LECTVRES ON THE XV. PSALME Read in the Cathedrall Church of S. Paule in London Wherein besides many other very profitable and necessarie matters the question of Vsurie is plainely and fully decided By GEORGE DOVVNAME Doctor of Diuinitie Whereunto are annexed two other Treatises of the same authour the one of Fasting the other of Prayer LONDON Printed by Adam Islip for Cuthbert Burbie and are to be sold in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Swan 1604. TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTY KING IAMES BY THE GRACE OF GOD KING of great Brittaine Fraunce and Ireland defender of the Faith c. YOVR Maiesties gracious acceptance of my Treatise concerning Antichrist hath emboldened me to dedicat these my labours vnto your Highnesse which are in no other respect worthie of your royall patronage but that they haue bene imployed in the explanation of an excellent Psalme of the royall Prophet Dauid whose writings the holy Ghost hath the rather commended to posteritie that by his example Kings and Princes might be admonished to spend part of their time which they may spare from their royall administration in heauenly meditations and spirituall exercises whereby they might gather assurance to themselues that after their earthly kingdome is ended they shall inherit an euerlasting kingdome in heauen for although it be a singuler fauour of God vouchsafed vnto them that they should so beare the image of his power and authoritie amongst men as that they should bee called Gods yet godly and Christian kings are not so much to glorie in the fruition of their temporall crownes and kingdomes as to solace themselues in the comfortable expectation of that incorruptible crowne of glorie which is laid vp for them in heauen For which cause King Dauid thought it to be his dutie to giue all diligence as Peter since hath exhorted vs all to make his calling and election sure and by vndoubted testimonies and infallible tokens to gather assurance vnto himselfe that hee was the true child of God And that he should not take his marks amisse as men are apt to deceiue themselue in this point he intreateth the Lord in this Psalme to reueale vnto him the vndoubted marks of the sons heires of God which hauing learned by the information of the holy Ghost he publisheth them to the common good of the Church Shewing as it were from the Oracle of God that not all that professe the true religion nor all that are able to discourse therof but those that walke worthie of their calling that behaue themselues as it becōmeth the children of the light that is that liue vprightly worke righteousnesse speake the truth from their hearts c. are the sound members of the Church militant vpon earth and shall bee inheritors of glorie in the Church triumphant in heauen The meditation and practise of which things I do so much the more boldly commend to your Maiestie because it euidently appeareth by your former both studies in priuat and also speeches in publicke and writings published you haue propounded Dauid to your selfe as a patterne for imitation And now as a Minister of God I exhort your Highnesse to immitat him still as in speaking and writing so especially in the conscionable practise of Christian duties that you may bee more and more as he was a man according to Gods owne hart walking before the Lord as he did in truth and righteousnesse and vprightnesse of heart and gouerning and guiding the people of God according to the integritie of his heart and the singuler wisedome of his hands So shall the Lord take pleasure in you as he did in him and will not onely giue your Highnesse long and prosperous dayes but will also blesse your posteritie after you and establish them in the throne of these kingdomes for euer to the euerlasting glorie of his name and the perpetuall good of his Church which mercies the Lord graunt for his Christs sake Amen Your Maiesties obedient and loyall subiect George Downame LECTVRES ON the 15. Psalme Verse 1. A Psalme of Dauid Lord who shall soiourne in thy Tabernacle who shall dwell in the mountaine of thy holinesse THis Psalme of Dauid is a Psalme of doctrine wherin the Kingly Prophet sheweth by what markes and notes a sound member of the Church militant and a true citizen of the kingdome of heauen may bee discerned and knowne And it is set downe in forme of a dialogue betwixt Dauid and the Lord consisting on two parts Dauids question Verse 1. and Gods answer in the rest of the Psalme The occasion of the question seemeth to haue beene the disguising and counterfeiting of many professors in all ages who liuing in the Church and not being of it but as goats among the sheepe and as tares among the corne doe notwithstanding by an externall profession of religion and false opinion of true pietie deceiue not only others but sometimes themselues also For many there are who place all religion in the performance of the outward worship And therefore such persons if they frequent the Church heare the word receiue the sacraments call vpon God with the rest of the congregation they imagine that they haue sufficiently discharged their dutie though their life and conuersation be irreligious and vnrighteous Yea and not a few seeme to repose such trust and affiance in the very name of the Church that if they imagine themselues to bee in the true Church and doe not gaine say the doctrine therein professed they take no further care for their saluation but liue securely as though all the members of the visible Church were also members of the inuisible and as though all which haue the externall Church to their mother had also God to their spiritual father in Christ. Wherefore to the end that men should no longer deceiue themselues with vaine opinions fond conceits the Prophet hauing first consulted as it were with the Oracle of God setteth downe certaine marks or notes of a true Christian and citizen of heauen wherby euery man may discerne himselfe And withall he teacheth that in a sound and liuely member of the Church an externall profession of the faith and an outward communion with the Church of God is not sufficient vnlesse the vprightnesse of our life be answerable to our profession And the same is confirmed by our Sauiour Christ Not euery one that saith vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen Many shall say vnto me in that day Lord Lord haue not wee prophecied in thy name and cast out diuels in thy name and done great wonders in thy name And then will I professe vnto them saying I know you not depart from me you workers of iniquitie But now let vs search out the true sence and meaning of this question By the names of Tabernacle and Mountaine we are to vnderstand the two parts of the
vpon the world halting betwixt God and Mammon and esteeming gaine to be godlinesse we may be theeues yea diuels as he was And not to insist any longer in the seuerall parts of Gods worship this may be said of all externall worship in generall that so oft as it is seuered from the inward spirituall worship of God it is hypocritical and detestable in the sight of God To which purpose the Lord professeth by his Prophet That he which killeth a bullocke is as if he slew a man he that sacrificeth a sheep as if he cut off a dogs necke he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swines bloud he that remembreth incense as if he blessed an idole Wee must therefore beware least we rest in the performance of outward seruice or coÌ„tent our selues with opere operato the deed done which is the rotten pillar of popish superstition For it is not sufficient to doe that which is right vnlesse we do it with an vpright heart If with Amaziah wee doe that which is right but not with an vpright heart we may fall away as he did Wherefore that exhortation which the Apostle maketh to mens seruants much more belongeth to vs who are the seruants of God namely That we shold performe our duties towards him from our heart not in eye-seruices as men-pleasers but with simplicitie of heart fearing God and from our hearts obeying the holy will and commaundements of God Out of all which it appeareth euidently that without vprightnesse of heart neither the graces of the spirit which wee may seeme to haue are of any worth or our worship of any account with God But howsoeuer the most excellent graces without it be glorious sinnes and the most glorious worship counterfeit yet on the other side where vprightnesse is the graces which we haue though as small as a graine of mustard seed and our worship though performed in much weakenesse is acceptable vnto God The second argument is taken from the authoritie of God himselfe auowing the necessitie of vprightnesse And hereunto appertaineth first the testimonie both of the holy ghost in this place affirming That those who are to dwell in Gods holy mountaine are such as walke vprightly as also of our Sauiour Christ Matth. 5. denying that we shall euer enter into the kingdome of heauen vnlesse our righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies The righteousnesse which the Pharisies obserued themselues and taught others to obserue was altogether outward whereby they abstained from outward and more grosse offences neglecting inward and sâ—cret corruptions Secondly the commaundement of God enjoyning vprightnesse For this is the especiall dutie which we are to performe towards God viz. that wee bumble our selues to walke with our God For when the Lord was to establish his couenant with Abraham and his seed this condition he requireth to be performed on their part to walke before him and to be vpright This is that which Dauid commendeth to Salomon as his last will and testament Know thou the God of thy father and serue him with an vpright heart and a willing mind which Iosua in his last speech commendeth to the people of Israel that they should worship the Lord in spirit and truth As Moses also before had charged them Deut. 18. Thou shalt be vpright therefore before the Lord thy God For seeing the Lord is a spirit he will therefore be worshipped in spirit and in truth And as himselfe is a spirit so is his law spirituall restraining not onely the hand and tongue but also the heart Now the commaundement of God imposeth a necessitie not absolute indeed but with this condition If we will auoid his curse Thirdly the same is prooued by the oath of God which he sware vnto our father Abraham that he would giue vs who are the sonnes of Abraham and heires of promise that being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies we should worship him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him For as the commaundement of God imposeth the necessitie of dutie so the oath of the Lord imposeth a necessitie of certainetie or as the schoolemen speake of infallibilitie And therefore if we doe not walke vprightly worshipping the Lord as before him it is as certaine as the oath of the Lord is true that we can haue no assurance that wee are redeemed by Christ out of the world to raigne with him in his holy mountaine The third and last argument enforcing the necessitie of vprightnesse may be this For either wee must be vpright or hypocrits There is no third for not to bee vpright is to be an hypocrite and not to be an hypocrite is to be vpright But we may in no case be hypocrites For hypocrisie is a sinne most odious vnto God most foolish in it selfe most pernicious to them that are infected therewith It is most odious vnto God for as the vpright are the Lords delight so the hypocrit is an abhomination vnto him For that which is highly esteemed among men is abhomination in the sight of God And not without cause For all hypocrisie and doubling is a double if not a triple sinne for counterfeit pietie is double impietie both because it is impietie and because it is counterfeit And as hypocrisie is a counterfeiting it containeth also two sinnes opposed to simplicitie and truth both which are comprised in integritie viz. falshood opposed vnto truth as it is mendacium facti and deceit or guile opposed vnto simplicitie as duplicitie or doubling The hypocrite in respect of his falsehood and disguising in the Greeke tongue is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a stage-player who although perhaps he be little better than a rogue representeth sometimes the person of a prince or monarch Those therefore are hypocrits who lead their life as it were vpon a stage cloaking sinne vnder the shew of vertue hauing some â—orme or vizard of pietie but denying the power of it Qui in superficie boni sunt sed in alto mali as Augustine speaketh who seeme to honour God with their lips but remooue their heart farre from him who desiring to seeme good but not to be so and not to seeme euill but to be so make cleane the outside of the cup and of the platter but within they are full of briberie and excesse and are therefore compared by our Sauiour Christ to painted sepulchres which appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and all filthinesse And as the fruit which groweth neere to Mare mortuum when it is ripe maketh a faire shew but within is full of cinders or ashes as some write so these men outwardly appeare righteous vnto men but within they are full of hypocrisie and iniquitie But as in the disguising of hypocrits there is falshood so in their doubling there is guile wherby they indeuouring to deceiue
thing for whereas it is sayd of Eâ—och Gen. 5. that he walked before God that is that hee liued vprightly it is by the Apostle thus expounded That he was sayd to haue pleased God And the Hebrew word which signifieth to be right or vpright doth signifie also to please that we may know that he which is right before God doth please him As it is sayd in the Prouerbes They which are peruerse in heart are an abhomination vnto the Lord but such as are vpright in their way are his delight Now this must needs be an excellent virtue that goeth vnder the name of perfection which the Lord esteemeth as the inward beautie of his spouse which is not onely pleasing vnto God but as it were the pleasing of him But let vs come to the profit by which consideration most are led as it is sayd Psal. 4. There be many that say who will shew vs any good that is profit The profit of vprightnesse may be shewed first in generall that God is good and gracious to theÌ„ that are vpright As the Psalmist after many conflicts at length resolueth Psa. 73. 1. But yet God is good to Israell to those that are pure in heart And this goodnesse he manifesteth by doing good to them and causing all things to worke together for their good according to the prayer of Dauid Psal. 125. Do good O Lord to those that are good and vpright in heart but those that turne aside by their crooked wayes them shall the Lord send away with the workers of iniquity Neither is the goodnesse of God sparing towards them For he is a Sunne that is an author and giuer of all comfortable blessings and a shield that is a protector of them from all euill He giueth grace and glory and no good thing doth he with-hold from those that walke vprightly More specially the benefits wherewith the Lord doth crowne the vpright are either temporall or spirituall For as salomon saith Prou. 2. The Lord hath laid vp for the vpright substance that is whatsoeuer is truly good and verse 21. The righteous shall inhabit the land and the vpright men shall remaine in it And as the Lord bestoweth good things vpon the vpright so he preserueththem from euill and is therefore sayd to be â— shield to them that walke vprightly or as Dauid saith My shield is in God who giueth saluation or preserueth the vpright in heart according to the saying of the Prophet Hanani The eyes of the Lord saith he behold all the earth to shew himselfe strong with them that haue a perfect that is an vpright heart towards him The spirituall blessings which God bestoweth on the vpright are as the Psalmist speaketh Grace Glory Grace in this life Glory in the life to come The graces which God bestoweth on the vpright are many for sanctifying graces are so linked together as it were in a golden chaine that where some be in truth as they are in the vpright all are in some measure Among many others these spirituall blessings accompany vprightnesse Comfort in affliction and Ioy in the holy Ghost and which before I spake of Confidence or spirituall securitie in worshipping the Lord without feare which is the blessednesse promised to the faithfull in all nations in Abrahams seed according to the exposition of Zacharias Luk. 1. and also Constancy and Perseuerance As touching the former before not touched Forasmuch as the vpright building not vpon the sand but vpon the rocke haue layd a good foundation against the day of triall therefore when as they are afflicted they faint not neither are ouermuch discouraged but with Dauid in his greatest distresse do comfort themselues in the Lord their God 1. Sam. 30. 6. And being assured that the Lord will cause all things euen their afflictions to worke to their good they resolue with Iob to put their trust in him though he kill them But the vpright haue not onely comfort but ioy also in the holy Ghost For God doth giue to him that is good in his sight that is to the vpright wisedome and knowledge and ioy For the vpright haue a good conscience and a good conscience is a continuall feast For this is our reioycing saith the Apostle the testimony of our conscience that we haue had our conuersation in simplicitie and godly purenesse And this was Ezechias his stay when he had receiued the sentence of death and which he vsed as an argument vnto the Lord to obtaine the lengthning of his life and preuailed Lord saith he I beseech thee remember how I haue walked before thee in truth and with an vpright heart and haue done that which is good in thy sight For howsoeuer the vpright are sometimes vnder the crosse yet there is light sowne for the righteous and ioy for the vpright in heart which in due time will sprout forth yea in the mids of their affliction they do reioyce knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed And seeing the vpright do with Dauid set the Lord alwayes before their eyes for he is at their right hand therefore they must say with him I shall not be remoued wherefore my heart is glad and my tongue reioyceth my flesh also doth rest in hope With these and such like blessings the Lord doth reward the vpright in this life for after this life eternall saluation abideth them He that walketh vprightly saith Salomon shall be saued but he that is peruerse or walketh peruersly in two waies as double minded men do he shal fall in one or as some read at once And to omit other testimonies the holy Ghost testifieth in this place That he which walketh vprightly shal dwell in the holy mountaine of God Finally to conclude all blessings vnder one blessednesse it selfe is promised to the vpright Blessed are those which are vpright in their way Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God And this blessednesse doth not onely belong to themselues but it redoundeth also to their posteritie Blessed is the iust man that walketh in his vprightnesse and blessed are his children after him And againe The generation of the vpright shall be blessed But it may be you expect examples which one calleth the hostages of our speech whereby that may appeare in particuler experience which the Lord hath confirmed in generall promise Let Noah therefore be an example whom the Lord because of his vprightnesse preserued in the vniuersall deluge And likewise vpright Abraham to whom the Lord was a shield and an exceeding great reward Dauid professeth that for as much as he was vpright before God the Lord therefore rewarded him according to his righteousnesse and the purenesse of his hands in his sight And the same is confessed by Salolon his sonne Thou
hast sayth he vnto the Lord shewed vnto thy seruant Dauâ—d my father great mercy when he walked before thee in truth and in righteousnesse and in vprightnesse of heart with thee Of Ezechias you heard before But omitting other examples let vs call to mind the example of Enoch by which being the first in this kind we may best conceiue what account the Lord maketh of Integritie For when as he walked before God vprightly the Lord did therfore translate him out of this valley of teares that he should not see death and assumed him into heauen where he might inioy immortall glorie But if neither the golden reason of excellency can moue vs nor the siluer reason of profit allure vs then must the yron reason of necessitie enforce vs to Integrity and vprightnesse of heart For first such is the necessity thereof that without Integritie the best graces we seeme to haue are counterfeit and therefore but glorious sinnes the best worship we can performe is but hypocrisie and therefore abhominable in Gods sight For vprightnesse is the soundnesse of all graces and virtues as also of all religion and worship of God without which they are vnsound and nothing worth And first as touching graces if they be not ioyned with vprightnesse of hart they are sinnes vnder the maskes or vizards of virtue yea as it may seeme double sinnes for as Augustine sayth Simulata aequitas est duplex iniquitas quia iniquitas est simulatio Fained equitie is double iniquity both because it is iniquitiâ— and because it is â—aining Wherefore in the Scriptures it is required that our faith should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnfained that is such a faith as inwardly purifieth the hart and outwardly worketh by loue otherwise it is not a true and a liuely but a counterfeit and dead faith Likewise our loue must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnfained that is as Iohn saith we must loue not in speech and tongue but in deed and truth Or as Paul speaketh our loue must proceed from a pure heart a good conscience and â—aith vnfained Our wisedome also must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without dissimulation not that mixt or Machiuilian prudence which politicke men in the world so greatly praise being mixed with hypocrisie and deceit but that prudence of serpents tempered with the simplicitie of Doues otherwise it is as Iames saith earthly carnall and diuellish Lastly our repentance and conuersion vnto God must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnfained and from our whole hart For it is not the renting of the garments but of the heart that pleaseth God Neither is it the bowing of the head like a Bul-rush but the humiliation the melting the contrition of the heart that is acceptable before him Such as was the repentance of Iosiah 2. King 22. not as that of Achab 1. King 21. nor yet as that of the dissembling Israelites who made semblance of repentance and turning to God but their heart was not vpright with him If therefore without vprightnesse our faith be dead our loue cold our wisedome diuellish our repentance counterfeit then is vprightnes no lesse necessary to saluation then I say not any one of these graces but theÌ„ all But as those graces which we may seeme to haue without vprightnes are couÌ„terfeit so our religion worship of God without it is hipocrisie For although it be the common practise of meÌ„ not only to content themselues with a profession of religion pietie towards God neglecting the duties of charitie towards men but also to rest in an outward and bodily worship notwithstanding it is no true religion before God which is altogether wanting in the duties of charitie neither is the outward worship without the inward acceptable vnto God This is notably declared in the Prophecy of Micah where to the hypocrite demanding wherewith he should come before the Lord and bow himselfe before the high God and making large offers if outward seruice would stand for good payment Shall I come before him saith he with burnt offerings and Calues of a yeare old will the Lord he pleased with thousands of Rammes or with ten thousand riuers of oyle shall I giue my first borne for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sinne of my soule Answer is made He hath shewed thee ô man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee surely towards men to do iustly and to loue mercie and towards God to humble thyselfe to walke with thy God The reasonable seruice that is the spirituall worship of God is that liuing holy and acceptable sacrifice vnto God For God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth As for bodily exercise that profiteth little yea if it be seuered from the spirituall it hurteth much Therefore the Prophet denounceth the fearefull judgements of God against those who comming neere vnto him with their mouth and honoring him with their lippes do notwithstanding remoue their heart farre from him But the truth of this doctrine will more clearely appeare if we shall descend into the particuler consideration of the seuerall parts of Gods worship As first of prayer to the acceptable performance whereof there is required vprightnesse not onely in the action it selfe but also in the life of him that prayeth For as touching the action it selfe it is not sufficient to moue the lippes or to vtter a certaine number of words as Papists and other hopocrites do but our prayer if it shall be acceptable must also be a prayer of the heart and of the spirit a lifting vp of the soule a lifting vp of the heart with the hands a pouring forth of the soule before the Lord and to pray aright is to pray with our whole heart with an vpright heart out of a pure heart with lippes vnfained finally it is to pray in truth that is in vprightnesse and to this vpright prayer is the promise of hearing our prayer restrained Psal. 145. 18. The Lord is neere to them that call vpon him What to all yea to all saith the Prophet of purpose excluding hypocrites that call vpon him in truth For the Lord in our prayers doth not so much regard our tongue as our heart As for them which draw neare vnto the Lord with their lippes and are remooued from him in their heart they abuse the Maiesty of God whiles crying vnto him but not from their hearts they lye vnto God and go about to deceiue him with their lippes and by their hypocrisie to cast as it were a mist before his eyes But herein they are greatly deceiued For how soeuer masking vnder the vizards of hypocrisie they may hide themselues from men yet before God such maskers do as it were daunce in a net for before him all things
person or by a more ciuill honest man who is void of faith of religion of the loue and feare of God although materially they be good yet are they euill as they proceed from him For whiles the tree is euill the fruit cannot be good whiles the person is not accepted as just in Christ as none but the faithfull are his actions cannot be acceptable for without faith it is impossible to please God And this is that which the Apostle saith that the end and consummation of the commandement is loue out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith vnsained In respect of the manner our good workes must be performed vprightly not in hypocrisie and dissimulation otherwise it is vnfained and counterfeit For though we doe that which is right yet if we doe it not with an vpright heart we doe it not rightly neither can we be sayd to worke righteousnesse In respect of the end we are to perfome good workes that by the discharge of our duty God may be glorified But if our end be to be seene of men if to win praise and glorie to our selues if to merit of God and as it were to bridle him by our good deed all our workes though neuer so glorious in the eyes of the world yet are they splendida peccata that is to say glorious sinnes To this purpose we are to remember that we are to worship God not onely in holinesse but in righteousnesse also and we worship him in righteousnesse when as in a sincere obedience to God we seeke by performing the duties of righteousnesse to our brother to glorifie God From this note therefore of Gods children we distinguish the seeming good workes first of infidels without the Church or of more naturall men within because there can be no true righteousnesse or loue of men without faith pietie and loue of God Secondly of hypocrâ—tes and dissemblers who do no good but for sinister and by-respects and therefore their righteousnesse being hypocrisie is double injustice Lastly of all Pharisaicall and Popish justiciaries who by their good workes thinke such is their Satanicall pride to make God beholding vnto them and to merit heauen to themselues most sacrilegiously injuriously vnto Christ our Sauiour placing the matter of their justification and the merit of their saluation in themselues In a word that is no true righteousnesse which is seuered from holinesse neither is that a worke of righteousnesse which is not a righteous worke rightly done as that is not which is done in hypocrisie or to an ill end He therefore vndoubtedly is the sonne and heire of God who professing the true faith laboureth to demonstrat his faith by good works his faith working by loue and his loue proceeding from faith vnfained who in vpright obedience towards God seeketh by the exercise of righteousnesse and discharge of his dutie towards his neighbour to glorifie God The third note of the child God is Truth which the holy ghost expresseth in these words and speaketh the truth in his heart Which words sayth Augustine are not thus to be vnderstood as though keeping the truth in the heart we should vtter vntruth with our mouth But the holy ghost vseth this phrase of speech because a man may with his mouth vtter the truth which will nothing auaile him if he hold not the same in his heart Wherefore although this phrase of speaking the truth in his heart seeme somewhat harsh notwithstanding if it be rightly vnderstood it doth more fully expresse the disposition of a man which is addicted to the truth than if it had been said from the heart Thus therefore I read who speaketh the truth which is in his hâ—rt that is who vttereth with his tongue the truth which he hath conceiued in his mind For that we may be vcraces that is speakers of the truth there is a double conformitie or agreement required which is here expressed the one of the speech with the mind namely that we should speak as we thinke the other of the mind with the thing it selfe namely that wee should conceiue in our mind according to the truth of the matter For as the rule and measure of truth in words is the agreement of them with our thoughts so the rule and measure of truth in our thoughts is the agreement thereof with the things themselues It is true indeed that in some sciences either agreement alone sufficeth vnto the truth as in morall philosophy he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speaker of the truth who speaketh as he thinketh although perhaps he thinketh otherwise than the thing it selfe is And in Logicke he is said to speake the truth who speaketh as the thing is although perhaps he thinketh otherwise But in diuinitie both as I said is required Neither can we be said if either be wanting to be veraces that is such as speake the truth which is in our heart for he which deliuereth an vntruth supposing it to bee true howsoeuer hee bee free from the vanitie of lying yet he cannot be said to bee a speaker of the truth for in his mouth he vttereth an vntruth though in his heart he be well affected to the truth Contrariwise he that speaketh the truth which he thinketh to be false he is a lyar though he speake the truth because he hath truth in his mouth but not in his heart Such a one therefore because hee speaketh with an heart and an heart may not vnworthily be said to lie For mentâ—ri est contra mentemire to lie is to speake otherwise than a man thinketh Wherefore that a man may bee said to speake the truth which is in heart there is a double agreement required the one of the tongue with the mind the other of the mind with the things themselues And to this double conformitie in speaking the truth there is opposed a double falshood namely when a man speaketh either that which is false or falsely He speaketh that which is false who speaketh otherwise than the thing is whether he thinkes it to be so or otherwise He speaketh falsely who speaketh otherwise than hee thinketh He which speaketh a falshood supposing it to be true is not so much to be blamed for lying as for vnaduifednesse and rashnesse For we ought to be sure of those things which we affirme But he which either speaketh that which hee knoweth to bee false or speaketh that which is true falsely that is animo fallendi with a purpose to deceiue as the diuell sometimes doth he is a lyar neither can you easily determine whether is in the greater fault for as the one hath lesse truth in his mouth so the other hath more deceit in his heart Now that the loue of the truth and likewise the detestation of falshood is to be reckoned among the notes of Gods children it is testified not onely in this place but also elsewhere in the Scriptures Zeph. 3. The remnant of Israell that is
the true members of the Church which shall remaine shall not speake lies neither shall a deceitfull tongue bee found in their mouth And Prou. 13. A righteous man hateth lying words but a wicked man is so addicted vnto lying that he stinketh as it were and is confounded And whereas it is said in the end of the Psalme He that doth these things shall neuer be remooued The same is testified by Salomon Pro. 12. The lip of truth meaning thereby the man which speaketh the truth shall be established for euer And whereas in the beginning of the Psalme it is promised that he shal rest in the mountaine of Gods holinesse the same we read performed Apoc. 14. where it is said of those 144000 in whose mouth was found no guile that they were redeemed from among men being the first fruits vnto God and the lambe But it will be obiected that euery man is a lyar according to that of the Apostle Let God be true and euery man a lyar If therefore none shall dwell in the holy mountaine of God but such as are speakers of the truth who then shall be saued I answere that no man indeed vpon the earth may be said to be so perfectly true but that sometimes he faileth of infirmitie so farre hath the father of lies the diuell infected vs with his falshood But that if we aspire and contend towards that perfection embracing and louing the truth detesting and abhorring lies and haue a setled purpose and vnfained resolution to obserue the truth in all things so farre as God shall enable vs assuredly howsoeuer we may sometimes faile of infirmitie as Sara once did and Peter also through feare notwithstanding our infirmities being pardoned through and for the perfect obedience of Christ and our leasings couered with his veritie who is the truth the Lord will accept of vs in his fonne as those which speake the truth in their heart because the true desire and purpose of our heart is alwayes to obserue the truth For we must distinguish betwixt those who hating falshood doe sometimes though seldome fall thereinto and those which haue got a custome and habit of lying and are delighted with vntruth for the former may be verified of the faithfull but the latter cannot The vse which we are to make of this doctrine is this That seeing the truth of our speech is a matter of so great weight and consequence as that the holy ghost in this place hath set it downe as one of the marks of Gods children we are to be stirred vp to embrace the truth and to abhorre lies And to this purpose let vs in the first place consider that whereas the facultie of speech is of so great vse in our life as that without it wee should seeme to liue like beasts notwithstanding all this vse of our speech dependeth vpon the truth thereof For take away truth from the speech of men and it were better men should bee dumbe than able to speake Of truth therefore there is great necessitie not onely in religion for without the knowledge of the truth wee cannot attaine to saluation but also in our whole life Lying contrariwise peruerteth the vse of speech and maketh it not onely vnprofitable but hurtfull also it taketh away faith from among men and in a manner dissolueth humane societies which without mutuall contracts and negotiations wherein truth doth rule cannot be maintained c. Secondly whereas God is truth and the authour of all truth and contrariwise the diuell is a lyar and the father of lies let vs consider whose image it behooueth vs to represent for his children we are whose image we do bear the wit the children of God if we be speakers of the truth the children of the diuell if we be lyars Thirdly as there be two fathers of those which speake truly God and of lyars the diuell so there are two kingdomes whereunto all appertaine the kingdome of light and the kingdome of darkenesse The language or dialect of the former is truth of the latter lying If therefore thou wouldest know to whether kingdome thou doest appertaine thou mayest know by thy language Fourthly by the profession of the truth as our brother is profited so is Gods glory aduaunced but by lying wee sinne not onely against our neighbour but also against God Fiftly for those causes Truth in the Scripture is commended vnto vs and commaunded but vntruth is forbidden and condemned Wherefore saith the Apostle cast off lying and speake euery man the truth vnto his neighbour for we are members one of another Where the Apostle vseth two reasons first because we are renewed in the holinesse and righteousnesse of truth according to the image of God that we may be true as he is true Secondly because we are members of the same body and therefore ought to maintain truth among our selues But especially in the ninth commaundement is truth commanded and all falshood forbidden But it may be you desire testimonies of either seuerally As of truth commaunded Zachar. 8. These are the things that you shall doe Speake yee euery man the truth vnto his neighbour execute iudgement truly and vprightly in your gates And againe Therefore loue the truth and peâ—ce Of falshood forbidden Exod. 23. Thou shalt keepe thee farre â— verbo mendacâ— from a lying word Leu. 19. Ye shall not steale nor deale falsely nor lie one vnto another Where theft and lying as they vse to goe together so are they joyned as companions and hard it is to say whether is the worse sinne A lie sayth a wise man is a wicked shame in a man yet is it oft in the moâ—th of the vnwise A theefe is better than a man that is accuâ—tomed to lie but they both shall haue deâ—truction to heritage The conditions of lyars are vnhonest and their shame is euer with them And hereunto let vs adde that prohibition of the Apostle Col. 3. Lie not one to another hauing put off the old man with his practises and put on the new c. Sixtly as God doth loue the truth as being himselfe not onely true but truth it selfe so he abhorreth lying as one of the things which he especially hateth Seuenthly And hereunto accordeth the judgement also of all ingenious men euen among the heathen and others who commend truth as a most excellent vertue as a most sacred possession as the Sunne in the world as that one thing wherein men may become most like vnto God Wherefore Pythagoras being demaunded What that was in doing whereof men might especially be like vnto God answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If they speake the truth And therefore another sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is alwaies best to speake the truth Contrariwise they condemne lying as a most foule and shamefull vice and vnworthy an honestman To lie sayth one is a base thing but truth is noble And
therefore of all reproches an ingenious man can least brooke this that another to his face should say Thou lyest But if the very heathen people doe so highly esteeme of Truth how much more doth it become vs Christians to loue and embrace it who are his children that is the Truth who are redeemed by him that is the Truth and vnto whom wee are to conforme our selues who are regenerated by the spirit of truth by whome we are to be led into all truth who are sanctified by the word of God which is the truth who are of the truth so many as are of God Therefore nothing lesse becommeth a Christian than lying nothing more than truth Eightly but if no other arguments will preuaile with vs let vs consider on the one side what rewards the Lord hath promised to them that speake the truth and on the other side what â—udgements he hath denounced against lyars To the speakers of truth the Lord hath promised that they shall neuer be remooued that they shall be established for euer that they shall dwel in Gods holy mountaine as before hath beene shewed against lyars the Lord hath threatened fearefull judgements A false witnesse shall not be vnpunished and he that speaketh liesâ— shall not escape For first he is punished with infamie and looseth his credit insomuch that no man will beleeue him when he speaketh the truth For as one sayth What truth can be spoken of a lyar Secondly he is discarded of the godly he that telleth lies sayth Dauid shall not remaine in my sight But these are light punishments in comparison of those that follow for God doth not onely punish lyars but also destroy them Psal. 5. Thou shalt destroy them that speake lies Prou. 19. A false witnesse shall not he vnpunished and he that speaketh lies shall perish For God destroyeth them either with a temporall death as Ananias and Sapphirâ— because they had lied were stricken dead Act. 5. or with eternall for who so euer loue or make lies shall be excluded out of the heauenly Ierusalem and shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Ninthly and lastly seeing the holy ghost hath reckoned Truth among the markes of Gods children it behoueth vs as we desire to haue any assurance that we belong vnto the Lord or shall dwell with him in the mountaine of his holinesse so to loue and embrace the truth and to detest and abhorre falshood And thus haue we shewed in generall that lying is wicked and detestable and that the truth is to bee loued and embraced of all those who would be held citisens of heauen But here are two questions to be decided of vs. First Whether it be lawfull for a Christian man at any time to lie Secondly Whether he be bound alwayes to professe the truth and how farre forth As touching the former we are to hold a distinction of lics or vntruths for an vntruth is either vnproperly so called or properly that is vnproperly called an vntruth which being true in sence is false onely in shew of words as figuratiue speeches and fabulous parables the lawfulnesse where of is warranted by the vse of speech in the Scriptures for howsoeuer if we respect the sound of the words they seeme to containe some falshood yet if we regard the sence and meaning of the speaker as it is fit we should they expresse the truth either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more significantly or more profitably More significantly as figuratiue speeches especially such as we call Hyperbolae where of there are some examples in the Scriptures As when the holy ghost would signifie a very great or innumerable multitude he vseth to compare it with the sand of the sea And likewise Iohn the Euangelist when he would signifie that Christ our Sauior did work very many or rather innumerable miracles and other acts worthy to be registred he sayth That if euery one of them should be set downe in writing he supposeth that the whole world could not contain the books that should be written And as for fabulous parables they hide not the truth but more profitably lay it foorth that it may be more clearely discerned and more sincerely acknowledged for the truth is more clearely discerned when as by a fit sâ—â—ilitude for such these parables are it is illustrated And it is more sincerely and vnpartially acknowledged when the person of whom it is meant is withdrawne For better doe men comprehend vnder the person of another what is to bee thought of themselues examples hereof see 2. Sam. 12. 1. Mat. 21. 33. 41. Iudg. 9. 7. 2. King 14. 9. and 2. Chron. 25. 18. 19. A lie or vntruth so properly called is such a speech as in sence and meaning at the least is false And such an vntruth is deliuered either for no cause at all as that which is called merum mendacium a meere lie or else for some purpose The meere lie is that which is vttered neither with a desire to hurt nor purpose to helpe any but onely in a vanitie and pleasure taken in lying Which sheweth our notable vanitie and pronenesse to lying that many are delighted therewith for it selfe But this vanitie especially sheweth it selfe in those persons who in all their speeches almost loue to tell of strange and wonderfull things And of this kind of lie there can be no question but that it is vnlawfull The lie which is told for some cause is either to hurt some man or to pleasure him That which is told to hurt any body it is called mendacium perniciosum a pernicious or hurtfull lie neither can there be any controuersie but that this is wicked and diuellish The lie which is told to pleasure any is either mendacium iocosum the merry lie or officiosum the lie for aduantage And of these two sorts is all the controuersie For there are which thinke these lies either to be no sinnes at all or else not mortall sinnes because they seeme to them not to breake that commaundement wherein lies are forbidden For these lies say they are not spoken against our neighbor but rather for him namely either to delight him as the jeasting lie or to helpe him as the officious lie I answere that the ninth commaundement whereof they speake is generally to be vnderstood for first vnder false testimonie we are to vnderstand all false speech concerning our neighbour and not onely false speech but also all vaine talke For the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth both As also the other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is vsed in the third commaundement And in the fift of Deuteronomie where the law is repeated Moses in the ninth commaundement in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 putteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wee may vnderstand not onely false speech to be forbidden but also that which
Sarah was his sister To this objection Abraham himselfe aunswereth Gen. 20. 12 In very truth she is my sister the daughter of my father though not of my mother and she also is my wife Abraham therfore vttered no vntruth but onely concealed part of the truth He did not say sayth Augustine she is not my wife but he sayd she is my sister he therefore concealed some part of the truth but he deliuered no vntruth when be concealed that she was his wise he professed she was his sister Againe say they the Midwiues are commended which that they might preserue the male-children of the Hebrewes aliue told an vntruth But there is no necessity that we should graunt that they did lie for it is very likely that diuerse of the Hebrew women hauing notice of the kings edict did not send for the Midwiues but were without their helpe being strengthned by God and perhaps holpen by other women deliuered But suppose they had told a lye yet we must distinguish betwixt their lie and their preseruation of the infants For the preseruation of the children was a worke of mercy and of the feare of God but their lye had beene a worke of infirmity and of the feare of men Neither did they tell a lye if they lied to saue the infants but hauing preserued before the infants they told a lye for their owne safety So sayth Gregory Parcendo conatae sunt infantum vitam tegere mentiendo suam By sparing they endeuoured to preserue the life of the infants by lying their owne They are therefore commended for sauing the infants they are not commended for lying Thirdly they obiect the example of Rahab who is commended in the Scriptures because she receiued the spies hid and sent them away and by a lie saued their life Such examples as are doubtfull charitie bindeth vs to interpret into the better part I answere therefore with Tremellius and Iunius that there is no necessitie we should interpret her answere as a lie for it may be that others had lodged with her being an Inne-keeper of whom shee made that answere God so disposing by his prouidence that she might truly giue notice of some of her guests which were gone and might also in faith and charity conceale others But if shee had lied yet her lie is not commended whereinto she fell by infirmitie and no maruell if she so fell being a new conuert from paganisme but that her worke of faith and loue Vnto both these examples Augustine answereth thus Whereas it is written that God dealt well with the midwiues of the Hebrews and with Rahab the harlot of Iericho it was not because they lied but because they were mercifull towards the men of God Wherefore not their lying was rewarded but their good will Benignitas ment is non iniquit as mentientis Now if they shall obiect other examples of the godly I answere with Augustine in the same place When as examples of lying are produced out of the holy scriptures either they are no lies but are so supposed to be whiles they are not vnderstood of which sort are some speeches which were prophetically vttered as that of Iacob to Isaac which Augustine sayth was a my sterie and not a lie or if they be lies they are not to be imitated because they cannot be just And secondly the rule of our cōscience is not to be drawn from the examples of men but from the commaundements of God They were men and therefore they might fall but these slips of theirs were in their godly life as blemishes in a beautifull face which wee are to behold as euidences of humane frailtie that we may be made more warie and circumspect and not to imitate them as examples In the third place they vrge certain cases wherin if we shall hold it vnlawfull to lie they say it is a hard doctrine and which cannot be borne For first say they seeing the most men now adaies are readie for euery petty commoditie to lie it were to great simplicity if not folly if to compasse great matters a man would refuse to lie for this were the high way to beggery But what sayth Salomon Buy the truth but sell it not And our Sauiour Christ What will it profit a man if he shall gaine the whole world and loose his owne soule as the lying tongue casts away the soule But these men are like to prophane Esau who for a messe of pottage sold his birth-right sauing that they for matters of like value and lesse necessity do sell their inheritance in heauen Wherefore as Augustine truly saith No man can euince that it is lawfull at any time to lie vnlesse he be able to shew that an euerlasting good may be obtained by a lye But so much doth euery one depart from eternity as be discordeth from verity 2. But say they what if our owne or our brothers life being endangered might be redeemed by a lie shall it not be lawfull in that case to lie I aunswere with Augustine That death which foolish men do feare who feare not to sinne killeth the body and not the soule But the lying tongue slayeth the soule It is therefore most peruersly said that the one ought spiritually to die that the other may corporally liue Seeing therefore by lying eternall life is lost we may not lie to preserue any mans temporall life no more than we would thinke it our duty if by our witchcraft theft adultery we could saue a mans life to play the witches theeues or adulterers to that end Nay rather according to that counsell of the wise man We are to striue for the truth vnto death 3. But suppose say they that if thou wilt lye thou mayst saue thy chastitie if thou wilt not lye thou shalt be forced to fornication or some other sinne which is more grieuous than lying must we not of two euils chuse the lesse This case of compensatiue sinnes wherby a more grieuous sinne is as they suppose redeemed by a lesse doth trouble many But although of two euils of punishment the lesse is to be chosen yet this holdeth not in sinnes For if I may not sinne that good may come thereof then may I not commit one sinne that another may be auoided Neither as I suppose can they alleadge any case wherein a man shall so be concluded betwixt two sinnes as that he may not haue an issue without committing a new sinne What then will you say ought one rather to cōmit whordome than to make a lye I answer first with Augustine If you aske whether he ought to do I say he ought to do neither For if I shall say he ought to do the one I should allow that one when as indeed I disallow both But if you aske whither he ought to auoid who cannot shunne both but may escape the one I answer he ought to auoid his owne sinne rather than an others and rather
of his life notwithstanding seeing it so neerly concerned the glory of God the good of his followers and the conuiction of his aduersaries he made a notable confession of the truth And that the truth sometimes may be concealed it may be proued by the authoritie of God himselfe For when as the Lord appointed Samuel to go to Bethlehem to annoint Dauid king Samuel desired to be informed how that might safely be done for if Saul should heare thereof he would be sure to kill him The Lord therefore teacheth him this godly pollicy Thou shalt take an heifer with thee and say I am come to sacrifice or as some read to selebrate a feast to the Lord. Whereas therefore Samuel was sent to Bethlehem for two causes he was by the commandement of God to conceale the more principall which teacheth vs that the simplicity of doues is to be tempered with the wisedome of seruants The same is proued by the example of Abraham which himselfe doth justifie for whereas Sara was not onely his sister according to the Hebrew phrase but also his wife he professed the one that she was his sister and concealed the other that she was his wife when as therefore the profession of the truth not necessary is joyned with the damage or danger either of our selues or others and so is vnseasonable howsoeuer we may neither deny the truth nor vtter an vntruth yet we may or rather must conceale the truth either wholly or in part As for example An innocent man who is persecuted for righteousnesse sake is sought for by his persecutors that he may be brought to punishment committeth himselfe to your fidelitie and safe custody The persecutors come and demaund of you where this partie is What will you do in this case If you tell where he is you betray the innocent If you knowing where he is shall say you cannot tell where he is or shall say he is where you thinke he is not you shall lye Will you offend in lying against your owne soule or in treachery against the innocent Forsooth the circumstances are to be considered If you plainely see that notwithstanding whatsoeuer you shall say he cannot be concealed it is all one in respect of the innocent partie whether you conceale the truth or confesse it For neither by confessing the truth shall you betray him nor by concealing it saue him If it be doubtfull whether by concealing the truth he may be preserued or not hide the truth so much as thou mayst and by telling some other truth as Raâ—ab did diuert the fury of the persecutors another way But if the partie be so hid that vnlesse thou discouer him he cannot be found and perhaps thou be asked concerning the very place where he is whether he be there or not here if you say nothing you betray him if you say I cannot tell you lye Therefore as Augustine faith A man in such a case must say I know where he is but I will neuer tell you for which Christian humanitie whatsoeuer you shall constantly endure it is so far from being worthy of blame that it is to be commended And here unto belongeth that memorable example recorded by Augustine in the same place of a certaine Bishop Firmâ—â—s by name but more firme as he saith in resolution For when as messengers sent from a persecuting emperour enquired of him concerning a Christian whom he had hid as secretly as he could where he was he answered them that neither could he lie neither would he betray the man neither could they by any tortures make him to discouer the partie Whereupon they bring him to before the emperour who admiring the constancie and courage of the Bishop was content for his sake to pardon the other Likewise in heathen writers the constancy of Zeno the Philosopher is highly commended who rather than he would be forced by any tortures to vtter secrets against his will he did bite off his tongue and spit it in the tyrants face And thus much may suffice to haue spoken of the three generall notes this onely remaineth that we should apply them to our selues Wherefore from this proposition of the holy Ghost Those that walke vprightly worke righteousnesse embrace the truth are such as shall inherit the kingdome of heauen and reciprocally those that shall inherit the kingdome of heauen are such as walke vprightly exercise iustice speake the truth in their hearts let vs consider what euery mans conscience will assume for if thy conscience shall make this assumption But I walke vprightly worke righteousnesse embrace the truth though with great imperfection yet with my true endeuour and vnfained purpose and desire of mine heart then vpon these premises will follow this happy conclusion Therefore thou are one of those that shall inherit the kingdome of heauen But on the other side if this be the assumption which thy con-conscience maketh Thou playest the hypocrite before God and dealest deceitfully with men thou liuest vnjustly and followest after lies vpon these premises it will follow necessarily That thou art not such an one as shall inherit the kingdome of heauen And therefore as thou wouldest hope to be saued so repent of these sinnes and embrace the contrary vertues which are here set downe as the proper notes of Gods children But let vs come to the fourth note which as also the third whereof euen now I spake respecteth the tongue and the same in part may be sayd of the eight Now whereas the holy Ghost among the ten notes of Gods children taketh two or three from the toung it appeareth that great regard is to be had of the tongue For howsoeuer many make but light account of their words which are they say but wind notwithstanding the holy Ghost affirmeth that death and life are in the power of the tongue and as men loue to vse it so shall they eate the fruit thereof And Christ our Sauiour after he had said that men are to giue an account of their idle words he adjoyneth this reason for by thy words saith he thou shalt be iustified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Wherefore let vs learne to gouerne our tongue otherwise we shall be conuicted by three notes out of this Psalme that we neither are sound members of the Church militant nor shall be inheritors of glory in the Church triumphant but rather shall shew our profession of religion though otherwise neuer so glorious to be but vaine For as Iames saith If any man among you seemeth religious and refraineth not his tongue but deceiueth his owne heart that mans religion is vaine Moreouer betwixt the third note and this fourth there is great assinitie For thereby are signified two duties of the tongue which may not be seuered the contrary affirmatiue being vnderstood vnder this negatiue namely that the speech of the vpright man concerning his neighbour is full of charitie whereby The is so farre from