silence fol. 38 Silence and the commendation therof fol. 37 Schools for instruction of silence were very conuenient ibid. Silence helpeth both the wise man and the foole ibid. Sum of al that Seneca wrote to Lucullus was To be slow in speaking ibid. Secrets of a friend it is not good to know them fol. 42 Silence eternally man ought to keep fol. 44 S. Stephen in disputation ouercame many nations fol. 51 Silence breakers the first in heauen was Lucifer and on earth it was our grandmother Eue. fol. 52 Seneca said That anger was not good for any vertuous thing fol. 59 Seneca would not smite his seruant in his anger fol. 60 Silence is the only remedy against anger ibid. Senacherib slaine by his two sons and his Armie slaine by the Angel of the Lord only for blasphemy such was the slaughter that in one night there perished 185. thousand souldiers fol. 64 Saul the king among the Prophets fol. 71 Sampson and his mishap by speaking improuidently fol. 86 Sigismond the Emperour gaue a flatterer a blow on the eare demanding why he bit him fol. 93 Sacred scriptures why they were written in marble and the law not rather giuen without writing fol. 104 Sin why it is called a lance sharpned on both sides fol. 133 Socrates seeing a youngman comming forth of an harlots house gaue him a witty reprehension fol. 123 Sede tacâ— intra tenebras and the same explaned fol. 134 Sinners haue more need of tears then of talking fol. 135 Scriptures read of many by abusing them the heretique sucks out false opinions and the true Christian gathers nothing but sound doctrin and whence this variety ensueth fol. 139 Seneca his learned saying against euill tongues fol. 142 Sichemites circumcised themselues only to inherit the Israelits goods and possessions fol. 193 Sin in seuerall kinds do pretend some excuse for themselues but the sin of blasphemy can pretend none at all fol. 207 Silence is begotten of the hymne fol. 232 Sanctified spirit or holy ghost and the reason wherefore it is called in 〈…〉 T There belongs as much blame to vnproportionable silence as to vaine and carelesse talking fol. 4 The precept diuine as it commands obedience in the Sonne to his Father so doth it also bind the Father to bring vp his son in vertuous education fol. 15 To keep silence is the noblest Philosophie in man fol. 26 To keep silence is an especiall gift of god ibid. Thomas Aquinas was tearmed by his master Albertus Magnus the Oxe for the loue he bare to silence ibid. Theodauas and Agatonus two woorthie louers of silence ibid. Tiberius teaching a talkatiue Senatour silence caused him to vse very absurd and antiquelike behauiours fol. 35 Those things that God commandeth are most iust fol. 57 Three kinds of speaking and three kinds of tongues fo 112 Three things ought euery penitent soule to do in seeking pardon for her transgressions fol. 134 The whole powers and faculties of the soule do step foorth for sake and leaue the slanderer fol. 150 The â—â—â—gue of man is as a touchstone wherby to try him fol. 2 The tongue giuen to man for a reward fol. 3 The rich gluttons tongue was more punished then any other part of his body fol. 21 The tongue without a bridle is compared to a city without a wall or any guard or defence fol. 22 Tongues first before hands did crucifie Christ fol. 24 The tongue of man is like a City or Castle builded in a most artificiall manner fol. 27 The tongue being the occasion of so many euils wherfore it was by God bestowed vpon man fol. 39 The tongue compared to riches ibid. The tongue compared by Dauid to a sword and to a pen. fol. 40. The tongue is the best and worst thing in a man ibid. The wicked tongue is worse then hell fol. 41 The tongue is the Embassadour of the hart ibid. The tongue hath foure wayes to walke by all which do necessarilye require great care and circumspection fol. 55 The tongue ought to haue fiue conditions needefull for well speaking fol. 66 The tongue bewraies the health or sicKnesse of the soule fol. 71 The tongue of man ought to haue the properties of a dogs tongue fol. 77 The reason why God did shut vp the tongue between teeth lips fol. 79 The tongue hath two veines one answerable to the hart and the other agreeable to the braine fo 85 The serpents tongue is alwayes black and the reason thereof fol. 136 The reason why God permitted the diuell to binde vp the dumbe mans tongue ibid. The Bulles in India haue their tongues so long that they reache foorth vnto their eares fo 155 The hypocrites tongue how hurtfull it is fol. 182 Testimony of the conscience what it is fol. 186 Three seuerall wayes we may derogate from Gods goodnesse fol. 202 Three seuerall kingdomes made by God and each of them hath his particular language and phrase of speaking fol. 210 The wicked mans mouth is an open sepulcher fol. 241 Three seuerall kinds of precepts fol. 269 Time place and manner ought to be obserued in brotherly correction fol. 270 V Vertue first of all to be learned is to gouerne the tongue fol. 18 Vessels that be open and haue no couering fastned vpon them by Gods lawe were held to be vncleane fol. 26 Vnderstanding apprehendeth the knowledge of things fol. 50 Vnderstanding diuine is the cause and measure of things ibid. Vnderstanding of man is a lyer without God the onely truth fol. 51 Variable ought our discoursings to be according to the variety of the obiect and subiect whereof we speake fol. 77 Verity seldome knowne of Princes in regard of their flatterers fol. 89 Vanity of flatterers very liuely described fol. 90 Variable names of the flatterer and all significant fol. 86 Verity like vnto Honie fol. 97 Verity beloued of lyers themselues ibid. Verity is hated and thence ariseth flattery approoued by many notable places of Scripture fol. 98 Verity so beloued of Christ as for it only he came into the world fol. 99 Verity contendeth with eternity fol. 109 Virgin defloured in the field cleared from punishment by the olde lawe but being dishonoured in the City the lawe commaunded all the people to stone her Quia non clamauit c. fol. 127 Vice of detraction how great and odious it is fol. 144 Vertue consisteth not in the verbe but in the aduerbe fol. 167 Virgins in the Parable Mat. 25. notably expounded fol. 184 W Way of wisedome for a guide to the tongue fol. 65 Will is one of the tongues ways wherto there needeth a very good guardian fol. 56 Will commandeth all the powers of the soule ibid. Word of God how sweet it is and able to conuert men fol. 68 Word of God compared to a ploughshare fol. 75 Whence it ensueth that one and the selfe same earth produceth diuers and sundry fruits and grafts diuers vpon one stock fol. 139 VVorks good and vertuous in
with the rosie colours of honesty charity Omne quod est in mundo aut concâ—piscentia carnis est aut concupiscentia oculorum aut superbia vitae All that is in the world is the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life Lodouico The third qualitie or condition beseeming vs in our speeche is that after the manner of a weapon it should be sharp for so the tongue it selfe appeareth to be and this ought according to time and place to resemble such a weapon by pointing at punishing and correcting the faultye Therefore it is written that the holy ghost descended vpon the disciples in the forme of clouen fierie tongues not onely as alluding that our talke ought to bee full of charitie but also to note the aptnesse and readinesse of the worde of God in vs which after the manner of a cutting sworde diuideth the soule from sensuall and carnall cogitations and seperates it whollye from the worlde Viuus est enim Dei sermo penetrabilior omni gladio ancipiti pertingens vsque ad diuisionem animae ac spiritus compagum quoque ac medullarum discretor cogitationum intentionum Cordis The word of God is liuely and mighty in operation and sharper then any two edged sword and entreth through euen to the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirite and of the ioyntes and the marrowe and is a disceâ—ner of the thoughtes and the intentes of the hart This weapon brought Christ into the world Non veni pacem mittere sed gladium With this weapon is the father diuided froÌ„ the Son one brother from another and the wife from the husband With this weapon shall the Iewes bee diuided from their Iudaisme the Gentiles from their idolatrie and be made good Christians VVith this weapon shall the shamelesse bee diuided from his vncleannesse the couetous from his monie bags the wrathfull from his furiousnesse the high looker from ambition the glutton from his surfetting c. Claudio There comes now to my remembraunce an excellent matter which I haue read in the first booke of the kings of Israell and very apt to this purpose of ours The Prophet Elias flying away verye poorely through the vast desertes beeing fearefull of the wicked Queene Iezabell the Angell of the Lorde appeared vnto him and thus spake Quid hîc agis Elia What doest thou here Elias And he answered Zelo zelatus sum pro Domino Deo exercituum quia dereliquerunt pactum Domini filii Israel Altaria tua destruxerunt Prophetas tuos occiderunt gladio derelictus sum ego solus quaerunt animam meam vt aufer ant eam I haue bin very iealous for the Lord God of hoasts for the children of Israel haue forsaken thy couenant broken downe thine Altars and slaine thy Prophets with the sword and I only am left and they seek my life to take it away Et ait Dominus ad eum Vade reuertere in viam tuam per desertum in Damascum cumque perueneris illuc vnges Hazael Regem super Syriam Et Iehu filium Namsi vnges Regem super Israel Helyseum autem filium Saphat qui est de Abel-meula vnges Prophetam prote Et erit quicunque fugerit gladium Hazael interficiet eum Iehu quicunque fugerit gladium Iehu inter ficiet eum Helyseus And the lord sayd vnto him Go returne by the wildernesse vnto Damascus and when thou commest there anoynt Hazael king ouer Syria And Iehu the son of Namsi shalt thou anoint king ouer Israell and Helyseus the son of Saphat of Abel-Meholah shalt thou anoint to be Prophet in thy roome And him that escapeth from the sword of Hazael shall Iehu slay and him that escapeth from the sword of Iehu shall Helyseus sley In this we haue to note that Helyseus was a man humble meeke and godly vnarmed and vnskild in the art military neuerthelesse it was the will of God that they who had not the power by armes to kill these two potent kings of Syria and Israell men of great valour approoued warriours and very bloodie yet with this weapon only a peaceful Prophet should do it a man whose office was to preach not to bee seene in combates to preache vnto the people not to war in armes Doubtlesse hereby it may be alluded that more strength had the vnarmed Prophet Helyseus with this weapon of the word of God then those most mightye kings with their huge squadrons of armed Souldiours and much better successe shoulde attend on the courage of Helyseus in pacifying by benignitie then on the armed kings in the very hotest of their crueltie And more good did Helyseus by his speaking only then Hazael and Iehu by their fighting such is the efficacy of the word of God as it penetrates the soule beyond the body VVhich is euidently to be seene in the conuersion of nations in which office more hath beene wrought by vnarmed men of poore and meane condition with the weapon of the diuine word subducing the whole worlde to the kingdome of Christ then coulde the mightye Monarches of the Assyrians the Persians the Grecians and the Romanes with all their infinite powerfull Armies And this I thinke was that weapon that issued foorth of the mouth of God cutting both wayes after the manner of a sword as Saint Iohn telles vs because God by his worde remitteth the offence and pardoneth the punishment Exibat gladius vtraque parte acutus ex ore eius Out of his mouth went a sharpe two edged sword But if our words ought to haue the condition of a weapon such likewise is the shape of the tongue it selfe for what cause then sayth the Prophet speaking of the coÌ„ming of the Messias that in his time Conflabunt gladios suos in vomeres lanceas suas in falces They shall break their swords into mattocks or plough shares their speares into sithes what hath a mattock to doe with a sword the sword is apt to cut withall and the mattock to delue withall Lodouico Two things in my mind would the holy ghost allude herby saying that in those times of swordes shall be made mattocks First in regard of the great peace all warlike battailes then ceassing according as the Angels likewise foretold of the birth of Christ Et in terra pax hominibus bona voluntatis Peace in earth and towards men good will Secondly of the great fruit ensuing by the word of God designing by the mattock or plough share the maÌ„ner that ought to bee obserued in digging vp or tilling the hearts of men by the worde of God signified in the weapon If the husbandman would furrowe vp his grounds hee can neuer do it with a sword nor breake abroad the hard knit clods if that way he goe to worke the earth likewise will bee vnapt in rendering the expected fruit
dixi ad eum qui stabat contra me Domine mi in visione iua dissolutae sunt compages meae nihil in me remansit virium Et quomodo poterit seruus Domini mei loqui cum Domino meo Nihil enim in me remansit virium sed et balâ—us meus includitur c. And when he spake these words vnto me I set my face toward the ground and helde my tongue And beholde one like the similitude of the sonnes of man touched my lippes then I opened my mouth and spake and said vnto him that stood before me O my Lord by the vision my sorrows are returned vpon me and I haue reteined no strength For how can the seruant of this my Lord talke with my Lord being such a one for as for me straight way there remained no strength in me neither is there breath left in me Wherein also may be euidently noted that not speech onely but euen all naturall strength wanted in Daniel in the time of this his talking with the Lord. Moyses without requiring any other signe of God in confirmation of being made his Ambassadour he could holde this onely for enough that of being before but slender lie eloquent hee was then become also defectiue of tongue And Ieremie as a manifest token that God had spoken to him could declare this that hee was become like a childe who scantly knowes how to forme the beginning of any word And Daniel in attestation that the Lord had talked with him alleaged his owne dumbenes Lodouico Many are the answers all of them very pregnant proper which might bee deliuered for the clearing of this doubt First of all we may conceiue that the diuine Maiestie is so high and excellent that all humane strength stands as vtterly confounded quite bereft of it selfe euen at his meere presence except in mercie it please him to vouchsafe some comfort And albeit in this superabounding celestiall glorie the blessed spirits them selues haue no other exercise but to laude and praise him eternally as Saint Iohn declareth of those foue mysterious beastes and of the twentie foure most venerable Elders with infinite multitudes of celestiall spirits yet notwithstanding such is the ouer-flowing excellency of the Maiestie diuine as little lesse then ouer-pressed with superfluitie of glorie after the manner of Peter Iames and Iohn vpon the mountaine Tabor it casteth downe all countenances whatsoeuer in looking on it Et ce ciderunt in conspectu Throni in facies suas adorauerunt Deum dicentes Amen Benedictio claritas sapientia gratiarum actio honor virtus fortitudo Deo nostro in secula seculorum Amen And they fell before the Throne on their faces worshipped God Saying Amen Praise and glorie and wisedome thankes honor and power and might be vnto our God for euermore Amen And although of the foure mysterious beastes it be written that they neuer ceased the diuine praises of god Et requiem non habebant die ac nocte dicentia Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus Dominus Deus omnipotens c. And the like of the Elders and all the other blessed spirits is registred that they continually lauded god yet notwithstanding it is also written that they all in like maner helde their peace Factum est silentium in coelo quasi media hora. There was a silence in heauen about halfe an houre And Dauid in one of his Psalmes saith That to God there belongeth silence according to the translation of S. Ierome Te decet silentiâ—â— Deus in Ston Albeit according to the vulgare traÌ„slatioÌ„ it speaks the contrary to wit Te decet hymnus Deus in Sion Yet notwithstanding all this these two translations are not truelie contrarie although at first sight they may seeme the one repugnant to the other Claudio How can it be but that those translations must needes be contrary if the one say silence belongeth to God and the other sayes a hymne Saint Augustine also nameth a hymne which is a Greeke word and in our language is as much to say as praise with a song What coherence thence hath a hymne with silence or silence with a Song He that holdes his peace neyther praiseth nor singeth If vnto god there belongeth silence then is not the hymne conuenient for him or if the hymne bee thought agreeable then is not silence to be dedicated to him Therfore the one or other translation is false or one of them vndoubtedly speaketh not rightly Lodouico There is no contrariety in these two translations much lesse then are they repugnant one to an other The Hymne importeth as much as silence and silence holdeth equall with the hymne Nay then let me tell you more that the silence whereof now we speake is begotten both of the hymne and also of the sound of praise And I dare make this additioÌ„ that this silence speaketh more then praise can doe in the hymne Claudio I cannot conceiue how silence should speake more then praise doth neither how silence is engendred of the hymne Well wot I that when I am silent I speake not and when I praise god in a song such as a hymne is that I stand not dumbe in silence Except you please to be plainer then thus I vnderstand you not and this kinde of arguing seemes to me like that of the Tuscane Poet in one of his Sonnets E volo sopra'l cielo e son ' in terra E nulla stringo e tutto il mondo abbraccio I fly aboue the heauen yet am on earth And gripe at nothing yet graspe all the world Will this strange birth euer bee like to that of Loue which brought foorth Ielousie or comparable to feare that sometime is begotten by ouermuch boldenesse whereon the same Poet wrote Sento di troppo ardir nascer paura Of ouer-bolde I finde that feare is bred Lodouico I sayde and so say still that this kind of silence is produced by the Hymne because the celestiall spirits beholding the infinite maiesty of God do breake foorth into continuall diuine prayses But such is the greatnesse of the subject as they are quite transported out of themselues and in a sweet obliuion of their-then-present estate they are al as rapt vp with a maruellous astonishment of God Nor know they then otherwise how to do or say beeing ouercome by this infinite admiration of Gods high glory but euen to stand all silent diuinely contemplating this exceeding maiesty so holding their peace they do yet giue prayses with their thoughts mute voyces so sing praises to him silently Thus of the Hymne is silence begotten I sayd also that this kind of silence praiseth more then the Hymne can do Because more swiftly do stil thoughts run in contemplation wherewith the blessed spirits prayse the Lorde then the quickest tongue in the world can bestir it selfe in the forming of wordes And these voyces doe
and a publicane Herein are three things to be obserued namely the place the time and the manner The place is noted when he sayth Si peccauerit in te If thy brother trespasse against thee that is If thy neighbour sinne secretly and thou onely knowest thereof reprehend him in some remote place that no one may know thereof for feare of giuing therby scandale to others and discouering against charity another mans defects To the end also that the delinquent may the more willingly amend by perceiuing that all this is doone vnto him in loue The time also is to be respected because alwayes at all seasons it is not a time for reprehension For it often falleth out that the person offending is incorrigible Which he wel knowing or perceiuing that shold vrge the reproof he stands not bound then to mooue correctiō least the sinner shold fal into greater guilt but ought to take a fitter opportunity Or else if he know it to be no apt season euen immediatly vpon the transgression to strike with reproof his wisedom in forbearāce cannot be therfore impeached yet the sinner in due time may be also chastised Noah patiently awaited seauen dayes together hauing first sent foorth the dooue and seeing her returne to be so quickly without bringing any signe of the waters cessation then he sent her foorth againe and then shee brought back the Oliue braunche with her At illa venit ad eum ad vesperam portans ramum Oliuae virentibus folijs in ore suo Intellexit ergo Noe quòd cessassent aquae super terram And the Doue came to him in the euening and loe in her mouth was an Oliue leafe that shee had pluckt whereby Noah knewe that the waters were abated from off the earth In Noah is figured the christian soule remaining within the Arke of our body The waters of the deluge are our sinnes wherein we like poore wretches are as drowned VVhereof Dauid speaking sayth Saluum me fac Deus quoniam intrauerunt aquae vsque ad animam meam Saue me O God for the waters are entred euen to my soule The Doue representeth brotherly correction and the Oliue branche is the fruit of this brotherly admonition VVhen we behold our brother in the deluge of sin we ought to send foorth out of the Arke of the body by the window of our mouth the doue of mild correction Which returning vnfruitfully and without any signe of amendment at all we ought not therefore to despaire of his recouery But after the example of Noah with patience to attend a time more opportune In which space perhaps the waters of this wretched floud may cease by the want of former proude conceit and better consideration of his own estate VVhereupon sending foorth againe the simple Doue in kind correction and on meere charity doubtlesse she will bring some signe of the great floods fall euen the very fruit of so good an endeauour and so thou hast won thy brother Lucratus es fratrem tuum We must in like sort obserue the manner that is charitably with sweet words and full of loue Dauid draue the tormenting spirit foorth of Saul not with stearn strokes but with mild musique Eliseus the Prophet sent his seruant Gehezie with a staffe to reuiue the son of the widdow which prooued to nothing but when afterward he came himself in person and with his own limbs warmed the dead-benummed limbs of the child being lifelesse he ioyning part to part face to face hands to hands breast to breast and feete to feet thus heating the child he raised him from death to life So when we would reuiue our brother he being mortally wounded with sin and euen almost dead in soule we should not send our seruant with a staffe to doo such correction as Pilate did to Christ Corripiam ergo illum dimittam I will chastise him and let him loose Neither ought we to vse any rough or rigorous words But like to Eliseus warme the delinquents soule with the heate of charity and by compassionating his case euen transforming our selues altogether into him According to the instruction of Saint Paul Fratres si praeoccupatus fuerit homo in aliquo delicto vos qui spirituales estis huiusmodi instruite in spiriu lenitatis considerans teipsum ne tu tenteris Brethren if a man be falne by occasion into any fault you which are spirituall restore such a one with the spirite of meekenesse considering thy selfe least thou also bee tempted Being thus heated with the warmth of christian charity we shal raise the sinners dying soule by the religious meanes and office of the tongue Oh how pleasing is this manner to me and I prayse the true vse therof from time to time because when we goe ouer hastily to the committed euil the offender hauing his senses blinded will not suffer himself to be reprehended but rather in haughtinesse of spirit wil euen approoue and maintaine his sin VVherefore looke how thou blowest the fire then so much the more thou kindlest it whereto if nourishment want it will extinguish of it selfe Euen so is it with thy brothers cholerick and hasty nature being reproued too quickly of his committed error Therfore it shal become vs wel to expect a while in our reprehension to vse no loftinesse because the sinner in this case may very aptly be compared to a sick man When a sick body would feede on delicate and healthfull meates for his disease and yet are to him most displeasing though in their owne nature very wholesome they vse such art in the deliuerance of them labouring to please his weak rellish as he hardly perceiueth what they are The finner by his ouersurfetting on sin abhors all spirituall meates how healthfull or delicate soeuer they be He finds no tast in preaching he hath no delight in praying no mind to the holy Sacraments no pleasure in fasting nor any godly action agrees with his relish Nay he is reduced into such an estate as he hath no feeling of any spirituall matter So that euen as Dauid sayth Omnem escam abominata est anima corū Their soule abhorreth al meat Almost they are ready to leaue their houses drawing on their latest breath euē as next neighbour to eternal death Appropinquauerunt vsque ad port as mortis VVherefore in the administring of this healthfull foode of brotherly correction that it may be willingly and louingly accepted you must shadow it in som substantial manner to make it cary a tast of kind and comfortable words after this or the like obseruation Deare brother so it might not be displeasing to you I would deliuer a few words greatly to your profit wherein God is my witnesse nothing else mooueth me but the honour of God true brotherly charity and vnfeigned regard of your good I know well that such