The dumbe diuine speaker, or: Dumbe speaker of Diuinity A learned and excellent treatise, in praise of silence: shewing both the dignitie, and defectes of the tongue. Written in Italian, by Fra. Giacomo Affinati d'Acuto Romano. And truelie translated by A.M.

The Argument.

The hypocrite, because he hath holy words onely, without deeds, is com∣pared to the glow-worme: to the statue which Nebuchadnezzer saw in his dreame, that had a head of gold only: he hath his left hand a∣bout God, and his right vnder his head. He hath more faces then one, disfiguring it to appear only, but not to be good indeed: he goes foorth of his owne confines; he suffers himselfe to be guided in his actions, like vnto a brute beast: with his best vertue he buieth slēder rewards, and hangs his praise vpon other mens lips. He is like to the brood hen, that cals her young ones to eat, and almost starues her selfe to death: like to the theefe, that shooes a horse backward, to deceiue the pursuer; with many other worthy comparisons against the double hypocriticall tongue.

Chap. 16.

LODOVICO.

Now,* 1.1 what might I say, if mē were inwardly so good, as they are inwardly naught, deser∣uing eternall death, and onely by their false tongues? May they not rightly be compared to the glow-worme? a thing which is of no big∣nesse, and which in the summer time when it flyes in the darke, seemes as if it were ail fire in ap∣pearaunce to vs, and yet by daye it

doth deliuer no light at all. So may we very well say of the hypocrit, that in the dark season of this present life (when we can discerne no hidden things, but by faith onely, he then appeares to be kindled (as it were) with celestiall fire. But in the bright day of eternity, when euery thing shall be clearely discouered, then it will be euidently seen, how much he was depriued of charity, how empty of al heauēly loue, and how that all his goodly words, were vtterly voyde of true effects. Also, how much he spake only by speaking to appeare, and not indeed to be holy like to false imaginations, hauing no reall es∣sence, & to no other end but only, that he might be esteemed, reue∣renced & honored of men. Hence commeth it, that it was said of such men,* 1.2 Receperūt mercedem suā; They haue their reward, not that which god in his goodnes wold haue bestowē on thē: but rather that vanity is enough for them, & therfore vanity is their reward, themselues be∣ing indeed nothing else, but a little vain-glory.

Claudio.

Miserable men,* 1.3 they might as easily haue laboured for the true reward, the certain assurance of eternall glory: but like gid∣dy headed fools, forsaking a certainty, they stroue for a little smoake of worldly honor, which quickly was caried away with the winde. * 1.4 But the holy & deuout soule, the spouse of Iesus Christ, she is of ano∣ther mind of whom it is written. That she hath the left hand of her spouse vnder her head, & his right hand doth sweetly embrace her. * 1.5 Laeua eius sub capite meo, & dextera illius amplexabitur me. His left hād is vnder mine head, and his right hand doth imbrace me.

The right hand of God,* 1.6 is the glory of Paradise, wherupon the e∣uerliuing father sayd to the Son: Dixit Dominus Domino meo, sede à dextris meis: The Lord said vnto my lord: Sit thou at my righthand. And it is called the right hand,* 1.7 because it is free frō al sinister things what∣soeuer. * 1.8 The left hand is the glory of this fraile life, and the honors which this present world doth affoord.

The holy spouse puts her husbands left hand vnder her head, as one vtterly carelesse of this worlds vaine honors; desiring only to be im∣braced with his right hand,* 1.9 that is, to be circled & engirt with his neuer fayling glory.* 1.10 Cum gloria suscepistime; Thou hast receiued me to glory.* 1.11 Gloria mea, & exaltans caput meum: My glory, and the lifter vp of my head.

The hypocrite, with the glory which he giues to god, and with the holy words which he vtters to other, like one bereft of his wits, seeks only after the left hand of worldly preferments, making no account at all of the celestial glories: but thinkes he ought to do euery thing

cōtrary, that is, to lay the left hād of worldly honors vnder his head, as if he were sleeping vpon the pillow of promotion, there is nothing else in him to be respected.

As for the right hand, wherof the heauenly spouse makes her vse, to wit, a longing hart, filled full of earnest & enflamed desires, holily to aspire, to be circled about with his eternal loue, & round embra∣ced in the armes of his brightnesse, in him there is not so much as one thought admitted thereof.

Lodouico.

Whosoeuer doth aduisedly note the hypocrite, be∣ing adorued with the name of a Christian, full of such sincere and holy wordes: shall apparantly perceiue, that he is not much vnlike the mysterious image,* 1.12 which Nabuchadnezzer king of the Assy∣rians sawe in his dreame. His head was of the finest gold, the breast and armes of siluer, the belly and thighs of brasse, the legs of yron, and the feete, partly of yron, partly of earth: But from a high moūtaine there came a little stone, & smiting the earthy part of the statue, broke this immesurable Colossus, and bruisd it into the smal∣lest dust.

The hypocrite hath his head of gold,* 1.13 because he seems to glory in the name of a Christian, & his works also are christian-like, so much as by outward appearance cā be discerned. And they that heare him to vtter forth such sanctified speeches, do meerly iudge him to be a saint of Paradise; so much for his golden head.

But the trunk or body is not answerable to the head, because the breast & armes are of siluer.* 1.14 His inward thoughts, are signified by the breast, & his outward worksare distinguished by the armes, being al∣together, tyed to worldly reward, & infinite in auaritious scraping to∣gether, therfore are they thus denoted by siluer.

His belly is of brasse,* 1.15 a mettal ful of noise & sounding, which signi∣fies, that whatsoeuer he doth, is but to get him a name in the world, and only to compasse a fame of holinesse.

His legges are of yron,* 1.16 for the hypocrite walketh many coun∣tries, leaues no wayes whatsoeuer vnessayed, to purchase eyther spirituall or temporall authority, to the end he may rule and swaye ouer others, with the yron rodde of tyrannicall gouernement.* 1.17 Re∣ges eos in virga ferrea, & tanquam vas figuli confringes eos. Thou shalt bruise them with a rod of yron, and breake them in pieces like a potters vessell: this signifieth the yron, which tames all other mettals what∣soeuer.

Hee hath his feete of earth,* 1.18 for the hypocrites affections are

all carnall, and therefore thus signified to be earthie. The hypo∣crites works are so interessed with vanity, that whatsoeuer he doth, it is onely to gaine mony, or else to purchase fame of the world, or for some temporary authority: neuer hauing the glory of God be∣fore his eyes, which ought to be cheefest preferd in all our acti∣ons. * 1.19 Non nobis Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam. Not vnto vs O Lord, not vnto vs, but vnto thy name giue the glorie.

Woorthily therefore doth Christ (the corner stone) descend, * 1.20 brusing all into small dust, and dissoluing all his vaine thoughts in∣to nothing. Tunc contrita sunt pariter ferrum, testa, aes, argentum & aurum,* 1.21 & redacta quasi in fauillam aestiuae areae, quae rapta sunt vento: nullusque locus inuentus est eis, &c. Then was the yron, the clay, the brasse, the siluer and the gold broken all together, and became like the chaffe of tbe summer flowers, and the wind caried them away, that no place was found for them. And the stone that smote the image, became a great mountaine, and filled the whole earth.

Claudio.

Deseruedly doe hypocrite; want a right intention, and hauing a vaine respect in all their actions, our Sauiour spake very well of them,* 1.22 when he sayd. Nolite fieri sicut hypocritae tristes, exterminant enim facies suas,* 1.23 vt appareant hominibus i••••unantes. When ye fast, looke not sowre as the hypocrites do: for they disfigure their faces that they might seeme vnto men to fast. Speaking of hypocrites hee sayth,* 1.24 that they looke sowre, and disfigure their faces. But when he speakes of the true christian, who doeth all things to the honour of God, he vseth then the singular nūber, saying.* 1.25 Tu autem cum ieiunas, &c. Et faciem tuam laua. But when thou fastest, &c. And wash thy face.

Hereupon was it, that in speaking of the hypocrites face, he v∣seth the number of moe then one: Exterminant facies suas. But in speaking of the iust man, he vseth the singular number onely: be∣cause the end of the iust man is b•••• one, that is, the glory of God onely, but many are the vayne ends of hypocrites; Exterminant faci∣es. * 1.26 For the hypocrit hath now the face of one that is earnest in prayer, then by & by of an almes-giuer: anone of an apostolical preacher, & afterward, of a deuout faster, but he hath none of all these faces truly and in deed.

His owne proper face, beeing a very diuelish face, is fearefull to behold, and euery one flyes from it, euen the diuell himselfe. But the iust man hath one face onely, and that is most Angell-like, as

we may read of S. Stephen the glorious martyr:* 1.27 intuebātur faciem e∣ius, tanquam faciem Angeli: They saw his face, as it had bin the face of an Angell.

The hypocrite hath many faces,* 1.28 not onely because he is the Ape of many persons, as in a Comedy we may see, that one man playes the parts of many: but also in this regard, that he directs his workes to many ends, namely, to temporal profit, to worldly honor, to please men, and a thousand other vnwoorthy deseignes: which the iust man neuer doth, but addicteth all his actions to the glory of God onely.

And this word Exterminant,* 1.29 is not quite voyde of mystery; Exter∣minare hath no other signification, but to issue foorth, to step beyond or out of our bounds & limits. Now the hypocrites confynes are, where with holy words he may cloke a diuelish hart, & therein is he sayd to go beyond his true confines.

Lodouico.

What are those limits or confines, which hypocrites do vse to outgoe or passe?

Claudio.

The confines or boundes of the vniuersall world, * 1.30 are onely two, heauen, and earth. Hypocrites by their counterfeite kind of life, are extermined and banished both from heauen, and earth, from God, and from men, and so they loose both the one and other reward. That of heauen, because Receperūt mercedem suam; * 1.31 They haue their reward. And that on earth, because in a moment it vanished and left them; Spes hypocritae peribit;* 1.32 The hope of hypocrites shall perish.

Hatefull they are to God and men;* 1.33 Exterminant facies suas, More especially, because they neuer shew a true countenāce: for it follow∣eth, vt appareant, that they might seem vnto men, but he sayth not, vt sint; because whatsoeuer they do, they do it but to appeare onely, and not to be truly the same indeed.

Lodouico.

What a misshapen monster is this? But tel me (my Lord) I pray you, vpon what occasion was it said; Nolite fieri, and not much rather; Nolite facere? In mine opinion, it had bin better sayd, I would not haue ye do, as hypocrites do, then saying, I wold not haue you be made like to hypocrites.

Claudio.

Do you not know (my Lord) that this difference is betweene men,* 1.34 and brute beastes in their actions: that the one doth freely whatsoeuer he will: but the other, beastes I meane, are led meerely by nature, and a determinate fantasie to their attemptes, or otherwise they are not able to do any thing?

The saying then of Christ concerning hypocrites; Nolite fieri, im∣plyes thus much, not to be led (after the manner of beasts) to their actions, by blind sense, and not by reason.

Heerein their folly manifestly is discerned, seeing that by such workes, wherewith they made a shew of winning heauen, euen as if they had bin the iustest men in the world: they haue therby purcha∣sed their owne damnation, neuer to looke vpon the bright face of heauen.

And Petrus Chrisologus sayth,* 1.35 The hypocrite with the sharpe lance of vertue, murthereth vertue it selfe: kils fasting with fasting, empties prayer by praying, and by mercie, dries vp the flowing fountaine of mercy.

Hypocrisie is all one with the Feuer, procuring a fiery burning by cold drinking:* 1.36 or as the dropsie is in the body, euen so is hypocrisie to the soule. The dropsie encreaseth thirst by drinking, and the ouer∣drunk hypocrite, dyeth with thirst, gaping hourly for more & more; but euer with an extraordinary greedinesse, after idle shaddowes of fleeting vaineglory.

Lodouico.

He committes an intollerable follie, that by vertue seekes to purchase the fauours of men,* 1.37 because (for a vile matter) he partes with an importaunt iewell: and that which might haue made him fitte for heauen, he barters away for fruitlesse breath, the copper coyne of mens vaine praise, and sinkes therewith deserued∣ly to hell; So sayeth Saint Gregory in the eighth of his Mor∣ralles.

Claudio.

It is so vndoubtedly,* 1.38 and thereupon sayd the goul∣den tongu'd diuine, That the delectation of humane praise, lasteth no longer then it is heard, and the relish therof dyeth with the very tast. For when the word is spoken, the worth is ended, a folly so great, as there cā∣not be imagined a greater.* 1.39 He that is desirous of eternall commenda∣tion, must not seeke that which comes from men, but from the sear∣cher and examiner of all harts:* 1.40 Tunc erit laus vnicuique à Deo: Then shall euery man haue praise of God. There is no security (saith a learned Father) in committing ones glory to the tongues of men, which are like chests without either lock or key.* 1.41 For when it is referred to another mans liberty it is no longer in thine own power, but in the others, either to cō∣mend, or to condemn thee.

Lodouico.

How perillous it is, and without any security at all, to commit our own praise into an others power, is very easie to be dis∣cerned. Therefore hypocrisie, in his earnest affection to popular ap∣plause,

is compared to the weeuel,* 1.42 from whom we cannot so closely keep the corne, but he steales into it so soone as it is threshed: and to the end it may not be sowed, to spring againe to a further encrease, he filcheth away the sbstance, leauing nothing but a dissēbled emp∣ty huske. Euen such is hypocrisie (saith Iohn Climachus) which stealeth away all our honest deseruings, so that no other reward is to be expected, but this bare breath of vaine glory: Receperunt mercedem suā,* 1.43 a price so vile, as worse is not to be thought on.

A foole may that merchant well be called,* 1.44 which brings most pretious wares into so poore a city, as yeelds no man able to buy the very meanest of them. Such merchants, are hypocrites, who sell theyr workes by a signall formality, of praying, exhortation, tea∣ching, fasting, and open giuing of almes in this world, where there is no man, that can giue them the condigne value to such good deeds doon in sincerity, and therefore they sell them but for a little vaine commendation.

You shall sometimes see a Preacher preache for many years to∣gether, * 1.45 to the amazement of all his hearers, euen as if at his lippes there hung no meane perfection, but rather such power and efficacy in his speeches, as many stubborne minds haue bin won by him to god, euery one admyring and honouring him, euen as if he were ano∣ther Paul. Neuerthelesse, among so many by him conuerted, himselfe remaineth peruerted, by executing this his Apostolicall office, onely for the applause of poore mens breath, & for his own aduancement to honor in the world. Wheron it followeth, that by helping others to heauen, he goes himselfe to hell, causing others to be repentant, yet himself hath continued impenitent in his sins, thirsting after a little praise and vainglory of men, & loosing therby the grace and true glo∣ry of heauen.

Agreeable with the brood Hens quality,* 1.46 calling the other chickēs to meat, but famisheth her self. Or they are like the horse, that brings bottles of wine home to the house, and drinketh nothing but water himselfe.

Caesar and Alexander cheered on their souldiers▪ and boldly en∣couraged them to the battaile,* 1.47 but yet were themselues the formost in fight. In like manner, with greatest heart and spirit did the Princes,* 1.48 Moyses, Iosuah and Gedeon lead on Gods armies, and the Priests ledde on the Ark of the Testament, when others stood and noted their woorthy example. But these hollow harted hypocrites, send out others before them, and tarry at home themselues

immooueable, because after the manner of the Pharisies, Dicunt & non faciunt,* 1.49 they talke onely, but do nothing, except it bee by contraries. Whereas, God hauing giuen vs one tongue, and two hands; he implyeth thereby, that we should worke much, but talke little.

The Nurse first takes the food into her owne mouth, and hauing prepared as it ought to be,* 1.50 then she nourisheth her child therwith. But the hypocrite, without once tasting himselfe the foode of any good actiōs, feeds the people with faire words: preaching fasting, but him∣self with a ful belly, exalting vertue in others, being most vitious him∣selfe, and condemning others couetousnesse, when his owne hart is most greedy and insatiable.

But what sayth S. Paul concerning these people? Qui alium do∣ces, * 1.51 te ipsum non doces? Qui praedicas non furandum, furaris? Thou which teachest another, teachest thou not thy selfe? Thou that preachest a man should not steale, dost thou steale? Heereto may we adde this sentence of the Prophet. Cum ipsi limpidissimam aquam biberitis,* 1.52 reliquam pedibus vestris turbatis? Et oues meae his quae con∣culcata pedibus vestris fuerant, pascebantur, & quae pedes vestri tur∣bauerant, 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,* 1.53 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 do∣ctrine 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 ip∣sum.

They are like to so many Tantalusses,* 1.54 that are in the midst of wa∣ter, and yet dye with thirst. And in them is that sentence of old Isa∣ack verified, vox quidem, vox Iacob, manus autem manus sunt Esau: The voyce is Iacobs voyce,* 1.55 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 o∣uer the house of Iacob for euer.* 1.56 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,* 1.57 but sinke down (in∣deed) to hell. Not much vnlike vnto those theeues, who hauing stoln some great booty in the city, do cause their horses to be shod back∣ward, so when the pursuers do imagine them to be still within the ci∣ty, 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 di∣uine 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 saluati∣on, * 1.58 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.* 1.59 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.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The hypocrite very aptly cō∣pared to the glow-worme, or glaze-worme, that shines brightly in the night season, and is not seen in the day unto.
• * 1.2

  Math. 6. 2.
• * 1.3

  The reward which hypo∣crites do most gape after.
• * 1.4

  The deuout soule the spouse of Christ.
• * 1.5

  Cant. 2. 6.
• * 1.6

  Of the right hand of God, and why so called.
• * 1.7

  Psal. 110. 2.
• * 1.8

  Of the left hand of God, and where the holy spouse placeth it.
• * 1.9

  Psal. 73. 24.
• * 1.10

  Psal. 3. 3.
• * 1.11

  The hipocrite seekes after the left hand of worldly va∣nity, making no account at al of the right hand.
• * 1.12

  The hypocrite cōpared to Nabuchadne∣zars Image in his dreame.
• * 1.13

  For the head, & how the cō∣parison holds in the hypo∣crite, in euery part according to the Image.
• * 1.14

  The breast & armes.
• * 1.15

  The belly and thighes.
• * 1.16

  The legs.
• * 1.17

  Psal. 2. 9.
• * 1.18

  The feete.
• * 1.19

  Psal. 115. 2.
• * 1.20

  The stone, Christ the corner stone.
• * 1.21

  Dan. 2. 35.
• * 1.22

  Math. 6. 16.
• * 1.23

  Of the face of an hypocrite.
• * 1.24

  Of the face of a true christiā.
• * 1.25

  Math. 6. 17.
• * 1.26

  The seuerall faces of the hypocrite.
• * 1.27

  Acts. 6. 15.
• * 1.28

  The hipocrite is the Ape of many persons, directing his actions to many ends.
• * 1.29

  The significa∣tiō of the word Exterminare.
• * 1.30

  How hipocrits are sayd to go beyond theyr bounds.
• * 1.31

  Math. 6. 2.
• * 1.32

  Iob. 8. 13.
• * 1.33

  Hypocrites hateful to god and men.
• * 1.34

  The differēce between men & brute beasts in their actiōs.
• * 1.35

  Petrus Chri∣sologus con∣cerning the hopocrites actions.
• * 1.36

  Hypocrisie compared to the Feuer and Dropsie.
• * 1.37

  Grego. in Mo∣ral. Cap 8.
• * 1.38

  Thom. Aquin. in Sum. Lib. 1. Cap. 9.
• * 1.39

  How true cō∣mēdation is to be sought.
• * 1.40

  2. Cor. 4. 5.
• * 1.41

  The tongues of men▪ are like Chests with∣out lock or key. Hug. Car.
• * 1.42

  Hypocrisie cō∣pared to the weeuel, that eats the flowr in the corne, and leaues the husks. Iohn Climack.
• * 1.43

  Math. 6. 2.
• * 1.44

  Hypocrites compared to merchants.
• * 1.45

  An especiall note for such preachers as are time ob∣seruers, & the pleasers of mēs priuate hu∣mours.
• * 1.46

  Men pleasing preachers cō∣pared to the brood Hen.
• * 1.47

  Example of Alexander & Caesar.
• * 1.48

  Example of Moyses, losu∣ah & Gedeon.
• * 1.49

  Why God gaue vs one tongue & two hands.
• * 1.50

  Cōparison of the Nurse fee∣ding her child: alluded to the hypocrite.
• * 1.51

  Rom. 2. 21.
• * 1.52

  Ezech. 34. 18. 19
• * 1.53

  Example of the ornamēts appointed for the priesthood
• * 1.54

  Hypocrites compared to Tantalus.
• * 1.55

  Gen. 27. 22.
• * 1.56

  Luk. 1. 33.
• * 1.57

  Comparisō of theeues, that shoo their hor∣ses backward, to preuent pursuit, allu∣ded to hypo∣crites.
• * 1.58

  Eccle. 5. 11.
• * 1.59

  A double tongue, one of the mouth, an other of the deede.