and falshood may bee more aptly diuided into 1 A lie in words 2 In manners 3 In the things themselues In words as the pernitious officious and iesting lie Where I except honestiests hiperbolicall speeches allegories c. which conteine vtilem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a profitable moralizing vpon a fable because there is in it no intent to deceiue neither any inequality betweene the speech and the minde nor will to speake falsely especially if wee haue respect to the equality of the thing The lie in manners includeth all hipocrisie dissimulation flattery c. Natura Cicero frons oculi vultus persaepementiuntur oratio vero saepissimè Nature the countenance the eye M. Curius a noble man in Rome of singular honesty wise dome Bacchus the drunken God of wine whom they honored with beastly ceremonies do oftentimes lie but the speech most often such go in sheepes cloathing but inwardly are rauening wolues Against such the Sonne of God denounceth woe in the Gospell Qui Curios simulant Bachanalia viuunt They Curious graue would seeme to be Yet Bacchus-like their liues we see The lie in substance of things containeth all falshood in buying and selling when naughty and corrupt things are sold and warranted for good or else one thing is sold to the ignorant for another as among the Physitions are many such as false Aloes false Balsamum c. whereby great and intollerable errors are cōmitted by vnskilful Physitians to the destruction of many 1. Thess 4.6 The Lord saith the Apostle is the auēger of such things Now let vs consider how grieuous a sinne it is First How grieuous a sin it is he that lyeth speaketh against God for God is truth and his Law is the rule of truth the lyar therefore sinneth against God himselfe Besides the truth that resteth in his minde against which the lyar speaketh is of the holy Ghost the author of all truth to lie then what is it else but to speak against the truth of God grauen in our hearts and so to bend our tongue against the holy Ghost 2 Euery lie is of the deuill who is a lyer and the father thereof Iohn 8. when hee speaketh a lie he speaketh of his owne And whatsoeuer is of the deuill must needes bee a most detestable vice therefore a wicked spirit is said to speake lies in the mouth of the false Prophets which seduced Ahab 1. Reg. 22. therefore a certaine ancient Writer vpon this place of Iohn the diuill is a lyar c. saith that whosoeuer is a lyer doth as it were couple himselfe with the deuils daughter and hath diuorced himselfe from Verity the off-spring of God For God is the father of truth and verity and a lyer honoureth the deuill as a childe doth his father who so then coupleth himselfe with the childe of the deuill let him looke also for the dowry which he is wont to giue to his children namely eternall damnation Apoc. 22.8 They shall haue their portion in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimestone 3 He that peruerteth the order constituted of God among men he grieuously sinneth and the lyer doth this for the order that God hath appointed is that by words the sense and meaning of the minde should be manifested and therefore words are said to be notes of these things which are conteined in the minde but the lyar saith contrary to that which is in his minde and therefore peruerteth the order of God and grieuously sinneth For this cause the Spirit of God saith Prou. 12. The lying lips are abhomination to the Lord. 4 The lyer saith an ancient Father blasphemeth God as doth the deuill for the deuill as much as in him lyeth Dat esse non enti giueth an essence to that which is not in that he saith that to be that is not but it is onely proper to the power of God to make to be things that are not the lyer therefore sacrilegiously as much as in him lyeth vsurpeth the power of God in affirming and giuing an essence to things which are not 5 What is more cleere then the testimony of the conscience of euery man when he lyeth For there is none that lyeth but perceiueth his conscience to accuse him as a malefactour whereof this is a most euident testimony because he that lyeth would not be counted a lyer nor euer confesse that he hath lyed and why so because it is naturally engraffed in our minds that lying is an euill thing and an offence and wickednesse full of shame and infamy yea the very children when they lie do know they haue done euill by the instinct of nature wherefore being conuicted of a lie they presently blush c. Againe it is a thing among all Nations receiued and obserned that a good man may haue no greater reproach done vnto him then if it be said vnto him tu mentiris thou lyest and what more effectuall then this common iudgement of all Nations to shew the filthinesse of this sinne and how vnworthy it is for a Christian man And surely not without cause for man was created after the image of God and God is Truth what then may bee more vnworthy for a man then to lie and bee a lyer especially seeing that this is the property of deuill as Christ witnesseth in the 8 of Iohn Of this which I haue said wee may easily gather the reasons that should moue vs to cast of lying The motiues and to deale plainely and truely with our brethren First because God in his holy Law hath forbidden vs to lie and commanded vs to speake the truth Secondly because it is very hurtfull to the lyer himselfe for with lying he prouoketh the wrath of God against him Psal 5. Prou. 6. God shall destroy them saith Dauid that speaketh lies And God hateth a lying tongue Wherefore among other causes why the godly are said to be receiued into heauen this is not the least Apoc. 14. Because there was no guile found in their mouthes Againe the lyer looseth his credite among all men so that afterward no man will beleeue him though he speaketh the truth Cicer. in lib. de deuina which Cicero notably expressed saying Homini mendaci ne vera quidem dicenti credere solemus We are not wont to beleeue a lyer though he speake the truth the reason is because Qui semel malus semper praesumitur malus in eodem genere mali It is presumed that he that was once euill is alwaies euill in the same kinde of euill Now it remaineth that I pray and beseech you brethren to whom your life and saluation is deere that yee carefully considering the heape of euils that the wicked tongue bringeth with it you would call daily vpon him in whom it onely lyeth to gouerne the tongue and say with the holy Prophet Psal 141. Set a watch ô Lord before my mouth and keepe the dore of my lips And
paragon his Paradise c. yet let the Christian confesse the bearing of the Crosse the suffering of affliction the triall of their faith to bee their happinesse and felicity with the blessed Apostle which saith Blessed is the man that endureth temptation Wee are heere taught what is the condition and state of the godly in this world that they are euen as sheepe among wolues that is exposed to the hatred slander and iniuries of the wicked and that they are proued and exercised by diuers temptations and thereby prepared to receiue the Crowne of Glory so would the Lord haue Abel Abraham Iacob Ioseph Moses Dauid c. to bee subiect to this crosse For if any man will follow mee Mat. 16.24 1. Tim. 3. let him forsake himselfe and take vp his Crosse All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution The Apostle expresseth also the time when it shall bee giuen when wee are tryed the Crowne is promised after our conflict the hire is not rendred before wee haue done our labour 2. Tim. 2. No man saith the Apostle is crowned except hee striue lawfully 2. Tim. 4.7 The Vse There is no garland where is no gole to run vnto There is no Crown where the race is not lawfully runne And setting downe his trauaile before his reward hee saith I haue fought a good fight and haue finished my course I haue kept the faith There is no price where there is no striuing Heere wee learne that is is not enough once or twice to resist sin for the whole life of man is a continuall warfare vpon earth Againe wee are heere taught that our life was not giuen vs of God that wee should serue our lusts follow our fleshly pleasures to giue our selues to couetousnesse and ambition whereby the soule is defiled but that wee should serue the Lord c. This being so they then flatter and deceiue themselues which thinke to bee partakers of the reward without euer entring into the combate and tryall of temptations That hee might stirre vp our mindes with the greatnesse of the reward and our heauenly happinesse hee vseth heere a metaphor taken from such as contend and striue for masteries Champions and Conquerours in signe of glory haue Crownes giuen them either Ciuicas Murales Castrenses Nauales made some of Lawrell some of Oake c. So all good Christians that fight in the cause of the soueraigne Emperour of heauen and earth haue a Crowne of heauenly glory reserued for them as the reward of their labours O sweete comfort to the faithfull the which in this life endure so many labours so many crosses so many persecutions in the life to come they shall be free from all these things raigne with God for euer A shadow heereof is figured in the Welles which Isaac digged in Gerar Gen. 26.20.21.22 A Figure the first for which they contended with the Philistimes they called Contention the second for which they also stroue they called Hatred the third which without contradiction they enioyed they called latitudinem largenesse saying dilatauit nos dominus the Lord hath now made vs roome To signifie vnto vs that before wee come to the fountaines of liuing waters where there is true rest true safety eternall felicity wee must first passe through hatreds contentions labour strife in this life The Apostle Paul calleth this reward 1. Cor. 9. An incorruptible Crowne The Spirit of God also in another place promiseth to the Church of Smirna a Crowne of Life Apoc. 2.10 This being so brethren I may iustly cry out vnto this wicked age with the Prophet Esay Quare appenditis argentum non in panibus laborem vestrum non in satietate Esay 55. Wherefore lay yee out your siluer and not for bread and your labour without being satisfied By siluer is meant the time of this present life that precious gold which wee should lay out for eternall felicity which yet wee spend not vpon Bread that is vpon necessary things but on things of no value and profite Simile Should not hee bee iudged for a foole and a mad-man who being ready to perish with famine and hauing but one peece of siluer should lay out the same to buy him a fether to weare in his hat Would yee not iustly say to such a one O foole were it not better for thee to buy bread to releeue thy hunger So may I say to the children of this world which follow vanities Why yee fooles spend yee your time a thing so precious in sinfull vanities and not in bread not in things necessary for your saluation but rather in filthy pleasures worldly delights in the pursuit and greedy scraping together of corruptible riches This Crowne of glory is not giuen as a due desert for the worthinesse of the worke of patience but by the promise of God as a free reward of our labour An Example God dealeth with his children as a bountifull and louing father who promiseth his sonne that if hee will doe such or such a thing hee will make him his heire of all his ample inheritance which farre exceedeth the deserts of his child yet the father performeth it for his promise sake and not for the obedience of his sonne and therefore saith the Apostle heere that such as are tryed receiue the Crowne of eternall Life by promise To this the Apostle Paul subscribeth I haue fought a good fight 2. Tim. 4 7. I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith henceforth is there laid vp for mee a Crowne of righteousnesse And least hee might seeme arrogantly to claime the same as merited for the worthinesse of his workes hee ascribeth all to the gift of God when hee addeth Which God the righteous Iudge shall giue mee at that day If it were giuen of God then did not the Apostle merite it by his workes As hee saith againe Rom. 6.23 Eternall life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. For if a man could merit eternall life then must there needs bee a proportion betwixt that which meriteth which is mans righteousnesse and that which is merited which is Eternall Life but betwixt these the one being temporall the other eternall there can be no proportion at all and therefore saith the Apostle Rom. 8.18 I count the afflictions of this present time not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs. Again 2. Cor. 17. Our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and eternal weight Let vs then hold for a truth that this crown is due to patience not by our merites but by the promise of God and in as much as patience is a noteable effect of a true liuely and iustifying faith Now this reward is most sure and firme and shall neuer faile vs in regard of the vnchangeable and euer-liuing God vpon whom it is grounded Verse 17. With whom is
to bee chosen aboue great riches Prou. 22.1 and louing fauour is aboue siluer and aboue gold He then that robbeth a man of his good name hurteth him more then if he stole great riches from him and therefore his theft is hardly or neuer restored againe But whereunto shall I liken this generation He is like vnto the Scarabee Like vnto a Beetle which delighteth to feed on the ordure and dung of beasts so he feedeth with delight on the infirmities of his brethren and loueth to talke of their vices But whereunto shall I liken this generation Like vnto the deuils aduocate He is like vnto the deuils Aduocate for he pleadeth for nothing but for the kingdome of Sathan and as much as in him lyeth maketh Gods part to be the deuils when he saith such a one is a fornicator drunkard c. which are the pillars of the deuils kingdome c. Obiect It may here be replyed Tho Aquin. in 73. quest Artic. 4. we haue heard how great the sinne of detraction is what is to bee thought of them that giue a willing eare to detraction is that so great a sinne Solut. To this Thomas of Aquine answereth The hearer Tribus modis se possit habere vel vt inducens vt placens vel vt tacens may three manner of waies behaue himselfe either as inducing pleasing or holding his peace as inducing or prouoking to back-bite and then his sinne is greater then the others that back-biteth the reason is because that sinne is greater in the cause and originall of an euill then in that which is deriued and springeth from the cause but he that induceth and draweth another to back-bite is the cause and originall of the euill therefore the sinne is greater in him then in the back-biter Hieron in Epi. ad Nepolia Caue ne linguam aut aures habeas prurientes vt alijs detrabas Ber. lib. de consider Detrabere aut detrahentem audire quid horum dānabilius est nescio Itē in quad serm Detractor lubens auditorvterque diabolum portat detractor in lingna auditor in aure As if he prouoke him to speake saying I pray thee tell me of such a man I will keepe it secret c. when he cannot conceale it one houre Secondly the hearer is as consenting and pleased with the hearing of detraction for though he entiseth not another to back-bite yet if he bee delighted with the hearing for hatred he beareth vnto him who is back-bited his sinne is equall with him that back-biteth Hereof Ierome saith Beware that thy tongue or eares bee not inflamed with the desire of detracting or hearing detractions against others And Bernard I know not which is more damnable to detract or to heare detractions Againe The back-biter and the willing hearer both carry the deuill the back-biter in his tongue the hearer in his eare Thirdly the hearer of backbiting who holdeth his peace and doth not testifie though he bee not delighted with it if for feare negligence or verecundia quadam through a certaine shamefastnesse he doth not rebuke the back-biter such a one sinneth but not so much as the back-biter The second tongue which maketh our Religion vaine before God is Lingua dolosa the deceitfull tongue The malignity of this tongue consisteth in three things 1 In consortijs 2 In consilijs 3 In iuditijs in 1 In fellowships 2 In counsels 3 In iudgements The first is vsed when outwardly men make a shew of loue friendship and plaine dealing and vnder the colour hereof practise all treachery and falshood From this tongue because it maketh his religion vaine the Princely Prophet prayed vnto the Lord to deliuer his soule Deliuer my soule ó Lord from lying lips and from a deceitfull tongue Psal 120.2 Ier. 9.4.5 hereof the Prophet Ieremy also giueth this caueat Let euery one take heed of his neighbour and trust you not in any brother for euery brother will vse deeeit and euery friend will deale deceitfully And euery one will deceiue his friend and will not speake the truth for they haue taught their tongues to speake lies and take great paines to do wickedly This deceit is most practised in contracts barganing buying and selling yea among some which make profession of Religion and the Gospell whose houses are vpholded whose riches are encreased whose children are aduanced whose sons are made Gentlemen by the deceitfull tongues of their fathers and seruants in their shops and warehouses in false weights and scant measures made for their aduantage But brethren haue we thus learned Christ Is not all our profession vaine by the falshood of our tongues Doth not the Spirit of God tell vs That no man oppresse and defraude his brother in any matter 1. Thess 4.6 for the Lord is the auenger of all such things Pro. 21.6 Againe The gathering of treasures by a deceitfull tongue is vanity tossed to and fro of them that seeke death Hee calleth euill gotten goods The robberies of the wicked which shall destroy them Idem ver 7 Pro. 22.16 Againe He that oppresseth the poore to encrease himselfe and giueth vnto the rich shall surely come to pouerty Of this kind is all crafty and subtile circumuention of our brethren which like the Fowler maketh trappes and snares to catch the simple-meaning man They do nothing from the heart but all things miris cuniculis maeandris as it is in the Prouerbe Math. 24. Like the Pharisies which laid snares to entrap Christ in his talke Those are of that pestilent crue which speake one thing in word and carry an other conceite in their hearts Psal 62.4 They blesse with their mouthes saith Dauid but curse with their hearts and the words of his mouth are softer then butter yet warre is in his heart Psal 55. And they speake deceitfully euery one to his neighbour Similia Ianus They are like Ianus whom antiquity was wont to paint with two faces they are called bifrontes They are like vnto seditious Cataline who was Salustius as Salustius saith cuiuslibet rei simulator ac dissimulator a notable dissembler and forger of any thing They are like to the Foxe as it is in the Fable which deceiued the Rauen of his prey by praysing him and entising him to sing that opening his mouth he might let fall the flesh which the Foxe presently snatched vp and deuoured it Secondly deceit is committed by the tongue in counsels heereof speaketh Salomon Prou. 12. The counsels of the wicked are deceitfull They counsell against God against iustice against equity for loue hatred or for their priuate gaine They deceiue the simple eares of Princes and of men in authority giuing them crafty counsell for their owne aduantage And indeed non tibi sed sibi consulunt they counsell for their owne profite and not for thine To auoid such counsellers let this of Seneca bee holden good pollicy Omnibus credere nulli vtrumque