Four treatises tending to dissuade all Christians from four no less heinous then common…Foure treatises tending to disswade all Christians from foure no lesse hainous then common…

But silence is not always expedient,¹ especially when men have a just cause, and an honest excuse: for oftentimes the angry man will imagine, that silence argueth contempt; as though they were silent because they scorned to return an answer. And therefore the second remedy; namely a soft and mild answer, either excusing their fault by showing their innocency, or in all humbleness confessing it, and craving pardon, is more fit physic to cure anger in some natures and dispositions. And this medicine the wise Physician prescribeth us,² Prou. 15.1. A soft answer putteth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. ³So Prou. 25.15. A prince is pacified by staying anger, and a soft tongue breaketh the bones, or as it is in the original, a man of bone, that is, such an one as ⟨p. 79⟩is most stiff and obdurate. An example hereof we have in Abigail: ⁴who by her mild and discreet speeches quickly appeased Davids furious anger.

But silence is not alwayes expedient,¹ especially when men haue a iust cause, and an honest excuse: for oftentimes the angry man will imagine, that silence argueth contempt; as though they were silent because they scorned to returne an answere. And therefore the second remedy; namely a soft and milde answere, eyther excusing their fault by shewing their innocency, or in all humblenesse confessing it, and crauing pardon, is more fit phisicke to cure anger in some natures and dispositions. And this medicine the wise Phisition prescribeth vs,²