Theol. Such a man as you speak of, is hardly to be found among the sons of men. They be b•ack Swans in the earth, they be white Crows, they be rare birds. For there be very few that will speak the truth from their heart: yet some such I hope there be. But for the most part, and amongst the greater sort, lying, dissembling, and fraud, do bear all the sway. There is no truth, no honesty, no conscience, no simplicity, no plain dealing amongst men in these most corrupt times. Faith and truth are parted clean away. And as the Kingly Prophet saith,1 The faithful are failed from among the children of men. They speak deceitfully every one with his neighbour; flattering with their lips, and speaking with a double heart. Men now adays study the art of lying, flattering, fawning, glossing and dissembling: they have a heart and a heart. They have honey in their mouth, and gall in their heart. Their tongues are as soft as butter and oil: but their hearts are full of bitterness, poison and worm-wood. They are full of outward courtesy ⟨p. 169⟩and civility, full of Court-holy-water, when there is no truth nor plainness in their inward affection. They will speak you fair, when they would cut your throat. They will show you a good countenance, when they would eat your heart with Garlic. In outward show they will carry themselves plausibly, when their hearts are full of venom and malice. This viperous brood do but watch their times and opportunities, till they can get a man upon the hip; and then they will sting him, and work their malice upon him. These fawning curs will not bark till they bite; they will lurk and lye close, till they spy their vantage, and then they will show themselves in their kind: then they will hoist a man, and turn him over the perk, if they can. These men are like the waters, which are most deep when they are most calm: like a dangerous rock hid under a calm sea; or as the Heathens say, like the Sirens song, which is the Sailors wrack: like the Fowlers whistle, which is the birds death: like the […] bait, which is the fishes bane: […] the Harpies, which have Virgins faces, and Vultures talons: or like Hyena, which speaketh like a friend, and devoureth like a foe: or, as the Scripture saith, like Joab, the Captain of the host,2 ⟨p. 170⟩which spake kindly to Amasa another Captain, and kissed him, when presently he stabbed him;
Theol. Such a man as you speake of, is hardly to bee found among the sons of men. They bee b•ack Swans in the earth, they bee white Crowes, they be rare birds. For there bee very few that will speake the truth from their heart: yet some such I hope there be. But for the most part, and amongst the greater sort, lying, dissembling, and fraud, doe beare all the sway. There is no truth, no honesty, no conscience, no simplicity, no plaine dealing amongst men in these most corrupt times. Faith and truth are parted cleane away. And as the Kingly Prophet saith,1 The faithfull are failed from among the children of men. They speake deceitfully every one with his neighbour; flattering with their lips, and speaking with a double heart. Men now adayes study the art of lying, flattering, fawning, glozing and dissembling: they have a heart and a heart. They have honey in their mouth, and gall in their heart. Their tongues are as soft as butter and oyle: but their hearts are full of bitternesse, poyson and worme-wood. They are full of outward courtesie ⟨p. 169⟩and civility, full of Court-holy-water, when there is no truth nor plainnesse in their inward affection. They will speak you faire, when they would cut your throat. They will shew you a good countenance, when they would eat your heart with Garlick. In outward shew they will carry themselves plausibly, when their hearts are full of venome and malice. This viperous brood doe but watch their times and opportunities, till they can get a man upon the hip; and then they will sting him, and worke their malice upon him. These fawning curs will not bark till they bite; they will lurk and lye close, till they spye their vantage, and then they will shew themselves in their kinde: then they will hoist a man, and turne him over the perk, if they can. These men are like the waters, which are most deep when they are most calme: like a dangerous rocke hid under a calme sea; or as the Heathens say, like the Syrens song, which is the Sailers wrack: like the Fowlers whistle, which is the birds death: like the 〈…〉 bait, which is the fishes bane: 〈…〉 the Harpies, which have Virgins faces, and Vultures talons: or like Hyena, which speaketh like a friend, and devoureth like a foe: or, as the Scripture saith, like Joab, the Captaine of the hoast,2 ⟨p. 170⟩which spake kindly to Amasa another Captaine, and kissed him, when presently hee stab•d him;
- 1Psal. 1•.
- 22 Sam. •0.10
