Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	devil_n	father_n	lie_n	3,415	5	9.0726	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14670	Salomons sweete harpe consisting of fiue words, like so many golden strings, toucht with the cunning hand of his true skill, commanding all other humane speech: wherein both cleargie and laitie may learne how to speake. Preached of late at Thetford before his Maiestie, by Thomas Walkington Batchelour in Diuinitie, and fellow of S. Iohns Colledge in Cambridge.	Walkington, Thomas, d. 1621.	1608 (1608)	STC 24971; ESTC S119399	35,733	88

set a watch before his lips and S. Iames wisheth each one to be swift to heare but slow to speake for as Zenoph saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that venison is the most sweet which the huntsman takes with greatest sweat so are them words most delightsome that are most waighed in the ballance not as abortiue borne before their due time if we labour and study and seeke to speake as Salomon did 2 Secondly for paucitie Our words ought to be few for in much speaking there is much iniquitie and Salomon saies in his morall diuine philosophie He that hath knoweledge spareth his words We know nature hath set a double portcullis before our tongue our lips our teeth that it may learne not to presume to wander with Cain from the presence of the Lord to dwel in the land of Naid as Clemens hath it which word signifieth a flood it must not be exorbitant like a flood of waters that outstrips and oreflowes his banks this Naid is opposite to Eden as Clemens saies so is multiplicitie of words to Salomons pleasant words Thus also is the tongue as a guiltie poore prisoner tied as it were in chaines in fetters and strings in the mouth that it should not breake out in blasphemie against God against man against it owne soule The Hieroglyphicks to vncloud wisdome did paint forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heauen dropping deaw like this drisling deaw is euen wisdomes speech therefore the Prophet Ezekiel saies Sonne of man turne thy face towards Teman fac vt stillet verbum let thy words droppe toward the South to wit not in a shower but in a pearling deaw for as Nazianzen saies well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sacietie of hunnie it selfe though neuer so sweete procures a vomit so is it with all boundlesse vnlimited speech 3 Thirdly words ought to be delightsome and they be twofold either pleasing the outward eare or touching the inward heart of both which a wise man who both is wont to doe things worthie to be spoken and to speake things worthie to be done must haue a speciall care but he must chiefely ayme at the heart with the word of God which is liuely and mightie in operation and sharper then a two edged sword and entreth through euen vnto the deuiding asunder of the soule and the spirit and of the ioynts and the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart his words must not be sonantia but sanantia not manantia but manentia not hauing a meere sound but sound comfort healing the vlcer and taking out the core of concupiscence that lies hid in the heart he must rather secare quam palpare pungere quàm vngere magis planctum quam plausum quaerere speake words rather of sustentation then of ostentation not for the feeding of the fancie but for the bleeding of the heart to mooue thrilling drops of remorse rather then teares of temporarie ioy Words are most pleasant when in speaking euery circumstance is duly obserued otherwise it is rather vnseasonable then in due time and place like the foolish louer comming vnto his mistris as Theophrastus saith to banket and make merrie with her when shee was deadly sicke of an ague 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We see before what the Prophet Esai saith for this The Lord hath giuē to me the tongue of the learned to minister a word of comfort in due season to the wearied soule A wise speaker that meanes to speake pleasant words will regard time place subiect obiect and ende and euery circumstance For place Christ preached and taught in the Temple in the day time and at night he betooke him to a retiring place for fitter praying to the mount Oliuet so Elias he praied vnder the Iuniper tree Ionas in the belly of the whale Ezekias vpon his couch Daniel in the denne Manasses in prison the three children in the fierie fornace For time and subiect also Thus Abigail the prudent wife of the foole Nabal the Carmelite would not reprooue her husband for reuiling Dauid and dealing churlishly with him whiles hee was drunke and too much merrie with wine but in the morning most wisely when he had slept out some of his folly and surfet then shee told him of his fault and hunckish demeanour For obiect We must in speaking vtter the truth without all sophistrie and equiuocation for this proceedes from the deuill the father of lies we must not be like them historiographers in Herodians time who affected too much elegancy and neglected veritie like those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Paul calls them these double-tongued deacons like thē in the Psalme who doe speak with a heart and a heart but we must deliuer the message of the Lord as becomes the wise Embassadours of so heauenly a King euen these pleasant words of Salomon the preacher to wit the words of truth information reformation consolation saluation such as doe inchaunt and captiuate the spirituall eare Againe for the end we are not to seeke our selues but the glorie of God for the golden streames of inuention if they returne not their tribute vnto the maine Oceane of wisdome from whence they first issued ayming at his glory and magnification of his name they are like the golden earings of the Israelits of which was framed the molten calfe they worshipped and so we may say of euery circumstance These pleasant words that Salomon sought to speake and which he inspired by the spirit did speak are the words of God vttered by an Apollos both eloquent and mighty in the Scripture such as will euen rauish and enthrall the vnderstanding Clemens compares these words to Amphion and Arions sweete singing whose dulcid and rauishing straines of musick inchaunted the wilde beasts the stones the trees the birds by the birds saith he are meant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 light behauoured men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the serpents are men deceitfull lyons stomackfull wolues rapacious stones are men senselesse for as he saith they are more stupid then stones who are baptized or dyed in the graine of ignorance so the Gentiles are these stones that worship stocks and stones this word this heauenly song of our celestial Arion is able of these stones to raise vp children not onely to Abraham the father of many but to God the father of all Of these heauenly words eloquent S. Bernard the Omega of the fathers speakes Viae domini sunt viae rectae viae pulchrae viae plenae viae planae rectae sine errore quia ducunt ad vitam pulchrae sine sorde quia docent mundiciem plenae multitudine quia totus iam mundus est intra Christi sagaenam planae sine difficultate quia donant suauitatem The wayes and wordes of the Lord are right are beautifull copious and plaine right without errour because they direct to life euerlasting