haue a quarrell to an other euen as Christ forgaue you euen so doe yee And aboue al these thinges put on loue which is the bonde of perfection And let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which yee are called in one body and be yee amiable They ought to be accounted wise who knowing how apt of their owne inclination they be to choler vse notwithstandinge such remedies as they thinke fit to retyre themselues either in bearing patiently forgetting pardoninge moderating of them selues without beeinge too much mooued or breaking that which is easie to be dashed in peeces of a seruaunt as did Calias and Cotis or in burning their enemies letters before they see them as Pompei did those of Sertorius and Caesar those of Pompei The holye scripture doth often times exhort vs to forbeare one an other And whereas Saint Paule writeth that we shoulde portion a like to one an others charges hee vnderstandeth infirmities Dion after hee had restored his countrie againe to libertye was counselled to put to death one of the greatest enemies that he had now fallen into his handes but he sayd that he had long agoe learned to surmount wrath enuy and all euill will whereof the proofe consisted in behauing ones selfe temperatelye and courteouslye towardes his enemies and that he rather chose to surmount in bountye and courtesie then in power reuenge proceeding from a base minde We ought then to shun all suspicion of contempt and audacity rather casting the fault vppon the ignoraunce mistaking or lacke of those which haue offended vs to the ende we may escape that vengeaunce which is so often forbidden of the Lorde and which proceedeth from the same spring as doth the iniury and offence Notwithstanding that anger is not to be blamed which is vsed sometimes to make men amende when they haue done a fault For as Aristotle writeth in the fourth of his Morales euen as disordinate anger is a fault so is sometime the want of moderate choler or rather hatred of vice And it seemeth that they which are not angrye when it is required at their handes to feare offendours are very euill aduised and expose them selues to manye iniuries For this cause Plato called anger the sinew of the soule for that it serued to encrease valour being moderate and temperate And Aristotle writeth that it is an armour to vertue but such a one as rather mooueth vs then is ought mooued it selfe Lactantius in his booke intituled of the wrath of God c. 17. writeth that it is necessary that those thinges which are nought should displease such as are vertuous persons and that hee which is displeased at euill should be mooued when he seeth it wrought so wee doe decline to vengeaunce not because men haue offended vs but to the end discipline may be kept maners corrected and licentiousnes repressed This kinde of choler is lawfull which as it is necessarye to man for the amendment of lewdnesse so is it found in God of whome man taketh example for as much as we ought to chastise our subiectes so ought God to represse the vices of each one And to bring this to passe it is necessarye that he be angry and that it is naturall and good to be mooued and stirred to wrath Therefore anger ought to be defined a motion of the spirite lifted vp for the repression of sinne For the definition which Cicero maketh of the desire of reuenge is not much different from this but that anger which we call choler or fury ought not to fall within man being a thing vicious vnprofitable Notwithstanding I am of opinion that the diuines will not be of Lactantius his mind in that he attributeth any passion to God for he worketh nothing either with greef or paine The old prouerb holdeth that an Ant will be angry and yet we are not able to discerne when she is moued much lesse in God whose workes are vnsearcheable and passe the capacitye of our vnderstanding Albeit the holy scripture doth often apply it selfe to our fashion of speach who trouble our selues with passions in taking pitie or in punishing or in seeing some disorder And S Paule writeth that of our own nature we are the children of wrath from whence we are deliuered by Christ Iesus our mediatour Dauid sayde Psa 103. that God hath not dealt with vs after our sinnes nor rewarded vs after our iniquities And Psal 86. he calleth him a pitifull God and mercifull slow to anger and great in kindnes and truth And Psal 145. That the Lord is good to all and his mercies are ouer all his workes The which is likewise repeated in Exodus 34 Numbers 14. Nehemiah 9. Ieremiah 15 Ioel 2. Ionas 4 Nahum 1. A man ought diligently to take heede how he committeth those sinnes which prouoke the wrath of God especially to be no idolatour Deu. 9. 32. nor to tempt God Exod. 17. Psal 78. nor to murmure against his prouidence Nom. 12. 14. nor to be rebellious Deu. 9. nor to shead the bloud of the innocent Math. 25. nor to molest the widowes and fatherlesse Exod. 22. The holy scripture speaketh of the old and new man and of the circumcision of the heart So meant the Philosophers when they sayde we were made of two partes and that he which made the worse subiect vnto the better was counted continent and contrariwise he which made the brutish and vnreasonable part of his mind to preceed and commaunde the more noble was accounted incontinent and worse then it For this cause is it required that thorough the bit of reason we put backe and tame that felonious courage of ours to submit it vnto the moste milde yoke of the holye lawes of God which so much recommendeth vnto vs peace patience and mercy Valerius and others haue written that iniuries are surmounted thorough courtesie and bountye not by the reuenge of a new hatred And Cicero in his Oration for Murena and Demosthenes particularly in that he made before Alexander the great to hinder the siege of Athenes do amply shew that it is an act nearest approching vnto diuinitye to vanquishe ones owne courage represse his wrath moderate victory amplifie the dignity of ones enemy commande ouer ones selfe and not too much to trust in anger a mortall enemy to counsell For as our sauiour Christ sayde the violent that is to say

goods melt away as snowe This is it which Salomon meaneth in the ende of his first chapter of Prouerbs that the prosperitie of fooles destroyeth them I will not here forget what S. Chrisostome writeth of vppon the fift of the first to the Corinthians that a little gayne fraudulently gotten is often times the occasion of the losse of great wealth though well come by And in vaine do men locke their chestes with cheynes springes padlockes when they haue enclosed therein deceat a most violent theife which desperseth what euer it findeth within the coffer We read in histories and in Daniel the miserable ende of manye and among other of Nabuchodonosor and of Alexander the great who left nothing to their heyres but their wickednes We read likewise in the Prouerbes that the riches of the wicked auaile not in the day of wrath and that the breade of deceat is sweet to a man but afterwarde his mouth shal be filled with grauell And that the roberie of the wicked shal destroy them For iustice beeinge remoued euery state falleth to ruine and an inheritaunce hastely purchased shall not be blessed And God sayth by Ieremie that as the Partrich gathereth the young which she hath not brought foorth so he that getteth riches and not by right shal leaue them in the middest of his dayes and at his ende shalbe a foole And he pronounceth a cursse on his head that buildeth his house by vnrighteousnesse And in Tobie and some of the Psalmes a little is more worth with right then much heaped vp in iniquitye And it hath not without cause beene saide in auncient time that whatsoeuer vice buildeth it destroyeth Which beeing well considered it ought to stirre vp all maner of persons who wil not degenerate from the auncient nobilitie which hath taken foot and sure foundation vpon vertue to be true and kepe their promises what soeuer should chaunce to happen and not to seeke ought but by honest meanes For if you will exempt iustice and truth out of a gouernment it is then no more then a very robbing as Sainct Augustin affirmeth And for as much as the inconstancy of Princes and almost of al other kind of men is sufficiently apparant and sundry inconueniences haue ensewed where too much trust hath bin yeelded the wiser sort and best aduised haue stoode vppon their garde haue not been too light of beliefe and haue so prouided that men shall not easelie breake their faith with them or surprise them I thinke likewise that they haue heald a verye absurde opinion that commende crueltie in gouernours For he which delighteth in taxing can neuer be beloued or esteemed of I coulde answere them as king Alphonsus did that such men deserued to be gouerned by Lions Beares Dragons and such like beastes For as Salomon writeth the Kinges throne shal be established with mercie the which togeather with subiectes loue and iustice is the very chaine that holdeth togeather and maintaineth an estate and not force feare or great gardes as Dion declareth in Plutarque God beeing willing to make him knowne to Moyses calleth him selfe the Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gratious slow to anger and aboundaunt in goodnes and truth And the Grecians called the king of their Gods Melchins that is to say sweete as hony And the Athenians called him Memactis that is to say succourable And the holy scripture and sundrye Philosophers calleth him a Father a shepheard a refuge and protectour of his people For to murther and torment is the office of a Diuell of furie of a hangman not of a king or honest man And subiects ought otherwise to be accounted of then as slaues as Bartole in his treatise de regimine ciuitatis declareth it vpon the seuenth of Deutronomy where kinges are exhorted not to lift their harts vp aboue their brethren amonge which God had made choyce of them For the puissance of a father as Martian the Lawyer wrote l. s de paracid consisteth in pietie and mercy no whit at all in rigor It is written in the second of the kings how the cruell Senacherib after the angell had put to death 155000. of his men was himselfe slaine by his owne children And in the same booke he writeth of sundry kings and queenes abandoned of God pilled and murthered for their cruelty Like ende had Ptolome surnamed the lightning Ptolome Lamious that is to say the babler Cambises killed him selfe with his owne swoorde Xerxes was slaine by his vncle Seleucus Nicanor killed by Ptolome Kerapnos Antiochus Ierax surnamed the sacre because he liued vppon pillage was in like sort slaine as also was Seleucus surnamed the lightning because of his violence Antiochus the great pilling of the temple was slaine of his people as were Epiphanes and Eupator the histories are full of an infinite number of others which had like ende for their crueltye and couetousnes A man may see in an apology of Saint Ciprian against Demetrian the names of those which persecuted the church and how they haue beene punished holding it for a maxime that there was neuer no crueltye vsed against the Christian church that was not in shorte tyme after reuenged Aristotle exhorted Alexander to doe good to euery one and not to be cruell rather to be praised for his clemency then conquestes It is written of Theodosius that when he deliuered his swoord to his Constable he willed him to vse it only against malefactours and if he commaunded any thing cruell or vniust then hee should draw it againste him selfe As also the kinges of Aegipt would sweare their Iudges that they shoulde not obeye them in ought they demaunded of cruell vniust or against the lawes The like did Antiochus also write to the Cities vnder his obedience that they should obey and keepe such his commaundementes as oppressed none Antonius Pius held opinion of Scipio Africane that he rather chose to preserue one of his subiects then slay one thousand of his enemies Which I greatly wish all kinges would obserue Marecellinus termeth the vice of crueltye the boche of the soule proceedinge from the feeblenes and basenes of the hart And the sayd Antoninus sayd that nothing rendreth an Emperor more famous among al natiōs then clemency vpon this and graciousnes is the assurance of the publike weale founded as Valerius Publicola repeateth in Titus Liuius and Plutarque And Antigonus was wont to say that Clemency worketh more then violence One of the interpreters of the Bible councelled Ptolome to vse patience and longe sufferinge imitatinge the sweetnesse of God to the ende hee mought reigne well And Marrinus the Emperour wrote to the Senate what good is there in Nobilitye if a Princes hart be not replenished with bountye and sweetnesse toward his subiectes Plutarque mentioneth of the great captaine Pericles that when his friendes came to visite him in his sickenesse and had put him in minde