The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, Volume 06 (of 11)
Thomas Hobbes · en
A small changing of the end or case, is when words of the same beginning
rebound by divers ends: _Christ being raised from the dead, dieth no
more, death hath no more power over him. He that doth righteousness, is
righteous. If ye know that he is righteous, know ye that he that doeth
righteously, is born of him._ And of both these there are many in the
Scripture; but the translations cannot reach them.
Hitherto of the garnishing of the shape of speech, in _words_. Now
followeth the garnishing of the shape of speech, in a _sentence_.
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CHAPTER VII.
Garnishing of the frame of speech in a _sentence_, is a garnishing of
the shape of speech, or a figure; which for the forcible moving of
affections, doth after a sort beautify the sense and very meaning of a
sentence. Because it hath in it a certain manly majesty, which far
surpasseth the soft delicacy or dainties of the former figures.
It is either the garnishing of speech _alone_, or _with others_.
The garnishing of speech _alone_, is when as the sentence is garnished
without speech had to other. And it is either in regard of the _matter_;
or of the _person_.
In regard of the _matter_; it is either a crying out, called
_exclamation_; or a pulling or calling back of himself, called
_revocation_.
A crying out, or _exclamation_, is the first, which is set forth by a
word of calling out. Sometimes of wonder, as, Rom. xi. 33: _O the depth
of the judgments of God!_ Psal. viii. 1: _O Lord, how excellent is thy
name!_ Sometimes of pity; also these words, _Behold_, _Alas_, _Oh_, be
signs of this figure, as, _O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which stonest the
prophets_. Sometimes of desperation; as, _My sin is greater than can be
forgiven. Behold, thou drivest me out, &c._ Sometimes of wishing: as,
Psalm lxxxiv. 1: _O Lord of hosts, how amiable are thy tabernacles!_
Sometimes of disdaining: as, Rom. vii. 24: _O miserable wretch that I
am, who shall deliver me from this body of sin!_ Sometimes of mocking:
as they which said to our Saviour Christ, _Ah, thou that, &c._ Sometimes
of cursing and detestation; as in David, _Let their table be made a
snare, and bow down their back always_.
Also when this figure is used in the end of a sentence, it is called a
shooting out of the voice or επιφωνημα; as when the sins of Jezebel were
spoken against, this is added at the end, _Seemed it a little to her to
do thus and thus_.
So after the high setting forth of the name of God, David shutteth up
his praise with this: _Blessed be his glorious name, and let all the
earth be filled with his glory_. Sometimes here is used a certain
liberty of speech, wherein is a kind of secret crying out: as Peter
(Acts iii. 12,) saith: _Ye men of Israel, hear these words_. And Paul,
(2 Cor. xi. 1): _Would to God you could suffer a little my foolishness,
and indeed ye suffer me_.
Thus much of crying out. Now followeth the figure of calling back, or
_revocation_.