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Hee that would talke with God, must eyther learne to bee silent, or speake farre otherwise then he did before: because his heart is to bee first purged of wicked thoughtes, and his lippes made cleane from speaking of euill. Hee that conferres with God, must either holde his peace, or speake very little, in regard of the greatnesse of diuine mysteries. Or he must talke highlie, by a new kinde of speaking, as being lifted vp by diuine assistaunce of the holy Ghost. For approbation whereof, diuers sound testi∣monies out of sacred Scripture are produced. As of Moyses, Ieremie, Daniell, Paul, and the other Apostles, Silence al∣so makes the foole to seeme wise, and the want of speech is the gift of God, as well as talking in many languages. Heerein like∣wise is discoursed, whence it proceedeth that some are borne dumbe, and others very hard in deliuery of their words, or else doe speake very slowly.
Chap. 20.
To be silent, we haue already discoursed and approoued, that it is very behoouefull for all men, as well the good, as the bad, the foolish, as the wise: because such commendation awaiteth on silence. as if the foolish man doo but holde his peace, he appeareth to be wise; At the least in this, that in refrayning speech, he acquainteth not others with his follie, which made the wise mā say. Stultus quoque sit acuerit, sapiens reputabitur,