they had need to be both holy and well qualified 1. They are to stand between the Lord and his people to shew them his word and what he required them to do 2. They are not onely to read it but to instruct them in it to make men wise to salvation and not onely the common people but the king also as was shewed before 3. They are to blesse the people in the name of the Lord. 4. They are to offer prayers to God for them upon all occasions as 1. In time of Pestilence when the plague raged among them 2. in time of war when the enemy threatened their destruction 3. In time of famine when the land yeelded not increase 4. In time of sicknes not onely for the life of the King or Prince bnt also when sicknesse laied hold on private men And lastly 5. They wereto be instead of Captains to encourage the people their souldiers to fight manfully and to resist the assaults of the Devill their Ghostly enemy these and many other things belong to the priests function Now as the Apostle speaks who is sufficient for these things surely if he that was so plentifully endued with the spirit of God doubted of his own sufficiency what may we in these times when many take liberty without the emission the Apostle had to themselves unsent to undertake this high calling certainly great care ought to be taken by those in authority especially by the Church governours that none should performe this office of themselves and that they who are ordained be able to undergo so great a work For if they that fight against us were onely bodily enemies as French and Spaniards there were no such great need of such men but seeing that as the Apostle tells us we are to fight a spiritual combat we must combat with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore such are necessary as can oppose spiritual wickednes such are Currus Aurigae Israelis the charriots and horsemen of Israel who must beat back this spiritual host The holy Ghost hath left it upon record that the life of 〈◊〉 the priest and his wisdom were the means to keep both king and people from Idolatry and consequently the whole kingdom from destruction And as the 〈◊〉 tells us that in his time the want of knowledge brought the foundations of the earth both of Church and commonwealth out of frame al humane laws were defective So as the wise man speaketh it is wisdome and knowledge of Gods law which is to be sought at the priests mouth that doth servare gregem ab interitu preserve the people from perishing And where there is no vision the people decay For if we will look backward into the estate of mighty commonwealthes we shall finde that though the wisdome and policy of them have been great for want of Prophets and priests to reclaim the vices of the soul they have all fallen to decay As fi st in the Assyrian monarchy what was the ruin of it but Gluttony and intemperance which brought diseased bodies and weaknes and Adultery which bred bastardslip as the prophet speaks and mingling of kindreds where by the Empire was translated out of the right line and so ruined and all this for want of good instruction Again looke into the 〈◊〉 monarchy and you shall see that Idlenes neglect of tillage mechanick arts and merchandise every one thereby becoming 〈◊〉 a gentleman caused the ruin of that Empire Nor did the Grecian Monarchy come to its period till Alexander for want of knowing God would himself be reputed a God and till his successours fell to covetousnesse whereby a needles dearth fell upon it and the greater began to oppresse the inferiour and the Prince to burthen his subjects And Lastly the Roman Monarchy came to that we see it is at this day from the most flourishing of all the former by their own pride envy emulation and heart-burning And these miseries befel al these four Monarchies by reason of these vices which the laws of God would not have suffered if there had been any to teach them and the laws of the Heathen could not correct If we come to our own nation in the time of the Brittains the often and frequent wrongs and injuries of great persons the perverting of the Laws which were made to be Cobwebs to catch onely the small flies while the great ones break through The Corruptions of Lawyers maintaining causes and suits for their fee by which the land was overrun with oppression Gods law being not heard in the mean time brought destruction upon the land Nor is it possible by any Act of Parliament Law or Statute to provide or take order that a man shall not be covetous or that there be no Idlenesse Ryot Pride Envy or the like sins in the soul though these as is said were the chief causes that these Monarchies and other Countryes came to destruction For Sobriety and all vertues must be begotten in the minde and that by such persons as shall be able to reach and instill them out of the Law of God otherwise politick justice will never continue among men Civil Acts are of no force except Religion be joyned with them We read that in the time of the Judges every man did that which was good in his own eyes Men could assure themselves of nothing they possessed Six hundred men of Dan came into Micahs house and took away his graven Image his Ephod his molten Image his Teraphim and his Priest And in the next Chapter what an unheard of example of lust have we and all this is attributed to the want of knowledge of Gods Law in those dayes And when the Priesthood was setled and they had a Judge yet the Children of Israel were brought under the yoak of the Philistins because that calling was corrupted by Hophni and Phinees the sons of Eli. In the time of the kings of Israel when that kingdome had been diverse years without the true God and without the Priest to teach the law in no nation can be found seaven such notable changes in so short a time as you may read in the book of the kings and this was ascribed to the want of the priest and the Law of God Therefore it was before that time the wish and desire of Moses that all the Lords people were prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit up-them And this was the desire of Saint Paul too that they could speak all with tongues but rather that all al could prophecie we see by experience that our adversaries take occasion to invade us in those places where the people are least instructed and most ignorant in the word of God All manner of sinne most aboundeth where least care is taken for their instruction in the wayes of God and the knowledge of his Laws It is our
of Neconcupisces as that they thought Concupiscence no sinne and for the rest though they had some particular Laws respectively against the breach of some commandment as against adultery incest and the like yet they dispensed with them as persons time and place ministred occasion to them Which we may see in the story of a King of Persia who being desirous to marry his own sister and knowing that there was a Law against incest brake his minde to the Magi desiring their opinions they told him that though there were such a Law yet there was another that the King might do what he would Whereas our Religion is so far from dispensing either with that or other the Laws of God that the saints of God had rather suffer death then them to be broken as in the case of John Baptist who told King Herod Tibinon licet it is not lawfull for thee to have thy brothers wife though it cost him his head for saying so 4. Another argument to prove the truth of our Religion is that both it and the Scriptures by which we are guided go to the heart whereas other Religions pierce not the skinne These stop the streames theirs make the Lusts of the flesh but affections Adiaphora indifferent things to be avoyded or not ours by prohibiting Concupiscence stop the fountain of all sinnes 5. Again it is a necessary consequence that that which cannot come from man comes from God But there are some things in Scriptures which are truly Metaphysicall and exceed the capacity of man as that Jehovah Elohim is one God and three persons trinity in vnity that God should become man that God should take upon him to be the redeemer of Mankind and that by his stripes and suffering punishment man should be healed that God should create a world and out of that gather a Church to himself These things and more cannot be comprehended by man and are not to be conceived but onely by our Religion 6. Not to conceale the faults of a mans parents or friends or to speake against a mans own countrey stock kinred or his own self is a thing altogether unnatural and cannot come into any but by a supernatural power But we see that Moses when no necessity compelled him spared 〈◊〉 ot his own stock but spake against his brother Aaron for making the Golden Calfe nor his sister Miriam in the case of murmuring no nor his own selfe at the waters of strife and committed the same to writing that Posterity should take notice of these things Yea and dispossessed his own children from succeeding him in the Magistracy constituting Josuah in their stead these acts cannot agree with the natural man but must needs proceed from a higher cause therefore the writers of these Scriptures must of necessity be inspired by God himself 7. Whereas the whole scope of Philosophers and of the Law makers among the Heathen was to teach how Princes might enlarge their territories and taught it as a point of wisdom to win by all means the favour of princes and great men this Religion teacheth contempt of life the world and worldly honours in respect of God and such was the practize of the prophets who were so far from seeking the favour of Princes that they reproved them to their faces when Gods cause was in hand Therefore this Religion is spiritual and proceeds not from man 8. Again we know that as God is a spirit so must his worship be spiritual and this is the scope of the Scriptures that God be honored without Images or shadows And though in the vnity of God that there is but one God to be worshipped false Religion may agree with the true yet in this point it doth not their Religion and the worship thereof being onely corporeal not spiritual For though in the Old Testament there be many Ceremonial worships prescribed yet God disclaimeth them all yea he abhorreth them if they be performed without the inward worship and sets down the way of worship wherein he most delighteth namely in a broken and contrite heart and spirit Therefore as man is bodily and his motions fall within the compasse of the Body so is that worship which comes from him bodily whereas Gods worship is spiritual and not corporal onely 9. To these may be added by us that we had Miracles and Oracles to confirme our Religion as they did to strengthen theirs And those beyond theirs in divers respects 1. The Miracles mentioned in Scriptures were not done in a corner but openly as were they which were done by Moses upon Pharaoh in the sight of his servants 2. They were notfrivolous or vain but profitable and beneficial 3 They were not imitable nor 〈◊〉 by Magique or mans art for what Magician can divide the Sea or cause the Sun to stand as in Josuahs time or make the Suns shadow goe back as in the diall of Ahas or to rain Manna as in the wildernesse Jannes and Jambres are not able to stand against Moses 2. And for our Oracles they were not as the Oracles of the Gentiles that spake placentia pleasing things or as they themselves say did speak such things as their Kings would have them speake nor are they ambiguous or doubtfull such as theirs that needed Delium interpretem some Apollo to explain them and in that respect as Porphyrius testifies of them they ever had their Postica back-doors evasions to help them But ours are void of flattery and are certain some of them being fullfilled 500. some 1000. years some 3000. years after they were uttered as the enlarging of Japhets tents which hapned not till the calling of the Gentiles and the like So much to prove the truth of both Testaments as our religion agrees with that of the Jews Now follow some reasons proper to the confirmation of the truth of Christian Religion CHAP 12. Special reasons for the Christian Religion as diff ring from the Jewish It purgeth the soul shews that God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The testimony of the Apostles and 〈◊〉 the knowledge of what they wrote their Honesty The credit of the story Testimony from Pagans The star at Christs birth The crosse sacred with the Egyptians The miracles at Christs death The progresse of Christianity by weake means opposed by power and learning contrary to flesh and blood the excellency of the promises power in conversions The truth of Christs Miracles The constancy of Martyrs The ends of the apostles The Divels testimony against himself Saint Augustine out of 〈◊〉 de regressu animae one of the greatest enemies that ever the Church of God had saith that there is no true Religion that confesseth not that the soul of man 〈◊〉 to be purged and addeth that the Platonists received from the Caldeans that the soul of man non potuit perfici 〈◊〉 per principia and we know that Platos principles were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father the minde and love which
The warrant of this is either by his word as the setting up of the brasen serpents image against the second commandment or by ratifying by some special signe and blessing men extraordinarly above the course of mankind when any pretend exemption or special dispensation these dispensations are exemptions from the common Law because they are priviledges and are to be restrained to the persons to whom they were granted It is a maxime in Law Quae exorbitant a jure communi non sunt trahenda in consequentiam argumenti vel exempli things which agree not with the common Law are not to be drawn into the consequence either of argument or example Though wee are willing to make many restraints yet they are but few which God allows as he said of the good Emperours so may we say of them they may all be graven upon one side of a peny and therefore the more restraints we make the more injury we do to God It is the commendation of a Law to have the fewest exceptions and priviledges for where the dispensations are fewest there is most 〈◊〉 and therefore it is that in Gods Laws there are not so many as in others The slaughter of Phinees the robbing of the Egyptians are not restraints and if they were yet it is certain that they are not for us nor our times nor have we the special warrant of the voice of God for them and it may be sufficiently proved that many things in the old Testament supposed to be restraints were not so but kept to the uttermost And this is to stop the mouthes of vain persons which cannot contain themselves within the ordinary course and we have but little use of this rule 2. The second rule is from the nature of a precept which in sundry cases gives a restraint As in the fifth commandment to honour superiours as to Princes who having no superiour on earth are exempted from this saving the reverence they owe to their natural parents And in the fourth which is an affirmitive precept the practise is not required at all times The rule of an affirmative precept is Semper 〈◊〉 facere bonum but non 〈◊〉 bonum facere semper we are allways bound to do good but not to do good allwayes The negative holdeth allwayes but the affirmative not so The School-men say that affirmative precepts binde semper but not ad semper they binde allwayes but not to the actual performance at all times but at convenient and set times but negatives binde semper ad semper we must at no time go against a negative precept For the nature of doing a good thing well standeth thus that there must be a concurrence of all due causes and circumstances together which belong thereto Malum 〈◊〉 quolibet defectu oritur et bonum e causa integra all causes and due requisits must concur in every good act but the want of any one makes an act sinfull Now all causes and circumstances cannot alwayes concur and consequently affirmative duties cannot alwayes be practised therefore in the affirmative part we are exempted by the nature of it and secondly the ardour of affection that is required in doing good sheweth that it cannot be practised perpetually or at all times 3. The third and last is of greatest use And this upon sundry occasions receiveth diverse judgements The case is called Antinomia a conflict of Laws The Jews have a saying that two Commandments make each other a lyer till the third come and make them a gree by restraining one of them This therefore is a sure rule 〈◊〉 it a inter duo peccata perplexus est quin ei pateat exitus sine tertio no man is so perplexed between two sins but he may get out without committing a third And this exitus is to be had one of these two wayes first If the two precepts can be reconciled between themselves then there 's no perplexity or necessity of sinning for he may as the Schools say de ponere 〈◊〉 conscientiam by in forming rectifyng his conscience Herod after his oath to Herodias was in such a perplexity that he thought he must either breake his oath in not performing with her or behead John Baptist but he might have freed himself by right information that such an unlawfull and rash vow was sinful and did not binde to any one thing but repentance and then he would have let John Baptists head stood still and thereby have committed no more sin If they cannot be reconciled then Agendum est id quod est major obligatio that must be done which we are most bound to do for God hath ordained things in order 1. The first and principal end is his own glory 2. The next is a mans own salvation 3. The next is the salvation of our brethren Therefore Gods glory must be preferred before our own salvation if these two could stand in competition and our good before our brothers we must not commit sin to deliver him from sin yet our own temporal good must not be preferred before his spiritual good we ought to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Saint John saith to lay down our life for our brother that is for his salvation Now Gods glory being the end of the first Table and the good of our selves and our brethren the end of the second Table we see the order between them and how the one ought to give place to the other but usually it falls out other wise for as Saint Augustine saith the love of temporal commodity and the fear of temporal displeasure so blindes the eyes of men and poisons the love of God upon this ground we may resolve when there 's a conflict as it is somtimes between the first commandment and the fift obey God and obey your rulers when this Antinomia falls out it is easily reconciled The latter Commandment concerns 〈◊〉 obedience in yelding to the commands of a superiour and common reason tels us that if a stronger arm holds us then that which should raise or remove us then we can never rise or be removed But Gods authority whose Proconsuls on earth Magistrates are is more then his delegates power and his arme stronger to hold us in obedience then theirs It is a rule Motus 〈◊〉 fortior vis 〈◊〉 motion is restrained by a stronger power And this is one case wherein Superiours are not to be obeyed 2. Another case of restraint is that nothing is to move vltra spharam 〈◊〉 beyond its own bounds Siquando excedunt regulam dominationis suae when Superiours passe the bounds of there authority their commands binde not as if a Captain sends his souldiers to feed sheep it is more then he ought to do and they are not bound to obey his command 3. There is a maxim in our Common Law that Juris interpretatio non debet laedere jus regium and if there be not a restraint to obedite praepositis vestris Obey your Rulers we shall prejudice Gods authority and
keeping them there 's great reward Nay he tells us they are better then thousands of gold and silver Therefore we are to keep them safe and carefully and lay them up where they cannot be taken away the wiseman directs us where we may bestow them to be out of fear of losing them keep them saith he in the midst of the heart for he that keepeth them keepeth his own soul. In respect of others we are also to see them kept And this is to be done by zeal and power that others breake them not We must not say as in another case Cain said Am I my brothers keeper Sum ego custos mandati tui Am I to be a keeper of thy Commandments in others Is it not enough that I keep them my self No we must reprove rebuke and exhort use all means to make others keep them we must be grieved with David when others keep them not God hath given them to us they are not onely observanda but Conservanda we must not onely observe but preserve them which if we doe we shall finde as the wise man saith that he that keepeth them keepeth his own soul. Domine Custodio adjuua Negligentiam meam Lord I keep them help my Negligence THE EXPOSITION OF THE Third Commandement Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain c. Or as the Chaldee Paraphrast reads it Thou shalt not swear by the name of the Lord thy God in vain or falsely CHAP. I The general scope of the third Commandment Of glorifying the name of God by praise The manner how it must be done Several motives to stir men up to the dutie THis Commandment forbids and prohibits not onely perjury but all other abuses of Gods name Though all vain and rash swearing and all irreverent usage of Gods name may be reduced to this commandment and therefore it is enlarged by our Saviour Math. 5. 34. to the prohibiting of all volutary oaths yet if we looke at the literal meaning of the words to take Gods name in vain doth strickly and properly signifie nothing else but to swear falsly or to forswear and therefore the 70. as they render the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lashava by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we translate vain so they often render it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 falsly as Deu. 5. 18. Ezek. 12. 24. and 13. 6. 7. 8. Hos. 10. 4. Jon 2. 9. Zeah. 10. 2. and that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shava and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shakar mentiri differ little appears in the ninth Commandment where for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sheker mendacium used in Exod. is put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Deut. both which the 70. render by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 false witnesse Therefore Philo in explication of this place having said that we must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not take the name of God in vain addes by way of explication 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for to call God to witnesse a lie is most wicked So likewise Aben Ezra so in Exo. 23. 1. For the Hebe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vain the Targum Hierosol reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 false So in Psalm 24. 4. and Psalm 12. 3. Zachary 10. 2. and in many other places the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendered falsehood or lying and that by Hierom him self Our Saviour himself so renders these words Mat. 5. 33. Thou shalt not 〈◊〉 thy self speaking of the litteral sense of this law as it was given by Moses which he amplifies and enlarges For that which some late expositors say that he recites and rejects onely the corrupt glosse of the Jewish Doctors is against ' the current of antiquity and against the text as might easily be proved and therefore the Syriack translation so reads the words non mentiris in jurejurando tuo thou shalt not lie in swearing This further is to be noted that this commandment speakes not of an 〈◊〉 tory oath or false swearing in bearing witnes for that belongs to the ninth Commandment but of a promissorie oath onely as the following words of Christ import Mat. 5. 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt performe thy vowes unto the Lord which are taken out of Numb 30. 2. and so Philo expounds this precept and Aben Ezra who addes to shew the danger of this sinne that other sinns have usully the bait of profit or pleasure which are seldome in this and that other sinnes cannot be committed at all times as this may This which is the proper sence of the words being laid as a ground other things of like nature may be reduced hither according to the explication and enlargment which Christ our great and onely Lord and Lawgiver hath left in his Gospel to which we are to have recourse in opening the true meaning of this and all other precepts of the Decalogue as the are obliging to us Christians and become a part of the second covenant In it are two things 1. A prohibition 2. A commination of punishment In the Prohibition are two things likewise considerable 1. The object God in general and his name in particular 2. The Act of which this Commandment speaks and that either 1. Negatively and expressly not to take that name in vain 2. Positively and implied to use the name of God reverently soberly considerately and upon good cause God is the immediat object and his glory or honour the immediate end of all the duties commanded in the first table This honour as was shewed is either inward in the worship of the heart required in the first commandment or outward and that either in signo by the outward gesture and adoration of the body or in verbo in our words or speeches of him that is required in the second this in the third Commandment that consists chiefely in adoration this in praise They differ in this that the honour of outward adoration is alwayes given to one that 's present and to the party himself immediately this of the tongue by praise goes beyond it in that it may be given to one that is absent for we may praise one that 's absent and though God be alwayes present yet when we speak of him to others we speak not to him then as present and besides praise may be given not onely to his person but to his name or any thing that hath relation to him Thus we are exhorted to give the glory due to his name c. And this praise is aspecial part of Gods glory for he that offereth me praise glorifieth me saith God This is the end which God propounds of all his works for as the Prophet speaks we are created by him for his glory and that which was before our creation our predestination was for his glory It was Gods end and ayme and it must be ours That all our actions be to the praise of
before them such do wound the name of God by their evil coversation and cause others to sin 2. We make his name glorious by free and voluntary vows made and performed so the Psalmist Accept I beseech thee the free-offerings of my mouth and teach me thy judgements and what he practised himself he exhorts others to perform Vow and pay unto the Lord. Seeing God doth freely bestow so many things upon us we should glorifie him not onely in the duties commanded but in vowing and making frec-will offerings of something in our power The contrary to this when men will give nothing to God but what necessity of law or eminent danger sorces from them Like those in the psalm that when God slew them they sought him and like the marriners in Jonas they prayed and made vows but it was not till they were in a storm The third thing in the prohibition is what it is to take Gods name in vain In every action three things are considerable The end The Agent The work These three duly weighed we shall soon see what it is to take Gods name in vain 1. That which hath no end proposed or is done to no end may truly be said to be done in vain As the sowing of seed without reaping the fruit the planting a vineyard without a vintage or feeding a flock without eating the milk of it These are labours in vain So he that taketh the name of God to no end neither to Gods glory nor the private or publick good taketh it in vain Cui bono is a good question in all undertakings If to no good as good and better not undertaken at all it is to no end it is in vain If a man have well fashioned legs and they be lame frustra pulchras 〈◊〉 tibias claudus the lame man hath them in vain The chief end therefore of taking this name must be 1. the glory of God otherwise we open our mouthes in vain as it is in Job God is willing to impart all his blessings to us and requires nothing of us again but Glory which if we returne not he may say as David did of Nabal for whom he had done many good turns in securing his shepherds and slocks c. And when he desired nothing but a 〈◊〉 meat for the young men he denied it All that I have done for this fellow is in vain in vain have I kept all he hath So God having done so much for us and expecting nothing but the glory of his name if we be defective herein he may well say all that he hath done for us is in vain 2. Next to Gods glory is the good of our selves and others and so to take God name without reference to this end if we neither promote our own good nor the good of others it is in vain ex privatione finis because it wants a right end therefore Saint Paul rejoyced having by his preaching laboured the saving of souls I rejoyce saith he that I have not run in vain nor laboured in vain 2. In the Agent the heart and soul is to be considered which in the person acting is the chief mover If the soul be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rachah vain and light as when we take Gods name without due advise and reverence though we propound a right end yet we take his name in vain therefore the Wise man advises not to be rash with our mouth and the Psalmist professeth that his heart was fixed when he praised God the heart ought to be fixed and stablisht by a due consideration of Gods greatnesse when we speak of him This is opposed to rashnesse inconstancy and lightnesse such as are in chasse and smoak which are apt to be carried away with every blast and such as are so qualified do take Gods name in vain 3. In the work it self may be a two fold vanity which must be avoided 1. Falshood 2. Injustice 1. If it be false then is it also vain as theirs in Esay We have made falshood our refuge and under vanity are we hid And this is that actio erroris work of error of which Jeremy speaketh Vanitas opponitur veritati vanity is opposed to verity and truth therfore a thing is said to be vain when it is false or erroneous They are vanity the work of errours saith the Prophet and as there is truth in natural things so is there a truth in moral things which if it be wanting our speech is vain 2. If unjust it is vain too If I be wicked why then labour I in vain saith holy Job and the very hope of unjust men perish saith the Wise man and they walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vain shadow and disquiet themselves in vain If justice be 〈◊〉 in our actions 〈◊〉 truth in our assertions and promises they are vain and to use Gods name in either is to take his name in vain So that if either we take the name of God to no end but make it common and take it up as a 〈◊〉 till it come to a habit not for any good end or if our hearts be not stable and fixed but light and inconstant when we take it or if we take 〈◊〉 colour or bolster out any fashood or any unjust act we take it in vain and break this Commandment CHAP. III. Of taking Gods name by an oath The causes and grounds of an oath The parts of it Contention Execration How God is glorified by an oath What is here commanded 1. To swear In what cases For Gods glory Mans necessity For the publique good The oath ex officio whether lawful or no. Of private and voluntary oaths 2. To swear by God not by Idols or creatures 3. Not to take his name in vain but to swear in 1. Truth in oaths assertory promissory 2. Judgement 3. Justice Against voluntary oaths whether lawful Of swearing from the heart The means to be used against vain swearing The signes of keeping this Commandment Of drawing others to keep it Of the taking Gods name by an Oath VVE said before that the word which we translate taking the name of God signified in the original to take up and that in a double use 1. In gloriosis as a banner with which we have now done The other use is in necessariis as a burden of which now If there be any thing which we stand in need of for the use though it be heavy and weighty yet we will take it up So did Jacob the great stone before the well when upon the coming together of the flock necessity urged him to it Now as the first use in gloriosis was solely to the glory and praise of God by taking up his name as a standard or banner by praise so this in necessariis the taking his name up as onus a burden by lawful swearing or taking an oath looks also at mans benefit to end controversies for an oath for confirmation to men is an end of
ascend and if it be hindred in its course it hath another quality viz. hear to burn through and make way whereby it will search and by its own strength 〈◊〉 to remove the impediment Such a thing is in the soul of man for God having given us light to know what we have to do giveth also a desire to do it so we make toward it we go up for therefore hath he given us that part of the minde which we call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is answerable to the lightnesse in the fire and then answerable to calor heat he hath given us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by the zeal of it we remove all impediments in our course 1. Now the first step or motive to murder is anger which is vindex laesae concupiscentiae the revenger of our desire impaired this being not satisfied there naturally follows ebullitio sanguinis a boyling of the blood for we commonly say when a man is crossed in that he desires His blood riseth upon which follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anger and a desire of removing the impediment But this we are to understand that anger is not of the same quality with some other affections as namely that of envy that doth sound ill assoon as it is named for it implies a grief at the good of another which is simply and altogether sinful as being directly contrary to the vertue of love but anger is not simply evil in regard of the act or object but when it fails either in the cause or the quantity or measure then our Anger may be faulty Be angry saith S. Paul but sin not So that there may be anger which is not sinful and when anger is a sin often it cometh not in regard of the object nor at any time in regard of the affection it self which is indifferent but when we are angry either without cause or upon a trivial and light occasion or when upon a just cause we keep no measure but our anger is extream To be moved with indignation in Gods cause or for the publick good is a vertue and it is called Nemesis indignation as when a man doth see a thing committed against Gods glory that ought not to be done or a thing that ought to be done not done to the glory of God or the good of the Church and Common-wealth This is ira per zelum a zealous anger and is called Ira spiritus sancti a holy anger Such an anger was that of our Saviour against them that prophaned the Temple And that of Elias when he saw the worship of Baal set up instead of the true worship of God And this anger venerable Beda commends to us Zelo domus patris Salvator impios 〈◊〉 Templo zelemus nos domum Dei quantum possumus ne quid in ea pravum geratur insistamus our Saviour in zeal to his 〈◊〉 house turned the wicked out of the 〈◊〉 let us be as zealous for that house and be 〈◊〉 and careful as much as in us lyeth that no wicked thing be done there c. The other is ira per vitium a faulty anger or ira 〈◊〉 a fleshly anger and that is when a man is angry without cause condemned by our Saviour who threatens him that is angry with his brother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without a cause or when it is extra modum beyond all rules of moderation when a man gives place to wrath and lets it run out of all compasse contrary to the Apostles rule who bids us resist anger and not give place to it S. Gregory gives us a rule for this kinde of anger Ira cum delinquentium culpas insequitur non debet menti quasi Domina prire sed post rationis 〈◊〉 quasi ancilla fumulari when anger prosecutes the faults of Delinquents it should not go before the minde like a Mistresse but follow reason as an hand-maid and when the affection is not thus ruled by reason then it is no more Nemesis but radix amaritudinis a root of bitternesse or venenum serpentis the poison of the serpent that infecteth our nature Now this sinful wrath which is the spawn of those sins which S. James reckoneth up is either the first motion rising in us or else it is suppuratio vitii an impostume or inward ranckling of it and this if it be against a Superiour it is called a grudge if against an equal 〈◊〉 if towards an inferiour it is termed disdain and this grudge if it continue longer will grow into an impostume of envy and so will rancour into hatred and disdain into contempt After which they usually break out and have two issues 1. In the tongue 2. In the Countenance If it breaks out 1. in the tongue it is called spuma vitii the 〈◊〉 or froth of the vice which being against Superiours is called 〈◊〉 whispering or detraction of such S. Bernard saith 〈◊〉 portant in ling 〈◊〉 they carry the Devil in their tongue And when it is against equals it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contentious railing and brawling and lastly against Inferiours it is scoffing and reproaching or else 2. it breaks out in the countenance which is called Icterus vitii the jaundice of sin we shall know it if it be against Superiours per obliquos 〈◊〉 by the crooked and learing eye if to an equal by the whole face and to an Inferiour by high and lofty looks as the Prophet calls them 3. Besides these it breaks out in actum 〈◊〉 into execution into the hands and feet and then it is called Lepra peccati the leprousie of sin and produceth fighting and bloodshedding which Leprousie stayes not within our selves but infects others also Come let us smite him with the tongue These are all a kin to murder And this is a brief enumeration of those things which shall hereafter be set forth at large And as in this Commandment there is a prohibition of murder and its kindred so is there also an injunction in general to do all things that may conduce to the preservation of our Neighbours life of which also we shall speak hereafter The Hebrews have a saying that every man ought to be lignum vitae 〈◊〉 a tree of life to his Neighbour What it is to be 〈◊〉 vitae a tree of life to our Neighbour the Wise man tells us in sundry places fructus justi the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life to deal justly with him and offer him no wrong and in another place Desiderium expletum a desire fulfilled is a tree of life that is by 〈◊〉 and doing good and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gentle tongue which gives gentle speeches These are ligna vitae trees of 〈◊〉 for by these we make our Neighbour to have cor sanum a 〈◊〉 or joyful heart which is indeed the life of the flesh as he tells in another place for without
ones have been slain by her Or else Praeludia Previous actions that bring on the outward act As 1. Amplexus impudicus Immodest imbraces imbracing the bosom of a stranger impurum osculum an unchaste kisse The Harlot in the Proverbs had a stronge or impudent face she caught him the young man and kissed him 2. Touching with the hands those parts that ought to be kept secret the woman was to be put to death that puts forth her hand c. though it were to deliver her Husband from those that strove with him 3. By making them drunk that they may discover their nakednesse And above all these there are some things in naming whereof the Apostle is at a stand and saith that there are some things which he wrappeth in silence of which it is a shame even to speak Against these is opposed the vertue called 〈◊〉 shamefastnesse The Apostle saith God hath not called us unto uncleannesse but ad sanctimoniam to purity and holinesse and that every one ought to 〈◊〉 his vessel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in sanctification and honour and instead of giving our selves to those things we ought to think upon such things as are honest and pure For as S. James tels us The wisdom which is from above is pure in the first place and therefore God took order under the Law that such unseemly parts might not be seen which Cham seeing and not turning away had a curse pronounced against him We come now to speak of the act it self Within the act of incontinency are comprehended 1. That with ones self which the Apostle cals 〈◊〉 or self pollution or defiling of ones own flesh or filthinesse of the flesh opposite to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holinesse he makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this defiling of the flesh 2 Cor. 7. 1. 1 Thess. 4. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lust of uncleannesse which includes the act for the act of this sin is nothing else but the bringing forth of those inward lusts But more plainly S. Peter calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lust of uncleannesse or the desire of polluting with which Jude speaking of wicked men saith Sopiti inquinant carnem these filthy Dreamers defile the flesh and not onely their flesh but their garments are polluted also and such hatred he would have against this sin that we should not onely hate the sin but even the garment spotted and defiled with it For besides the diseases and weaknesse which it brings upon the body it likewise by polluting the body is opposite to our Baptisme in which there is an outward washing of the body as well as an inward of the soul. Now because of these words of S. Iude here falleth in this particular Nocturna pollutio nightly pollutions If it be therefore 1. By reason of infirmity and weaknesse of nature 2. Or Ex 〈◊〉 vasorum from the fulnesse of the spermatick vessels 3. Or upon the laxitas partium loosenesse or dissolution of those parts upon violent exercise or heat by hard riding c. and not proceeding from lust in these and the like cases it is no sin yet with this proviso that though it proceed from some or all of these causes there be ingrata recordatio a regret and sorrow in remembring it otherwise it will be imputed as a sin but if it being not in his thought seed passe from him against his will and without his knowledge if he be grieved at it when he feeleth or knoweth of it in that case it is no sin But on the other side if a man be given to drunkennesse or other excesse and by reason thereof it issue from him though it be not sin ratione actus 〈◊〉 by reason of the act subsequent which is involuntary there being no purpose to commit the sin yet it is a sin and liable to punishment ratione actus praecedentis by reason of the precedent act that is drunkennesse for that which is not voluntary in the act may yet be voluntary and therefore sinful in the cause and thus if from surfetting there come 〈◊〉 seminis this is a sin or if by often rolling of wanton cogitations in the day time it be procured in the night or that willingly by day 〈◊〉 night he spill his seed as Onan did it is a great offence in Gods sight The Apostle calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uncleannes the fathers Mollitiem effeminatenesse and the law termes it the sin of Onan and the censure of it is it was exceeding wicked in Gods eyes 2. If it be cum alio with another then comes Bestiality 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an abomination not to be named buggery with a beast forbidden by the law and punished with death both of man and beast and not onely with the death of the body but with that of the soul too Without shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abominable buggerers They which make a confusion as it is called between themselves and beasts shall be brought to worse then a beastly confusion in the end 3. If it be with mankinde it is either with consent of both parties and then it is a sin in both or if either party whether male or female be forced by violence and seeketh to resist but cannot that party is innocent but the enforcer committs a double sinne one in the violence which is against the former commandment and the other in the very act 〈◊〉 against this and therefore by the law he was to die 4. Of those that yield consent they are either males or females for so strong and strange is our concupiscence that any thing is sufficient to stir up the coals and kindle it and the heathen could say Quod in foeminis sexus facit id facit in puero aetas that which the sexe causeth towards women the age causeth towards boyes Thou shalt not lie with mankinde as with womankinde saith the law and why for it is an abomination And the offenders against this law are to be punished with death There are two reasons for it 1. It is an unfruitful worke of darknesse and contra bonum prolis against the benefit of procreation which is one of the principal ends of matrimonie 2. It is also against nature altogether unnatural the natural use being in the other sex therefore the Apostle makes it the signe of a reprobate minde And not onely a sin in it self but a punishment also of other sins For for this sin it was that God himself came down and sate in judgement against the five Cities which plot of ground is an unprofitable Sea to this day called Mare mortuum the dead sea because it nourisheth no living thing in it and it is also called Lacus Asphaltites of the unfruitfulnesse of it answerable to the sterility of this sin 5. With the
the Widow and Job mentions it as an act of men transcendently wicked 〈◊〉 drive away the asse of the fatherlesse and take the widows oxe for a pledge And Solomonn advises Not to enter into the field of the fatherlesse for their Redeemer is mighty and he will pleade their cause with thee And here partly under this Head and partly before cometh in the Enclosures of Commons which may well be reckoned among those peccata clamantia crying sinnes For this theft is aggravated by this circumstance that it is against the poor For as when Countreys were first seized upon and possest and the first partition was made 〈◊〉 man had his own peculiar distinct from other mens as Caleb had Hebron allotted him by Joshua which became their inheritance So there was consideration had of that protestation of God That there should alwayes be some poor among their brethren as objects of their charity and mercy and therefore there was left for them a division of Lands in Common whereupon they might live which ought not to be alienated for God takes order under the Law that those ancient Land marks should not bee removed which they of old time had set and there is good reason for it because all the parties therein concerned cannot at once be pretent and therefore the right cannot be alienated for all the poor from the beginning to the end are interested herein and those that are not born cannot consent to any such act Hence God appointed to shew the greater detestation of this sinne and to deter the people the more from attempting any such matter that the curse should proceed out of their own mouthes All the congregation was to curse them that did any such thing Solomons censure against such as remove the Land-marks is That GOD himself will pleade the cause with them The Prophet Hosea when hee would set forth wicked Princes by as odious a comparison as hee could saith they are like those that remove the land-marks How odious this was may appear by the setting up every where Metas terminicas upon the borders and the imprecations against them that should remove them The Prophet Micah threatens it as a great judgement upon a people and which should bring doleful lamentation upon them that the portion of the people should be changed and their fields divided c. And Job though without the Law yet saw so much that he reckons this among the practises of wicked men to remove the land mark And thus much for the wayes of unjust getting and the several sinnes committed therein When we begun to speak of the act of theft we shewed that it might be either in the unlawful getting of riches or in the unlawful use of them and the several wayes of lawful getting we reduced to two heads 1. Furtum theft which is getting by deceit 2. Rapina which is by violence They are distinguished by Nazianzen thus in the one there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manus injecta the laying on of hands whereby a thing is taken by violence In the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a compassing by 〈◊〉 or deceipt Now whatsoever is got either way is not to bee accounted as a 〈◊〉 from God And therefore Chrysostome upon that petition in the Lords Prayer for temporal things Give us our daily bread saith Habere convenit etiam malis habere autem de manu Dei sanctis tantum the wicked may have these outward things but to receive them from the hands of God as blessings from him is peculiar to the Saints for Deus parare non vetat sed cum peccato parare qui enim cum peccato parat ei diabolus dat quod manducat non 〈◊〉 God forbids us not to get them but to attaine them with sinne for what any attains by sinful means he receives it as a gift from the Devil not as a gift from God nor can he justly make this petition to God and he that thus receives his daily bread receives also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pledge of some judgement that shall 〈◊〉 him CHAP. VII Of the vertues opposite 1. Just getting 2. Restitution commanded both in the Law and Gospel That we must make restitution not onely of what is unlawfully got but of some things lawfully got As 1. Of what belongs to another by gift 2. Of things deposited 3. Of things found 4. Of things lent 5. Of what will prejudice the publick if it be detained for our private benefit OPposite to this vice of unlawful getting is the vertue of just getting which is the subject wee are now to handle It is called studium honeste rem parandi an endeavour to get by honest meanes where men doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grow rich without fraud Concerning which every man ought to bee perswaded that as Solomon saith A little which the righteous hath viz. which is got by lawful meanes is better then the great revenues of the wicked got unjustly The Apostle sets both down together in one place where speaking of covetous men who set themselves to get by any means he saith they are men of corrupt mindes and destitute of truth and gives the reason because this is their position that gain is godlinesse gain got by any means they count lawful let men say what they will they applaud themselves in their unjust gains like the Heathen that said Let me have the money in my bag and let the people call me piller and poller or what they will But in the next verse he shews the practice of just getting when a man can invert the proposition and say that 〈◊〉 is gain accounting onely that the true gain which is got in the way of godlinesse This is indeed the true gain which is got according to Gods prescript not by mans over-reaching when a man can say concerning all his gettings as Jacob did to Laban call me to account when you will Cras respondebit pro me justitia mea my righteousnesse shall answer for me in time to come Now though to this vertue of just getting it belongs to keep and preserve us from evil and unjust dealing yet because the World is full of it and most men have mentem malam a corrupt minde and run on in an unjust course of acquiring till the conscience bee touched and awakened whereby they are stopt Therefore to this must bee added a second vertue called Restitution which is absolutely necessary if a man have over-shot himself in the way of unjust getting It is one of the most frequent and principal common places throughout the Fathers saint Augustine sets down this for a Canon Non remittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum the sin of an unlawful purchase or getting is never pardoned unlesse restitution be made of what is unjustly got The ground of this is laid both in the Old Testament and in the New In the Old God appointed
corn the people shall curse him c. And thus much for the several branches of this Vertue of restitution The Casuists who are very copious upon this subject and have involved the matter by many intricate and needles questions have yet well reduced all to certain heads comprized in a Distich Quis quid restituit cui quantum quomodo quando Quo ordine quove loco quae causa excuset iniquum We shall first premise a few things for the better understanding of what follows 1. By restitution is meant an act of commutative justice whereby equal compensation is rendred or satisfaction given to him from whom any thing is unjustly taken or detained or who is unjustly damnified by another 2. The necessity appears by the 〈◊〉 of Scripture already mentioned wherein it is expressely 〈◊〉 as necessary to 〈◊〉 of sin and so to salvation necessitate 〈◊〉 though not 〈◊〉 3. If any ask the 〈◊〉 why it is so little urged by our Writers and Preachers and the practise of it become such a stranger to us seeing 't is so necessary I answer that among many reasons that may be rendred these two are apparent 1. The abuse and mistakes about the doctrine of free justification and about the difference between the Law and the Gospel of which some touch was given before for divers make the Gospel to consist of meer promises as if all precepts were legal and that there could be no 〈◊〉 remission if any thing be required of us though onely by way of qualification to make us capable and not by way of merit which as it is directly contrary to the whole current of Scripture so it opens a gap to all libertinisme and makes the whole duty of Christian obedience and this of restitution in special meerly arbitrary in relation to pardon and therefore it is no wonder that where such 〈◊〉 are sucked in that the practise of this duty is neglected 2. The neglect and 〈◊〉 of peoples examining themselves and advising with their Pastors concerning the estate of their souls before they come to the holy Eucharist few take their counsel and directions concerning their actions in particular but content themselves to hear them in the pulpit where they speak onely in general hence people go on headlong in unjust courses without check of Conscience and no restitution is made but what Law enforces whereas if the Priest knew the state of his flock restitution would be made without any noise or breach of charity or multiplicity of Law suits and hence it is that the Lawyer hath got this part of the Priests office and all matters of restitution are removed from the court of conscience forum conscientiae where the Priest as Gods Delegate might determine things of this nature without trouble or charge to any to the forum Civile the courts at Westminst where by those Pests of the Common-wealth unconscionable Lawyers suits and quarrels are maintained to the shame of Christianity and the great hazzard of peoples souls Now for the particulars above mentioned we shall resolve them briefly 1. Quis who is bound to restore The answer is 1. He that hath any thing of another mans by Loan 〈◊〉 c. or that hath unjustly damnified another either in the goods of his soul by scandal c. or of his body by wounding maiming killing c. or of his 〈◊〉 and good name by slander and disgrace or of his outward estate which is most proper for this place by theft rapine fraud deceit extortion or any other unjust act 2. All that partake with him as causes of damnifying another these are set so 〈◊〉 that Distich Jussio consilium 〈◊〉 palpo recursus 〈◊〉 mutus non obstans non manifestans Here are nine sorts of persons included as participating some by words onely as the four first by whose command counsel consent or commendation another is induced to wrong his brother others by fact as the receiver and the helper and these concur by a positive 〈◊〉 others by a negative act as they that hinder not by word or by deed when they might and ought ex officio and not onely ex charitate to have hindred or do not manifest it after when they are bound ex officio so to do All such are tyed to restitution if they be effectual causes of the damage For the Rule of both Laws 〈◊〉 and Canon is Qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dedit damnum dedisse 〈◊〉 2. Quid what must be restored whatsoever of right belongs to another or if the thing be lost or perished then the value together with the fruits and profits and the damages 〈◊〉 by unjust detention 3. Cui to whom To the party 〈◊〉 as the former places shew but yet in some cases Interdum non est officium reddere quod acceperis saith S. Ambrose a man is not bound to restore what he hath received as when the restoring will be to the hurt of the owner or to the publick damage of Church or Commonwealth thus a sword is not to be restored to a madman but to him that hath the keeping of him If the owner be dead then to him to whom his goods of right ought to descend Numbers 5. 7 8. If the owner be not known then to God who is Lord of all the Lord Paramount to whom it escheates and to Christ the Heir of all that is to the Priest for Gods worship Numb 5. 8. and to the poor members of Christ. 4. Quantum how much The whole damage if it be certainly known if it be doubtful then as it shall be valued by honest and indifferent men 5. Quomodo in what manner It may be either a by mans self or by another who is known to be honest and faithful otherwise if he 〈◊〉 in his trust this excuses not the party 2. If the damage be secret one may provide for his credit by using a 〈◊〉 to restore it for he is not bound to open restitution if he can do it otherwise 3. If the whole be to be restored it must notbe done by parts 6. Quando when presently without delay for otherwise the sin is continued and increased so long as restitution is deferred the negative precept of not keeping that which is another mans included in the affirmative bindes semper ad semper Say not to thy neighbour come again to morrow saith Solomon If it be meant of the poor to whom we owe onely ex charitate it follows a fortiori when any thing is due ex debito justitiae 7. Quo ordine in what order Where a man is able to satisfie all he is not tyed to any order otherwise he must follow the Laws under which he lives 8. Quo loco in what place This is not much material when any question arises about this the positive Laws determine it 9. Quae causae excusant what causes free a man from restoring 1. The
good So his conclusion is that neither for safeguard of bodily life or for the soul must a lye be spoken And this 〈◊〉 hath been generally held since by the Fathers and by the most and best of late Writers This is called the Midwives lye but improperly for I like not the racking of places of Scripture to make more faults in the Fathers and others then they were guilty of All the Midwives say is that the Hebrew women were so strong that they were delivered before the Midwife came which is likely to be true of many of them as we see there are divers such among us That they spake then may be said to be onely occultatio veritatis the concealing of some truth rather then the uttering of an untruth This kind of lye may more fitly be called Rahabs lye Who hid the Spies and yet said they were gone for in her as S. Augustine saith there was rather virtutis indoles a good disposition then 〈◊〉 virtus perfect 〈◊〉 as appeared by this act For that other which they call Jocosum a merry lye the Prophet makes it a fault to make the King merry with lyes and if a man may not speak the truth to please men as the Apostle saith much lesse may he uttera a lye to please them And though a pernicious lye be worse then this yet as S. Aug. saith it is no good argument to say this is good because the other is worse no more then it is to say because one man is worse then another therefore the other is good Therefore he condemns all three as evil and though these two last are without any great fault yet not without any sault But though we must in no case speak 〈◊〉 to the truth yet there are some cases wherein we seem to go against but do not 1. When things are spoken in parabolical and figural speeches as where in Jothams parable the trees are said to go and choose a King So when our Saviour taught by parables such speeches are not lyes nor here prohibited for what in them is propounded is not res sed figura rei not as a real truth but onely as a figure of some thing that is true This is lawful in speech as painting is lawful to represent things the better to the 〈◊〉 and thus hyperbolical speeches are lawful because neither in the intention of the speaker nor in the sense of the hearer they are contrary to the truth 2. When part of the truth is concealed but no untruth uttered As when 〈◊〉 told Abimelech that Sarah was his sister which she was according to 〈◊〉 Hebrew phrase for she was his brothers daughter but denied not that she was his wife but 〈◊〉 that so when Samuel went to anoint David King and the Elders of the City asked him what he came about he told them he came to sacrifice to the Lord which was true for that was one end of his coming though he had another end also which he concealed 3. When a question may have two sences or meanings and the answer is true in the one but not in the other a man may answer it in his own sence which is true though it be false in another sence As when Christ was asked by 〈◊〉 Whether he were a King he answered that he was and that truly viz. A spiritual King though he had no temporal kingdom which was that that Pilate meant So Jacob might truly say to his father Isaac that he was his eldest son in one sence viz. because hee bought his brothers birth-right though otherwise hee were not So our SAVIOUR expounds that prophesie of Malachy concerning Elias saying that Elias was then come meaning not Elias in his own person but one in the power and spirit of Elias 4. When the thing is changed in circumstances a man may 〈◊〉 contrary to what he said and yet not be guilty of an untruth the Angels said to Lot they would not 〈◊〉 in but would lodge in the streets s. Peter said Christ should not wash his 〈◊〉 and s. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to come to 〈◊〉 and yet the Angels came and lodged in Lots house Peter suffered Christ to wash his feet and S. Paul did not come yet none of them were guilty of a lye because the circumstances were changed The Angels had not come in if Lot had not importuned them S. Peter would not have had his feet washed if he had not been better informed and Paul would have gone to Corinth if Satan had not hindred him All these speeches were to be understood 〈◊〉 sic stantibus but not if there were an alteration in the circumstances 〈◊〉 often change moral actions besides that the promises of a good man in moral matters ought to be conditional In these 〈◊〉 both the elder Church and 〈◊〉 Schoolmen have resolved there is nothing against the truth Having spoken of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lye in words we are now to proceed to mendacium 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 in our actions for as S. Augustine saith Non refert utrum quis dicto 〈◊〉 aut facto it is all one to lye in our actions and in our words For truth is nothing else but an evennesse or an equality 1. Between the thing in its nature and the imagination we have of it in our heart and if they be even then there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Between the conceit we have in our mindes and the expression of it by our words or deeds If the tongue and heart agree then there is 〈◊〉 oris truth in our speech and if our actions agree with both then there is 〈◊〉 facti truth in our actions for that Facta deeds or facts may be signes as well as words appears by that of our Saviour when he saith that men shall be knowne by their fruits that is by the actions as fignes of what is in their hearts and by that question of the Pharisees who 〈◊〉 of him a signe that is some act to testifie his greatnesse and power as also for that as good is done to edification and hurt to give offence by words or precepts so good or evil is done by fact or example for which cause God hath taken order that both by our deeds and by our words the truth should be confirmed and that there should not be Simulatio dissimulation which is the vice we here speak of when men make shew by their actions of what they are not For if the Factum the fact or deed be not commensurate or equal to the thought and heart this is simulation Yet as we said before a man may conceal some part of the truth in words and is not bound to utter all he knows so here in his actions he is not bound to signifie or declare all his minde but that onely which without sin cannot be kept close God himself was the author of an ambushment to Joshua when he made shew of flying
I wronged you or done you injury in this 〈◊〉 I pray you forgive me this Here was no need to ask them forgivenesse for it was no injury to them that he was not troublesome to them but here was speech poudred with salt here was salt to make his speech profit and pierce the more into their hearts as the Fathers observe which it would not have done so much if he had spoken directly or in plain tearms And yet this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace and favour may stand well with edification too and therefore the Apostle joyns both together Rom. 12. 3. and writing to the Philippians speaking of those that urged circumcision he uses this poudred speech calling it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concision Beware of the concision for we are of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 circumcision the true circumcision which worship God in spirit And as he would have 〈◊〉 avoid all foolish and vain talking so he exhorts to use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thanksgiving as opposite thereto It was the error of the 〈◊〉 that because s. Paul would have no speech but thanksgiving therefore to whatsoever was spoken in common talk their answer was Laudate 〈◊〉 Let Christ be praised But the elder Church understood it better when they expounded the words per 〈◊〉 effecti i. e. That we should speak something that was thankworthy or which deserved thanks that is 〈◊〉 as tended to edification or some necessary use or to grace and delight and to procure love and favour to him that speaks it That speech then which may be referred to some of these things is good and to be allowed among Christians but yet though these ends be all lawful we ought to aim at the best and seeing that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 edification is the best end of speech therefore this we must chiefly affect And for the last though these terrenae 〈◊〉 these earthly petty consolations be lawful yet that rejoycing in Psulmis Hymnis c. in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual songs is better and chiefly to be used although the other may be lawful and sometimes expedient especially for those that are Novices and not come to a perfect age in Christ. And thus we have done with the act of this sin and the several branches of it 〈◊〉 in this Comandement We come now according to the former rules to the means of keeping this Commandement First we must avoid groundlesse suspitions which are the first cause of 〈◊〉 speeches of others and to that end we must labour for stability for all men naturally are as the Psalmist saith lighter then vanity it self and therefore the Apostle exhorts to be stedfast in minde grounded in the truth For if we be not stedfast in minde we shall be apt to suspect evil of others without cause This suspicion is one of the fruits of that concupiscence wherewith our nature is 〈◊〉 and though the first boyling of it or rising up in our nature cannot be hindered yet we must labour to suppresse it when it is risen The true and proper use of it is for our own preservation and safety and so in matters that concern the health and safety of soul or body there is the onely lawful use of it for in these things it is better to be nimium timidus quam parum prudens a little too timid rather then a little improvident This we see in S. Pauls practice when the Mariners said they would but cast out the anchor he fearing they would have gone down into the boat and left them in the ship he said Vnlesse these abide in the ship ye cannot be saved Now when such affections as are given for our own good are converted to the hurt and prejudice of other this is an abuse yet in this case it is so common in the world that not the godly themselves are free from it but there is a difference between suspitions arising in them and in the wicked When Christ 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 what thou doest 〈◊〉 quickly presently suspitions arose in the hearts of the Apostles one thought that 〈◊〉 would have him to buy what they needed against the feast others that it was about giving somewhat to the poor Suspitions will arise but in evil men they are positive in good men privative The Apostle had some fear and Suspition of the Galatians which prevailed to the diminution of his good opinion of them but not to a positive judgement of the contrary An other example of this privative suspition we have in Simon the Leper against Christ he suspected him not to be a Prophet because he admitted a sinful woman so neer him til Christ by the Parable propounded to him made him alter his judgement which he did presently his opinion of Christ began to lessen but he came not so far as to conclude any thing positively The godly may have a diminution of their good opinion of some but this affirms nothing they may suspend their good opinion but they do not admit or cherish those thoughts so as to come to a positive determination and to say it is so But evil men as first they suspect and say I alwayes suspected him to be such an one so they go further and make e suspicione judicium a judgement upon a bare suspicion 〈◊〉 is as S. Hierome saith to make trabeme 〈◊〉 a beam of a mote and not onely 〈◊〉 but they proceed further to resolve in their minde what to do hereupon against the party suspected and sometime they proceed to act accordingly Now for a man to keep himself from rash judging upon suspicions he must consider two things 1. That such thoughts and affections as arise in himself the same he thinks to arise in others and so such as we think others to be such we are commonly our selves as if we be angry when another speaks evil to us we suspect that if we speak evil to any he is angry with us Cum ipse stultus sit omnes stultos putat the fool thinks all others to be fools If a man make himself the measure of all things he cannot but suspect evil of others if he himself be evil 2. As a mans affections are so are his suspicions If he be ill affected to any every small suspicion makesa conclusion When the minde of the Disciples ran upon bread the Leaven of the Pharisees was a Loaf they understood Christ of Loaves when he meant the Doctrine of the Pharisees On the other side Josephs brethren were ill affected to him and then every dream did increase their 〈◊〉 If therefore we walk 〈◊〉 and remove evil affections from us and strive against suspicions there is good hope we may remove them otherwise we shall be apt from suspicions to proceed to conclusions as they did against Paul when the Viper 〈◊〉 upon his hand that concluded him to be a 〈◊〉 There are six things to be observed to keep our