Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	call_v	scripture_n	word_n	7,223	5	4.6930	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A07610	A mirrour for Christian states: or, A table of politick vertues considerable amongst Christians Divided, into three bookes. Reviewed, and augmented, by E. Molinier, of Tolose priest, and Doctor of Divinitie. And by him dedicated, ro [sic] the most illustrious lord, the Lord Cardinall of Valette, Archbishop of Tolose. Translated into English, by VVilliam Tyrvvhit, Sen. Esquire.; Politiques chrestiennes. English	Molinier, Étienne, d. 1650.; Tyrwhit, William.	1635 (1635)	STC 18003; ESTC S112798	133,530	388

guided which chiefely suteth with the tongue of Magistrates and men of Authority who by the motives which their speeches inspires in the hearts of Princes and people turne and mannage with their tongues as with an Helme in Steerage the flo●ing vessels of States and Empires Now it is necessary that hee who stands at the Helme be couragious to resist stormes and tempests for then it is when hee is put to it either thereby to save the ship or as a good Pilot to die with helme in hand Free speeches are necessarie in publicke necessities and then it is we are either to deliver affaires from shipwracke by the freedome of speech or perish in speaking generously The Scripture calls the words of Wisemen Stings and sharpe nayles for they ought to be free and faithfull but freedome of speech cannot be without sharpenesse nor truth without stinging as it is sayd how though honey be sweet and pleasing in its owne Nature yet being applied to sores it will prick and sting Honey was disallowed in the Sacrifices of the old Law Levit c. 1. D Hiero ep 35. which S. Ierome explicateth mistically saying That a discourse steeped in the Honey of a flattering adulation not having the sharpenesse and sting of a free and biting truth is not a Sacrifice pleasing in Gods fight For they who are in Office and Authoritie are nor tied onely by a civill but by a naturall and Divine Obligation to speak boldly and freely when either Gods honour or the publicke good requiteth and if at such time they either flatter or palliat affaires to please men Deu● dissipabit ossa eorum qui hominibus placent consis si sunt quoniam Deus crea●it cos God will scorne and confound them sayth the Prophet and will breake their bones to wit their power and greatnesse whose Interest they preferre before Iustice But to behold the lively modell of Politicke vertue attended by all these qualities I have represented there needs no more but only to cast our eies upon the excellent Orations of antient Captaines Magistrates and States-men of whom wee still reade in the Greeke and Romane Histories Wee shall there discover a quicke strength a round brevitie an elegant puritie a solid utility and a couragious liberty Their words are strong their reasons pressing their clauses short then sentences quicke and their points piercing Their discourse not drawn at length but succinct which as a wel bent bow shoot not sweet floures at our eares but sharpe thornes at our hearts nothing vanquishing idle or vaine all tends to the point all beares weight all conduces to the matter nor can a word be wanting but part of the sense clearenesse vigour or necessary gracefulnesse for perswasion will be found defective One ma therein observe after occasions fi●ly ap phended to speak with profit truth declared to purpose and with resolution excellent maximes deduced from experience beeing the soule and spirit of Civill Eloquence and in conclusion the happy effects springing from the sage and free discourses of these brave and generous spirits violences expressed seditions asswaged wicked designes choked good counsels established warres quenched hearts reconciled Lawes authorized peple delivered briefly estates preserved by those eloquent and prudent tongues and these great vessels saved from shipwracke by the conduct of so small a sterne Wherefore all such as wil hoist sayle in the great and surging Sea of Civill affaires ought above al things to study and exercise themselves in the well guiding this sterne which well handled saves common wealth but il slackly managed or imprudently conducted it exposeth them to a thousand dangers Nay the Emperours themselves sleighted not this point Caesar Augustus Tyberius were no lesse exercised in Eloquence than in armes And Iacitus in his Annals observeth that the first Emperour who was forced to speake by proxie and to study Orations and other mens composures was Nero who weakened with voluptuousnesse made use of Seneca's wit in this service But the tongue is not onely the guide of Empires The conclusion of this worke but the sacred Rudder also of the Churches ship Saint Peters successors are the Pilots and their tongues Heavens spokes-men and interpreters of the verities of Faith conduct and guide it through all winds of errours and storms of Hel and the world or rather the Holy-ghost who gives motion to their tongues who descended upon them in forme of tongues to cause them to speake is both the Pilot governing the Helme and the Helme conducting the Vessel It is in this Ship I saile it is to this Celestial tongue I submit these insufficiences of mine If among so many words any Errors unawares have slipt in It is this Helme whose conduct I protest to follow if against my will and intention I have strayed in the prosecution of this discourse FINIS

able to exact or draw from men by force or win of them by a sweet hand is but constrained not voluntarie painted not pure fraile not permanent The Nature of Man is so noble and generous as there is none but God onely who can truly subject the same Make thy selfe sayth David a Law-maker over men to the end they may know they are men It is God alone who is able to humiliate the spirit of man to abate his sternenesse tame his heart and cause him to acknowledge his condition and the respect he oweth those he hath placed over others who hold his place represent his person and beare his Image The true Wisdome therefore of such who by their counsels give incitation to Princes and by Princes to severall States is to take their motion from God their rule from his will and their counsell from his word as in truth there is neyther true counsell nor true light save that onely which as the Apostle Saint IAMES sayth floweth from the Father of light All wisdome deriveth it selfe from God sayth the Scripture Heaven is the Author of all both corporal and spirituall light the Sun is the light of the one God the fountaine of the other The Eye which taketh not its from God Heaven is in darknesse and the Vnderstanding which receiveth not his from god followeth a falsitie Vaine are all men who order not themselves according to the knowledge of God saith the spirit of God in Scripture The world may well terme them Sages God calls them vaine What counsels can come from lies and vanity eyther for the good or honour of Empires That which it selfe is not at all how can it confer or conserve essence Can soliditie proceed from a non-subsistance or firmitude from no foundation Honour from what truth condemneth or good from what God reproveth CHAP. 6. The sequel of the same Subject REason can not so much as understand these propositions and God sayd unto his people by the mouth of Samuel at what time he spake unto them concerning the establishment of their state Trust not in vaine things 2. Reg. c. 12. which will not at all availe you nor can deliver you because they are vaine All the true good of man both particular and publike dependeth upon the sage conduct of good counsels good counsels on true wisdome and this true wisdome on God Now since according to Philosophicall Maxims one cannot deliver an assured judgement of things but in considering the reference relation and connexion they have with primary causes God therefore who is this first cause ought to be the primary object and principall rule of all our judgements and counsels if we desire to secure our judgements from error and our counsels from temeritie So whatsoever men have at any time established of good or just in temporall lawes eyther imprinted in them by Nature or deduced by Reason or knowne by inspiration or manifested by revelation if it stray from this principle it is unjust and what is unjust is violent and what is violent cannot challenge the name of law Whereupon St. Augustin in his book of True Religion delivereth this advice and instruction to States-men The man saith he who counselleth proposeth or establisheth temporall Lawes if he be an honest man and a just he first takes councel of the Eternall Lawes wherof it is unlawfull for any man to judge all men being injoyned to follow the same to the end that according to these immutable rules he may see what he ought considering the dispositions and necessities of times either to command or prohibit An advice drawne from the commandement God made to the Kings and Iudges of Israel to have at all times his law before their eyes by reading and in their hearts by meditation As King David who sayd unto God Thy Word is as a Lamp to my feet and as a light to my wayes This is the solid ground of the most eminent commendations we can give to the truly wise Politician who over and above the naturall capacitie of spirit and of human wisdome acquired by study and experience of affaires addeth divine knowledge which he taketh as the principall guide of all his motions reasons maxims counsels decrees and actions he doth not as the Lesbian builders whereof Aristotle speaketh who fitteth the Squire or Ruler to the Stones as they doe who seeke to accommodate God to affaires and Iustice to times but he fitteth and fashions the stones to the Squire or Ruler affaires to God and the times to Iustice He imitateth good Pilots who holding the hand on the helme lift their eyes to heaven to receive from the Pole the conduct of their Ships so whilst he manageth the steering of civill affaires he hath his eyes fixed on eternall verities upon the divine law whence he taketh his directions And as the High-Priest of the old law drew the answers and Oracles he delivered to the people from a precious Stone he carried on his breast which in a marvellous manner represented unto him Gods pleasure by its colour sometimes red at another time blacke one while pale then white then changeable according to occurrents In like manner the true wise man taketh his counsels and resolutions from Gods Law a precious Topace as David termeth it not hung at his breast but fastned to his heart O God I have hid thy words in my heart saith he with David There doth he finde in eternall reasons the true rule of things passing in all seasons and contemplateth in immoveable verities the constant Idea of whatsoever is subject to change and revolution whence taking his measures he after guideth the inconstant by the constant causing it to slide into stabilitie the temporall by the eternall the figure of the world which passeth by Gods verity which is eternally permanent CHAP. 7. Of the meanes to conserve and augment in the Soule the light of this true Wisdome BVt to conserve and augment in the soule the light of this true wisdome being the rule and measure of all things It is necessary to make use of the Wisemans advice and so to husband our houres as actions that we may spare at least some small time for consideration and contemplation He who taketh away sometime from affaires to converse with himselfe Qui minoratur actu percipit Sapientiam Eccles 38. becommeth more capable of Wisdome saith the spirit of God by the mouth of Wisdome For to passe over in silence that to yeeld our whole man to others and never to injoy our selves to give our selves to all our selves excepted to receive the whole world into the bosome of our solicitude and onely to exclude the reflection on our particular guidance is one of those follies committed in the world under the name of wisdome since as St. Bernard saith He cannot be wise who is not so to himselfe Non est sapiens qui sibi non est D. Ber. l. 2. de consid c. 3. I will onely say there

prastent ea in re hominibus ipsis antecellat than to be excellent above other men in the same thing wherein man is superiour to all Creatures If therefore he who more than ordinarily pursueth vertue doth likewise extraordinarily follow the light of reason To whom can Eloquence be more beseeming than to the vertuous to the end that the same order which the Law of reason ha●h setled in him the sweetnesse of perswasion may communicate extend and imprint in all others But to what vertue is this ornament more sutable than to the vertue Politicke which being borne for others procuring the good of others appearing for generall profit upon the Theater of honors ought to issue forth well adorned to shew her selfe in her full trim with all things that may contribute to make her recommendable and usefull in the presence of all men I say recommendable for can any thing acquire greater authority to the vertue appearing in publicke than doth Eloquence ravishing men with admiration I say likewise usefull for even as in Nature Vtilitie and Ornament are inseparable and there being nothing more profitable for the world than what doth most adorn it as the Sun light This is also particularly seene in Art as in Architecture wherein Pillars being the beautie of the building are likewise the supports So Eloquence Cic. 3. de Oratore Multum ego in excellente Oratore eodernque vire bono pono esse ornament● in universacivitate which wee terme the ornament of Politicke vertues is no vaine one but wherein benefit accompanieth beauty usefulnesse is annexed to gracefulnesse and the good thence arising to humane society equaliseth the delightfulnesse And as the eye contributeth much ornament to the body and with all great commodity So the I loquence of a vertuous States man highly adometh the whole body of the common-wealth but doth much more profit it For wisedome indeed giveth good Counsels Prudence fitting meanes to bring them to perfection Iustice good intentions courage brave resolutions but what wisedome knoweth what Prudence makes choice of what Iustice procureth what good soever courage resolveth on or attempteth Eloquence perswadeth and makes it well liking to others so as it addeth to all the parts of Politicke vertue not onely gracefulnesse and beauty but vigour and authority I will not here resolve upon what the Orator Cassins and the Lawyer Scavola disputed upon in the Roman Orator to weet whether Prudence Cic. lib. 1. de Oratore or Eloquence laid the first foundations of Republickes and humane societies yet may one safely say Isrash Eloquence were unable to make this master-piece dumb Prudence could not effect it but the one had need of the others assistance Eloquence requiring the reasons of Prudence and Prudence the perswasions of Eloquence But holy Writ and Gods revelations summon me to soare yet higher and to referre the Source of States and Common-wealths not to men but God not to humane Prudence or Eloquence which had never knowne neither that by its counsels nor this by its allurements how to curbe men naturally borne to liberty under the yoke of obed once but rather to the naturall inclination ingrafred by God in the soule of man to live in society and for living in this societie to establish order and to submit themselves unto some one Now it is very probable that those to whom men have subjected themselves in execution of Gods o●dinance ingra●ed and imprinted in them have beene the most excellent of all other not onely to invent by Prudence just and profitable decrees but moreover to make Iust●ce appeare and to perswade profit by word of mouth And though the Law having higher authority useth no preface nor perswasion but only a full and absolute commandement Yet surely those who first proposed Lawes to men were obliged to make it appeare unto them by discourse that their commandements were just not tyrannicall their authority reasonable and not violent Whereupon the Roman Orator sayth That the ancient Law-makers Cic. lib. 3. de Orat. Lycurgus Solon Pittacus and others were endued with wisedome to invent good Lawes and with Eloquence also to perswade the admittance thereof Yea the Scripture it selfe noteth how when God established Moses at a Law-maker and conducter of his people Moses alleadging for his excuse the defect of Eloquence hoping thereby to have discharged himselfe of this Commission God was pleased not onely to give him power and wisdome but moreover unlosed his naturall stammering and stuttering in speech to the end he might propose and establish his Lawes not onely wisely and with authoritie but gracefully likewise and with perswasion And the Sonne of God being come into the World to settle the State of his holy Church and to give men the law of perfection was pleased to accompany his infinite wisedome in ordayning and his soveraigne authoritie in commanding with his divine Eloquence in perswading so as the Gospell sayth That the sweetnesse of those gracious words flowing from his mouth M●rahane ur o●●●n●t in verbis gratia qua procedebat de ●re cjus Nūquam sic loqu●●us est homo wrapt all men in admiration causing them to protest that never any man spoke with so much truth sweetnesse and force So indeed the Eternall increated and subsistent word framed his speech and his sacred mouth was the Organ his word the conceipt and his voyce the sound of the divine word And when afterward he sent his Apostles to erect the Spirituall estate over the whole world the Foundations whereof he had formerly layd in Iudaa tongues were the last peece wherewith hee armed them after he had stored them with wisdome counsell and authority But heavenly tongues to the end that as their power and wisdome was spirituall so should their Eloquence be also and that from whence the Law and Commandements which they intimated to men did proceed even from thence and not from humane Art should their perswasion be derived But since God the soveraigne and absolute Lord of man hath found it fitting and convenient to use towards us as being desirous to draw us unto him not onely commandements but exhortations as the Apostle speaketh would he not hereby instruct us Tanquam de● exhortant● per no● hee I say who seeth apparantly the most secret and most hidden passages of mans heart that nothing doth more excite or hath greater power and Empire over man than speech and plausible perswasion and that discourse sooner gayneth hearts by the sweetnesse of reason and pleasing force of truth than rough Authoritie by the terrour of her power CHAP. 15. Of the Efficacy of Eloquence IT is therefore a happy advantage when Eloquence and the faculty of discourse concurre joyntly with their wisdome and Authority who rule or governe men nor can one desire eyther a fairer ornament to their dignity or stronger armes for their vertue For we have not to deale with brute Beasts which absolute force may captivate nor with Angels

without passion to whom reason simply and barely proposed may at all times satisfie But we have to doe with men who have reason which we are to know how to satisfie by reason and passions which we are when occasion is offered to understand how eyther to appease and sweeten or stirre up and inflame by discourse How often hath sustice lost her cause for want of being represented with requisite esticacie before men preoccupated with passion What caused Socrates to be condemned in Athens and P. Rutilius at Rome both the one and the other being innocent but only that the former contented himselfe to refute the calumnies of his accusers by simple and naked negations and the latter forbad his Advocates to use any strength or vehemency of speech in the maintainance of his innocency The Roman Orator indeed sayth that if one might plead his cause in Plato's imaginary Republicke before Philosophers exempt from all passions and humane perturbations It were well to be wished that onely reason should governe humane affaires and that passion should have no power over them Since it being so the naked and simple proposition of what were just would happily suffice without any Eloquence to draw them to good But since only to wish this order among men is not to establish the same it is fitting as much as we may to rectifie the disorder and rather to reflect upon the remedies of present mischiefes then upon the vaine wishes of a happinesse not to be had And since depraved inclinations passions vices voluptuousnesse and perverse habitudes have so farre preoccupated humane spirits as lyes seeme oftentimes Truth unto them and iniquity Iustice what better remedy to make way against all these impediments to right and reason than the force of reason it selfe explaned by Eloquence illustrated by lively words and animated by efficacious gestures and motions Reason I say which presented to so ill affected spirits simply and nakedly would be presently rejected but appearing with the grace and winning garb of this sitting ornament it winneth the hearts of the most refractari● it insinuates it selfe into the worst dispos●d thoughts cures most ulcered humors and which is a most happy kinde of healing it cures them with content It is sayd that the Aspick suffers it selfe to bee charmed by the Enchanters voyce forgetting its naturall rage The Lyra appeaseth the Tyger Musick the Dolphin Davids Harpe the Divell tormenting Saul The sound of Flutes asswageth the paines of the Gowt And one of Alexanders Musitians had a tune wherewith he could sodainly calme the fire of his furie and cause it to lay downe Armes in the heighth of his greatest heate Eloquence hath yet farther power over humaine passions to moderate bend calme overcome and to cause them though it selfe unarmed to yeild up their weapons to reason Eloquence charmes the Sences mollifieth harts inciteth Affections frameth desires in other mens passions commandeth without law raigneth without Scepter forceth without Serjeants leaveth men to their freedome yet exerciseth in them a secret Empire It findes Wolves and makes them Sheepe encountreth Lions and leaves them Lambs not touching Bodies but transforming Soules and changing Wills without altering Nature What was the Eloquence think you of that Philosopher who commending Eloquence in presence of a debauched young man crowned with Flowers clapping his hands tripping about and dancing to the sound of Flutes in habit and gesture of one who celebrated the Feast of Bacchus entring into his Schoole in this equipage with purpose to scoffe at him did so lively pierce him with the Darts of his discourse as hee presently caused him to cast his Flowers from him to quit his caprings to breake his Flutes to settle his countenance and to testifie by the change of his comportment the alteration of his Spirit What force suppose you had Pericles his Eloquence being commonly termed Thunder and Lightning who by speaking imprinted in all hearts certaine strong incitements and stirred up all spirits with unusual transports enclining them to Wisdome What kinde of vehemency imagine you had that torrent of Demosthenes his Eloquence which so long stayed the course and successe of Philips good Fortune without any other armes then his tongue What vigor had the speech of Phocion who a thousand times raysed the courage of his Country men by his enflamed discourses no lesse than he did their Fortunes by his victorious armes But the authority these Orators acquired in Athens and the profit they brought to their Republick appeared clearely by this example At what time the Athenians reduced to extremity by Alexander the Great could not obtaine peace at his hands but under condition to send him as Prisoners their Captaines and Orators it came to this passe that in retayning their Orators they satisfied him in banishing their Captaines so as therein they shewed how much they preferred Eloquence before valour supposing it to be more availeable for them to maintaine the tongue than the sword in the Citie What shall I say of the Romans with whom Eloquence did at all times march hand in hand with valour these two having raysed their Republickes in Power Greatnesse and Glory above all the Empires of the World CHAP. 16. That Eloquence doth principally appeare in popular States but that it may be likewise very usefull in Monarchicall Governments TRuely as the popular Estates of Athens and Rome have caused Eloquence to be of high esteeme so doth it in truth seeme that Eloquence in such places is most usefull being of more splendour in popular estates where it is necessary to perswade the people to what is profitable for the publick than in Monarchicall States where those who are encharged with publike government are onely to propose their counsels and opinions to the Soveraigne thereupon receiving his commands to intimate the same to the people which without all comparison is more majesticall firme solid for the good and quiet of men then the opinion or advice of a Tribune or Orator confirmed by the suffrages of a rash multitude It therefore affords not so large a Field to the power of spirit nor so ample a subject to Eloquence Neverthelesse as certaine Birds who make no use of their wings for flying and soaring in the ayre yet employ them notwithstanding in their walking on earth therewith putting themselues forward with more speed and strength So Eloquence not meeting with those spacious places in Monarchies to soare in if I may so say with displayed wings doth yet at all times shew her dexterity and promptitude even in those straight limits enclosing her and her wings though uselesse unto her for flying do yet at least help her to walk with greater vivacity Besides the inconstancie of worldly affaires affordeth but over-many subjects even in best setled Kingdomes on the one side to cause the peoples fidelity to appeare towards their Soveraigne and on the other side to employ Eloquence in his Service and for publike profit Occasions I say which are no

wherewith we seeke to conceale manifest defects doe but make them remarkable in stead of covering them So these Chimericall inventions these Phantomes of the spirit these forced Metaphors these beg'd resemblances and these borrowed common places ill applied out of the povertie of a barren and constrained discours cover not but disclose their authors ignorance They wil forsooth avoid vulgar words and common conceits but they see not how it is the same of words as of coyn wherto onely use affords currantnesse dis-use reiection So among the conceptions of the Spirit the most ordinary and most usuall are the soundest and most receiveable the extraordinary and particular carry either the marke or suspition of some folly Beaten waies are the directest by-pathes cause us to wander To avoyd the common fashion in matter of apparell is to make our selves ridiculous To quit ordinary terms conceptions in discourse is to cast our selves into extravagancies Nature so long as shee is not vitiated produceth onely ordinary things and no sooner doth shee bring to light any unusuall matter but shee falls sicke and bringeth forth Monsters But this is one of the diseases of these times And Seneea sayd right well That the style and speech at any time current is the Index of the Humors and Manners of that Age. Speake that I may see thee sayd a Phylosopher Speach comes from the heart and the Channell discovers the sources quality This age attributes all to apparancie nothing to solidity we strive not to be but to appeare we dreame more of plastering than building other mens eyes governe us not our own knowledge nor had opinion ever so much power in the world nor truth so little The style of our discourse beares the markes of this giddy passion fo● we seek not the marrow but the colour not the substance but the sound not the weight of reasons and sentences but the glitterings of vaine inventions or I know not what rancounter of words beating the ayre and often lost and vanishing fill the eare and leave the understanding hunger-starved It is the ecchoing but emptie vessell wherof the Apostle speaketh The sound whereof proceeds onely from the wind it is full of And as the Apples of Sodome are faire shining and golden to their view who see them far off as they hang on the trees beeing easily deluded with their outward beauty but comming near to touch them they presently fal in pieces causing amazement in them who thinking they had gathered Apples find nothing in their hands but ashes The same it is of the most of our discourses which the affected fabrick of painted words and phrases beautifieth with some small lustre which bea●s upon the sence but if you neerely observe it at the first touch this seeming shine vanesheth into smoke wee therein finding neither Iuice Grace nor Beauty Yet is not evill unusefull for the World since though otherwise uselesse it at least serves as a foyle to what is good as Darkenesse to light blacke to white shadowes to lively colours and spots to fayre faces by the rancounter of their opposites So either the monstrous or masked style of the most of these wits distasted with whatsoever is good and naturall beautifie the writings and discourses of some smal number who raising the honour of French Eloquence speake and write with Elegancy Purity and Soliditie I will passe them over in silence since they are sufficiently knowne and publique Iudgement affoordeth sufficient glory to their name without expecting any from my pen yet am I willing to adde this word to the end that having spoken of their vices who by prodigious writings daily defame and dishonour our Language none should suppose I desire to suppresse merit or smother their praise whose native iudicious and solid Eloquence doth highly illustrate and adorne the French tongue● CHAP. 18. Of the Eloquence proper for the Politician and the Conclusion of this Worke. AFfected Eloquence if it deserve the name of Eloquence is unseemely for all 1. Quality but chiefly for those who treat of important affaires Nor is this great Ornament and Pompe of round set words wherewith Orators swell their veine beseeming them And the Ancient say The vigour and integrity of discourse that if Iupiter should speake to men he would not make use of Demosthenes but of Platoes stile For the discourse of grave persons should rather taste of the Philosopher than Orator and it is rightly befitting them when Sentences are their Figures Maximes their pauses Reasons their ornaments a strong solid and round brevity their Eloquence 2. Brevity briefly when the words flowing from them shew not the fyle of a laborious Art but the quick and pleasing juyce of a well digested Prudence The Lacedaemonians spake but little but spiritfully and solidly their words were as rich Diamonds small in Bulke inestimable in worth Men value not eyther precious Stones or Discourses by the Greatnesse but Gracefulnesse A little Carbuncle is more worth than a whole Rock a quick Sentence than a quaint and frivolous Oration To speake little and say much is the perfect Eloquence It was a Law in the Areopagites Court to speake nothing from the matter Phocion was call'd the Axe of Demosthanes his Discourse Arist l. 11 Rhet. Ne quid extra re●● diceretur in that he cut short his unprofitable preambles and doubtlesse it is the true Rule of Discourse in matters of Consequence not to extravagate into idle and superfluous matters but to ayme directly at the marke And questionlesse if one speak not but to attaine his end as one walks not but to arrive whether he tendeth It is folly to goe by the Bow when the shortest and best way is by the string and he in whose election it is if he please to take a direct way will neverthelesse goe winding and turning by oblique paths makes men imagine eyther that himselfe wanders or desires others should goe astray who follow him If he casually misse his way he shewes his ignorance If he wilfully wander he appeares malicious The one sheweth he is deceived the other that he would delude others 3. Simplicity The Speech seeking truth ought to be simple and without composition sayd an Athenian not bare without juyce and gracefulnesse but simple without windings and ambagies not single without energie but plaine without captiousnesse not silly without naturall and fitting attractions but plaine without the mixture of idle allegations not simple in regard of roughnesse but in respect of clearenesse roundnesse and ingenuity The simplicity of Discourse signifies not a rude and ill-polished Ineligancy but rather as the Gospel calleth the eye simple which is pure cleare and neate without dimnesse or Clouds So is the oration simple whence a pure and elegant splendor banishe●h confusion and obscurity Si oculus tuus sit simplex sic totum corpus tuum lucidum erit and to speake properly there is nothing lesse simple than rude and grosse Discourses

which a heape of slack and idle matters entangle and confound nor any more simple than a quick and elegant Discourse the purity whereof expelleth riddles and the solidity superfluities Philosophy termeth the Celestiall bodies simple in comparison of Elementary bodyes and Theologie attributes simplicity to God and Angels in respect of things composed of body and matter so as simplicity taken in the true sense is the perfection of things not signifying any defect of gracefulnesse ornament or beauty but an happy privation of impurity imperfection and mixture The Heavens as they are the most simple bodyes so are they the fairest and most luminous their Beauty proceeding from their simplicity and separation from all mixture of strange Bodyes The Angels more simple than all other created things are likewise more excellent their excellency consisting in that they are single and divided from the Vnion and marriage of materiall things God who is most simple and most perfect his perfection ariseth out of his simplicity and his simplicity from his being exempt from any composition which indeed denoteth a defect in things not having all in them but are forced to crave allyance of some Exteriour thing for the obtayning of what is deficient in themselves So the most excellent and elegant Oration is that which is the most simple not in beeing unfurnished of her Graces and Attractions but in having all her Ornaments in their vigour her Colours in their proper juyce and without borrowing strange farre-fetcht and superfluous Ornaments to extract her Beauty out of her proper substance her Vermilion from her good Bloud and as the Gold his shine from his owne soliditie This is the Eloquence worthy of persons in authority who are to comport themselves in their Discourse as in their apparell wherein they avoyd not ornament and richnesse but curious fashions and the borrowed embellishments of affected artifice But if the meanesse of their habit seem something to derogate from their State the barenesse of discourse seemes more to debase it since the robe onely sheweth what they are out of themselves and speech marketh what they are in themselves Besides if God hath beautified all the parts of mans Body and above the rest those most exposed to view as the Eye and Face with Graces and Attractions why should any desire that the principall part in man discovering and shewing the Soule and the interiour declaring and manifesting man Speech I say the lively Image of the heart and th●●ght should appeare base naked and unfurnished of convenient ornaments The increated word of God being his Eternall Word is by the Apostle called The Splendour of the Father as representing his Beautie the perfect beauty of the Eternal Fountain whence it flowes which is the Divine Wisedome The Speech of man is the light and splendor of man causing him to appeare and shine it being the lively pourtrait of what is most excellent in man to wit reason and understanding If therefore it be his splendor is it seemely it should be voyd of gracefulnesse or this speciall ornament abject and neglected What can cause him to shine if what ought to be his light darken him whence should his honour issue if his principall ornament dishonor him Beauty takes nothing from requisite simplicity in a grave and serious Oration but is rather its simplicity since in speech as in all other things simple and pure pure and faire faire and perfect are the same Holy Scripture being the revealed word of God is simple not soft enervate forcelesse or idle as is their Discourse who strive to defend their rusticity by this example and because they are both lofty and lowly they presently suppose they have attained the glory proper to the simplicity of the Divine style whereas in truth that is rather quick energicall powerfull and spiritfull stored with delightfull graces of transpersing points enflaming motives and of secret but divine sweetnesses discovering more attractions than all the Orators on Earth have ever beene able to utter in their elaborate discourses Thy word is more sweet than honey to my mouth sayd the Prophet Who hearkens thereto finds himselfe catched who reades therein is transformed And that Theopompus who admired the hidden energy of this divine word yet offēded with the simplicity of its termes seeking to beautifie it with the flowers and pruned words of humane Eloquence as Eusebius reporteth was not aware that its simplicity is more perswasive than all the Art of Orators Being therefore punished from above for this transport of folly he tasted the just punishment of his idle enterprise Simplicity therefore excludeth not the gracefulnesse and strength of Discourse but onely the paint and superfluity which to say truly though adorned with painefull reserches and pompous speeches doth notwithstanding bereave it of its sinewes and Originall Beautie Profit is another requisite quality in Politicall discourse namely 4 Profit not to speak but for the publicke Thy discourses are as the tall and fayre Cypresse trees which beare no fruit sayd an Antient to a young man who mounted upon the Orators chayre entertained the people with vaine and unprofitable speeches It is indeed allowable for Sophisters and Declamours who speak not but to please an Idle assembly to frame to themselves Imaginary subiects and therupon to inlarge their discourse and to sport at pleasure to excite a vaine admiration and beare away a more vaine applause sowing winde and gathering smoke But these mouthes as that of Oracles which are consecrated to publicke utility are never to scatter their words in the ayre nor ever to enter upon subiects of importance though plausible and pleasing to the vulgar out of their due places times and seasons but rather at all times to attend the necessitie and opportunity of speaking in hope of fruit Speech is like graine which out of fitting places and convenient seasons though good is yet unprofitably sown producing onely shame and losse to the seedes-man And as for sowing to profit we are to expect the disposition of time and soyle So hee who will speake fruitfully will still attend the disposition of affaires and spirits since if affaires be not rightly disposed hee spoyles instead of accommodating them If spirits he●rritats in stead of calming them and all the profit he gets by his paines is that by spoyling the businesse hee shewes his indiscretion and by exasperating spirits he revealeth his owne rashnesse Discreet generous libertie But on the other side when necessitie requireth a free and bold speech and when occasion seemes to open it selfe toward the fruit which we may probably expect we are then to appeare with a discreet and generous freedome Naves cum magna sint circum ferun tur a modico gubernaculo ita lingua modicum mēbrum est magna exaltat lac c. 3 beeing the last and principall quality of civill Eloquence S. Iames in his Epistle compares the tongue of man to a Rudder or helme wherewith a ship is