laying all the blame on fortune and vnluckie speeding whereas rather they shold say that it is the desertfull chastisement of God and that for their owne defrauding in their trade the trade it selfe defraudes them Euen so is deceipte punished with deceipte and lying is corrected by lying So sayeth the Propet Dauid Mendaces filii hominum in stateris vt decipiant ipsi de vanitate in idipsum The children of men are but vaine deceiptfull vpon the weights and are altogether lighter then vanitye it stlfe Hee that selleth sweareth that the ware is good and he that buieth sweares that it is naught the one or other lying offendeth God contaminates his owne conscience and beguileth his neighbour euen as if with the thruste of a Launce at one stroke three are seuerally wounded Now what woulde you haue God do with this lying tongue Pordes omnes qui loquuntur mendacium Therefore was it sayeth Saint Augustine writing vpon Saint Iohn That Christ our Sauiour chased the buyers and sellers foorth of the Temple in Ierusalem in signe that by their lyes they shall be driuen foorth of the heauenly Temple Eiecit omnes vendentes ementes de templo Lodouico Let me tell you my Lorde that lying at this day is risen to such a height as wee can hardly trust any man such is the mighty aboundance of lyers whereby ensueth that euen to writings confirmed by witnesses fortified with seals and made authenticall by publique Notaries great outrage is committed a thousand deceipts interposed no meane store of lyes enforced to beare down a plaine manifest truth I deny not but the writings of publique Notaries are necessarie as necessarie euilles that take head onely by the worldes malice yet in former ages such transcriptes were thought vnmeete because men were then so true both in worde and deede as one honest simple worde stoode in steede of an authenticall instrument Laban was a man very cauillous and stricte notwithstanding betweene him and Iacob his sonne in lawe in so many couenants as passed betwixt theÌ„ in steed of writings they made a heape of somewhat or set vp a stone on end like a piller in sign witnesse of an inuiolable faith which by Laban was called in his proper tongue Tumulus testis by Iacob Aceruus testimonij Abraham buying a field of ground his word only serued instead of a most firme bargain and contract Of this faithfulnesse in men it ensued that God giuing the lawe of circumcision caused it not to be written but to passe by tradition to posterity and they inuiolably obserued it But afterward the malice of men encreasing and getting such head that they defrauded the most auncient contractes and the soundest established couenauntes vndoubtedlye if God had pleased simply from his own mouth to haue deliuered his laws without manifest setting them down in writing they would haue inserted a thousand lyes deuised out of their owne braines among them Hereupon it followed that afterward when he gaue his lawes to the Hebrewes he gaue them in writing not simply in paper set down with a weak pen or easily to be blured or raced out but gaue them ingrauen in the hardest marble to the end that neither by the force of knife or any other instrument whatsoeuer they might be altered or defaced Doe you not see my Lorde that although the holy Gospell was faithfully written by the blessed Euangelistes the Scribes and Notaries to the highest God yet notwithstanding the seducing deuill and Father or lyes hath sought continualâ—ye to sullie the pure whitenesse thereof with a thousand black errors neuer ceassing to rayse vp heresie and schismes in the Churche of God Claudio I remember and very pertinent to this purpose that the Aegyptians made such strict account of their word as for maintenance thereof they haue lost their liues Whereupon Herodotus a most auncient writer making report of the Aegyptians sayth That in making a bargaine a confederacy or a coniunction of new amity one ioyneth his greater fingers to the other parties and eche letteth them bloud Afterward with their tongues they lick off the bloud wherewith eche signed the others hand inferring by this ceremony that first they wil make expence of their vttermost drop of bloud willingly dy rather then speake false or lye one to another If such faithfull dealing were at this daye in the worlde men wold be aduertised by so many warnings and neuer stand with such suspicious thoughts euermore fearefull to be deceiued For in deed these dayes doe affoord such plentie of lyers as we may saye with the Prophet Ose Non est veritas interra Mendacium maledictum inundauerunt propter hoc lugebit terra infirmabitur omnis qui habitat in ea There is no trueth in the land By swearing and lying they breake out Therfore shall the land mourne and euery one that dwelleth therin shall be cut off A greate chastisement was this which God denounced against lyers in regard that for so detestable a sin all the dwellers vpon earth should be taken away And very woorthily is such a punishment inflicted on them sayeth Father Augustine vpon the Psalmes because by lying they diuide themselues from what is and adhere to that which is not therfore their sentence is to be made iust nothing Per des omnes qui loquuntur mendacium Lodouico A man capable of reason making accounte of honor should at least in regard of honour it selfe speake the trueth because there can be no greater confronting of a man then to beare him downe with lyes For the lyer hath no credite with any man and while he labours to maintaine a lye he doeth but ratifie it with lye vpon lye false oaths and vehement asseuerations yea many times hee calles God to beare witnesse of his lying Can there bee a greater sinne then this to outface the vncreated trueth it selfe In the kingdome of Bohemia although there be lyers there as well as in any other part of the world yet notwithstanding they hold it for most certaine that hee that telles a lye in the iudgement place vndoubtedly that verye yeere shall dye and sooner by some euill kinde of death then otherwise for feare whereof you shall haue very fewe there forwarde to swearing Now albeit this is but a superstition life and death remaining in the Lordes hand onely yet we cannot but confesse it for most true that God as a iust Iudge will giue seuere correction to lyers and false swearers either earlie or late as we vse to say And what sayth the wise man Os quod mentitur occidit animam The mouth that speaketh lyes sleyeth the soule And we may hold it for most certaine that as there is no agreement at all between light and darknesse euen so there can be no standing together of God the highest truth wretched lying man acccording as himself
saith by S. Iohn in his Apocalyps Non intrabit in eam aliquid coinquinatū aut abhominationem faciens mendacium And there shal enter into it no vncleaue thing neither whatsoeuer worketh abhomination or lyes Now let vs see what thing is more abhominable more miserable more dolorous more foolish and more impious then for a man to depriue himselfe of all goodnesse of glorie eternall and to bee condemned into euer burning fire in the company of most horrible deuils only for vaine wordes that endure no longer then their very vtterance Claudio The face of trueth is so sweete and amiable and the priuiledges of her sonnes are so famous as euery one reporteth the greatnesse of them and without dreade of any penaltie they may boldly speake the trueth The honest true speaking man may goe euerye where with his face vnmasked all men repose trust in him none can accuse him without anye feare hee may freely talke with all men and hee shall bee sure neuer to wante friends Looke vpon the contrary stampe I meane the lyer and false speaking man he is shunned of al he playes least in sight he is accounted as lothsome no man dare trust him none will beleeue him no euen when he speaketh the trueth Moreouer trueth is of it selfe so strong as it ouercomes all things and so durable as it contendeth with eternitie Veritas Domini manet in aeternum The trueth of the Lord endureth for euer Bethinke your selfe my Lorde I pray ye of that so publike sentence which the yong man gaue to Darius in fauour of the trueth Lodouico I remember the yong mans glorious victory against his other companions but I haue forgotten the māner what were his words to them Claudio Among the infinite multitude of most noble Courtiers which Darius king of Persia had attending on him there were three very comely and wise young men beeing of the Guarde and keepers of the kings person awaiting in his secret lodging as chamberlaines These met together and concluded to propound or vtter foorth an Enigmae in the presence of the king and he that in the iudgement of the kings wise councell did with greatest discretion vnfold it should haue most pretious gifts sit next in person to the king as is at large to be read in the booke of Esdras All three did put vnder the pillowe royall the solution of the mysticall sentence consisting of these fewe wordes What thing in the world was strongest Being left vnder the bed pillow as hath bin said already the first said that the strongest thing was wine the second said the king was stronger but the third whose name was Zerobabell he wrote that women were strongest but yet trueth ouercommeth all things The king beeing risen from his bed eche one seuerally presented his solution and all the Magistrates Senators Consuls Pretors of Persia being congregated together the Enigmae was publiquely read in the presence of them all as also the meaning therof wherupō the yong men being called they were commāded one after another to yeeld a reason of their seueral opinions the first in order beginning thus spake I say that wine is strongest because the power thereof seduceth all mens mindes yea euen the kings or the very wisest men in the worlde it makes a man secure and iocond and to forget all melanchollie debt dreade of the king or any publique magistrate it causeth him to take armes and rush into very perillous stratagems yet in short while after all these things doe vanish from remembrance He ceassing the second followed in this manner Men doe possesse both Sea and land and the king is aboue them all who only by his authoritie without stirring from his regall throne makes but a beck and it is obeyed giues but commaunde to his subiectes and they fulfill what he would haue doone he throwes downe houses ruinateth citties killeth men abafeth mountaines exalteth vallies enioyneth tributes erecteth Palaces buildeth cities planteth vines and other trees the king onely keepes in his royall citie and his commaunde stretcheth to infinite others yet none dare bee so hardy as to disobey it Is hee not strong then quoth hee and so concluded The thirde appearing in an humble habite and very comely behauiour made lowe reuerence to the kings Maiesty and afterward to all his assembled Councell and thus beganne to maintaine his solution Greate Lordes in so much as I discerne the king to bee strong and wine also strong enforcing dotage and vnaduised boldnesse yet find I another thing to go beyond both the one the other Now what may it be that so highly predominateth if not a woman A woman brought foorth the king and all those men that ouerrule both Sea and land yea those that planted vines from whence the wine commeth yea eche one of them that doe such memorable deedes of valour was borne of a woman who is the glorie of man his iewell ioye and cheefest contentmente from whome it appeares hee cannot bee seperated If hee get riches if hee haue heapes of gold and siluer if hee enioye pearles iewelles and pretious stones if he haue faire and costlie garments yet if he see a woman acceptable in his eye he giues them all to her euen with highest contentment He forsakes his Father that be got him his mother that gaue him birth and man giues himselfe in so bountifull manner to his wife as he neither mindes his deare country his most affected friendes or any thing else beside but only addicts himselfe to a woman Nay that which is much more many do leaue their own houses and with armed weapons enter woods and other places to set vpon passēgers yet bring their infamous theft home to their esteemed women Diuers haue slaine themselues for women others haue become foolish and mad and others liued as slaues and poore seruantes for them I haue seen Apemena daughter to Bezacis Concubine to the king sit vpon his right hand and with vndaunted boldnesse take frō off the kings head his Crown imperial set it on her own head nay more far beyond that O mighty impudency she grew on into such audaciousnes as she dared to giue the king a blow with her hād he patiently endured it Is not a woman much stronger then either wine or the king The king in his Maiesty and all his congregated counsellers stoode amazedly looking one vpon another deliuering gestures of greate admiration when yet the thirde young man beganne againe and spake concerning trueth in order ensuing Great is the earth excelse the heauens and most swift the course of the Sunne for in one day he wheeles about the whole globe of the earth but he that made all these things by his high wisedome made also the truth which is far more strong then all things else created All countries calles vpon trueth heauen it selfe hath blessed it all the
praises of a flatterers tongue Comparison of Apes Parrats and Parochitoes voyces Comparison of water The flatterers tongue robs a man of the trueth ComparisoÌ„ of dumb dogs Esay 56. 10. Seneca in Epist ad liber Seneca in Epist 2. Comparison of Cookes Bion his answere of the most daÌ„gerous beast The flatterers tongue exceedeth the crueltie of wilde beasts ComparisoÌ„ of the flatterer to a looking Glasse when a man sees himselfe in it Psal 12. 1. 2. The flatterer aptly coÌ„pared to an Hailot in her behauiour Two excellent Similies ComparisoÌ„ of our breath according as the mouth is closed or oepned so in flatterers as the purse is shut or opened Psal 13. 5. The wise maÌ„s counsel not to iudge wine by the pleasaÌ„tnes or sweetnesse Prou. 23. 31. 32. Alexander delighted with his flatterers praises Acteon deuoured by his owne dogs Esay 3. 12. Antisthenes his iudgement of flatterers Example of one quarrelling with a Philosopher Comparison of blind men and the Allusion Diogenes Aristippus CoÌ„stantine Horace Aeneas Siluius concerning Sigismund the Emperor Sentence ComparisoÌ„ of a mother and her young Son Allusion to the flatterers behauiour The fruits of folly found afterward Example of the builders of Babell Gen. 11. 4. A morall explication of the former Example Example of Philopoemenes seÌ„tence on a Trumpetter How flatterers do murther men Ierem. 50. 4. Example of Alexanders readinesse in vnsheathing his sword Example of the dancing teacher Example of Ieroboam his golden Calues Example of Aaron Exod. 32. 4. 5. 6. Aarons view of the peoples vanity Allusion to the flattering tongue Ose 7. 3. The tongue of the flatterer nurseth vp much euil in the common wealth and princes houses A second Iudas killing by kissing Lying is a greater sin then flattery Man is an vtter enemy to reprehension Prouerbe Man is a great louer of liberty Comparison of the truth to hony Allusion The wounded sinner how he takes reprehension Psal 119. 86. Mens reproouing of Prophets preachers Esay 40. 15. Time seruers and pleasers of mens affections Ierem. 5. 30. 31. S. Pauls prediction of such louers of flatteries 2. Tim. 4. 3. 4. 1. Sam. 10. 33. Example of Saules hatred to Ionathan Example of Balaacs hate to Balaam Numb 23. 8. Iudith 6. 14. Example of Achior hated by Holofernes Iudges 9. 21. Example of Ionathas and of Ieremie 2. Chron. 16. 10. Example of Iohn Baptist and Daniell Luke 3. 19. Dan. 14. 31. Example of the holy Martyres slaine by wicked tyraÌ„ts A notable Example of venerable Beda of England whose eyes were pluckt out for speaking the 〈◊〉 Example of the Son of God himselfe and how the world vsed him Iohn 14. 6. Iohn 18. 37. Iohn 8. 46. Psal 119. 86. Psal 91. 4. Iohn 14. 3. Iohn 16. 7. Iohn 16. 13. Iohn 8. 36. Iohn 17. 17. Iohn 8. 40. How God is sayd to be sory for Lucifer Iohn 8. 44. How God is sayd to greeue for men Psal 5. 9. Psal 4. 2. God sweares the trueth Psal 132. â—1 How God drawes neere to any man Psal 145. 18. How god giues heauen to meÌ„ Psal 15. 1. 2. 3. Nothing is more acceptable to God then trueth Pythagoras his answere concerning trueth Aeschines in an OratioÌ„ against Demosthenes of the power of trueth Anacharsis the Philosopher speaking of trueth God wil neuer pardon him that belyeth the trueth Psal 5. 6. No sin more opposite against God then lying is Aristot in Perier Plato in Thymeus Tho. Aquin. in 2. 2. Q. 110. a. 3. Alber Mag. 2. Sen. D. 35. Cicero defining lying S. Ambrose his aduise S. Chrisostom Comparison of light and darknesse and the Allusion The deuill durst not lye in his owne shape 2. Corin. 11. 14. The deuils children imitate their father 2. Corin. 11. 15. A lye is odious to the lyer him selfe Chilo Lacede discoursing on truth Anselm de MeÌ„ Lib. 2. Christ neuer called any son of the deuill but the lyer Iohn 8. 44. A note worth the obseruation Lying polluteth the vnderstanding what harmes it doth A lyer is not beleeued wheÌ„ he telles the truth Lying is becoÌ„e a merchandise in the worlde Sentence Psal 62. 9. Of swearing both in the seller and buyer Psal 5. 6. S. August sup S. Iohn Iohn 1. 9. To what a head lying is 〈◊〉 owne in theese dayes Writings of Notaries necessarie as necessarie euils Example of the couenants between LabaÌ„ and Iacob Gen. 31. 47. Gen. 23. 15. Example of AbrahaÌ„s bargaining The lawe of Circumcision not written The reason why God gaue his Lawes in writing but not in paper The deuill hath deuised many meanes to abuse the holie writings of the Euangelistes Herodotus describing the Aegyptians forme of making their coÌ„tracts These dayes want such presidents Ose 4. 1. 2. 3. S. Agust sup Psalm A lyer hath no credit with any man and cals god to witnesse his lye Example of a custome obserued in Bohemia Sapien. 1. 11. Similie Apoc. 21. 27. A good lesson for Lyers The priuiledges of the sons of truth The true man goes with his face vnmasked The Lyer is shunned of all men Psal 117. 2. The Historie of the three young men in the Court of king Darius Esdras 3. 4. 5. 6 What thing was the strongest 1. wine 2. The king 3. women but truth ouercoÌ„meth al things The first man maintaineth the power of wine The secoÌ„d maÌ„ approuing the power of kings defeÌ„deth the same very strongly The third maÌ„ iustifieth first the might of women The third maÌ„ defendeth the omnipotent power of truth The whole Senate applaude the power of trueth 1. Esdras 4. 41. A lye hath short legges and haltes euery where Eccle. 20. 24. Of theeues lyers both are theeues Eccl. 28. 18. 21. A wicked toÌ„gue is worse then the paine of hell Hell hurteth none but the daÌ„ned but the tongue offendeth God and his Saints The Deuilles tongue Apoc. 12. 10. The Deuill being so great an accuser how is he saide to bee dumbe Luke 11. 14. Three kindes of speaking three kinds of tongues Psal 12. 2. 3. 4. 1. The toÌ„gue of the minde 2. The toÌ„gue of the mouth 3. The tongue of the deede or worke Eccle. 28. 16. Of al the three tongues together in their badnes All the three toÌ„gues exampled in the builders of Babel Gen. 11. 5. 7. 8. Eccle. 28. 16. Example of the Archbishop of Genoa in a SermoÌ„ of his Three toÌ„gues to be cut out Esay 3. 11. 1. For deceiuing 2. For defaming Eccle. 28. 24. 3. For molesting How God is saide to talke with the Angel the soule and the deuil in the minde the first kinde of speaking The seconde kinde of speaking with the mouth as one man to another The woorde of work the third kind of speaking so God speaketh the deuill and the good Angell c. How the Deuill speaketh with the word of woorke demaunded An Answere to the demaÌ„d Math. 4. 10. Apoc. 12. 9. The Deuill cannot personally offend God or his Angelles Math 5.
vnchaste acte committed with his owne sister as loath to displease him because in deede he dearely loued him procured God to let him be slayne by his owne brother Absolon in the merrie sporting time of a sheep-shearing banquet and that Absolon should likewise rebell against him chase him foorth of his owne kingdome and that Salomon should also become an Idolater so that all his sonnes almost dyed miserably Therefore the holy Ghost sayd well Qui parcit virgae odit filium suum qui autem diligit eum instanter erudit Lodouico Such Fathers may be compared to the Iuie that hugs so close to the tree and pretending to beautifie and adorne it winds and writhes it selfe so fast about it as in fewe moneths it makes it drie and dead The very like doth that father and mother that is too nice and fond of their child with kisses they kill it with sweete meates they poyson it and with cockering make it vnapt to any vertuous action Therefore it was the pleasure of God that such as were appointed for the seruice of his maiestie they should be trayned vp from their verie childhoode in the diuine worship of him as we may reade in Leuiticus Hence was it that the wise man sayde Curua ceruicem filij tui ab adolescentia sua Bow downe the neck of thy son while he is young And he giues a reason for the same in another place of that very Chapter Equus indomitus euadet durus filius remissus euadet praeceps An vntamed horse will be stubborne and a wanton child will be wilfull It is ouerlate to resist the enemie when hee hath alreadie surprized the Citie and little auayles it to cast salt vpon the flesh that before is putrified Instruction then is most needfull for children and without all doubt the first vertue that Parentes or Schoolemasters ought to teach youth is to restrayne the tongues libertie and to speake vnder correction and if we will credit morall Cato he sayth Virtutem primam esse put a compescere linguam The first vertue that a Christian childe shoulde be taught is to bee silent or to speake vnder chastisement which vertue is of such excellencie as it makes vs neere neighbours or like vnto God Proximus ille Deo est qui soit ratione tacere sayth the same Cato Dauid in a dialogue which he composed where the speakers are onely God and himself falling into questions with the Lord he saith Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle and who shall rest vpon thy holy mountaine The Lord answereth He that walketh vprightly and worketh righteousnesse speaketh the truth in his hart and hath no deceite in his tongue Heere may be apparantly discerned how conformably Cato spake with Dauid considering that he that thinketh the truth in his heart and offendeth not with his tongue he shall dwell neerest vnto God it is euen all one with his wordes to weere hee that refrayneth his tongue and knowes reason when to be silent is neere vnto God Claudio Nay more he is like vnto God for he that speaketh the truth with his mouth and in his hart thinketh no deceipt is like vnto God who is the same truth Therefore Salomon sayde well that life and death is in the power of the tongue because he that delighteth to speak alwaies the truth is in true life with God that giueth life to all things and he that delights in lying and deceipte is contrarie to God and so consequently is dead from him Mors vita in manu linguae As among all things that are to bee desired there is nothing more affected then life euen so all our daylie labour and endeauour is the more willingly pursued for the maintenance of this present life which we do hold in so deare respect and are so much enamoured thereof as although we knowe there is another life much better and no way subiect to death yet doth this life so highly please vs and inexorable death is so horrible to vs as wee woulde gladly take any paynes whatsoeuer to transporte vs quickly to that other life without touch or taste of the sting of death or depriuation of these earthly goods and spoyles Oh we would fayne bee soone cloathed with immortality If then we would hunt this track with such earnest desire we should be somewhat mindfull of our tongues custodie which is the laylor as it were and keeps the key both of life and death with all our harts we should loue the truth which is the onely occasion of life and with the swift celeritie of an Hart flye from foolish talking lyes and vaine babbling the very begetter and nourisher of most horrid and abhominable death Nam qui sumus in hoc tabernaculo ingemiscimus grauati eò quòd nolumus expoliari sed superuestiri vt absorbeatur quod mortale est à vita For indeed we that are in this tabernacle sigh and are burdened because we would not be vnclothed but would be clothed vpon that mortality might be swallowed vp of life thus spake the Apostle to the Corinthians If then life and death bee in the hand and power of the tongue you see what an especiall care should bee had thereof because in no parte of the bodye can we carie any greater perill of life then in the tongue which is the gate as it were whereby life passeth foorth and death enters into vs. A bad creditour is this tongue with so rich a treasure as is the pretious and vnualuable iewell of life it beeing a member so voluble soft vnstable without boane which might giue it more firmenesse and hazarding life continuallye to infinite daungers Well did the Apostle knowe this when he sayd to the same Corinthians Habemus autem the saurum istum in vasis fictilibus But we haue this treasure in earthen vessels Since then the custos of our soule is so fraile we goe in dayly dreade of loosing the treasure of celestiall grace What thing can be more frayle then the mouth which by a turne of the tongue may make shipwrack both of temporall and eternall life offending with blasphemies the maiestie of our omnipotente God and by one iniurious word oftentimes it comes to passe life is miserably lost for a generous minde is more aggreeued at an iniurious word then is a slaue or villayne by the stroake of a weapon Lodouico Perhappes this is the true sense and meaning of that sentence of Salomon because in effect a pleasing word is sweete and much contents a mans minde and a bitter sharpe taunte mooues much strife and discorde So saith he Responsio mollis frangit iram sermo durus suscitat furorem A soft answere putteth away wrath but grieuous words stir vp anger And againe he saith Lingua placabilis lignum vitae quae autem immoderata est conteret spiritum A wholesome tongue is a tree of life but the
a man but by your leaue I am no lyar Lodouico You are a lyar because you are a man if you will giue credite to Saint Paul who confirming the former saying of the Prophet Dauid wrote to the Romanes Est autem verax Deus omnis autem homo mendax Let God be true and euery man a lyar If God be only true and euery man a lyar you being a man are also a lyar except from the community of men you know how to diuide your selfe Claudio I know very well that I am a man and yet no lyar because I haue alwayes delighted in the trueth Lodouico If the truth be so pleasing to you and yet you are a man it is because you haue no knowledge of your selfe nor of your owne excellencie For though euery man be a lyar yet in thus much you are not a lyer by how much you are not the sonne of a man but the sonne of God because Mendaces filii hominum in stateris The children of men are vanitie the chiefe men are lyars to lay 〈◊〉 vppon a ballance they are altogether lighter then vanity Then in speaking the truth and delighting therein and not beeing a man but the child of God you are no lyer Deus de Coelo prospexit super filios hominum vt videat si est intelligens aut requirens Deum Omnes declinauerunt simul inutiles facti sunt non est qui faciat bonum non est vsque ad vnum God looked downe from heauen vpon the children of men to see if there were any that would vnderstand and seek God Euery one is gone back they are altogether corrupt there is none that dooth good no not one but if one it was Christ who beeing a man was God also Claudio Whence proceedeth it that al men were lyers and vnprofitable Lodouico Because it pleased him to become both God and man it was to diuert man from infinite former euilles and to heale him of as infinite infirmities particularly those of the vnderstanding to the end hee should not be a lyar but by delighting in the truth he gaue power vnto men to become the sonnes of God Dedit eis potestatem filios Dei fieri So by the meanes of this singular grace Lying ceassed in men because they ceassed to bee the sonnes of men Moreouer they are sayd to be Gods Ego dixi Dij estis filii excelsi omnes I haue sayd you are Gods you are al children of the most high If then they are Gods God is truth Est autem Deus verax Then are they truth as he is as Gods by participation redeemed by grace of the Sauiour bought with the price of the bloud of Iesus Christ borne againe with the water of holy Baptisme and made eternall heyres of the kingdome of heauen this is venerable Bedes opinion vpon the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romanes Claudio I dare say nothing against so great a Doctour but if for further instruction it be lawfull to aske I would gladly know of you if onelye those men which are called the sonnes of God or Gods by participation how many soeuer they be be true and all other men beside are lyars as for example the Gentiles depriued of faith separated from the Church sonnes of the deuill yet they speaking sometimes truth in that many of them by theyr writings haue giuen occasion to vs Christians to know the truth yea and by some of their compositions And if the adopted Sonnes of God onely bee true it is then most cleere that not all Christians that know and speake the truth are the sons of God in forsaking their father Christ and making themselues by sinne the sonnes of the diuell How then do only the sonnes of God and not the sonnes of men speake the truth Lodouico I answere that inasmuch as the Gentiles and Christians onely in name speake the trueth they are true by how much they participate of the first trueth God himselfe but for the rest by that which is to be expected as of their owne nature they are false and lyers Hereupon was it that Dauid sayd Emitte lucem tuam veritatem tuam ipsa me deduxerunt adduxerunt in montem sanctum tuum in tabernacula tua Send thy light and thy trueth let them leade mee let them bring mee vnto thy holy mountaine and to thy Tabernacles As water of it selfe hath no colour at all but is so much the more coloured as colour commeth vpon it euen so man insomuch as he is of himselfe is a lyer but insomuch as he partakegth of the cheefe truth to weet God the only authour of truth so much is he true Another answere in declaration of Dauids wordes can I make you as thus In Dauids saying Omnis homo mendax is as much to say as that a man partaketh more of his not beeing then of his beeing therefore in saying that euery man is a lyar and a lye beeing the deniall of the trueth is the trueth spoken and the ends of both are conuertible since that Bonum verum ens conuertuntur according as the Philosopher saith All that which is true is good and all that which is good is true then that which is a lye hath neither beeing nor goodnesse but onely may be tearmed a priuation of beeing of trueth and of goodnesse When Dauid saith Omnis homo mendax he meanes that man is nothing as of himselfe and into nothing shall he returne without the onely truth God himselfe As to the same effect he speaketh in another place Veruntamen vniuersa vanitas omnis homo viuens Surely man in his best estate is altogether vanity which is euen as much as when he saith Omnis homo mendax And the more that we consider a man in this manner the more we shall find him to be a lyar and nothing be he a still fitter a trauailer or how else to be comprehended but considering him as partaking with the trueth it selfe and his infinite goodnesse and essence wee shall find him to be true good and that he hath a perfect beeing Omnis homo mendax is likewise as much to say according to Marcilius Ficinus vpō Plato that a man knowes much more by negation then by affirmatiō because lying is a negation of the truth so in Dauids saying Euery man is a lyar importeth that so far as a mans own knowledge extēdeth he knows more by denying thē by affirming I know that God is not a stone wood not a star and yet I know not directly what he is I know that the soule is not a body nor mortal but yet cānot so readily tell what it is indeede Heereto will I ioyne another description which perhappes may better fit you because it commeth from an Angell-like doctor and very hetoycall in all his doctrine and thus it is The truth sayth hee
importeth a certaine adequation or leuelling of a thing with the vnderstanding but things do appeare one way to our apprehension and quite contrarie to the diuine intelligence because that our vnderstanding taketh his cognition of the thing therefore the being of the thing is the cause and measure of the truth thereof Hereupon sayd the Philosopher in his first booke called Periermenia and the Chapter treating de oratione Exeo quod res est non est oratio dicitur vera vel falsa Then thus it commeth to passe that our intelligence may bee true and false according to the thing equalled or not equalled But because that which may be and not be hath neede of another superiour agent to the end it may bee and without which it remaineth in it selfe as nothing as the Ayre without light should remayne alwayes darke Euen so fares it with our vnderstanding except it bee illumined by the trueth it selfe it continueth euermore euen in his very best condition in lying Therefore herehence it may well be sayd that for so much how-euer as is to be expected of man in himselfe euery one is a lyer according to his owne best intelligence and he is only true in no more then he partaketh with the onely cheefe trueth We ought to say with Dauid to God Emitte lucem tuam veritatem tuam for he is the truth it selfe and the diuine intelligence is the cause direction of things because of himselfe he is indeficiently true and euery thing in so much is said to bee true by how much it is conformed to the diuine vnderstanding In like manner if we take the trueth from part of a thing man of himselfe hath not the trueth because of his owne nature he becommeth nothing euen as of nothing hee was created But the diuine nature onely hath of it selfe the trueth which neyther is of nothing nor can be conuerted into nothing Your honour then and euerie man else is a lyer as of himselfe but yet doe speake the trueth in so much as you or they partake of the onelye trueth Hee that will speake then must first learne and let him haue no master but the eternall wisedome the woorde the perfecte trueth to the end hee become not woorthye of reprehension tghen shall our discoursing neuer breake silence because it will bee the eternall worde that speaketh and not wee our selues our speaking will be but ministerially not originally instrumentally not casually Non enim vos estis qui loquimini sed spiritus patris vestri qui loquitur in vobis For it is not you that speake but the spirit of your father which speaketh in you Saint Stephen spake in such maÌ„ner as none could conuince him in disputing among so many sects of the Cilicians Alexandreans Cyrenaicans and Asians but in what sorte Non poterant resistere sapientiae Spiritui qui loquebatur They were not able to resist the wisedome and the Spirit by which he spake I do not say that they could not resist Stephen in himselfe but the wisedome and Spirit whereby Stephen spake Non poterant resistere sapientiae Spiritui qui loquebatur For Stephen said nothing of himselfe but the holy Spirite did speake by the mouth of Stephen and other of the Prophets and albeit some of them were sinfull men yet they spake not accordingly neither did they so vnderstand and themselues because they spake not but the diuine word Non enim vos estis qui loquimini sed Spiritus Patris vestri qui loquitur in vobis Doe you thinke that the high priest Caiphas vnderstood himselfe when in Councell he foretold of Christ Expedit vt vnus moriatur homo pro populo ne tota gens pereat It is necessary that one man dy for the people and not that they al should perish Assuredly no Non enim sciebat quid diceret but spake euen as Balaams Asse did that vnderstood not him selfe Claudio And did Balaam vnderstand him selfe or his own Prophecie when he foretold of Christ Orietur Stella ex Iacob consurget virga de Israel There shall come a star of Iacob and a scepter shall arise of Israell c. Lodouico Assuredly I thinke he vnderstood not his prophecie but spake accordingly as his Asse did The man that feareth the Lord sayth Salomon In medio ecclesiae aperiet os cius implebit cum Dominus Spiritu sapientiae intellectus stola gloriae vestret illum In the mids of the congregation shall he open his mouth with the Spirit of wisedome and vnderstanding shall be fill him aâ—â—â—loathe him with the garment of glory Heereuppon was it that God sayd to Dauid Dilata os tuum implebo illud Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it And Christ himselfe sayd to his disciples Ego dabo vobis os sapientiam cui non pot erunt resistere contradicere omnes aduersarij vestri I will giue you a mouth and wisedome where against all your aduersaries shall not be able to speake nor resist When we tell a lye because Ex propriis loquimur we breake silence as Caiphas did when hee sayde of our Sauiour Blasphemauit quid adhuc egemus testibus Vos audistis blasphemiam Reus est mortis He hath blasphomed what haue we any more neede of witnesses now you haue heard his blasphemie He is worthie to die At this very instant he brake silence because he spake of himselfe and told a great lye and spake much euil therefore Omnis homo mendax Silence silence O man since thou art like an infant that knowes not how to speake but onely mutter and mumble therefore hold thy peace for feare of being disgraced suffer God to speake listen then attend well what he saith vnto thee and that is sufficient Te decet silentium Deus Claudio Seeing then that man hath such need to speake with much discretion seeing also he ought not to breake silence and in regarde sometimes hee speakes yet silence is not broken and otherwhiles hee speakes and then it is broken I haue a desire to knowe who was the first that euer brake silence in the world Lodouico In heauen it was Lucifer on earth it was Eua. God spake with his omnipotent voyce and the first that offended his maiestie with breache of silence after he had vttered Dixit facta sunt was Lucifer when with presumptuous speeches standing in the emperiall place and seeing himselfe indued with excellent giftes he sayde In Coelum ascendam super astra Dei exaltabo solium meum sedebo in monte testamenti in lateribus Aquilonis Ascendam super altitudinem nubium similis ero Altissimo I will ascend into heauen and exalt my throane aboue beside the stars of God I will sit also vpon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the North. I will ascend
aboue the height of the clowdes and I will be like the most high But as a iust punishment to such pride he was cast headlong from the imperiall seate into the infernall bottomlesse depth Veruntamen ad infernum detraberis in profundum laci But thou shalt be brought downe to the graue to the sides of the pit with infinite ignominies as Esay in a long stile declareth And Saint Iohn likewise in the Apocalips Proiectus est Draco ille magnus serpens antiquus qui vocatur Diabolus And the great Dragon that old Serpent called the Deuill and Satan was cast out The second that brake silence but on earth was Eua when she said to the Serpent Defructu lignorum que sunt in paradiso vescimur De fructu vero ligni quod est in medio Paradisi praecepit nobis Deus ne comederemus ne tangeremus illud We eate of the fruit of the trees of the garden But of the fruit of the tree which is in the mids of the garden God hath said you shall not eate of it neither shall you touch it Perceiue ye how mightily he missayed and with what importunity he spake Claudio Oh how much ouer-licentiously and with what indiscretion he spake She might yet haue held her peace and not broken silence or if she would needs speake at least haue auoyded lying for God neuer coÌ„manded that they should not touch the tree He commanded them indeed not to eate thereof but this little command seemed so stange to them that being but one yet she would needs make two of it as already you haue said before Mentita est iniquitas sibi Lodouico If she had rehearsed only that which God had commaÌ„ded them she had not broken sileÌ„ce at all because there was nothing that he had spoken but it was in compasse of the diuine word which euermore we ought to haue in our mouthes for Spiritus vita sunt But when she spake of her selfe she spake very euill brake silence whereupon she was punished very seuerely Claudio She would needs talke yet knew not with whom she talked not considering that the very first time of her talking it was with a lyer with a three-mouth'd tongue that neuer spake truely the father of lying the inuenter of lyes the accuser of our brethren Accusator fratrum nostrorum qui accusabat illos ante conspectum Dei nostri die ac nocte The accuser of our brethren is cast downe which accused them before our God day and night And because he had too long a tongue he was throwne foorth of the glorious Palace of heauen euen Quando factum est praelium magnum in Caelo when there was a great battell fought in heauen And hee brake silence and said in proude words ponam sedem meam ad Aquilonem ero similis Altissimo And with the rumour of the weapons Dum Draco committeret bellum cum Michaele Archangelo Draco pugnabat Angeli eius And there was a battell in heauen with Michaell the Archangell and the Dragon fought and his Angels She did not note his variable and vnused habit his dissembled speeche with so many impertinent pratlings and all but lyes Lodouico She made more account of a ianglers words couered with a little sweet taste of honor wearie of their present estate and coueting to be Gods and immortall then of the infallible trueth of God Claudio And yet shee might very well haue discerned by his curious questionings an apparant signe of his malice and that his wordes were full of trecherie fraude and dissimulation The woman might haue said to the Serpent What hast thou to do to know the occasion of the diuine commandement Is he not God and my Lord all that he doth is it not iust Is it not in him to command and is it not our duty to obey Lodouico Behold how much the custody of the tongue importeth if our first Parents had not erred we shoulde neuer haue falne into so many intricate labyrinthes Finis Cap. 5. The Argument Declaring what custodie we ought to haue of our tongue to auoide errour in our speaking Of the seuerall wayes where by the tongue passeth when we talke which although they be foure in number yet one onely guarde is sufficient for them all Chap. 6. CLAVDIO A very singular document doth the kingly Prophet Dauid giue vs vppon the custodye of the tongue and it is in his thirtie eighth Psalme Dixi custodiam vias meas vt â—on delinquam in lingua mea Posui ori neo custodiam dum consist eretpeccator aduersum me I said I will take heed to my wayes that I sinne not with my tongue I wil keep my mouth bridled while the wicked is in my sight EueÌ„ as if he had inteÌ„ded to say I will haue a speciall respect of my life that I fall not into error by my tongue there being so many wayes of fayling therby Therefore haue I set a good guard vppon my mouth the wicked standing alwayes ready against me to noate if I speake any thing which I ought not Wherefore to preuent fayling Obmutui humiliatus sum silui à bonis c I was dumb spake nothing I kept silence euen from good c. Lodouico What wayes are those which make such necessitie of beeing well kept by vs to preserue the tongue from erring in talking what hath the tongue to do with wayes Is there any walking for the tongue By the way we go and by the tongue we speake by the one we haue the vse of our feet by the other we declare the conceite of the minde and the thoughts of the hart What may Dauids saying signifie I will take heed to my wayes that I sin not with my tongue Me thinkes he should rather haue sayd I wil take heed to my wayes that is I will consider which is the good way to the end my feete fayle not in going or I stray from the right path wherein I ought to walke or that I stumble against some stone or stumpe or vnaduisedly fal into some pit But saying I wil take heed to my wayes because my tongue shall not erre I know not what wayes those should be Claudio I answer that as the feet goes by many sundry waies now vpon plaines then down in vallies now on steep mountaines then by huÌ„ble hillocks flowring meadows now this way now that way Euen so doth the tongue go by sundry wayes which ought very wel to be lookt vnto to the end the tongue erre not And very coÌ„pendiously are they reduced into four cheef or principall ways to wit the way of the vnderstaÌ„ding the way of the wil the way of the power irascible the way of the power concupiscible It behooueth that these wayes should be direct cleane voyd of all filth of error purged froÌ„ all dust
of humane spotted affections if the tongue the words issuing from it shall come forth free from the stayne of error And first of all it is needfull for the vnderstanding way to be purged of al faults because if the vnderstanding falter not in his conceit by apprehending wrong falsly then the toÌ„gue caÌ„not fayle by him in pronouÌ„cing his words for the toÌ„gue is the embassador of the vnderstanding Hence is it that the diuine vnderstanding beeing vncapable of transgression in his conceite can likewise commit no scape at all in deliuerie of his wordes therefore Dauid sayd Omnia mandata tua veritas All thy commandements are true Moreuer the celestiall spirits and blessed comprehenders because they are vnited in an ineffable manner with the eternal truth of god by coÌ„tinual splendor of the blessed light of glory they cannot erre at all in their conceits and therfore much lesse in their words And so is euery vnderstanding illumined by the diuine light internally in inuisible manner as by the work of the holy ghost the Apostles were illumined and many other Saints by meanes wherof the whole world became enlightned according as Dauid in a very high stile foretold Illuminans tu mirabiliter à montibus aeternis turbati sunt omnes insipientes corde c. Vpon the which place it is now no time to philosophize Let it suffice then that when the intellectuall way is not right and conformable to the especiall trueth the tongue then erreth and violently breakes foorth into lyes as Lucifer did who tolde a lye of God saying to our first parentes Nequaquam moriemini Or into error of faith as Caine did who was the first heretique denied the diuine mercy Or into blasphemy murmuring as many sinners haue done and yet doe Secondarily we ought to clense the way of the will to keepe the tongue from offending because the will is that which commandeth the power of our soule according as the vnderstanding first proponeth Therefore least the tongue should stumble by this way wee ought to purge it of inordinate desires and of those appetites gouerned by pride by those of vaine glory of ambition auarice and enuie to the end the tongue may not speake proudely as Lucifer did or vaingloriously as Antiochus did or ambitiously as Nebuchadnezzar did or couetously as Iudas Iscarâ—ot did or enuiously as Caiphas did This way of the will is to be kept with the guarde of reason Dixi custodiam vias meas Our will sometimes is blind and therefore all that we would cannot be good and iust As the sentence of the iudge cannot be sayd to be good because hee hath giuen it after his owne pleasure but as it is giuen according to the order of iustice So then that the will may not wander and by his example the tongue stray after of necessitie it must be accompanied with reason For this cause was it that God at first gaue vs not onely the freedome of the will but also gaue reason therewithall to ratifye and confirme our will Wherein Gods gift may not much amisse be compared to the familiar example of a king who giuing the gouernment of a prouince to a noble personage of his Court who because he hath no knowledge in the lawes as oftentimes in falles out that many haue not grants him the assistance of skilfull Lawyers by whose meanes the Prouince may be swayed according to the lawes So in the kingdom of our soule God gaue the will the authority of rule but because it is sometimes blind and suffers it selfe to be deceiued by her proper appetites he deputed reason for her assistance wherby the soules kingdome became better gouerned then when it wanted the association of reason But in God it is not so because whatsoeuer he willeth is iust and to make any thing whatsoeuer iust his diuine will is onely sufficient as being most direct most firme and infallible Therfore the holy Apostle sayd Deus operatur omnia secundum consilium voluntatis snae God worketh all things after the counsell of his own will What care then we ought to haue for this way of the will be iudge your selfe in regard it is so exceeding fallacious and sooner falne in then we are aware of Thirdly with all heed and diligence we must regard the way concupiscible cleering it from the filth of carnall corruptions of corporal delectations and dishonesting of the senses for otherwise the tongue will stagger vppon a thousand vile speeches shamelesse repetitions and bee too free in prophane and vnhonest examples Fourthly we must set a good guarde on the way of the power irascible which to the end it may be a good direct smoothe faire way we ought to clense it from all hatred rancour euil will and anger otherwise the tongue walking this ready and ouer-tractable way will easily stumble vpon rash speeches of reueÌ„ge deliuering many imprecations iniuries villanies blasphemies and like an vntamed horse fal downe vpon diuers rubs of infernall vices speaking idlely and foolishly without any regard eyther of Gods honour the honest fame of our neighbour or our owne priuate good whereupon the wise man sayd The mouth of a foole is like vnto an earthen vessell wherein follie boyleth as if it were water Lodouico It is most certaine Os fatuorum ebullit stulitiam The mouth of a foole babbleth out foolishnesse And therefore angry men haue their mouthes like a pot which boyling vppon the fire ouerfloweth the water consuming what was contained in it by dispersing it round about it and so quencheth out the fire with such goodnesse or fatnesse as swimmed vpon the top of it And last of all remaining quite empty by the great power of heat exhaled from the flaming fire breaketh it selfe to many pieces Euen so the angry man his hart being once heated with disdaine deliuereth foorth from his mouth foolish words of blasphemies of calumnies of infamies and of high dishonor whereby according as the fire burneth he doth scandalize the present backbite the absent quencheth the light of sense with the infernall water of rage and so putteth out quite the bright fire of reason and being thus blinded or become quite emptie he knowes not what he doeth according to the saying of Cato Impedit ira animuÌ„ ne possit cernere veruÌ„ And being thus ouer-hot prouoked on still by coÌ„tinual boiling the goodnesse of diuine grace ouerfloweth from him and being once emptied of that he cracks in pieces presently which made the wise man say That the hart of a foolish man is like a broken vessel that caÌ„not containe the matter of grace in it Cor Fatui quasi vas confractum If we set but a little pipkin to the fire euery small blaze of fire enuironing it sufficeth to fetch forth al the water coÌ„tained in it but with a great pot it is not so As
but if he take his mattock plough share and such like other meete instruments he will make it tractable for producing the sowen seede The sword or weapon signifieth the polished speech adorned with rhetoricall colours a thousand quaint subtilties of arguments The mattock figureth the easie speeche domesticall familiar sincere cordiall without ornament or vaine tearmes which better fitteth for the heartes compunction and is more apte to produce the fruite of conuersion beeing cluttered before among the hard clods of sinne then the adorned kinde of speaking curious and artificiall designed by the sword or weapon The auncient Philosophers and Oratours because they would teache their lyes and follies they intricated them and beguiled men with picked polisht and nice kindes of phrases The trueth of the Gospell it hath no neede of any such ornament nor ought a Christian to fit himselfe with such curiosities in reproouing of sinne and correcting the sinner but rather hee shoulde make his playne mattock more plyant and readie in deluing vp the stubborne harts of wretched men Therefore Christ euermore spake with a materiall tongue deliuering many parables similitudes and examples An vnhandsome woman destitute of beautie and naturall comlinesse seekes by deceiptfull and lying colours to make her selfe appeare beautifull but she that from her naturall mother is adorned with good feature excellent fayrenesse great wrong shall she offer to nature in striuing artificially to make her selfe more fayre for the greater paynes shee takes to seeme beautifull by lying tinctures the more deformed in time shee assuredlye makes her selfe The Euangelicall doctrine of it selfe is so fayre and surpassing in riches of naturall beautie that shee hath no neede of artificiall or vayne rhetoricall ornament rather great wrong is done to her natiue beautie adorning it with vayne colours coyned phrases such as prophane Oratours were wont to illustrate set forth their grosse lyes withall A matter much to be blamed and yeelding no fruit at all because while the auditors listen not to the substance of what is sayd but to the cunning glosse and idle ornament only they loose the intire doctrine truth of the speech and hang their attention only on vanity which makes them not to put in diligent execution what is then said vnto them but only to lend a little admiration to friuolous eloquēce the cause of much harme in our christian common wealth I pray ye my Lord in curtesie tell me were it not to be reckoned as an expresse follie if an armie of enemies shoulde come against this city and engirt it with seuere besieging round about and then the citizēs did not presently run to take weapōs in their hands for defence of it darting their shafts and quarries against the enemy or what munition else they could possibly deuise to help it But if in stead of repulsing them by the harquebuz and Cannon they shoulde throw on their enemies heads sweet hearbs flowers might they not iustly be tearmed desolators of the cōmon good the very cheefest enemies vnto their own natiue country Such the more pitty are many christians in these times of ours become who ought with words most feruent and effectuall euen like vnto the sharpest pearcing arrows boldly reprooue the vile sinnes of men but they in stead therof cast flowrs of faire and fruitlesse words on their heads which not onely loose the vigor of all compunction but delights and begets a pleasing itching in the eare whereof God greatly complained by the Prophet Ieremie Date florem Moab quia florens egredietur ciuitates eius desertae erunt inhabitabiles Giue flowers vnto Moab that it may flye and get away for the cities therof shall be desolate without any to dwel therein As if he would haue said Ironicè Is it euen so Do you thus giue flowers to Moab You giue him a goodly remedy for his hurt if he florish so delicately as making that his beautie miserable Moab this will be the cause of thy ruine and the destruction of the fairest cityes in thy kingdome Then presently followeth Maledictus qui facit opus Domini fraudulenter maledictus qui prohibet gladium suum à sanguine Cursed be he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently and cursed be hee that keepeth back his sword from blood Euen as if he woulde haue sayd Cursed be he that doth the Lords worke with fraude and with deceiuing speeches is the cause of the losse of soules not drawing the sword of the tongue in due time reprehending sinners fetching blood at euery blowe with sharpe words yet full of charitie and feruent zeale So when the sword of the word is not adorned with vnfruitfull speeche therof we ought to make a mattock apt and meet to dig vp the stubborn earth of mens harts to the end it may become capable of increase by a good conuersion A certaine Greeke Oratour went to Lycurgus Prince of the Lacedemonians saying That he would read Rhetorique to the people of the common wealth because they spake very rude and grossely to whom Lycurgus answered We better affect our plaine country wisedome then vaine flourishing eloquence therefore you may go into Licaonia for men are there louers of artificial eloquence which here we make no account at all of Claudio An answere worthily beseeming such a Prince because the common wealth looseth nothing by lack of speeche but by defect of speaking well An artificiall deuise is not far off from deceipte and our words ought rather to tast of want of curious ornament then to be any thing defectiue from the trueth therefore I cannot but highlye allow your description of the sword and mattock Lodouico In the fourth place we say that our talke ought to shew the flexibility of the tongue which is to bee done by wisedome and discretion as the tongue is apt and pliant in yeelding euery way so ought our talke to be very discreete varying our discoursings according to the condition of such men as wee conferre withall and agreeing with the subiect whereof we speake Sometimes comforting the afflicted with the sweetnesse of our wordes sometimes instructing the ignorant with charitie sometimes reproouing with seueritie answerable to the offence sometimes commending with trueth the good and sometimes blaming as iustly the bad with significant speeches yea to suffer our selues with them all to be transformed as it were into all to put on the garmente of all onely to helpe and preserue them all according as Saint Paule did Omnia omnibus factus sum vt omnes facerem saluos I am made all things to all men that I might by all meanes saue some The dog hath a tongue very flexible slender and fine and is so medicinable withall as there is no sore or other harme happening on his bodye but it healeth it onely by the office of his tongue because hee can bring it to the
Hebrew people For speaking the trueth Ionathas the Sonne of Gedeon was murthered by Abimilech reproouing him but iustly Ieremie reprehending king Asa was therefore cast in prison with fetters on his feet Iohn Baptist telling king Herode of his vnlawfull mariage lost therefore his head Daniell because he told the Babylonians that Bel the Dragon were not Gods was cast into the den of Lyons All the holy Martyrs were slaine by wicked Tyrants and other iust men most cruelly persecuted for no other cause but for openly speaking and iustifying the trueth I haue read of a vertuous religious man according to some writers it was venerable Beda of England who had his eyes puld out for speaking the truth in manner following In search of ancient monuments in Rome there was foūd a goodly door of Marble on the forefront wherof these letters were engrauen P. P. P. S. S. S. R. R. R. F. F. F. many good wits were called to expresse the true sense of them but none knew directly how to construe them At last this reuerend man was sent for because in those times he was greatly esteemed for the same of his study in good letters was far neer renowmed He looking on these mysterious letters gaue the true interpretation of them as followeth The three P. P. P. signified Pater Patria Profectus est the three S. S. S. were thus read Sapientia Secum Sublata est the three R. R. R. had this meaning Regnum Romae Ruet the three F. F. F. were thus interpreted Ferro Flamma Fame And because he told the truth he was thought to prognosticate the ruine of Rome and for his reward had his eyes pluckt out Claudio Alas my Lord what needes so long a discourse or expence of time in approouing how odious trueth hath been and yet is to the world it selfe For the only truth it selfe the Son of God what trauailes endured he in the world al which he suffered for the trueth for confession whereof the Nazarites his neighborly compatriots would haue throwne him from the mount whereon their citty was builded For the trueth the Iewes tooke vp stones to stone him withall for the truth they prosecuted him euen to death at last he dyed for the truth Ego sum veritas I am the truth Ego in hoc natus sum ad hoc veni in mundum vt testimonium perhibeam verit ati For this cause am I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should beare witnesse vnto the truth Hee came to teache trueth to the world Si veritatem dico vobis quare non creditis mihi And If I say the truth why do ye not beleeue me He came to teach vs the holy law whose precepts are not other then truth Omnia mandata tua veritas All thy commandements are truth The kingdome of heauē suffereth violēce and to apprehend it there are no armes more meet then truth Scuto circundabit te verit as eius His truth shall be thy shield and buckler When Christ ascended into heauen he promised nothing else to his disciples but the spirit of trueth Expedit vobis vt ego vadam Si autem abiero mittam ad vos spiritum veritatis It is expedient for you that I goe away but if I depart away I wil send you the comforter the spirit of truth If the holy spirit do teach men any thing it is nothing else but truth Cùm autem venerit ille Spiritus veritatis docebit vos omnem verit atem Howbeit when he is come which is the spirit of truth he will leade you into all truth If the Father would be worshipped he would haue it done in spirit and truth Adorabunt patrē in spiritu veritate They shal worship the Father in spirit and truth If that we be made free verit as liberauit vos The truth hath set you free The word of God is nothing else but trueth Sermo tuus verit as est Thy word is trueth If Christ be persecuted it is for speaking the trueth Quaeritis me interficere hominem qui veritatem vobis loquutus sum you goe about to kill me a man that haue told you the truth If God be sayd to be sorie for Lucifer for no other cause is it but for hauing forsaken the trueth Ille homicida erat ab initio in veritate non stetit quia non est veritas in eo He hath bin a murtherer from the beginning abode not in the trueth because there is no truth in him If God be sayd to greeue for men he lamenteth for nothing else but because they left the trueth and addicted themselues vnto lyes Non est in ore eorum veritas cor eorum vanum est Filii hominum vsque quò graui Corde vt quid diligitis vanitatem quaeritis mendacium There is no trueth in their mouth within they are very corruption O ye sons of men how long will you turne my glory into shame louing vanity and seeking lyes If God do sweare he sweares the trueth Iurauit Dominus Dauid veritatem non frustrabitur eum The Lord hath sworne in trueth vnto Dauid and he will not shrinke from it If God do draw neere to any man it is in regard of the truth Prope est Dominus omnibus inuocantibus eum in veritate The lord is neer vnto all that cal vpon him in trueth If he giue heauen to vs mortalles it is onely to such as speake the trueth Domine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo aut quis requiscet in monte sancto tuo Qui loquitur veritatem in corde suo qui non egit dolum in lingua sua Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle who shall rest in thy holy mountaine He that speaketh the trueth in his hart he that hath no guile in his tongue There is nothing more acceptable to God then trueth is because he is the trueth it selfe Therefore Stobeus telles vs that Pythagoras being demanded what thing men ought to doe to be like vnto God made answere Let them speake trueth because God is trueth the center for full confirmation the scope wherat all vertues aime Aeschines the Philosopher and Oratour the corriuall of Demosthenes in a certaine Oration which he wrote against him sayeth That the power of trueth is such as without it all strength is weakenesse all wisedome follie all temperance turpitude all iustice reuenge all humility deceipt all patience to no purpose chastity is hurtfull riches are but losse and pitty meere vanity For trueth among all substances it is the cheefest among the heauens the imperial among mettals pure gold among the elements the fire among pretious stones the Carbuncle among Sciences the most celebrate And as without light light cānot be seen euen so without trueth we can
creatures honoured it yea haue stood in feare and trembling of it because there is no iniquitye at all in it The king is wicked wine is wicked women are wicked all the sonnes of men are wicked and all their workes wicked for there is no trueth in them and in their wickednesse they perish but the trueth continueth stedfast it begets strength of it selfe and stands on strict tearmes with eternity it liueth euer winneth victory ouer al things it is no accepter of persons iudgeth all iustly without either feare or respect In truthes iudgement there is no sinfull thing but is throughlie full of power rule and emperie the maiestie thereof abydeth to all times and ages and for a finall conclusion to approoue his wordes hee sayde Benedictus Deus veritatis and so ceassed No sooner had hee imposed silence to his speeche but all the whole Senate of most noble spectatours with an high voyce and cheerefull applause accorded to the sentence of this third yong man and cried out Magna est veritas praeualet Then did the king accept him as his Cousen and promised to giue him whatsoeuer hee would demaund But he like a iust man desired onely that the king woulde but bee mindfull of his vow made to God for reedifying the Temple of Ierusalem againe and restauration of all those vesselles of gold and siluer which serued for the vse of sacrificing Lodouico An excellent Enigmae an excelleent interpretation and so much the more excellent as in agreeing and consenting with that which the holy Scripture sayeth on the behalfe of trueth Veritas Domini manet in aeteruum The trueth of the Lord endureth for euer Which is so strong that it ouercommeth all things euen as oyle mounteth abue all other liquors and because the trueth is God himselfe there can bee nothing imagined more strong then hee A lye hath shorte legges sayth the aunciente prouerbe and his halting is very soone discerned for it lastes no longer then comming to discouerie and then it departes with most infamous reproofe And in regarde it is such a hatefull vice I suppose the wise man wrote thus thereof Potior fur quà m assiduitas virâ— mendacis perditionem autem ambo haereditabunt A theefe is better then a man that is accustomed to lye they both shall haue destruction to heritage For both are theeues one stealeth mens goods the other stealeth trueth honour and reputation from men For euer let this accursed tongue bee dumbe because it is better to bee sentenced with eternall silence neuer so much as to dare to speake one word then to vtter falshoode to the dishonour of him that speakes it the daunger of our neighbour and iniurie of God the trueth it selfe Muta fiâ—â—t labia dolosa Finis Cap. 9. The Argument Wherein according to the course hitherto continued they now discourse on the seuerall tongues of the detractor and murmurer and vpon what occasion the Deuill hauing a great delight to lye and accuse vs was sayd to be dumbe Herein likewise are handled many deceipts of the Deuill many mysteries of confessing our sinnes vnto God And how one angellis sayd to speake vnto another without sight of eche other A discourse very curious learned and profitable Chap. 10. CLAVDIO Hell is better then an euill tongue sayth the holy ghost by the mouth of Salomon Multi ceciderunt in ore gladij sed non sic quasi qui interierunt per linguam suam Mors illius mors nequissima vtilis infernus potius quà m illa There be many that haue perished by the edge of the sword but not so many as haue fallen by the tongue The death thereof is an euill death hell were better then such a one How is it possible that the tongue how vile soeuer it be should not be better then hel If there be no greater paines then those of hel how is the tongue sayd to be worse then hell Lodouico Exceeding great are the paynes of hell I cannot deny it but yet they hurt not so much as the byting tongue doth which blasphemeth God murmures against the Saintes and speaketh euill of men Hell hurteth none but such as are thereinto condemned but the tongue outrageth God and his Saintes whome hell by no meanes can offend And more profitable is hell then the wicked tongue because hell being duely considered on by vs makes vs refraine from sin but the euill tongue is the cause of many sins for by hearing the murmurings one of another we are easilie drawne to iudge and speake euill Therefore the holy ghost affirmeth that the wicked tongue as meaning perhaps that of the detractour murmurer and defamer hath some resemblance with the diabolicall tongue which ceasseth not to accuse vs before God according as Saint Iohn sayth Proiectus est accusator fratrum nostrorum qui accusabat illos ante conspectuÌ„ Dei nostri die nocte The accuser of our brethren is cast downe which accused them before our God day and night Claudio It is a maâ—ucilous matter and well woorthie consideration how the deuill beeing so great a murmurer that he ceasseth not day and night to accuse vs before God of all our negligences be they neuer so small yet how he should sometime hould his peace in such manner as is written of him in Saint Luke Erat Iesus eijciens Daemonium illud erat mutum Then he cast out a Deuill and he was dumbe How could so great a talker an accuser a detractour a defamer hold his peace and obserue silence Lodouico You haue brought an important matter into the field consisting of greater difficultie then it appeares to be We find that there are three kindes of speaking and as many kinds of tongues to weet of the mind of the mouth and of the act or work of all which Dauid speaking sayth Labia dolosa in corde corde loquuti sunt Flattering with their lips and speaking with a double hart there is the first tongue and the first kind of talking Disperdat Dominus vniuersa labia dolosa linguam magniloquam The Lord cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaketh proude things there is the second tongue and second kind of talking Linguam nostram magnificabimus labia nostra à nobis sunt or opera nostra à nobis sunt quis noster Dominus est with our tongue we will preuaile our lips are our own or our workes are our owne who is Lord ouer vs there is the thirde tongue and third kind of talking whereof it seemes the holy ghost speaking by the wise mans mouth sayth Lingua tertia multos commouit dispersit illos de gente in gentem The double tongue hath disquieted many and driuen them from nation to nation Wicked then is the first tongue that is to thinke euill in the heart worse is the second that is to spread abroad the euill
may we adde this sentence of the Prophet Cum ipsi limpidissimam aquam biberitis reliquam pedibus vestris turbatis Et oues meae his quae conculcata pedibus vestris fuerant pascebantur quae pedes vestri turbauerant haec bibebant Haue you drunk of the deep waters must you trouble the residue with your feet And my sheep eat that which ye haue troden with your feet and drink that which you haue troubled with your feete Claudio I remember and very well fitting to our purpose a notable mysticall note and this it is Among all the ornaments appointed for the Priesthoode the cheefe and most esteemed was that tearmed rationall whereuppon was written this mysterious word Lemma which beeing interpreted signifieth doctrine and trueth As alluding thereby that the principall thing in a Priest ought to bee diuine doctrine coupled with the trueth of deedes because Turpe est Doctori cùm culpa redarguit ipsum They are like to so many Tantalusses that are in the midst of water and yet dye with thirst And in them is that sentence of old Isaack verified vox quidem vox Iacob manus autem manus sunt Esau The voyce is Iacobs voyce but the hands are the hands of Esau For in voyce and doctrine onely they seeme to haue the tongue of our Sauiour who according to his humanity was of Iacobs house or stock Et regnabit in domo Iacob in aeternum And he shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer But their handes that is theyr workes they are of Esau in whom the wicked and reprobate are figured They seeme as if they soared vp to heauen but sinke down indeed to hell Not much vnlike vnto those theeues who hauing stoln some great booty in the city do cause their horses to be shod backward so when the pursuers do imagine them to be still within the city they are fled far enough off from it Euen so is it with hypocrites they haue their horse-like bodies soaled or shod backward they pray reprooue admonish preache and do such things as in our eyes are reputed to be holy but all is doone the contrary way because they gape after humane glory and ostentation without any care of the diuine honor at all Therefore when sometimes we think in our selues that they are in the celestiall Ierusalem they are in hellish Babylon it selfe Might not this tongue as easily haue laboured the way of saluation as thus by abusing it selfe work his owne damnation Peccator cognoscitur in duplici lingua The sinner is known by his double tongue as when one thing is sounded by the mouth and taught in doctrine and a quite contrary matter is in the deed A double tongue is this one of the mouth another of fact with the one we make shewe of mounting vp to heauen and with the other fall wilfully downe into hell Finis Cap. 16. The Argument The tongue of the hypocrite when it teacheth or enstructeth is like many branches seuerally grafted vpon one stock or as when vpon thornes there hangeth grapes or like the foolish virgines that had euery thing answerable to the wise but yet staied without wheron a notable doubt is resolued It is also compared to the Estridge whose wings do resemble the Haukes in colour but yet are not able to beare her body aloft Or like to the vayne woman who because she would seeme faire paints her selfe How much it bebooues vs to be ready in subduing the appetite of vaine-glory which is discouered most in striuing to speake fine and curiously Chap. 17. LODOVICO If the works of hypocrites are contrary to the doctrin which they teache or if not contrary yet at the least strange and diuers then it may be well sayde of them as it is of those engraffed plāts or stocks whereon not onely we behold fruits of the same kind to grow but oftentimes and to be maruaild at among the leaues of the Medler to grow the Seruise vpon one selfe same tree the Pomegranate the ordinary Apple to branche foorth where the white grape blancheth the red to shew it selfe substantially as in like manner the red with the white Euen so in hypocrites are theyr owne proper fruites discerned which be naught wicked A fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos By their fruits ye shall know them And they haue an ingraffing too which is by the voyce and doctrine of Christ wherefore it is sayd of them Omnia quaecunque dixerint vobis seruate facite secundum opera verò eorum nolite facere All therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and do but after their works do not these men are meere mercenaries because they doe all for worldly reward The mercenary or hyreling although he layes not downe his life for his flock yet notwithdanding he feedes them for so it is needefull by doctrine but this auoydes not his sinfull guilt in regard he seeks after reward and temporal glory Sua quaerentes non quae Iesu Christi They seeke not those things that are aboue with Iesus Christ They seeke their owne priuate commodity in the Church of God neuerthelesse they preache Christ after the manner of the Pharisies who for their owne benefit preached the law of Moses but yet they obserued it not Dicunt enim non faciunt For they saye and doe not And againe Alligant autem onera grauia importabilia imponunt in humeros hominum digito autem suo nolunt ea mouere They bind heauy burthens and grieuous to be borne and lay them on mens shoulders but they themselues wil not mooue them with one of their fingers Claudio How can this be If Christ say that the sheep heares them not Non audierunt eos oues quia non nouerunt vocem alienorum The sheep did not hear them for they knew not the voyce of strangers If they doe not heare them it may perhappes be by this reason because their voyce soundes not as the true voyce of a sheepheard Lodouico This question is answered and it is the answere of Saint Augustine That the sheep do not heare them neither can they heare such mercenary hypocrites of themselues but they heare in them the voyce of Christ Because there are two things in these hyreling hypocrites as a little before we haue declared One is their works and this proude voyce of Pharisaicall and hypocriticall workes the sheepe of Christ is deaffe to and heares not Alienum autem non sequuntur quia non nouerūt vocem alienorum therfore it is said Secundum autem opera eorum facere nolite The second is the voyce of Christ which voyce only is heard of the flock Omnia quaecunque dixerint vobis seruate facite This is the true ingraffing and god this while by them is preached but when they speake as of themselues then are they not hearde nor
grace thou hast euacuated their proper will singular sense and priuate affection which giues them now to know both their own frailtie how much they were subiected to misery But by sending thy sanctified spirit into them thou hast created a new man within them formed according to thine owne diuine will Induimini nouum hominem qui secundum Deum creatus est in iustitia sanctitate veritatis Put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnes and true holinesse The iust man being filled with this spirit speakes holy wordes deliuers heauenly doctrine frames arguments of truth and grounded altogether vpon gods worde Eructauit cor meum verbum bonum My heart will vtter foorth a good matter And as a glasse being full with a very little turning aside doth emptie some part of the licquor contained in it Euen so the iust man with the least breath of an ardent sigh sendes foorth part of his grace receiued vnto vs making vs partakers of his inward blessings and so by the vertue of his good spirit he purgeth and dryeth vp the watrishnesse of our sinne so much as in him lyeth Lodouico How can this doctrine holde If winde be of a colde and moiste qualitie then it hath no drying vertue if we doe presse it according to the letter I speake not this to gaine-say you but rather to learne Claudio Aristotle the Prince of the Peripatecians in his twentie seauenth Probleme and fift particle going about to search by what occasion the winde being of qualitie colde and moiste hath yet notwithstanding a drying vertue answers him selfe thus Because it takes away and euaporates the part more colde As if he would say The winde is of a temperate coldnesse and humiditie therefore it makes the part more colde and moiste to euaporate it selfe as meaning thereby mudde and water The holy ghost is called a spirit and winde Tanquam spiritus vehemâ—â—tis As of a rushing and mighty winde Veni Auster perfla hortum meum fluent aromata illius Arise O North and come O South and blowe on my garden that the spices thereof may flowe outâ— because it cooleth the heate of carnall concupiscences Therefore the Angell speaking of this spirit to the virgin Marie said Spiritus sanctus superveniet in te virtus altissimi obumbrabit tibi The holy ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the most High shall â—uershadow thee This shadowing is expounded by almost all the doctours that it signifyeth The taking away of all lasciuious or carnall affections and purgeth euerie loose concupiscence When therefore the holy spirit bloweth on the minde of him that listens to the woord of God it causeth to euaporate and vanish by his expulsiue vertue the excessiue coldenesse of sinne which is of such chilnesse as it freezeth vp the heate of all charitie So euacuating this colde it disposeth the soule to quietnesse and to lend attention to the holy doctryne of Christ For Saint Iohn Chrysostome saith That as it is not possible for the earth to fructifie by water only without winde Euen so as impossible is it that the Doctrine of the iust which is as the water celestiall they like pregnant cloudes Qui sunt isti qui vt nubes volant What are these that fly like a cloude that they I say should cause any fruite to growe in the ground of our soules without the sweet breathing winde of the holy ghost which of it selfe disposeth mens hearts to the hearing of gods word and makes them to bloome forth after the manner of the earth Euen as when Zephirus sends his kindely blastes abroad in the month of March according to the Poet Mantuans description The iust man therefore opens his mouth in the middes of the people and the Lord filleth it with the diuine spirit of wisedome and from hence proceede infinite good fruites to the soules of his hearers According as from the Apostle Peter it did who at the very first Sermon he made conuerted to the faith of Iesus Christ three thousand persons or thereabout as is to be read in the Actes of the Apostles the second Chapter Lodouico Yet by your licence my Lord it is necessary for vs to know what wisedome is so much the rather because according to the Prince of Latine Oratorie It is most expedient in an Oratour who without wisedome is tearmed ignorant and his full tide of speech is called loquacity not eloquence Whereupon being once demaunded what eloquence was he answered Nihil est aliud eloquentia nisi copiose loquens sapientia Claudio Iob maketh a long discourse of wisedome searching where it should be and what it was Finally after a long repetition of sententious wordes and a very large inuestigation of them he concludes That God onely knoweth what it is And he reuealing the same vnto man sayth That wisedome is nothing else but the feare of the Lord. Et dixit homini Ecce timor Domini ipsa est sapientia recedere a malo intelligentia And vnto man he said Behold the feare of the Lord is wisedome and to depart from euill is vnde standing And Dauid sayth Initium sapientiae timor Domini The beginning of wisedome is the feare of the Lord. The Peripatecians vsed to say That wisedome is an intellectuall vertue and by the highest and most noble causes makes thinges to be knowen Whereupon in the sixt booke of Ethickes the sixt Chapter and in the first of Metaphysickes the first Chapter defyning a wise man Aristotle saith Sapiens est qui scit omnia difficilia propter certitudinem causam ipsum scire propter se quaerens alios ordinans persuadens And a little after he saith That the wise man ought to be knowen not onely by the cause but also by the highnesse of the the cause According to the Stoickes and moral Philosophers such perhaps as were Seneca Socrates and Boetius wisedome is taken for none other But a masse or a heape of morall vertues which make a man to be vertuous Therefore according to this kinde of wisedome Seneca sayth in his booke of the tranquillitie of the minde That to a wise man there can happen no iniury or offence at all to molest the felicity of his minde which in the Stoicks opinion ought to bee imperturbable and his heart adamantine But according to the sacred Theologians or diuines Wisedome is a gift supernaturally infused whereby a man hath cognition of diuine things and of humane by diuine and spirituall inspiration or by some especiall gratious vicinity to God And because there is none more neerer vnto God then the innocent man so cleane as possible he may be from the foule staines of sinne who by such innocencie is made apt to vnderstand the secrets diuine therefore sayd Iob that wisedome is nothing else but the feare of God and the
what daunger of losse they are onely by vaine glory foll 185 VVorks of good life in dooing them we ought to resemble the Israelites in â—eedifying of the holy Temple in one hand to hold a sword and to worke with the other fol. 189 VVorkes of man cannot be good if they want Gedeons example fol. 187 VVhence it ensueth that the deaffe borne are dumb also fol. 127 VVhence it ensueth that some stammer and others are eloquent fol. 228 Whence it proceeded that some holy Saints talking with God became stammerers and dumb fol. 229 When we aske any thing of God we ought to craue things correspondent to his diuine maiesty and no matters of meane moment fol. 249 VVhence it ariseth that man being so noble is yet more defectiue then all the other creatures fol. 264 We ought not searche into other mens sins thereby to win occasion for reproouing them whereon is discoursed very learnedly fol. 276 We ought not to reprooue those falts in othâ—â—s wherwith we know our selues to be stained ibid. X Xenocrates the Chalcedonian Philosopher neuer repented himselfe for silence but many times for talking fol. 29 Xenocrates by his sweetnesse of discourse altred the base behauiour of a luxurious yong man fol. 68 Xenocrates Alexanders Trumpetter neuer sounded his Trumpet but still Alexander drew foorth his sword fol. 95 Y Yong men ought not to speake till they be thereto requested fol. 12 Yong damoselles in elder times obserued it as a custome to bind vp their locks with a crimson hayre-lace wherof they made a wise and morall signification fol. 23 Zeno the Philosopher he only among guests at a solemne banquet sate silent fol. 5 Zeno bit foorth his tongue with his teeth and spat it in the Tyrants face because he would not discouer his friends true louers of their country fol. 10 Zeno Elateus deliuereth the reason wherfore nature gaue a man two eares and but one tongue ibid. Zoilus the detractor could speake well of no man fol. 142 Zephirus sends his kindly blasts abroade in the moneth Marche fol. 256 FINIS The Induction to this discourse Varietie of sentence A friendly enforcement to vrge an answere Sentence Similie Sentence One sentence quitted with a contrarie The nature of questioning answering Prouerbe * Solons opinion of speeche Socrates concerning speeche Example Sentences Psal 45. 1. 2. Allusion Sentence * Prouerbe Deedes or wordes which are of most esteeme and how they differ * Aristotles opinion of wordes S. Grego Nazian his iudgement on words and comparison of them Allusion Allusion to the words of Salomon Eccle. 51. 30. A Similie to sound purpose comparing speeche with merchaÌ„dise and answering that of Greg. Nazian Prou. 8. 21. Of speaking well and ill An Obiection concerning life and death consisting in the power of the tongue Similie Psal 31. 3. Esay 6. 5. Iob. 39. 38. Obseruation for a time to speake for auoiding of error in either Pro. 10. 9. A foole speaks most when he should do it least Eccle. 3. 1. 7. How a foole may appeare to be wise Cicero in Epist 40. Prou. 17. 29. A Similie of a fools outward shew of wisedome or apparance of follie Iobs aduise to his friends how to seeme wise Iob. 13. 5. Example Perianders words to Solon concerning his sileÌ„ce SoloÌ„s answer Example The Embassadour of Lycaonia hâ—s speeches to Zeno his reply Example Platoes opinion how men are soonest to be knowne The different nature of men in their talking according to their owne inclination A very sententioâ—s answere The reckoning that Pythagoras made of silence All creatures haue a kind of voyce but the fish onely Plin. lib. 9. cap. 17. Ciceroes commendation of Cato Sentence Cato his aduise in speaking Pythagoras in teaching silence did not will perpetual silence Saint Ierome his wordes concerning Pythagoras Others opinion of Pythagoras teaching of sileÌ„ce Aristotles lesson to young learners A defence of Pythagoras silence Eccle. 15. 18. Sentence Chilo concerning the tongue Luke 1. 29. Sentence Cicero and Cato Vtica their seuerall opinions of silence and speaking The rash speaking of trueth may cause danger to life Sentence Psal 140. 3. Dauids desire for assistance in his speaking Psal vt sup Eccle. 6. 7. Dauids opinion of such as are talkatiue Salomon his care for his speaking Eccle. 22. 2â— Chrysost concerning the office of the tongue Hugo in lib. de 12. abu The reason why Dauid Salomon desired a watch a doore and not a wall before their lips The mouth is to be kept shut but to religious offices Periander his Sentence Cleobulus concerning a wise man Much listening to others speeche bewrayes a weake wit Zeno his reason why Nature gaue a man two ears and but one tongue Epaminodas his aduise to heare more then speake Prouer. 10. 20. Sentence Pittacus his counsell not to let the tongue run before the mind A notable Example how Isocrates taught a talkatiue Scholler to learne silence or to speake well Apollonius iudgement of Ioquacitie and silence How commeÌ„dable silence is in a young man Eccle. 32. 8. Seneca approueth seldom speaking a great quietnelle to the mind Anacharsides his wittie and iudicious sentence The first lessoÌ„ for parents to teache theyr children according to the rule of Dauid Psal 112. 1. 2. 3. 4. The honour and praise of God is that which PareÌ„ts ought to teach thâ—â— children first of all An Allusion to the former naturall Example how children do imitate their parentes behauiour An historicall example declaring the naturall inclination of children after their parents course of life What is engraffed by nature can neuer be altered The Allusion of the â—xample to the good or bad presidents of parents to their children A true prouerbe Crates the Philosopher his speeches concerning parents The words themselues out of Plutarch A good lesson for rich men A worthy example for t couetous fathers and necessarie in these dayes to be regarded Plutarch his amazement at the great negligence in parents towarde their childreÌ„ Philip of Macedon reioyced that his sonne Alexander was borne in the time of Aristotle Of the goods of Fortune and an apt resemblance The reason why Diogenes did beate a Schoolmaster Plutarchs aduise to Fathers and mothers Similie For cockering parents Example of an ouer-foolish mother Example of Heli the priest and his bad children Example of king Dauid and Amnon his Sonne and afterward of Absolons rebeilion against him An excellent Similie with the allusion thereof An especiall matter to be noted Leuit. 26. Eccle. 30. 12. Eccle. 30. 8. A sententious allegation and to good purpose Cato his aduise for a childs first instruction Psal 15. 1. 2. 3. Dauids Dialogue between God and himselfe agreeing with the former sayings of Cato Both life and death is in the tongues power Prouer. 18. 21. Similie and Allusion Men would gladly taste of immortall life but are loath to leaue this frayle transitory life The tongue is the Iaylor that keepes the key of life and death 2.
vnderstaÌ„ding Iohn 1. 14. Iohn 8. 38. * silentium A venerable explication of the lngly Prophets words An excellent answere well worthie the noting Psal 115. 2. Psal 5. 6. God is onely truth and al men lyars how vnderstood Rom. 3. 4. Though all men be lyars as beeing the sonnes of meÌ„ yet trueth makes them the sonnes of God and so no lyars Psal 61. 9. Psal 52. 1. 2. How God gaue power vnto men to become the sonnes of God be no lyars Iohn 1. 12. Psal 81. 6. Rom. 3. 4. Venerable Bede his words of the children of God A question of very great import concerning those that are to bee tearmed the sonnes of God onely The former demaund Learnedly answered Psal 43. 3. Similie and the Allusion thereof An answere to the other saying of Dauid Omnis homo mendax The differeÌ„ce between the truth a lye Psal 5. 6. Psal 38. 8. How to consider man as he is of himselfe and as he is of God Marcilius Ficinus vpon Plato Of mans knowledge how far it extendeth The opinion of a learned Father in comparison of the trueth By things that are or are not the trueth is soonest discerned Similie of the Ayre and our vnderstaÌ„ding Psal 33. 3. How any thing is truly said to be true Man of his owne nature becommeth nothing The eternall wisedome the best schoelemaster in speaking Math. 10. 20. Example of S. Stephens speaking to many NatioÌ„s Act. 6. 10. S. Stephen spake nothing of himselfe but the holy Ghost spake by him Mat. 10. 20. Example of Caiphas the high priest Iohn 18. 14. Caiphas spake as Balaams Asse did Example of Balaam Numb 24. 17. Of the man that feareth the Lord. Eccle. 15. 5. Psal 41. 10. Luke 21. 15. When we tell a lye we break silence as 〈◊〉 Caiphas did Mat. 26. 65. 66. Man is like an Infant that knowes not how to speake Silence broken and yet not broken by speaking Who were the first that euer brake silence both in heaueÌ„ and earth Esay 14. 13. 14. Lucifers reward for his proude breach of silence Esay 14. 15. Apoc. 12. 9. Gen. 3. 2. 3. How our mother Euc became the second breaker of silence Silence in her had bin much better Of one commandement she made two She brake not silence till she spake of her selfe The woman knew not with whom she talked Apoc. 12. 10. The Deuill had too long a tongue Apoc. 12. 7. Esay 14. 14. Apoc. 12. 7. The woman couetous of honor How the woman might haue answered the Serpent King Dauids lesson for custody of the tongue Psal 38. 1. 2. An applicatioÌ„ to the Prophets words Psal 38. 3. His demaund coÌ„cerning the meaning of the Prophets speeches An answere to the demaund by a familiar Similie The fowre suÌ„dry wayes of passage for the tongue in speaking 1. The way of the vnderstaÌ„ding how to purge it Psal 119. 86. Of the blessed and celestiall Spirits how they erre not Psal 76. 4. 5. When the intellectuall way is not agreeable to the truth the tongue erreth Gen. 3. 4. Caine the first Heretique 2. The way of the will and how to clense it Very pertineÌ„t Examples The way of the will is to be kept by the guarde of reason Similie and the allusion thereof The necessitie of reason The reason why God at the first gaue man free will with an excellent comparison worth the obseruance Allusion of the comparison in the kingdome of the soule The differeÌ„ce in God Ephes 2. 11. 3. The way of the power concupiscible or lusting and purgatioÌ„ therto belonging 4. The way of the power inascible of greefe or anguish and the good guardance thereof The mouth of a foole Prouer. 15. 2. The mouthes of angry men like vnto a pot boyling on the fire Allusion of the comparison to the angry man Cato his saying of the angry man Eccle. 27. Two singular Similies Allusion of the Similies to the hart of man The differeÌ„ce in God Exod. 34. 6. The excuse of some kind of angry men Sentence One small wouÌ„d as sufficient to take away life as many together Similie A singular exposition vpon the words of Christ Similie and Allusion Marcilius Ficinus of two kinds of furies and follies Seneca his iudgement of anger Seneca his answer to such as could do no valiaÌ„t act but in anger Aristotle concerning anger Psal 4. 5. Seneca yoâ— further coÌ„cerning Anger Of drunkennesse Seneca would not smite his seruant in anger Example of Diogenes his answere to one that did spit in his face Example of Cato vpon the abuse of Lentulus to him A worthy comparison with the Allusion therof Example of Iosuah his taking the city of Hai. Iosu 8. Example of Dauids flight from Absolon and Shemei Psal 3. 3. 7. 8. Dauids cariage of himself in his anger Psal 76. 4. Example of Hannibal and of another Tyrant recorded by Seneca Psal 38. 2. For many waies of offending there ought to be as many of preuenting Similie of many places sorting to one meeting with the Allusion Of Eustochia Eubillia and Sinesi in their seuerall powers for instruction of speech Example of a skilfull master in Rhetorique The deuill continually watcheth all our sayings and in what manner Similie Example of the iust mans hearing vs and his interpretation of our speeches Of the deuill and the wicked man his disciple and their interpretation of our words How needfull a good watchman is for the mouth Psal 33. 12. 13. A man is not so good but somthing may be defectiue in him 2. Reg. 22. 37. Example of king Achab being wounded from an vnknown haÌ„d A notable Allusion of the former place Psal 64. 3. 4. The euill intended to others reâ—ods backwards on the wicked Prouerbe Psal 64. 8. 2. Chron. 32. 15. 16. 17. Example of king Senacherib in his proude intent against Ezechias and basphemous speeches against God Gods iust reuenge on the pride and blasphemie of Senachersb Esay 37. 36. 37. 38. Senacherib murdered in the Temple by his owne sons Senacherib ouerthrowne by his owne lauish tongue Example of the young Amalekite who had slain king Saul by his owne report 2. Sam. 2. 16. The Authors interpretatioÌ„ of king Dauids speeches to the Amalekite for belying himselfe Sentence Proner 19. 16. Plutarch his example of the Lydians against infamy The fiue properties which the tongue it selfe hath and their allusioÌ„ to our speeche 1. Our speeche ought to be soft and pleasing A sententious Prouerbe Prou. 15. 1. Similie and the Allusion thereof Prouerb 15. 1. Eccle. 6. 5. Example of Absolons pleasing words Example of the two great Oratours Cicero and Demosthenes The words of Apollonius to Cicero Example of Xenocrates Palaemon Example of Cato Censorius Example of Aegesias Platoes scholler Example of Amphron the Son of loue Example of ArioÌ„ of Lesbos Example of Alpheus and of Orpheus Allusion to the sweetnesse of their speech Example of the Apostles and Martyrs An excellent History of M. Iordanus a
Cor. 5. 4. The tongue is the gate whereby life passeth forth and death enters in 2. Cor. 4. 7. An excellent and wittie Sentence Pro. 15. 1. 4. Geâ—e 4. 13. Caine offended God more with his blasphemous tongue then he did with his murdring haÌ„d Caine lyed in regard that Gods mercy is greater theÌ„ his iustice Lucifers proude words threw him downe into hell Esay 14. 12. 13. Example of the rich glutton Luke 16. 21. The glutton complained most of his tongue in hell torments A note for beleie Gods banquetters How men are murdered yet not being present Psal 56. 6. The iust punishment of the Gluttons tongue Luke 16. 24. Pro. 18. 21. The soule is in more daunger by the toÌ„gue then a citic by enemies Pro. 25. 29. Psal 140. Sentence and Allusion Cant. 4. 3. A custome obserued by young beautifull maydens in elder times The morall signification of the custome worth obseruation Luke 12. 19. Cant. 2. 14. Of the indiscreete mans behauiour in talking to the danger of his owne soule Prouer. 13. 3. S. Augustine approoueth them most guilty that crucified with their tongues our Sauiour Christ Mark 15. 25. Iohn 19. 14. A note worthy to be remembred Psal 56. 6. The builders of Babell were Heretiques in tweening to resist God by theyr tongues which drew the confusion of tongues among them albeit God had many other meanes to haue punished theÌ„ by Gene. 11. 4. Sentence To speake according to time place is the testimony of a wise man Acaticus the Philosopher The saying of learned Omulus Sentence Iob spake in the bitternesse of his soule Ioh. 10. 1. An especiall gift of God to his deare children Thomas Aquinas tearmed by his master Albertus Magnus the dumb Ox. Agatonus and Theodanas two memorable louers of silence Numb 19. 15. Gods commaÌ„dement concerning vnclean vessels An excellent allusion framed vpon the former place of Scripture Psal 5. 11. Silence is the onely best couerture for the vessell of the hart Prou. 10. 20. Similie Allusion Example Allusion 1. How silence is the guarde of the conscience with a most excellent comparison of the tongue Esay 30. 25. Silence and hope the strongest defence Epaminondas his discreete answere to the Rhodians concerning what he had seene in his trauailes 2. The bridle of insolence with a very apt comparison and Allusion Sap. 7. 12. Eccle. 28 29. Example of Prince Pitheus Example of Cicero A good note for such as are slaunderers backbiters The reason why Phormio the Philosopher sled the company of men 3. The beauty and glory of innocence with a singular example to approoue the same Xenocrates his witty answere Seuerall Sentences whereto is added their proper Allusions Esay 32. 17. A singular Example The eare ought to be stronger then the tongue 4. The badge or signe of wisedome Iob. 13. 5. A Similie to approoue his assertion The Allusion Prou. 18. 4. Sentence Prouerbe Prouerb 14. 25. An example comparatiue wise betweene a poore trader and a rich merchant with the allusion thereof Sentence Esay 8. 6. Eccle. 9. 17. Breuity more commendable then tedious circumstance Prouerbe An example of a pleasing Oratour to his Auditory An example of two Embassadours sent vnto a king of late dayes An apparant testimony of a wise man Example of Agis king of Lacedemon and the Abderites Embassadour For such as take delight to heare themselues talke Sentences answering eache other Psal 140. 3. Example of Dauids care in speaking Psal 50. 16. Psal 119. 131. Psal 38. 13. A time for speaking and a time to be silent Sentence Psal 81. 10. Eccle. 6. 7. He can doe little that cannot hold his peace The reason why so many Schooles were erected for learning The close the mouth is harder then to speake Example of such as are dumbe Iob. 4. 2. Herodotus his example of Atys the dumb Son to Croesus king of Lydia The attribution both to the one and other Example of Philippides the Poet and kind Lysimachus Example of Architas the Tarentine Example of the lawe amoÌ„g the Lydians for silence Quintilian concerning silence Example how Tyberius taught a talkatiue Senatour silence Example of the Barber to king Mydas vnable to containe the kings deformity Example of the Apostles and Christ himselfe Act. 4. 20. A very apt Similie to this purpose Silence is no greater a gift of God then wise speaking Prouerb 16. 1. God onely hath the gouernment of the tongue Example of Pambus the Abbot concerning the best lesson that euer he learned Socrates his book to teach silence Sentence Plutarch contrary to Socrates Similie Esay 8. 6. Iob. 39. 37 38. Talking deliuers a signe of lightnesse Iob. 13. 5. Silence beneficial for a fool Difference of silence in a foole and a wise man Answere to the question Similie and the allusion thereof Seneca his letter sent to Lucullus Vincentio Belnacens his answer to Foelix the Doctour The time when a man may best be commended according to Salomon Eccle. 11 30. Eccle. 11. 2. Praise is then best beseeming when one action is not to be contraried by another Sentence Eccle. 28. 25. Example of our first mother Eua and of Lucifer the proud Angell Gene. 3. 2. 3. 4. The womans ly was greater then that of the Deuil for she was the inuentresse of lying taught it to the deuil by two seuerall lyes The two lyes Gen. 2. 17. The deuil like an apt Scholler ads two worse lyes to the womans A demaund worth the obseruation Answere to the demaund by an apt comparison Math. 12. 37. Psal 56. 4. Comparison between the tongue and a sword Sap. 8. Comparison of vessels for proofe of a wise man and a foole Eccle. 28. Comparison of the tongue to a writers pen. Psal 44. 2. An excellent Allusion worth the regarding Example of the goodnesse and badnesse of the tongue A wittie sententious answere of a Seruant Pro. 13. 21. To what end God gaue the tongue to man Eccl. 20. 7. Eccle. 28. 22. Of the euill tongue Eccle 28. 16. 17. 21. 18. 25. An excellent Similie Eccle. 40. 21. The powerfull and pretious vertues of a good tongue Sentences coupling together Minas the Philosopher his conceit of the tongue Aristotle concerning the difficulty of silence An Example of himselfe To be silent is the hardest matter Aristotle Wisedom consisteth in silence Plato An example to sound purpose concerning the disclosing of a secret One mans blame may light vpon an other God iealous of his secrets Esay 45. God spake but once or twise only according to Dauid Psal 62. 11. Iobs proofe of the same Iob. 33. 14. A demaund vrging the contrary to the former obiection Heb. 14. 2. Iohn 1. 3. Of the eternal word actiue conioyned with the passiue of our humanity Iohn 1. 4. Apoc. 4. 11. A School-like cauile for further resolution A sententious and learned answere In God between doing and speaking is no differeÌ„ce Psal 48. 10. The diuine word is the liuing conceites of the Father