are mortall sinnes seeing veniall sinnes as they call them are not committed Contra praecepta decalogi sed praeter ea not against the Commandements but besides them Againe it is a sinne against nature to lye in any kinde because words naturally are the signes and significations of those things which are in the minde and therefore it is against nature to speake or signifie any way that which the minde thinketh not Finally in every lye though never so pleasant or profitable there is a losse of Truth which is a vertue most acceptable unto God and therefore the impeachment of it cannot be recompenced by our profit or delight But let us more particularly examine these divers §. 2. That merry Lyes are sinfull and unlawfull sorts of lyes and consider how and in what measure and degree they are sinfull and unlawfull And first for pernicious lyes there is no question made by any but that they are in a high degree sinfull as being against Trueth Justice and Charitie and wholly tend to Gods dishonor the hurt of our neighbors and our own destruction and damnation as I shall more fully shew hereafter And therefore passing them over I will examine the other kinds And first for merry lyes it is coÌ„monly conceived that if there bee no scurrility in them they may passe as tolerable because they doe no hurt unto our selves or neighbours but delight and recreate both and they that tell them intend not to deceive their hearers or but a while that they may the more delight them For either they are apparant in themselves to be but jests and lyes by the grosse absurdities that are seene at the first view or are discoverd to be so by the gesture and pronunciation So that they are not much unlike unto Hyperboles or Ironies in respect of the outward forme and shew saving that they differ in their end and use seeing they are used to teach and expresse the Trueth in a Rhetoricall manner but these onely to delight the hearer And of this minde Saint Augustine seemeth to have beene Contra mendacium ad Consentium lib. 1. cap. 2. who thinketh that they can scarcely bee taken for lyes Jests therefore saith hee are to be excepted which were never thought to be lyes because they have a most evident signification by the pronunciation or the disposition of him that thus jesteth and procede from a minde not willing to deceive although it uttereth not truthes And surely there is saith Peter Martyr but a litle of a lye in these merry tales seeing though they willingly speake that which is not true yet the falsity is easily discerned and cannot deceive the hearer But whether these merry tales or lyes ought to bee used by perfect men or strict Christians S. Augustine doubteth in Chap. 3. that place though he cleareth it in another where he saith that hee lyeth who hath one thing in his minde and uttereth another thing by his words or any other signification the which the merry lyar alwayes doth And though hee doth not deceive or hurt this doth not cleare his tales from being lyes but onely sheweth that they are not lyes of the worst kinde or such as are pernicious seeing he lyeth who doth speake willingly otherwise than he thinketh And as he speaketh in another Contra mendacium ad Consentium lib. 1. cap. 11. place Those lyes are not to bee admitted which although they doe not hurt another yet they doe not profit any and doe hurt themselves with lyes gratis and for nothing who properly Duo sunt genera mendaciorum in quibus non magna culpa est sed tamen non sunt sine culpâ cum aut jocamur aut ut proximis prosimus mentimur There are two sorts of Lyes in which is no great fault and yet they are not without fault when we jest or lye to profit our neigâ—â—â—rs Aug. in Psal 5. Tom. 8. Col. 27. Matth. 12. 36. are to bee called lyars For there is this difference betweene one that telleth a lye and a lyar For he telleth a lye who lyeth unwillingly but a lyar loveth to lye and hath a minde that delighteth in lying And though such lyes hurt not the hearer yet they greatly hurt the lyars themselves because in so lying they forsake the truth and delight in falsity and choose rather to please men than to speake the Truth Againe these merry lyes are not onely in their falsity opposite to Trueth but are also vaine and idle speeches and our Saviour telleth us that Wee must give an account at the day of judgement of every idle word Yea Epaminondas though an Heathen shall at this day rise up in judgement against merry lyars who was so strict and severe in embracing Trueth that hee would not allow a lye to bee spoken so much as by way of jest Furthermore if it bee unlawfull to tell officious lyes though they tend to our owne and others benefit as wee shall shew hereafter how much lesse these merry lyes which tend onely to carnall delight For if as wee ought to bee wee were spiritually minded why should wee rather take pleasure to heare or speake lyes than to speake and heare the Trueth Moreover the Apostle requireth that We speake the Trueth one to another and put away lying and that our speech be alwayes with grace seasoned with Ephes 4. 25. salt and tending to the use of edifying that it may minister Col. 4. 6. Ephes 4. 29. grace to the hearers Finally if they were condemned who made the hearts of Kings and Princes glad with their lyes who in respect of their great Hos 7. 3. cares and serious studies about their weighty affaires may bee allowed an over-measure of pleasure and delight how much more are they unlawfull if they bee used to ordinary persons who stand in neede of such meanes to glad and cheere their hearts Secondly it may bee demanded whether it bee §. 3. Whether officious Lyes bee unlawfull altogether unlawfull to tell officious lyes seeing these in divers respects may seeme both justifiable and commendable for he that telleth them hath no will simply to lye but to doe good nor delighteth in lying but only as it conduceth to this end neither hath hee any desire to deceive or hurt his neighbour but mainly aimeth at this end that hee may benefit him by delivering him from some dangers or free him from some great evill which hee is not able to effect by any other meanes To which I answere that if it be a sinne to lye as before I have shewed and shall more fully proove hereafter because it is opposite to truth a vertue which is in high esteeme with the God of Truth and a direct breach of his Commandement then it is unlawfull to lye out of a desire to produce the greatest good For every sinne is an offence against Gods infinite Majesty and therefore deserveth an infinite and endlesse punishment both in soule and
Esa 52. 14. man and his forme more than the sonnes of men and seeing in him no forme comelinesse nor beauty that they should desire him Hee was despised and rejected of men as a man of sorrowes and acquainted with griefes and they hid as it were their faces from him hee was Esa 53. 2 3. despised and they esteemed him not as the Prophet Esay prophecied of him and in this regard he saith that hee was a worme and not a man as if hee should have said I am so vilified of my enemies by reason of my sufferings and so despised and contemned because they see no forme or beautie in mee being defaced and marred with afflictions and persecutions that they number mee not among men but esteeme me no better than a contemptible worme which is good for nothing but to be trodden under foote And that he speaketh this of his enemies false opinion and not as himselfe thought or would have others to conceive the words following doe sufficiently shew I am a worme saith he and no man areproach of men and despised of the people All they that see mee laugh me to scorne they shoote out the lippe and shake the head c. CHAP. XII Of the meanes to disswade us from Lying and first because it is an hainous sinne HAving spoken of the divers sorts of lyes §. 1. That Lying is an hainous sin proved by the Scriptures and proved that they are all sinnefull and unlawfull It now followeth according to the order which I first propounded that I set downe the meanes whereby we may be preserved from this sinne The which are of two sorts the first is to shew the dangerousnesse and desperatenesse of this disease of lying that so wee may with more earnestnesse desire to be cured and then the remedies which may further the cure For so much doe men sleight this sickenesse of the soule as though there were no danger in it yea so farre are the most in love with it so loath to leave it and so willing to live and die in this disease which in their carnall reason they finde so pleasant and profitable that in this if in any other the question of our Saviour may be well propounded to our sicke and impotent Patients wilt thou bee made whole For as those that John 5. 6. are sicke of a Lethargy delight in sleeping though it will bring assured death and being rouzed out of it by their friends are much displeased with them because they are disturbed and disquieted so is it with the most men in this case apprehending no danger and sensually feeling delight in this sickenesse they love their disease and loath the remedies That men therefore may not securely sleepe in this sinne of Lying as apprehending no danger I will first shew the greatnesse and hainousnesse of it in the sight of God and all good men that so all may be brought into a hatred and detestation of it and then prescribe some means which may strengthen us against it Concerning the former though lying were but a small sin in it selfe yet it were not small unto us if wee allow and approve it love and delight in it seeing it is joyned with presumption and impenitency neither as one saith is there any sinne so veniall which is not Augustine made criminall whilst it pleaseth and delighteth But it is not so in Gods sight how lightly soever men esteeme of it as will easily appeare by the following discourse For the Apostle Paul setting downe a Catalogue of most hainous sinners as prophane persons parricides murtherers adulterers 1 Tim. 1. 10. Sodomites men-stealers and perjur'd persons doth ranke lyars in the reare of them and the Apostle Iohn numbereth them with dogs sorcerers Apoc. 22. 15. whore-mongers and idolaters all which shall bee excluded out of the gates of the Heavenly Jerusalem And the Holy Ghost in the Hebrew tongue calleth a lye Aven which also signifieth iniquity implying that all lyes are iniquity and that all iniquity is after a sort included in a lye seeing every sinne is in this respect a lye as it is committed against the Truth of God which forbiddeth it And A lyer worse than a theefe howsoever men measuring the guilt of sinnes by their profit and disprofit doe hang up theeves and oftentimes laugh at lyars yea even reward them if they be skilfull in their Art yet is lying in it owne nature worse than theeving and a common lyar than a common theefe according to that of the sonne of Syrach A theefe is better than a man which Eccli 20. 25. is accustomed to lye and they both shall have destruction to heritage For theft is committed immediately against men but a lye against God the God of Truth and is therefore aggravated as being committed against a much more excellent Object Theft spoyleth us of our worldly goods and hurteth our estates but lying exceedeth theft in theft robbing us of a much more excellent jewell even spirituall truth which is the riches and ornament of the mind Yea it depriveth both the liar and him that hearkneth unto lies of eternall salvatiō seeing in this respect the theefe only hurteth himselfe but cannot hinder him from the fruition of blessednes whom he robbeth though he taketh from him his earthly riches Againe the Law of God appointed that the theefe should make satisfaction to him whom hee had wronged by restoring unto him sowre or five fold and so by recompence made the fault in respect of men curable but no satisfaction is appointed to bee made unto those who are wronged by lying there being for it no valuable recompence seeing they are robbed of a Jewell Prov. 23. 23. above all price Finally lying is worse than stealing as being the cause of it and the chiefe incouragement which setteth the theefe on worke to commit his sinne for if men were resolved to speake nothing but truth they would never steale seeing when they are examined they must confesse their offence and receive deserved punishment but because they hope to escape by hiding their sinne with lyes therefore they are imboldned to the committing of it And yet I have said nothing of the malignity of this sinne and sickenesse of the soule more than is in theft whereby it becommeth more contagious infecting others with its poyson for whereas in stealing the theefe himselfe onely sinneth and not he that is robbed by him in lying not onely they sinne who tell the lyes but all they likewise who delight to heare them and are too credulous in beleeving of them Yea not onely the Scriptures but even the Heathen writers Poets and Philosophers by the light §. 2. Lying condemned as a great sinne even by the Heathens of nature have in all ages condemned lying as an hainous and hatefull vice Many of whose sayings Stobaeus recordeth to this purpose One saith that he is unhappy who rather uses lies though seemingly Euripides good
est quippe falsa significatio cum voluntate fallendi Aug. contr mendac ad Consent lib. 2. cap. 12. Qua propter ille mentitur qui aliud habet in animo aliud verbis vel quibuslibet significationibus enunciat lib. 1. cap. 3. it thus A Lye is a false signification with a will to deceive And that saith he is not a false signification when as though one thing is signified by another yet that is true which is signified if it bee rightly understood And this hee explaineth in another place where he saith that he lyeth who hath one thing in his minde and uttereth another thing in his words or any other way of signification more plainely as I take it wee may thus describe it A lye is a vicious speech in which the tongue disagreeth from the minde which is voluntarily uttered with a purpose and desire to deceive or thus a lye is a false expression or signification of the notions and conceptions of the mind by speaking writing or any other significant actions or gestures voluntarily uttered with a purpose and desire to deceive or when the Truth is suppressed and betrayed by silence when wee ought to declare and confesse it whereby it appeareth that these three things doe concurre in a lye First falsity or untruth uttered by speaking writing or any other meanes contrary to that Truth with which the minde is inlightned Secondly that it be voluntary the will resisting the minde and commanding expressions which are contrary to its notions and conceptions Thirdly that it bee done with a purpose and desire to deceive The two first doe containe the matter and forme the third the end at which he aymeth who telleth an untruth But for the better and more full clearing of the §. 2. Of the name or thing defined nature of this vice wee will first say something of the name or thing defined and then of the definition it selfe Our English name whereby wee expresse it is Lye the Etymology whereof we cannot easily guesse at It may seeme to bee derived or borrowed from the Belgicke word Lieghen or the German Lügen which signifie to lye and they to be derived from the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to speake or talke because as Scaliger observeth in much speaking or talking is usually some lying The Latine expresseth it by a name which signifieth the disagreement that is in it betweene the tongue and the mind mentiri quasi contra mentem ire to lye is to goe against the minde or to say that which the mind gain-sayeth the tongue speaking contrary to that Truth which the minde conceiveth The Grecians call a lye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to deceive because deceit is the maine end of lying And this some derive from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to flye or avoyde because lying is such a vice as men naturally abhorring when it is spoken against themselves do shun and fly from it others derive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Arist eth lib. 4. cap. 7. signifieth to reprehend disprayse or disgrace because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lye is reprehended and dispraysed amongst all as a thing vaine and wicked The Hebritians commonly call a lye Aven the same word also signifying iniquity and sinne because in all lyes though they seeme never so specious and excusable there is iniquity and sinne because the will and the tongue doe disagree from the minde and doe betray it by forcing it like a false interpreter to speake that which it doth not conceive and thinke And so I come from the name to speake of the §. 3. Of the falsity that is in a Lye nature of the thing described In which the first thing considerable is the falsity and untruth that is in every lye The which is twofold First when that is false which is spoken Secondly when as Men speake the Truth falsely that is with a purpose to deceive Now he speaketh false who doth not speake as the thing is whether hee thinketh it true or noe or whether he purposeth to deceive or not to deceive and he speaketh falselye who doth not speake as hee thinketh whether that hee speaketh bee true or false The one is a Logicall untruth when as the speech agreeth not with the thing the other a Morall lye or a lye against Morality when as the minde agreeth not with the speech He that speaketh that which is false but yet thinketh it to bee true cannot bee said to lye though he speaketh an untruth because his speech agreeth with his minde and as hee thinketh hee speaketh onely it is his errour either through the weakenesse of his reason and understanding and defect in judgement or else through rashnesse incogitancie and negligence because he doth not duely consider and examine what he saith before hee speaketh it If the former it is not so much a sinne as the punishment of sinne or if a sinne in the strictest censure yet but onely as it is a branch of the corruption of nature or originall sin The other must bee acknowledged and bewayled as a sinne of infirmity if it be done seldome and at unawares though nothing so haynous and odious unto God as a lye But he that speaketh willingly that which he knoweth to be false or doth speake the Truth falsely that is either when through errour and mistake hee thinketh it to bee false or knowing it to be true that he may deceive or may be better beleeved when he lyeth he is a lyer and herein resembleth the Devill who either lyeth in speaking that which hee knoweth to be false or else when hee speaketh Truth doth it with a purpose to deceive or that hee may gaine the more credit to his lyes And thus he called our Saviour Christ the Holy one of God and his Apostles Paul Mar. 1. 26. Act. 16. 17. and Silas the servants of the most high God either because he would deceive the people and make them to suspect them the more because of his testimony and approbation as though they were friends to his kingdome of darkenesse or that he might bee the rather beleeved when hee should afterwards slander and reproach them as seducers and false teachers Now which of those two he that speaketh that which is false with a purpose to deceive or he that speaketh the Truth to the same end bee in greater fault it is not easie to determine because how much the lesse the one hath of Truth in his speech who speaketh that which is false so much the more the other hath of craft and deceit who can cunningly force Truth even against its nature to advance his false ends Whereby it appeareth that there is great difference §. 4. Of the difference between lying and speaking an untruth betweene lying and telling or speaking a lye or untruth for in a lye the
upon a Legall tryall that he may have the favour of the law for the remitting of his small offence and not as a reall cordiall and resolute deniall of the truth For when they plead not guilty it is not much unlike in sense though different in words as if they should say I will not discover my faults by acknowledging my selfe guilty and accuse my selfe seeing the law doth not require it but I will for my purgation put my selfe upon tryall and stand upon the examining of witnesses to the verdict of the jury to bee acquitted or condemned according to their evidence directing their Conscience And thus I have shewed how it is lawfull or expedient §. 8. Of confessing or concealing the truth to private men to confesse the truth when as wee are examined in a legall manner before a lawfull Magistrate now concerning the confessing or concealing of it in our private conversation the case is much different seeing therein we have a liberty to utter or hide it from those that have no authority to examine us according as our occasions shall require and Christian prudence direct us It is true that commonly and ordinarily we must speake that truth with our tongues which our minds conceive because they were given us to this end that they should be as faithfull Interpreters of our hearts to discover our thoughts one to another but yet this is no farther required than as in our speech we may be usefull and profitable one to another In which regard it is not onely lawfull but very expedient that wee should conceale the truth in many cases from those that have no authority to examine us of it And thus wee may yea ought to conceale such secrets as are intrusted to our keeping when as they are lawfull as also the faults and infirmities of our neighbors seeing love doth cover a multitude of sins yea to discover them when we are not necessitated thereunto by some great and necessary cause doth not onely shew want of love but also of honesty and justice which requireth that wee should doe unto others as we would have them to doe unto us And the like also may be said of our owne faults and infirmities which wee ought by all lawfull meanes to hide and conceale from all men unlesse it be to our spirituall Physicians that they may the better cure us or to our weake Patients troubled and afflicted in minde that we may comfort and cure them by making our selves examples unto them of the same infirmities wherewith they thinke none so troubled as themselves Otherwise except it be in these and such like cases it is not only permitted as lawfull but required as expedient and necessary to hide and conceale our owne sinnes and infirmities For first whereas in the ninth Commandement in the affirmative part God injoyneth us to use all good meanes both by giving a true testimony and also by our silence whereby we may preserve the good name of our neighbour setting forth their virtues and good parts and concealing their faults and failings he requireth also the same at our hands for the preserving of our owne fame and reputation for charity begins at home and the love of our selves is the rule of our love towards our neighbours And whereas it may bee objected that this Commandement injoyneth us to give a true testimony whether it be with or against us and that God requireth that every man should speake the truth to his neighbour Zach. 8. 16. to this I answer that affirmative precepts though they binde us alwaies to performe the duties commanded yet not at all times but when it is seasonable and profitable for Gods glory and our owne and neighbours good And as the Prophet requireth that wee should alwayes speake the truth to our neighbour so the Apostle teacheth how it Eph. 4. 15. must be spoken namely in love Secondly the unnecessary and unseasonable discovery of our owne faults and infirmities tendeth to Gods dishonour who as he is glorified when we bring forth much fruit John 15. 8. Matth. 5. 16. and have the light of our holy lives shining before men so is hee dishonoured by our evill conversation and his holy Name blasphemed by those that are without when they discover our sins and corruptions for the vices and faults of the servants 1 Sam. 2. 30. 2 Sam. 12. 14. doe often redound to the discredit of the master Thirdly the discovery of our faults and failings tendeth to the disgrace of Gods true Religino which wee professe when men that are wtihout discover in us such evill fruits and to the discredit of our Christians profession seeing they are apt to attribute them rather to our religion and profession than to our naturall corruption and are willing through the sides as it were of our fame and reputation to wound the Gospell Fourthly hereby we shall become scandalous and stones of offence to those that are weake and those also that are not yet called encouraging the one to fall into the same vices and sinnes by our evill example and discouraging the other from entring into the profession of our religion when as they heare us say well but see that we doe no better Lastly hereby we shall sinne against our selves in blasting and blemishing our good name with just aspersions and whereas it should bee in higher esteeme with us than great riches and sweeter than the most odoriferous Prov. 22. 1. Eccl. 7. 1. oyntment wee shall deprive our selves of this pretious jewell by unnecessary discovery of our faults and failings Neither can wee when we have once opened a breach stay at our pleasure the current and streame of mens suspitions but when we have spoken much they will bee apt to thinke that we could say more seeing every one is naturally so favourable to himselfe that he will speake the least of that which he knoweth will tend to his prejudice and disgrace And thus much of the second question whether it bee lawfull in whole or in part to conceale the §. 9. Of equivocations and mentall reservations truth and in what cases it is to bee approved as good or disallowed as evill unto which this Treatise would require that I should adde a third namely concerning equivocations and mentall reservations which are not onely in continuall practice among the Papists but also warranted and defended by their doctrine But I shall not neede to speake any thing in this point seeing it is already fully and learnedly handled of late by a reverend Mr. Henry Mason Divine in this Citty Only let me briefly set downe my judgement of it namely that such equivocations and mentall reservations are not onely lyes but in this respect of the worst sort in that there lieth lurking in them the greatest deceit as being masked with the shew of truth For not onely that which is false is in them affirmed both in his sense that speaketh as he desireth to be understood
deceitfull tongue And againe They onely consult to cast Psal 62. 4. him downe from his excellency they delight in lyes Now this kinde admitteth of another distinction §. 3. Of religious lyes concerning matters of faith and doctrine in respect of the divers subjects whereabout it is exercised for either it is in points that concerne matters of faith and the doctrine of Religion in which respect it may bee called a religious lye or matters civill and politicall in humane affaires and the things of life either publike or private in which regard it may bee called a politicall or civill lye The former is so much more pernicious than the latter as the glory of God and the eternall salvation of our soules which are hindred and impeached by it are more precious and highly to bee esteemed than our present corporall estate and the momentany things of this life Neither is any deceit so dangerous as this in matters of religion seeing this as wee say toucheth our free hold and leadeth us into such errours as will hinder our ever lasting salvation In which respect these errours and untruthes in matters of religion the Apostle calleth the doctrine of Divels because as hee invented 1 Tim. 4. 8. it and his instruments teach it so is it no lesse than he such an enemy that hindreth our heavenly happinesse the confirming wherof by lying wonders is by the same Apostle made a marke of Antichrist who speaking lyes in hypocrisie ratifieth his false doctrines with no lesse false miracles All which lyes 2 Thes 2. 9. are to be abhorred above all other which concerne our temporall goods or lives So Saint Augustine Contra mendacium ad Consentium lib. 1. cap. 13. If saith he a lye which is spoken against the temporall life of any man bee detestable how much more that which is against life eternall as every lye is which is made in the Doctrine of religion Enchirid. ad Laurent cap. 18 And againe he doth not hurt so much who by lying putteth a traveller out of the right way as hee that by a deceiving Lye depraveth the way of Life A modest ly is when as a man denieth or extenuateth §. 4. Of a modest lye and what it is Gods graces in him his vertues good parts and commendable actions which hee knoweth to be in him or done by him The which proceedeth either from humility whereby a man undervalueth himselfe and his gifts either in the sight and sense of his contrary corruptions or when he compareth the little which he hath received with that that he wanteth which he thinketh so far short in proportion that his little in comparison seemeth nothing And thus an humble man speaking what he thinketh cannot properly be said to lye because his tongue and heart agree although hee uttereth an untruth not speaking as the thing is or else it proceedeth from inward pride which pursueth glory and praise though not in the ordinary way yet as it were by a backe doore or posterne gate dispraysing those things in themselves which they know to bee praise-worthy and denying or extenuating those gifts and good parts which they not onely know to be in them in some good measure but also in selfe-conceite much over-value them above their true worth The which Art they use to draw on the hearer to crosse their words though not their hearts with excessive prayses which they thinke no more than their due and would be much displeased if hee should take them at their word and crossed in their ends and desires if he should not crosse them in their undervaluing of themselves and take occasion thereby to fasten upon them the greater commendations CHAP. VIII Whether any sorts of Lyes are lawfull ANd thus having shewed the diverse §. 1. Though some lyes are more sinnefull than others yet all sorts are unlawfull and against the ninth Commandement sorts of lyes it now followeth that we examine whether any of them at any time or upon any occasion bee lawfull and warrantable And surely it cannot be denyed but that there is great difference in the degree of sinfulnesse betweene some sorts of lyes and others and that the guilt of merry and officious lyes is much extenuated by many circumstances and considerations by their nature the will and desire of the speakers who love and delight not in the lye for it selfe but as they thinke it fitte to further some good end and because their end is not at all to hurt nor principally to deceive but to profit or delight their neighbours Even as contrariwise the guilt of pernicious lies is much aggravated because they are most opposite to Truth and those that tell them doe it willingly with love and delight And finally because their chiefe aime and end is to deceive and by deceite to hurt and wrong their neighbours in their goods or good name life or liberty But though some lyes are lighter and of lesse guilt than others yet all in some degree are sinnefull and unlawfull as being forbidden in the ninth Commandement For whereas some object that they are not condemned by this precept because it onely forbiddeth such untruths as are against our neighbour whereas officious and merry lyes are not against but for him and for his good even for his profit and delight and offend not against charity which is the summe of the Law To this I answere that all untruth is forbidden in this Commandement whether it be for or against our neighbour neither doth the Hebrew word Beth used here signifie only against but also toward or concerning about or touching our neighbour neither is hurt onely forbidden but also any falshood and untruth by any meanes signified of unto or concerning our neighbour for the word which is translated bearing witnesse as if it were Legally and before a Judge signifieth in the originall thou shalt not answere which is as much in the Hebrew phrase as thou shalt not say or cause to be said as appeareth in divers a Prov. 15. 1. Matth. 11. 25. b Joh. 1. 7. places And the word witnesse signifieth any manner of shewing any thing and so it is taken in other Scriptures So that the sense of the Commandement 1 Cor. 15. 15. extends further than the words outwardly portend Neither doth it onely forbid all false but also all vaine and idle speech as merry lyes for the most part are nor yet only lyes which are against our neighbour but also such as are for him either for his delight as merry lyes or for his profit and advantage as those lyes which wee call officious And therefore seeing all lyes are the transgression of the Law it followeth by the Apostle 1 Joh. 3. 4. Iohns definition that they are sinnes yea seeing every lye is a sinne against a precept of the decalogue it followeth that even by the opinion of the Schoolemen themselves who otherwise so much extenuate officious and merry lyes they
lesse than them because in some respects we commit a greater sinne than they seeing they maintaine their errours out of ignorance but we lye against knowledge and conscience as hee also speaketh And Lib. â— cap. 8. therefore if we can by no other meanes pull impious Heretikes out of their secret dennes unlesse our Orthodoxe and Catholike tongues doe stray out of the path of truth it is more tolerable that they should still lie hid than that truth should bee impeached better that these Foxes should lurke in their holes than that those who hunt them that Tolerabilius in suis foveis delitescerent vulpes quampropter illas capiendas in blasphemiae foveam caderent venaâ—ores Aug. Contra mendacium lib. 2. cap. 7. they may take them should fall into the pit of lyes and blasphemy as the same Author affirmeth To say nothing that the sinne in using this lying policy is certaine but the good issue and event aimed at uncertaine seeing that being in Gods hand hee might justly crosse and curse this unlawfull means so that they shall not conduce to their conversion but rather to their further confirming and hardning in their heresie and impiety But though it be unlawfull by lying to prevent §. 3. Whether it be lawfull to lye that wee may greater sinnes in our selves aâ— nameâ—â— rape and ravishment sinne in others yet perhaps it may be lawfull yea commendable to use it when wee may thereby prevent greater sinnes not onely in others but also in our selves As suppose that a vertuous Matrone or chaste Virgine should be assaulted by an adulterer with violence to defile or deflowre them and they might escape the rape by putting him off with a lye is it not lawfull to doe it in such a case to prevent so great a mischiefe I answere that though a stony heart could not chuse but relent and be much affected to heare of such a villany and though the tentation be so strong that it is scarsely to be expected humane strength should be able to resist it yet in clearing of the truth wee must not consider what we would but what we should doe being so assaulted and brought into such straites Indeede if it were a sinne to bee meere patients in the sinne of others the question were easily answered but it is not so for the greatest sinne in others is not the least sinne in us if wee onely bee the subjects of their sinne through unresistable violence and doe not give the least consent unto it For here it is all one as in the case of persecution oppression murther or robbery all which though they be hainous sinnes in the agents yet none at all in the patients when they have no will to consent or allow the commission of such sinnes nor power to prevent or shun them Yea in such cases that is lawfully suffered which cannot but unlawfully be avoided and no act is to bee judged sinfull if the will bee wholly averse unto it For it is the very forme that giveth unto sinne its life and being to be in some kinde or degree voluntary and though the will give not its consent in all sinnes yet it hath some kinde of operation in or about it as in sinnes of ignorance though wee doe not consent unto sinne as knowing it to bee so yet wee consent to that action which is sinfull the will being misled through the errour of our judgement And so in concupiscence which goeth before consent there is that which we call inescation or the bayting of the hooke of sinne with some pleasure profit or other allurement which is Sathans tentation and not imputed unto us as sinne if we wholly resist it and there is that which we call titillation or the retaining and revolving of the tentation with some delight and as it were the itching of the desire and the watring of the teeth after it if wee might injoy it upon no hard conditions But when they are so propounded as that wee cannot injoy the pleasure or profit of sin unlesse we displease God and indanger our owne soules then the will rejects the tentation and will by no meanes give its consent Notwithstanding that retaining of the tentation with some tickling delight is a sinne of concupiscence and this very parlying with the Divell is a transgression of Gods Law though wee doe not yeeld up unto him the Fort of our hearts nor give our consent that sin shall enter Of which sinne the will is guilty which though it did not consent to the Act yet it gave way to the Divels dispute and that with some tickling delight wee should listen to his tentation alluring us to sinne But if as in this case of a violent rape the will bee wholly averse unto it and the heart abhor it even as the terrours of death though the agent and ravisher committeth an horrible sinne yet the patient or party forced and ravished is wholly cleare of it For the body onely is violated but the soule not vitiated and though that bee defiled yet it is not corrupted or at least with such a corruption that is not sinful as S. Augustine speaketh For there is onely the matter of sin which giveth it no being in a subject forced by outward violence but not the forme which giveth onely being and denomination seeing the will is wholly averse unto it So that if this bee granted which cannot bee denied that it is a sinne to lye but no sin to be forced and ravished then the case is easily cleared namely that it is not lawfull by the evill of sinne to shun such an evill as is not sinfull actively to defile the soule that the body may not passively be defiled or only in hope that wee may shun the outrage of the adulterous ravisher to cast our selves certainely into the snares of the Divell by lying and sinning and so to be defiled by spirituall filthinesse and to be deflowred and deprived inwardly in our soules of their purity and chastity And of this judgement is Saint Augustine who speaketh excellently Nulla est pudicitia corporis nisi 〈…〉 itate ani 〈…〉 deat 〈…〉 mend lib. 1. c. 7. to our present purpose There is saith hee no chastity of the body which doth not depend upon the integrity of the minde which being pulled from the other it must needs fall although it may seeme untainted and untouched and for this cause is not to bee numbred amongst temporall things seeing they may be taken from those that are unwilling to leave them And therefore by no means the minde must corrupt it selfe with a lye for its body which it knoweth to remaine incorrupt if the incorruption doth not depart from the soule For what the body suffreth through violence there being no precedent lust it is rather to bee reputed vexation than corruption Or if every such vexation bee corruption yet every corruption is not then dishonest but onely that which lust hath procured or
17. 10. and deceitfull above all things that none can know them nor search the gulph of corruption and sinke of sin to the bottome and because wee have in us naturally the seeds of all wickednesse and flagitious impieties which are ready to sproute and to bring forth their cursed fruite upon all occasions if they be not checked and nipt with Gods grace and holy Spirit so that wee doe not wrongfully accuse our selves of those grosse acts of sinne as murther adultery drunkennesse and the like of which our consciences in the sight of God doe cleare and acquit us because hereby we give glory unto God magnifying his mercy and bounty who hath forgiven unto us such great debts and because we doe also exercise our repentance and increase our sorrow for sinne and worke our hearts to a true hatred of it according to that of the Prophet Then shall Ezech. 36. 31. ye remember your owne evill wayes and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your owne sight for your iniquities and abominations But when wee have to deale with men wee must speake the truth as we in our understanding conceive of it as well of our selves as of other men and though we ought for the most part modestly to conceale those things which concerne our owne prayses and may to the full lay open our wants and infirmities when just occasion shall bee offered yet when wee are necessarily put to speake of either we must not out of a sinnefull modesty lye and betray the truth but ingenuously speake what wee truely conceive neither denying or too much extenuating Gods gifts and graces in us nor accusing our selves of those sinnes imperfections and corruptions of which we know that wee are as cleare as other of Gods servants yea if we be unjustly suspected and accused of them we are bound in conscience to excuse and defend our selves and to manifest what we can our owne innocency For first Gods Law requireth that wee should give a true testimony of our selves as well as of others and use all good means to preserve our owne fame and good name as well as our neighbours Secondly by denying Gods gifts and graces in us wee ungratefully dishonour him not acknowledging his bounty and goodnes towards us and refusing to ascribe unto him the Glory of these gifts whereof hee is the Author Thirdly we put out these lights which were given Matth. 5. 16. us to this end that shining before men they might take occasion thereby to glorifie our Heavenly Father Fourthly wee wrong our neighbours by working in their mindes a false opinion and by causing them unjustly to sleight and disesteeme us when as they thinke that our gifts and good parts are much lesser and our faults and sinnes far greater than in truth they are seeing men for the most part speake of themselves rather better than worse than they deserve And secondly whilest wee suppresse deny or extenuate our vertues and aggravate our failings and corruptions wee neglect this Christian duty of edifying one another by our good example and contrariwise make our selves scandalous and offensive And finally wee wrong our owne persons for if it bee an injury to belye another it is no lesse if we belye our selves and if it bee an unjust and uncharitable act to robbe our neighbors of their good name by false extenuatiōs of the good things which are in them or aggravations of their faults and faylings how can it bee lesse sinnefull if wee use the same meanes to spoile our selves of this precious jewell To this purpose though in another case Saint Augustine excellently speaketh for confuting the Pelagians and Coelestianians who affirmed that they were pure and free from sin and yet for humility sake against their conscience and perswasion confessed their sinnes of which they thought themselves pure and cleare hee thus convinceth them of their errour Dost thou saith he lye for humility Thou art just and without sinne but for humilities sake thou Propter humilitatem ergo mentiris c. August de verbis Apostoli Serm. 29. Tom. 10. callest thy selfe a sinner how shall I receive thee as a Christian for a witnesse against another whom I finde to bee a false witnesse against thy selfe Thou art just thou art without sinne and yet thou sayest that thou hast sinne therefore thou art a false witnesse against thy selfe God will not accept of thy lying humility examine thy life and looke into thy conscience c. How shall I take thee for a witnesse in another mans cause who lyest in thine owne Thou makest Saints guilty whilest thou bearest against thy selfe a false testimony what wilt thou doe to another who slanderest thy selfe I demand art thou just or a sinner thou answerest a sinner Thou lyest because thou doest not say that with thy mouth which thou beleevest of thy selfe in thy heart And therefore though thou wilt not be a sinner before now thou beginnest to bee since thou lyest For thou sayest for humilities sake that thou callest thy selfe a sinner c. But can there be humility where there is falsity But against this is objected that we have many §. 2. The Example of Agur in defence of modest lyes objected and answered examples of holy men in the Scriptures that in modesty and humility have abased themselves in the acknowledgement of their wants infirmities and sinnes beyond all boundes of Truth against some whereof wee can take no exceptions seeing they were Pen-men of the Scriptures and immediately inspired by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 21. The first is of Agur who being a Prophet of great wisedome and understanding thus abaseth and vilifieth himselfe Surely I am more brutish than any Prov. 30. 2. man and have not the understanding of a man I neither learned wisedome nor have the knowledge of the Holy I answere that we must not understand these wordes simply and absolutely but respectively First in respect of the Person to whom he speaketh and in whose presence hee standeth to wit Ithiel which signifieth the strong God with us and Veal signifying one who having all power in his hand is able to doe whatsoever he will By both which he understandeth our Lord JESUS CHRIST the Wisedome and Power of his FATHER in comparison of whom the wisest in the world are brutish and destitute of knowledge Secondly he maketh this acknowledgement in respect of the subject matter which he was to speake of namely divine and heavenly Wisedome which as much transcended his reach and capacity as reason in man excelleth brutish sense according to that of the Psalmist Such knowledge is too wonderfull for me Psal 139. 6. It is high I cannot attaine unto it And that of the Apostle And who is sufficient for these things 2 Cor. 2. 16. Thirdly hee speaketh not simply but respectively comparing the little which hee knew with the much which hee knew not like that of Socrates hoc unum
scio me nihil scire I onely know this that I know nothing Fourthly hee may bee said thus to speake not as hee was now sanctified and inlightned with the spirit of Grace and understanding but as he was in the state of nature in which respect the Prophet saith Every man is brutish in Jer. 10. 1◠his knowledge understanding nothing in spirituall 1 Cor. 2. 14. things which concerne his eternall salvation till hee be regenerate and in Christ The which sense the words will best beare if with Iunius wee thus render them for I am a beast or brutish since I was a man that is even from my birth and the wisedome of a man is not in me that is like that which was in man by his first creation before by his fall hee became brutish and so ought to be in him still Secondly the example of the Apostle Paul is §. 3. The example of Paul objected and answered 1 Cor. 15. 9. Eph. 3. 8. 1 Tim. 1. 15. 2 Cor. 11. 5. 1 Cor. 15. 10. Phil. 3. 5. Act. 26. 5. objected who saith that he was the least of the Apostles and not worthy to be called on Apostle yea that he was the least of all the Saints yea which is more that he was the chiefe of sinners whereas elsewhere hee maketh himselfe equall to the chiefe of the Apostles superiour unto them all in his labours and sufferings and as touching the Law a Pharisee yea in respect of his life and conversation of the strictest of that Sect. From whence they conclude that in those speeches wherein hee so much abased himselfe he used a modest lye and therefore that modest lyes are in such cases lawfull To which I answere that hee called himselfe the least of the Apostles and the least of the Saints not simply and generally but respectively as hee expresseth himselfe because he had persecuted the Church of God 1 Cor. 15. 9. 1 Tim. 1. 13. In which regard also he calleth himselfe the chiefest of sinners as it is evident in the same places But how can this bee other than a modest lye that Saint Paul should call himselfe the chiefest of sinners seeing others committed farre greater sinnes than hee and yet upon their repentance were received to mercy as Manasses Some understand the words that hee was the first of sinners as the word may also signifie namely the first of all those that came unto Christ who had before persecuted him in his members But this had beene no great aggravation of Pauls sinne nor amplification of Gods mercy in pardoning it both which the Apostle intendeth in that place And therefore I had rather take it in a litterall sense namely that in truth hee calleth himselfe the greatest sinner that had received mercy First because hee speaketh as hee thinketh and findeth himselfe in his owne sense and feeling for as it is the nature of hypocrisie to make our owne beames moates and others moates beames so it is the nature of true repentance to aggravate our owne sinnes and to extenuate other mens and when the eyes of our mindes are inlightned wee see our sinnes to bee more in number and more haynous in quality either in themselves or in respect of circumstances than wee can charitably suspect to bee in any other of Gods servants Secondly because hee speaketh in my judgement as the thing is For if wee limitte his speech to the faithfull onely who upon their repentance have beene received to grace as wee must needs doe seeing some have lived and died in their infidelity and finall impenitency and others have committed the sinne against the Holy Ghost with whom there is no probability that the Apostle compared himselfe I say restraining the comparison onely to penitent sinners then it is true which the Apostle speaketh that of all sinners he was the chiefe whether wee consider the sinne it selfe or as it was aggravated by circumstances For he madly and maliciously persecuted the Saints of God for their profession of Christ and the Gospell and not being content Act. 26. 11. to blaspheme his holy Name himselfe hee doth as much as in him lyeth compell them also to blaspheeme as hee confesseth and so lacked nothing but this of committing the unpardonable sinne that he did it ignorantly as himselfe acknowledgeeth 1 Tim. 1. 13. Besides hee had great and many meanes of knowledge and of revealing unto him Christ and the Light of the Gospell and some of them hee carelesly neglected and some he utterly despised Of the former sort was the Law of God in which having great skill he might in the ceremonies and sacrifices have seene Christ crucified before his eyes by which through the blindenesse of his minde and hardnesse of his heart hee profitted not Of the latter was the Heavenly and Powerfull Sermons of our Saviour himselfe and of his Apostles which were confirmed by many and wonderfull miracles all which he despised either not vouchsafing to heare them or not receiving or beleeving them so that nothing could touch his heart hardened in his sinne And whereas some had sinned out of simple errour and ignorance and had proceeded in their sinne even to the crucifying of the Lord of Life yet afterwards when by the Preaching of the Apostles they were convinced of their sinne they repented of it and beleeved in Christ hee still proceedeth in his madnesse and fury to persecute the Saints of God not contenting himselfe to heare that they were murthered and massacred unlesse he stood by and satiated his eyes with their death and slaughter Yea so obstinate he was in his sinne and rebellion that either he must perish in it or God must pull him out of it by strong hand and use a miracle upon him for his conversion By all which it appeareth that S. Paul had no neede to use the helpe of a modest lye when he called himselfe the chiefest of sinners Lastly it is objected that our Saviour Christ §. 4. The example of our Saviour Christ objected and answered himselfe who was greater than all the Angels as being the Eternall Sonne of God equall with his Father the Prince of Angels and as hee was our Mediator God and Man yet in that Propheticall Psalme of his Passion and Sufferings hee that was God maketh himselfe lesse than a man But I saith hee am a worme and no man The which is to bee understood not onely of David the Type but also and that chiefly of Christ himselfe the Antitype in whose Person the Psalmist speaketh To which I answere that our Saviour speaketh this not simply but respectively not what he absolutely was nor what he was in his owne nature or in his selfe-conceit but what he was reputed to be in the sight and opinion of the people who looking upon him as a Man forsaken of God and exposed to the malice of his enemies and being astonied at him his visage was so marred with his sufferings more than any
bring an habite and he who often lyeth for his profit will within a while be so inured unto it that he will bee ready to lye out of meere vanity and love of lying for his pleasure and delight Yea he will be ready to lye when hee never thinketh of it and as the skilfull Musition who hath brought his hand by much practice to an habite will play his lesson when his minde is on some other matter so when by custome men are come to an habite of lying they will lye at unawares and if they bee challenged for it they are ready to lye againe by denying that they lyed In respect of which habite and custome Saint Chrysostome saith that a lyar will continue to lye even after death He that lyeth saith he being not deceived by the seduction of the Divell but willingly and of set purpose will never leave to lye no not after death for death separateth the soule from the body but doth not change the purpose of lying wilt thou know this consider those lyars even after death Lord in thy name we have done this and that Did not they know in themselves that they never loved Christ nor did his Will yes but they thinke that as in this world they have deceived men so also there that they can deceive even God himselfe and therefore hee doth not say depart from me ye that have wrought iniquity but ye that now worke it because wicked men cease not to be wicked no not after death seeing though they cannot now sin yet they retain still their purpose of sining Thirdly the lyar sinneth against his owne soule §. 4. That the Lyar robbeth himselfe of his good name and credit Eccles 7. 1. Prov. 22. 1. in that by his lying hee robbeth himselfe of a most precious jewell even of a good name which is better than a precious oyntment and much to be preferred before great riches for a poore man being true and honest is better than alyar though never so rich Prov. 19. 22. as the wise man telleth us Neither is it possible that a man should hold his reputation when hee hath by lying lost all opinion of his truth but his words are esteemed no better than winde and if there be no clearer evidence for what he saith then his bare word hee is no more beleeved when hee speaketh truth than when he lyeth according to that of the sonne of Syrach Of an uncleane thing what Eccli 34. 4. can be cleansed and from that which is false what truth can come Now what greater mischiefe can befall a man in this life than to live infamous what greater losse than to loose a good name And when it is once lost what can againe bee more hardly recovered If wee loose our riches by labour and industry we may recover them If wee loose our health by physicke and good dyet it may be regained If our bodies be sore wounded they may be cured but if we once loose our fame and have woundes inflicted into our good names and reputation they hardly admit of any cure or if the wound bee healed there will ever after remaine a scarre But there is no more ready way to bring this evill of dishonour upon us than to bee accounted common lyars for as the son of Syrach telleth us The disposition of a lyar is dishonourable and Eccli 20. 26. his shame is ever with him And the wise man teacheth us the same lesson A righteous man saith hee hateth lying but the wicked man that is as the antithesis Prov. 13. 5. inferreth such an one as loveth lyes is loathsome and commeth to shame Neither can there in common repute a greater shame befall a man than to bee esteemed and called a lyar whereof it is that the very name is so much abhorred in all Nations and amongst all conditions of Men yea even those that make no conscience of committing the sinne that by a certaine kinde of propriety or eminency it is called the word of disgrace and no greater injury or affront can be offered unto them than that any upon any cause yea even when they deserve it shall give them the lye Although I thinke that our great gallants doe not take the word so much to heart because their truth is questioned and impeached for then they would hate the vice it selfe as much as the name as because it toucheth them in their valour and courage seeing lying is a base and cowardly vice into which men oftentimes fall out of meere feare and because they dare not speake or stand to the truth Fourthly this vice of lying maketh us odious §. 5. That lyes make men odious unto God and men both to God and men First God abhorreth lyars and hateth lyes because they are contrary to his Nature and to his Law and not onely very sinfull in themselves but also the causes of much wickednesse And therefore Salomon numbreth it amongst those seaven abominations which God abhorreth A proude looke a lying tongue and hands that shed innocent Prov. 6. 17. Prov. 12. 22. blood And againe lying lippes are an abomination to the Lord but they that deale truly are his delight And wisedome even that eternall Word and Wisedome of the Father his onely deare Sonne professeth that his mouth should speake truth and that Prov. 8. 7. wickednesse that is the iniquity of lying as the antithesis sheweth is an abomination to his lippes now how odious ought this vice to be unto us that maketh us odious unto God and how ought we to love and imbrace Truth which God so much loveth according to that of Ieremy O Lord are not Jer. 5. 3. thine eyes upon the Truth namely to approve love and reward it for he loveth Truth and desireth it above all things in the inward parts as the Psalmist Zech. 8. 19. speaketh And who would not love that which God loveth and embrace and delight in that in which God delighteth and will reward Secondly it maketh lyars odious unto men as being a dishonest and dishonourable vice reprehended and condemned of all as unworthy an ingenuous civill man and much more a Christian who professeth himselfe a servant and childe of the God of Truth But especially it is hurtfull to those that feare God and love his truth and maketh those that make and love lyes odious in their eyes according to that of the wise Salomon A righteous man hateth lying but Prov. 13. 5. a wicked man that is a wicked lyar is loathsome and commeth to shame An example whereof wee have in David I have saith hee hated them that regard Psal 31. 5. lying vanities And againe I hate and abhorre lying Psal 119. 163. but thy Law doe I love Yea hee maketh this a note and signe of a blessed man that hee dis-respecteth lyars Blessed is the man saith he that respecteth not Psal 40. 4. the proud nor such as turne aside to lyes
of all and unto our selves most pernicious both in respect of our soules and bodies in this life and the life to come For the reason why men are so apt to commit this sin is because they so much slight it as though it were no sinne at all or if it bee any yet so small and veniall that it may well passe among humane frailties and infirmities by which also wee have little dammage seeing it is so common amongst men that the multitude of offenders taketh away the shame and maketh it seeme to bee no sinne and on the other side bringeth with it so much seeming profit and benefit that it doth much overballance all the evils which doe accompany it All which false conceits will easily vanish if we throughly weigh and consider the manifold and great evils of this sinne which I have formerly discovered and contrariwise the excellency of Trueth and the innumerable blessings that it bringeth to those who love and embrace it both in this world and the world to come Secondly let us consider that wee are alwayes §. 2. That wee consider that we are alwaies in Gods sight in Gods sight and presence who is omniscient and searcheth and knoweth the very secrets of our hearts and taketh notice when wee lye what distance and disagreement there is betweene our mindes and tongues and omnipotent also to punish those sinnes which is all-seeing eye discovereth and most true as well in his threatnings as promises so that hee will not let Lyars goe unpunished seeing hee hath threatned to destroy them Psal 5. 6. Apoc. 21. 8. and cast them into hell And therefore what will it advantage the Lyar though hee can so cunningly coine his lyes that they will for a time goe currant amongst men if his Lord and Soveraigne discovereth his falsity and treason What if hee can tell his tale so smoothly that the standers by will acquit him as innocent when as the Judge himselfe seeth his guilt and sinne So Augustine Thou Mentiri Deo potes fallere non potes c. In Euang. Johannis Tract 26 maist lye unto God but thou canst not deceive him For he knoweth what thou dost hee seeth thee inwardly inwardly hee beholdeth examineth and judgeth thee inwardly hee either damneth or crowneth thee Thirdly let us consider that Trueth rather than §. 3. The third meanes is to consider that Truth is the best and readiest way to attain our ends lyes is a better and more likely meanes to attaine unto our ends either of obtaining some benefit desired or of escaping some punishment feared For the events and issues of all things are in Gods hand hee it is that by his blessing conferreth benefits and in his just judgement inflicteth punishments and the hearts of all men are at his disposing either to like or dislike us to favour and further us for our good or to bee the instruments of his justice to doe us hurt For they are all but tooles in the hand of the great Worke-man by whom he effecteth what hee will according to his good pleasure Now then which is the likelier way for the compassing of our desires either in the obtaining of good or the avoiding of evill to please God by speaking Trueth or to offend him by telling lyes seeing all things are at his disposing Lastly let us meditate and consider that there will come a Day of Judgement when the secrets §. 4. The fourth meanes is to meditate on the Day of Judgement of all shall bee disclosed and whatsoever is done in the darke shall bee brought to light At which Day we shall all appeare before Christs Tribunall to give a reckoning of all that wee have done in 1 Cor. 6. 9. the flesh yea to give an account of every idle word Matth. 12. 36. as our Saviour speaketh and how much more of lyes whereby wee have dishonoured God and hurt both our neighbours and our selves Now if it were a great shame to have all our lyes written in our foreheads or if they bee not large enough to have them published in the market place and set up upon every poste and pillar in the street then what shame and confusion shall cover their faces when as they shall bee discovered at this dreadfull Day in the presence of Men and Angels and when as Sathan finding his marke and image upon Lyars shall owne them for his children and carry them with him to inherit their patrimony in that Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone And these are the meanes which respect meditation §. 5. Of the meanes which respect affection and action first that wee worke our hearts to a love of Truth the meanes which respect affection and action are divers the first is that we worke our hearts to the love of the Truth by considering the beauty excellency profit and necessity of it whereof it will come to passe that wee shall so esteeme it that wee will purchase it at the dearest prices but not sell it at any rate according to that of the wise man Buy the Trueth but sell it not And if we love Prov. 23. 23. and highly esteeme the Trueth then will wee hate lyes as opposite unto it and then will wee delight and rejoyce in it as in a precious jewell But if we will not receive it with love and delight God will leave us to the vanity of our mindes the corruption of vile affections and unto strong delusions 2 Thes 2. 11. both to make beleeve and delight in lyes The second meanes is that wee set a carefull watch over our lippes and tongue that wee doe §. 6. The second meanes is that we set a watch ouer our tongues not speake vainely nor rashly and unadvisedly For commonly in many words there are some untrueths and they that are rash in their words speake oftentimes they know not what and for want of consideration at unawares speake lyes in stead of Trueth and having once spoken them they will stand to what they have said for their credits sake and to tell a second lye to make the former seeme trueth And therefore if we would avoid Lying wee must with David looke carefully to our wayes and keepe our mouthes as with a bridle Psal 39. 1. that we sinne not with our tongues The third meanes is That we mortifie our carnall §. 7. The third meanes is that we mortifie our carnall lusts which are the causes of Lying and worldly Lusts which are the common Causes of Lying as first and principally carnall and inordinate feare whereby we feare men more than God and so become more carefull to please them that they may favour and reward us and to avoid their anger and displeasure that they may not hurt or punish us than to please God or avoid his wrath who hath all power in his hand to reward or punish us both in this life or the life to come And this moveth men to tell