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never at quiet in mind, fearing the rushing of the wind; as the Poet Menander saith.
He is clothed in white, because if any blot falls upon it, it is presently seen; how small soever it be, disguising the
same. So doth the scrupulous mind, when he has committed a fault, for all it be small. And when he feels the same,
he disallows of it and seeks to mend it. And repenting, he strives to go to God; as to a merciful father, seeking anew
to obtain his favor: and therefore he stands with his eyes towards heaven.
He holds the Sieve in his hand, it being an instrument wherewith they separate the good from the bad, the corn from
the chaff; the bad abiding in the fa[nne] of our conscience.
The chain with the heart upon the breast: thereof the divines say, that counsel lays in the heart, wherein are also the
beginnings of all actions. Christ teaching also, that what defiles a man lays in the heart. And the ancients said, that
"the heart was the belly of the soul." And therefore saith David: "Create, o God, in me a clean heart" --
understanding, good thoughts.
The chain whereon hangs the heart, signifies, as Pierius saith, a just man who does not lie nor deceive. But what he
has in his heart, that he has upon his tongue; separated from all devices and lies; being consequently of a good
conscience.
The oven or furnace, signifies, by Pierius in the forementioned place, the conscience: which is tried by fire, because
God by his prophets commands, that some things shall be brought to them in the oven -- that is, which silently shall
be by them considered. And when we begin to be sorry for the committed fault, then our conscience begins to be
privately kindled in us; and begins to gnaw us, seeking by force to blott out the sin by degrees. And this is the reason
wherefore some expositors of the holy scripture, expound the same by the heart of man. Again, the furnace is a
special instrument which distillers use: having no other aim but to separate the clean from the unclean. Even in the
same manner, seeks the wounded conscience in the furnace of his heart, with the fire of the fear of conscience and
with the wind of holy inspirations, to cleanse his soul of all filthiness, that she may be fit to offer up herself unto
God.
Detrattione (Slander, backbiting)
A woman, who sitting, holds her mouth a little open, showing a double tongue in manner of a snake; holding upon
her head a black cloth of which she stretches out a piece; by which, with her left hand, she makes a shadow on her
face; the rest of her garment shall be rusty, broken in many places; having under her feet a pipe; in her right hand a
naked dagger, ready to stab another.
Backbiting or slander, according to the limitation of D. Thomas, is nothing else than privately speaking evil against
the good name and esteem of other people.
Detrattione (Backbiting, slander)
A woman of an ugly aspect, sitting; holding her mouth a little open; with a black cloth upon her head in that manner
that it makes a shadow over her face. Her garment shall be broken in many places and of a rusty color, everywhere
garnished with snake's tongues. Instead of a necklace, she shall have a rope about her neck, with the noose hanging
downwards. In her right hand, she shall hold a knife as if she would stab somebody; and in the left hand, a mouse or
rat, but big enough that he may be seen.
She is painted ugly, because this ugly sin of slander is not only ugly to herself; because she is always ready to the
harm and destruction of her neighbors. But the worst thing, is with those who keep company with such: giving ear
and credit to the deceitful nature of the backbiter who, as St. Augustine saith, "carry the devil upon their tingue."
She is made sitting, because idleness is a great and forcing cause of slander; for it was used to be said: "Who so sits
easy, thinks harm." The open mouth, and snake's tongues upon her garment, signify the readiness of the backbiter to [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]