Speak every man the truth to his Neighbour First to make plain the words and the meaning of them This Commandement is not delivered in one word as some of the others but consists of divers words which rendred according to the Hebrew run thus Non respondebis testimonium falsum super vicinum tuum thou shalt not answer a false testimony concerning thy Neighbour The words non respondebis thou 〈◊〉 not answer must be understood according to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 in which to answer is to speak whether there be any question asked or no. So the Evangelists often begin a story thus Jesus answered and said though no man spake to him nor demanded any thing of him So that by answering is not meant onely speaking the truth when it is demanded but also to speak truth 〈◊〉 we speak though no question be asked of us For the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth 〈◊〉 to speak or utter ones minde and therefore we finde it used to expresse singing as in Exod. 32. 18. where Moses saith he heard vocem cantantium the voice of them that sung 〈◊〉 the same word is used so that it signifies to speak either by way of question or answer or otherwise Although it be true the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie generally to speak and so is often rendred by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sometimes by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respondeo and though all contained under the general signification may be reduced hither yet it is more probable that literally and properly in this place the word is strictly taken for answering because the custome was among the Jews that the Judges did adjure the witnesses by the name of God to speak the truth to which the witnesses made answer and therefore whereas we reade Levit. 5. 1. If a soul sin and hear the voyce of swearing and be a witnesse c The Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is rendred by the Greck 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 the voyce of one adjuring c. as referring to the adjuration of the Judge to which the 〈◊〉 was to answer So also guilty persons or such as were accused were wont 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 as we see in the example of Achan adjured by Joshua and of our Saviour adjured by the High Priest The form of such adjurations was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Give glory to God as in that place of Josh. and John 9. 24. or in other words equivalent as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I adjure thee to speak the truth to me in the name of the Lord 1 Kings 22. 16. The next word is witnesse Thou shalt not bear false witnesse c. which we 〈◊〉 applyed four wayes in Scripture 1. To the great and chief witnesse God himself When 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 accused by his friends he appeals to this 〈◊〉 Ecce testis meus est in Coel. s 〈◊〉 my witnesse is in heaven and S. John saith There are three that bear witnesse in heaven the 〈◊〉 the Word and the Spirit every person in the Deity is a 〈◊〉 of the truth and 〈◊〉 witnesses we have of our thoughts words and 〈◊〉 whether they be 〈◊〉 or evil These are true and faithful 〈◊〉 God is often stiled the God of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 is called that true and faithful witnesse yea truth it 〈◊〉 and the Holy Ghost is Spiritus veritatis the Spirit of truth These are the witnesses with whose testimony we must 〈◊〉 our selves This must be our comfort 〈◊〉 our praise is not of men but of God who onely can judge of the sincerity 〈◊〉 our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men may often be applauded by the wicked when a good man shall be slighted 〈◊〉 such 〈◊〉 shall not stand a man in stead it is not the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 that makes one praise worthy nay it 〈◊〉 a great judgement to be well spoken of and 〈◊〉 by wicked men Wo be to you saith Christ when all men shall 〈◊〉 well of you Qui laudatur ab hominibus vituperante Deo 〈◊〉 salvabitur ab hominibus damnante 〈◊〉 He that is praised by men when God abhors him shall not be saved by men when God condemns him He is not a Jew that is one out wardly but he that is one inwardly whose praise is not of 〈◊〉 but of God Therefore the Apostle when the 〈◊〉 past rash judgement upon him tels them 〈◊〉 pro minimo 〈◊〉 c. It is a small matter for me to be judged of you 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 me is the Lord. 2. Now 〈◊〉 this great witnesse in the second place cometh 〈◊〉 witnesse which the Apostle 〈◊〉 of Rom. 2. 15. Attestante ipsis conscientia Their conscience bearing them witnesse and Rom. 9. 1. I 〈◊〉 the truth in Christ my conscience also bearing me 〈◊〉 Of 〈◊〉 the Heathen man said that it is 〈◊〉 testis as a thousand witnesses because it is the knowledge of our selves and of our own 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 him Miserum miserable Qui contemnit 〈◊〉 testem that despiseth this witnesse For 〈◊〉 that regards not the testimony of his own conscience will not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this Commandement in bearing 〈◊〉 witnesse against his brother and when men 〈◊〉 not to the voice of their conscience it is the beginning of all apostasie both in faith and practice and therefore the Apostle saith that the wrath of God is 〈◊〉 from Heaven against all such as suppresse or smother the truth in unrightcousnesse 〈◊〉 when men have a wicked affection or inclination to any sinful act and though their consciences speak unto them and tell them this they ought not to do and they will not hearken unto it then they detain the truth in unrighteousnesse for they suppresse and keep down the truth as a prisoner which would shine forth in their hearts For 〈◊〉 the Heathen man said the foundation of Gods justice begins here when he speaks in the hearts and consciences of men and they will notwithstanding do the contrary for this moves God to leave them to themselves and as s. Paul saith to give them over to strong delusions that they may believe lies And though this witnesse be great yet God is greater then our consciences as s. Paul and s. John say and therefore S. Paul saith that though our hearts acquit us yet are we not thereby justified Men do often dream strange things of themselves and are deceived in their judgement and purposes for the heart of man as the Prophet speaks is deceitful above all things and therefore when our consciences come to be 〈◊〉 up coram magno judice before that great Judge it will appear that in many things we have been mistaken which made S. Paul say That though he knew nothing by himself yet was he not thereby justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For he that judgeth me saith he is the Lord.
coherence of this with the foregoing Commandement and the dependance thereof upon it Some give this reason That whereas in the former all unjust wayes of getting are forbidden amongst which lying and false speaking is one For the Heathen man said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where a lye must be made let it be made And where must a lye be made he answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when any gain is to be got by it Therefore to meet with this common 〈◊〉 of men God restrains all lying and false testimony in this Commandement And this reason of the dependance hath some shew in it 〈◊〉 conceive that as God establisht authority in the fifth Commandement for the good of humane society and in the three next gave order for promiscuous duties which are common to all so here in this if there should be any breach of those three last whereby men must have 〈◊〉 to Judges and make use of their authority because those in authority must proceed upon evidence and proof by witnesses Therefore God sets this Commandement in the next place wherein he takes order for witnesses to speak the truth and not to give false testimony against any This seems to have 〈◊〉 from several places of Scripture for if any should violate the sixth Commandement the Elders of the City were to examine the matter and sentence was to bee given upon him by the testimony of witnesses So for the seventh If any man should 〈◊〉 his Wife the Elders of the City must judge of the matter and the father and mother of the woman shall witnesse of her virginity And for the eighth the like order is taken 〈◊〉 goods deposite stollen out of a mans house if 〈◊〉 thief could not be found the master of the house must be brought before the Judges to speak whether he put out his hand to the stollen goods So that we see for the rectifying of whatsoever is amisse in those three Commandements this was added It is not enough to have authority and Judges c. but there must be witnesses to prove matters of fact And therefore under the Law God gave special 〈◊〉 both for giving witnesse and for receiving the testimony of witnesses Others upon the comparison which the holy Ghost makes between credit or good name and wealth preferring that before this and because that honesta fama an honest report or good name is alterum patrimonium another patrimony therefore they give this reason of the coherence that because order was taken for other patrimonies in the next before this therefore here he takes order for the preserving of a good name which is that secundum or alterum patrimonium a second patrimony But the second opinion is most probable to which the best Expositors incline For the Prophet Esay reproving the people for departing from God by lying and uttering words of falsehood addes that judgement was turned backward and justice stood afar off because this was Germanus effectus the proper and natural effect of false witnesse to pervert justice and judgement and therefore it is that false testimony is abomination to God For lying lips saith the Wiseman are an abomination to the Lord. And therefore God took order that if a false witnesse should arise against any man to testifie falsely concerning the breach of any of the other Commandements the Judges should enquire and punish him with the same punishment whether pecuniary or corporal which the party wrongfully accused should have suffered Now for the scope and purpose of the Lawgiver in this precept it is four fold 1. In respect of himself his own glory which is manifested by truth for in himself God is truth and his Spirit is the spirit of truth his Mercy Justice and other Attributes are manifested by his truth and fidelity God therefore would have truth preserved truth in Religion makes for his glory Therefore Christ who aimed in all things at the glory of his Father saith For this cause he was born to bear witnesse of the truth and so by proportion it is the end for which every man is born to bee a witnesse to Gods truth If any shall speak or preach any falsehood or untruth as from God they dishonour him and therefore the Apostle saith that if Christ were not risen from the dead himself and others who had preached the same would be found false witnesses against God by preaching an untruth And not by truth in matters of Religion but also in civil judicatures God is honoured by speaking the truth And therefore when Achan was questioned about the 〈◊〉 Joshua sayes My sonne give glory to God when hee would have him for to confesse his fault So that confession of the truth brings glory to God as well in judicial matters as in matters of Religion 2. In respect of the Church saint Peter speaks of some as he cals them Magistri mendaces lying Masters or false Teachers who endangered the souls of them that heard them For besides the dishonour of Gods Name by false Teachers there is also a hazard of the peoples soules by their false Doctrine Quis est mendax nisi qui negat Jesum esse Christum saith Saint John Who is a lyar but he that denies that JESUS is the CHRIST He that affirms any Heretical false Doctrine is a lyar and by his lyes endangers the soules of the people The preserving of truth then not onely in regard of Gods glory but also for the safety and good of the Church is another end of this Commandement 3. In respect of the Common-wealth that 〈◊〉 and Peace might bee preserved by witnessing the truth Abraham called the Well which he had digged Beerjheba the Well of the Oath and that he might peaceably enjoy it gave Abimelech seven Lambs to witnesse that the Well was his and that Cumulus testimonii that heap of witnesse was a heap of stones placed as a witnesse of the covenant between Jacob and Laban that they would live at peace as friend and allyes So under the Law all proceedings of justice were to be establisht by truth which must be by the testimony of witnesses and therefore all publick acts 〈◊〉 justice were to bee grounded upon the truth of some witnesses Save onely in the case of Jealousie 4. In respect of every private man this Commandement is the fence of every mans name and credit which is of much worth For a good name fastneth a mans bones saith the Wiseman It doth him much good within and so it doth without also for it casts a sweet savour and therefore is compared to a sweet ointment poured forth and if it come to be prized it passeth gold and silver For a good name is rather to be chosen then great riches and loving favour rather then silver and gold as Solomon saith And indeed it is the cause of both especially of the latter
publica infamia nor ex semiplena probatione upon publick fame nor upon probable grounds but were to make him accuse himself in such cases a man may not answer And again in some 〈◊〉 if there be two things in the accusation and both true he may answer to the one and occultare partem veritatis hide or conceal the other part as S. Paul did when he was accused for perceiving that part were Sadduces who denyed the resurrection and part 〈◊〉 who held the resurrection he cryed out that he was a 〈◊〉 and held the resurrection and for that was questioned which was true for that was one thing for which he was called in question but it was not that alone So if a man have diverse wayes to defend himself he may choose which he will as he that hath diverse weapons may use which he will for his own defence But if according to due form of Law he be proceeded against he must answer as Achan did when Joshua urged him to confesse the truth 2. Whereas the benefit of appeal is granted for a remedy of those that are oppressed if any shall use appeals meerly to protract the cause and avoid a just sentence this is a second fault in the Defendant for this is to delay 〈◊〉 contrary to Jethro's advise who would not have people wait long for justice but to be dispatcht that they might go home to their place in peace 1. The Defendant offends if when sentence is given he do not submit to it for Qui resistit Dei ordinationi resistit he that resisteth resisteth the ordinance of God 5. For the witnesse he may likewise 〈◊〉 guilty diverse wayes 1. If being lawfully required by a Superiour demanding his testimony and asking him nothing that is 〈◊〉 to the matter in question if he do not declare all that he knows for the Law is 〈◊〉 that a witnesse if he 〈◊〉 not utter 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 seen and known shall bear his 〈◊〉 2. Though one be not required by a Superiour yet if it be to 〈◊〉 an Innocent man in danger he is bound to bear witnesse and he 〈◊〉 if he be silent Solomon makes it no small sin not to give testimony for the preservation of an innocent person If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn to death and those that are ready to be slain if thou 〈◊〉 behold I knew it not doth not he that 〈◊〉 the heart consider and shall not be render to every one according to his works But out of these cases if one not be called to witnesse by a Superiour or if an innocent person be not 〈◊〉 by his silence and if he be not examined about other things which belong not to the matter in question he is not 〈◊〉 to answer 3. Besides these Solomon intimates another way whereby a witnesse may offend when he bears false witnesse to deliver the wicked for though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hand yet shall not the wicked escape unpunished The Greeks have a Proverb Da 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jusjurandum lend me an oath This lending an oath is that which Solomon calls a joyning of hand in hand and he saith plainly that though they may escape the hands of men yet shall they not escape unpunished that is God will be sure to punish them 6. Sixtly and lastly for the Advocate he may offend two wayes 1. If he undertake an evil cause knowing it so to be This is a great sin God saith having first prohibited any to raise a false report Put not thy hand unto the wicked to be an unrighteous witnesse now he that pleads 〈◊〉 a bad cause puts his hand to the wicked And in the third verse it s added Thou shalt not countenance a poor man in his cause viz. if his cause be bad If a man might plead for any in a bad cause surely it might be for a poor man but even for a poor man he must not Jehu said to Jehosaphat Wilt thou help the wicked and love them that hate the Lord therefore is wrath upon thee from the Lord. And the Apostle saith that not onely the doers of evil things are worthy of death but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that take pleasure in them or consent to them such are they that plead for them they give their placet as we use to do at congregations in the Universitie Greeks used the same words and gave their suffrages by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it pleaseth me and therefore whosoever pleads for the wicked cryes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am pleased with it he helps him and is partaker of his sin with him 2. Another way is by the Wise man when a man for defence of a cause in difference though it be good perverts the Law or receives a bribe The wicked 〈◊〉 he takes a gift out of the bosome to wrest the wayes of judgement As it is evil to joyn with the wicked to help an evil cause for he that saith to the wicked thou art just him shall the people curse so to bolster any cause by wrong means and thereby to pervert the course of judgement is wicked And because judgement is not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the bench but also in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the place of consultation therefore false witnesse or testimony must not be given in elections or in choice of men to places or preferments for there ought to be justice and truth in both and he that gives his voice for one unworthy bears false witnesse and goes against justice and truth 〈◊〉 justice as the Philosopher defines it well is rectitudo in affectu impressa a recta ratione a rectitude stamped upon the affections by right reason and as electio dicit excellentiam so excellentia dicit magis aut plus as Election or choyce imports excellency in the party elected so excellency imports the best or most eminent now that in our choyce the best is alwayes to be chosen is the second rule in moral Philosophy which he that follows not goes against the truth and so justice is broken CHAP. IIII. Of false witnessing out of judgement Four things to which the tongue may do harme The branches of this kinde of false witnessing 1. Contumelious speaking 2. Taunting 3. Backbiting Which is 1. By words 2. By letters 3. By deeds 4. In all these a man may be a false witnesse 〈◊〉 he speak the truth AND thus we have done with false testimony given in judgement Now for that which is out of judgement When a man is out of judgement he is not to say with those in the Psalm Ego sum Dominus linguae meae my tongue is my own I may speak what I will for nemo est Dominus sui nisi ad licita no man is Lord of his own further then to imploy it for a lawful use Solomon hath a strange speech Be not a witnesse against thy 〈◊〉 without cause
by divers of their own writers 2. And if their fabulous part come short of our religion for Antiquity then much shorter must that part needs be which is true For Varro who lived not above fifty years before our Saviours time saith that the true Story of the Heathen could not be derived above 700 yeers before his time And it is sure that the most ancient records of theirs which are true began with the seven wise men of Greece of whom Solon was the chief and most ancient and he was contemporary with Croesus he with Cyrus and Esdras with him Now Esdras was one of the last Canonical writers of the old Testament So that we may safely conclude this against the Heathen religion that almost the whole story of the Bible was written before any authentique writer or record was extant of the Heathen story and most part of it was written before the fabulous part of it was delivered to them in writing Their ancientest Historiographer is Herodotus who beginneth his story with the acts of Croesus By all which we may plainly perceive that Christian Religion is of farre greater antiquity then the Heathen This also we may adde that whatsoever is either good or true in their Religion was had from the Jewes For the Druides among the Gauls and the Bardi an offspring of them derive all theirs from the Greeks as also the Romans and the Greeks from Cecrops an Egyptian as also the Carthaginians from Cadmus a Phoenician Now Phoenicia bordereth northward upon Jury and Egypt southward So that all that was good in the Heathen Religion must be derived from the Jews The wise men of Greece enquiring of their Oracles how they might get wisdom and from whence the knowledge of arts was to be had received this answer that it was to be had from the Chaldees Solus utique Chaldeus sapiens the Chaldean was truely the onely wise man Which speech in the Greek idiotisme denoteth some particular part of the Chaldeans which was the Jews For Abraham coming from Chaldea was reputed a Chaldean and the Jewes from him were termed Chaldeans Orpheus also the Poet saith that when God being angry with mankinde had destroyed all he revealed all knowledge and wisdom uni Chaldeo ' to one Chaldean onely And Plato in his Epimenides referred all learning uni Barbaro If we enquire who by this Chaldeus or Barbarus was meant the Egyptians tell us by calling him Theut which in the Chaldee language signifies a stranger which in all probability must be applied to Abraham who was by God called out of Chaldea And Eusebius out of Manetho testifies that Abraham was had in such reverence in those parts that their chiefest Exorcisms were wont to be per deum Abraham by the god Abraham And the same Manetho alledgeth that in many places of those countreys in their Temples and elswhere his name was written and engraven for memory of him Again the verses of Phocylides the Poet who lived in the fifty ninth Olympiad seem to be translated verbatim out of the Law of Moses and may be particularly pointed at in Deuteronomy Numbers and Exodus But to examine their own records Plutarch saith that Solon fetched all his wisdom from the Egyptians and Plato his from Chaldea Strabo saith that Pythagoras had daily conference in Mount Carmel and that in that mount were ambulachra Pythagorea Pythagoras walks and there be some of the Heathen that report him to be circumcised Eusebius saith out of one Clearchas a Peripatetick that though Aristotle were never in Egypt yet he daily conser'd with an Egyptian or a Jew And Demetrius Phalereus that was Librarie keeper of Ptolomeus Philadelphus in Egypt told him that he heard the Disciples of Aristotle say that divers Philosophers and Poets had attempted to translate the Old Testament into Greek And in the same book in the Epistle of Aristobulus it is said that part thereof was translated before the Persian Empire began long before it was translated by the Septuagint or seventy men But it appeareth that it hath pleased God in a most strange manner to leave some Register or Chronicle in every famous Nation of it as among the Egyptians Manetho Sanchoniathon among the Phoenicians Berosus among the Chaldeans In Asia Minor Rabbi Abidelus among the Persians Megasthenes c. In Herodotus we shall finde the storie of Sennacherib the edict of Cyrus and almost the whole prophecie of Daniel though somewhat corrupted It is storied by Josephus that Alexander being to travail towards Persia and hearing that the Jews denyed to pay him tribute and for some other affronts as he conceived came towards Jerusalem with purpose utterly to destroy the Jews Whereupon Jaddua the High Priest in his rich and white ornaments accompanied with other Priests met him in the way Assoon as Alexander cast his eye 〈◊〉 Jaddua and remembred that in a vision he had seen one in all resemblance like 〈◊〉 him who had encouraged him to attempt the conquest of the world and as 〈◊〉 he had been a God suddenly alighted and 〈◊〉 down worshipped before him but being admonished thereof by Parmenio he said he worshipped that God whose Priest he was and afterward when Jaddua had shewed him and expounded 〈◊〉 Prophecy concerning his Monarchy he gave large priviledges to the Jews and dismissed them honourably After his dayes by the means of Ptolemy in requital of the Interpreters pains taken in translating the Bible the Jews Religion was much propagated Laertius in the life of Epimenides saith that the Athenians consulting with the Oracle concerning the cause of a great plague among them were answered that they were not to sacrifice to their own gods as in the Acts but to another which was above theirs and had sent this plague among them and withal that they must appease him by Sacrifice But the plague neverthelesse continuing they sent again to know where they should sacrifice the answer was they should let the beasts go voluntarily and where they staid they should sacrifice The horses hereupon were turned loose with sacrifices upon their backs and they stayed in the street of Mars in a fair broad place where they built an Altar and dedicated it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the unknown God The like is in the Roman story The Romans in memory of a victory obtained of their enemies erected a Temple to Bacchus calling it Templum pacis 〈◊〉 the everlasting Temple of peace And afterwards consulting with their Oracle how long it should continue received this answer Donec peperit virgo while a virgin should bring forth a child which because they conceived would never be they called it eternum But at the time when Christ was born in the shutting up of an evening the Temple fell to the ground of it self And thus much for the Antiquity of Christian religion and consequently for the truth of it according to the Maxime of Philosophers Quod primum id verum that is true which
of the Laws of the twelve Tables at Rome Qui falsum testimonium dixerit Tarpeio Saxo dejiciatur Hee that shall beare false witnesse let him be cast down from the Tarpeian Rock And Phocylides counselleth not to utter lyes but to speak the truth in all things Now in the other four they had a dimmer light for they were not so manifest to them 1. For the first though wee finde most of them speaking of gods in the plural number yet it was well known to the Philosophers that there was but one God and especially to Pythagoras who could say Si quis se deum dixerit paepter unum qui omnia fecerit novum faciat mundum If any one shall say that he is a god but he that made all things let him prove it by making a new World And so Sophocles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unus in veritate unus Deus There is one in truth there is one God and so said Orpheus and Varro and this they maintained in their Schools 2. For the second they agreed that every god should be worshipped according to the manner that himself should think best So Socrates in Plato's Respublica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every god should be worshipped as he liked And this is the very foundation of the second Commandement But for the thing it self S. Augustine out of Varro saith That Varro did much approve of the Jews religion because it excluded Images holding it the best way to keep Religion undefiled by excluding them and that if all people else had taken that course it had been a means to take away much trifling 4. For the fourth very little is to bee found and yet they had this Canon among them that numerus septenarius the number of seven was numerus quietis a number of rest and that it was Deo gratissimus a number pleasing to God From which and from the report they heard of the Jews observing the seventh 〈◊〉 rest they might have gathered a conclusion that God would have rest upon that day And it was their practise in their funerals to have their 〈◊〉 the seventh day aster a mans death and seven dayes together they would mourn and they gave their children names the seventh day after their birth and all this because they held it Saturns number 10. For the tenth Menander hath this saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do not concupiscere or desire so much as another mans pin or button And indeed though in their Lawes they never touched this yet the scope of them all did tend and drive to this end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non concupiscere they were against concupiscence And hence we may conclude with Saint Paul Rom. 2. 15. That the Gentiles having the Law written in their hearts were inexcusable Now to shew that the Heathen had also the rules and grounds before mentioned we may thus prove 1. There was written upon the door of the Temple of their god Apollo at Delphos in the upper part of it the letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Thou art shewing thereby that God alone hath a being of himself and that we depend on him and that if any did ask 〈◊〉 at the Oracle they should do what the god commanded and that was subdere deo quod commune habes cum angelis to subject their Angel-like reason to God 2. Secondly upon one leaf of the door was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nosce reipsum know thy self that man should take notice how much better he was then beasts and his minde then his body and knowing his soul to be better then theirs he should not abase it with vile things and that was subdere rationi quod commune habet cum brutis to subdue to reason those faculties which were common with beasts 3. Thirdly upon the other leaf was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a rule of sober living against covetousnesse and profutenesse fac quod vis pati doe as thou wouldst have done unto thee to avoid injustice Besides this they had legem 〈◊〉 a law of retaliation like for like nemo facit injuriam qui velit idem sibi fieri no man commits an injury or doth wrong that would be willing to have the like done to himself And therefore when the Emperour Alexander Severus heard this sentence Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris do not that to another which thou wouldest not have done to thy self he ever after used it to malefactours and caused it to be graven in his plate And thus we see the Heathen had rules for their actions and for the whole substance of their obedience So much then for the Action Secondly for the manner Toti Totum Semper or Toto tempore 1. For Toti they had this rule among them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We must do it with all our minde strength heart and affection else not at all 2. For Totum the whole duty T is Plutarchs comparison if we eat not up the whole fish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it will do us no good but harm but if we eat it all it will be wholsome and medicinable both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So they found fault with Caesar for using this sentence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Si violandum est jus regnandi causa violandum in 〈◊〉 rebus pietatem colas If justice be to be broken it would be for a kingdom in other things live godly And this is the case of every sinner so the unclean person saith If ever chastity be to be violated it is for Bathsheba in others it shall be kept So Plautus Solis amatoriis perjuriis dii dabunt veniam the gods will pardon perjuries in lovers only But justice must be totally kept and not broken for any respect nor any other vertue if we so do we omit part of the whole and entire duty required of us this the Heathen knew 3. For Semper or toto tempore all the dayes of our life They held that a good man should continue so to his end they resembled him to a tetragonism all sides alike like to a Dye they would have him to be homo quadratus ever like himself never like to a Camelion often changing his colour inconstant sometimes good sometime bad now in now out but he must continue ever one and the same 1. For the reward we see that they held that their god Jupiter had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sheet of Parchmine made of the skin of that Goat that nourished him wherein he wrote all mens deeds and for those that had done well he had his three graces to reward them in this life and his Elisian fields in the world to come answerable to Paradise in Scripture 2. And for punishment they likewise held that he had his three Erinnyes or Furies in this life and Tartarus Styx and Cacytus in the life to come according to Tophet and Gehenna in Scripture And thus we see that the 〈◊〉 are
God bestowed a further light upon him So that if men use Cornelius means and not suppresse the light they have God will give them his grace and further light to lead them into all necessary truthes 3. The third is Apollos means to have paratum cor to be ready and willing to encrease the knowledge we have already These are the principal means other means were mentioned before when we spake of knowledge The signes of true religion were foure of which formerly we have spoken and therefore will but name them 1. The Antiquity 2. The purging of the soul. 3. The beginning and growth of it And 4. Lastly the examples of excellent vertues in the professors All these Saint Augustine accounteth the especial signes The sixth rule for purging it in others King David desired that he might not die yet because the dust could not declare Gods truth And our Saviour saith that he was borne and came into the world to beare witnesse unto the truth And on the contrary we are commanded to mark and avoyd those which cause division and offences contrary to true doctrine CHAP. XVI The third thing required in the 1. Commandement is to have onely the true God which includes Sincerity Reasons hereof The Contraries to sincerity Means of sincerity Signes of sincerity Of procuring it in others Thus much for the second general proposition and the vertue therein required viz religion Now for the third Habebis me solum Deum We must have him onely for our God and this includes Sincerity It is not enough to have him for our God but we must have him alone for our God none but me as the Chaldee and Septuagint read Our Saviour saith thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve which is 〈◊〉 one with Deut. 6. 13. and 10. 20. onely there is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him onely but it is supplied by our Saviour and all comes from the same spirit The reasons were touched before yet we will mention some of them again 1. The first is because it trencheth upon Gods honour and glory to have a partner and that men should worship other gods The Apostles end their 〈◊〉 with Soli Deo 〈◊〉 et gloria Rom. 2. Peter and Saint Iude. And the reason the Prophet gives My glory saith God will I not give to another his glory is indivisible if any will adde a partner see the conditions 1 Sam. 7. 3. God promiseth 〈◊〉 the people will leave serving of other gods he will be their deliverer but if they serve any other gods he will deliver them no more but bids them go to them and let them save them 2. Another is taken from the titles given to God as a father a king a 〈◊〉 O hearken to the voice of my calling My king A husband I will marry thee 〈◊〉 me saith God by the Prophet A Master If I be a Master where is my feare And of all these we can have but one but one father one husband one king one master We cannot serve God and Mammon And therefore we can have but one God 3. The third was touched before To joyne any with him who is below him and whosoever he is he must be below him is to abase him if we could joyn any that were equal or his match it were otherwise If we joyn worse with better it disgraces it wine with water is the weaker If you go to Bethel and erect an altar to Jehovah you must put a way other strange gods No halting with the Israelites between God and Baal No swaering by Jehovah and Malcom with one breath No keeping the feast with leaven no mixture in religion but our passeover must be kept with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth saith the Apostle And therefore all mixture was forbiden under the Law both in figure Deut. 22. 9 and by expresse precept Deut. 4. 10. there must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speaks 2. Cor. 1. 22. a judging of mixt and counterfeit wares by bringing them to the sun God will search with lanthorns sincerity is sine cera pure honey without waxe such must our religion be The thing forbidden and opposite to sincerity is 1. Mixture in religion and that both in respect of the matter of it and of our affections towards it 1. For the matter Our Saviour saith No man putteth new and old cloth together in a garment or new wine into old vessells This mixture of religion corrupteth it as that of the Turks is a religion compounded of all and the Pagans worship diverse gods The whore of Babylon is said to have a mixt cup Rev. 18. 6. 2 For the mixture of affections As our religion ought to be sincere so our affections A mixture of hot and cold maks lukewarm which temper is lothsome to Christ. The religion of such is for their ends not for Gods glory as they which sought Christ for the loaves They are duplici corde as Saint Iames calls them There is no worse fault then to be lukewarm therefore we must be resolved to be either hot or cold 2. The other extreame forbidden is the defect as that of mixture in excesse that is when men will so reforme and purifie religion that they destroy it Pro. 〈◊〉 23. The wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood qui mungit nimium sanguinem elicit he that will make his nose too cleare makes it bleed so when men will cleanse the church too much instead of purifying it from mixtures in composition they give it a bloody nose as sectaries and hereticks usually do who alwayes pretend reformation when they rend the church and make it bleed sometimes to death The means of sincerity in religion 1. There is no better then that which is implied in that wish of Christ I would thou wert cold or hot we must avoyd lukewarmnes which causes wavering in religion and come to a resolution we must resolve to be what we professe and to stick to the truth then we shall be mel sincerum pure hony sine cera purified from all mixture 2. When we are resolved to adhere to the truth then we must come to the price and value aright It is true that Job saith Man knoweth not the price of it Though we would give our selves and all we have for it yet we cannot give a full price for it and therefore must not for any price part with it Merchants use to set a mark upon their clothes or other wares of the lowest price they will sell them at now the truth is of such a value that we cannot set any price whereupon to part with it How high soever our price be if we part with it God may say to us as the Prophet doth in the person of Christ when they weighed for his price thirty pieces of silver a goodly price it is
all strife And although God be not so much glorified in this as in the other yet in regard of our necessary use of an oath this hath in a manner taken up the whole Commandment there being little mention of the other Concerning which we must shew first the nature of the duty and then proceed according to the former rules given for expounding the several commandments Concerning the nature of an oath this will appear if we consider 1. The necessity or the causes and grounds of an oath 2. The parts of it 3. How it tends to Gods glory 1. For the first It is expedient and necessary that all strises and controversies should have an end and not be continued which cannot be unlesse the one part of the matter in controversie be confirmed above the other And therefore we finde that before God would proceed to judgement against Sodom he would go down first ut certo cognoscat that he may know the certainty and proceed upon a 〈◊〉 ground Now the best way of proceeding to finde out the truth is by arguments and reasons where they may be had which course Joseph took to know the truth whether his brethren were spies or no by bringing with them their brother Benjamin when they returned for thereby it would certainly appear that they were no spies But when Arguments or reasons are wanting then are we to come to the second cause which is by witnesses a way approved by God himself who appointed that in the mouths of two or three witnesses every truth should be established And because that many times not onely proof by arguments but by witnesses also is wanting there is a necessity of calling God to witnesse which is by an oath So God appointed that in case of jealousie or suspition of a womans honestie by her husband though she were not taken in the deed nor the act could be proved yet she should clear her self by oath and swear she had not defiled her self Now this necessity of appealing to God by an oath as it is sometimes in regard of the action which is hid from others so likewise it is needful in two other cases as when assurance or certainty is to be had De occultis cordium of the secret thoughts and purposes of the heart which canot be known by external proof for who knows the heart saith the Prophet save God alone who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the searcher of the heart and secondly when it is to be concerning things to come for as the Wise man saith who knoweth what shall be No man is omniscient he cannot know the heart nor foresee future contingents In these cases therefore when the fact is hidden or not evident or when the intention of the heart must be made appear or a thing future must be ascertained there can be no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no confirmation but by oath other proofs do here fail and come short And here if the matter of the oath be de facte or relate to what is past it is called Juramentum assertorium an oath of Assertion if it be de futuro of something to come it is called Juramentum promissorium an oath promissory or of promise And in both these when other arguments or testimonies fail there is no other way but to fly to God to make him a witnes and not onely a witnes but a judge and an avenger also if we call him to witnes an untruth for an oath is nothing else but a calling of God to witnes the truth of what we say and to be avenged on us if we speak an untruth or perform not what we say And here in the next place comes to be considered the two parts of an oath according to these two For first 1. God is called as a 〈◊〉 whether the thing be true and 2. he is called forth as an avenger if the thing be false 1. The first is sub Deo teste a contestation or taking God to witnes vsed by God himself As I live saith the Lord and by the fathers and holy men in the old testament who used to say vivit Dominus As the Lord liveth I will do this or that c. 2. The second is sub Deo vindice which is called execration that is the calling of a curse upon themselves if it be not true which they speak And what these curses are we may read in Levit 26. and Deut. 28. Where there are whole catalogues of threatenings of revenge The 〈◊〉 therefore was in the old testament Sic faciat mihi dominus et addat God do so to me and more also if this be not truth c. Let God adde to the first plague the second also This form was vsed by Eli to Samuel God do so to thee and more if thou hide any thing from me Now when one is brought to this that he hath called God to witnes the truth of what he speaks and to be an avenger if he have called him to witnes an untruth then according to to the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an oath which properly signifies a hedge or inclosure he hath hedged in and inclosed himself with Gods truth and justice to performe it and so he that swears is holden and bound persistere in dicto 〈◊〉 pollicito to persist in his saying and to perform his promise And as an cath is an hedge to him that sweares so to him to whom the oath is made or given it is a satisfying or satisfaction according to the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shebugnah juramentum or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shibegnah saturitas which comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shabagn saturari to be filled or satisfied because the party to whom one swears ought to be satisfied herewith to which agrees the Latine translation of Saint Hierome pro jure habere that is now that I have put him to an oath I have bound my self as it were by a law to rest therein And thus an oath coms to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an end of controversy And thus we see the causes which make an oath necessary in respect of men but because our necessity is not enough to make it an act good and lawful unlesse God have glory by it therfore we must know in the next place that an oath duely made brings much glory to God 1. For first it is a rule in reason that nihil confirmatur nisi per certius a thing cannot be confirmed but by what is more certain this then brings great honour to God that when all other purposes and demonstrations fail his name is acknowledged to be Turris Fortissima a most strong tower that his testimonie is more certain then all reasons and testimonies of men When we hereby account of it as the wiseman saying The name of the Lord is a strong tower of defence the righteous run to it and are exalted The very
as most necessary to purge the Civil Body from evil persons as the Natural from evil and peccant humours God himself held this course in his Common-wealth It is often repeated by him in the Old Law Sic tolletis malum de medio Israelis so shall ye take away evil in Israel And S. Pauls rule also to the Corinthians in the case of Incest was Vos autem auferetis malume vobis therefore put away that evil person from among you If the evil must be removed it must be known Physitians cure not the disease they know not And if it must be known before it be cured surely the guilty will not by their good wills be the parties that shall discover it hide it as much as they can they will We see it plainly in the first offenders They were more carefull by farre how to conceal then how to avoid committing their fault And the like course take all Offenders ever since Besides we know that some transgressions especially are opera tenebrarum works of darknesse few or none come to the knowledge of them If then sin be to be removed and that cannot be done if not known and not to be discovered but from the Delinquents in respect of the secrecy and they not willing to discover them and that though some may take notice of them yet they will be loth to accuse because it is accounted to be an odious office to be accusator fratrum an accuser of the brethren what course then remains to finde out evil that it may be removed but the Magistrates power who are Gods Delegates to enquire Now God himself hath set them a pattern how this enquiry should be made who though nothing be hid from his all-seeing eyes and that he knoweth all things without any set form of Inquisition yet to prescribe us a form hath taken this course In the case of Adam upon suspition because of his fleeing into a Thicket And of Eve who upon Adams examination was found to be particeps criminis accessory by way of detection without accusation God thought fit to enquire of both In the case of Abels murther which was evident enquiry was made by God upon presumption because Cain had borne malice to Abel and being examined his countenance bewrayed him In that of the Sodomites upon a fame Clamor est multus the crye is great God will go down and enquire And this is warranted by God not onely by his own example and practise but by his command too in two places of the Law If thou shalt hear and If it shall be told thee of such and such a fault then thou shalt enquire and make search and ask diligently c. the proceedings must be perscrutando interrogando by interrogatories ministred to the party upon whom the fame went Under the Gospel also in the case of incest The Apostle layeth for his ground It is reported commonly among you So that if there be no accuser yet the Judge by Gods example and commandment and the practise of the Church is ex officio of duty to search out offences upon some or any of these grounds mentioned The next question is how shall the Judge interrogate whether upon the bare word of the party or whether may he lawfully minister an oath to finde out evil that it may be taken away In a sin against the seventh Commandment in the case of a woman suspected to deal falsly with her husband and that upon no other ground but her husbands jealousie the Judge was authorized to examine her upon oath and to make her abjure it by execration In a case against the eighth commandment between man and man If the one were perswaded that the other had falsified his trust he might convent him before the Judge who at the Plantiffs instance was to put the Defendant to his oath And so it seems to hold in the case of things found belonging to another man And in an action of trespasse the like As also in a case of Matrimony and usury upon promise of restoring part to the brethren who were in need and want Before the Law the first oath we finde given was that of Abraham to his Servant for his true dealing in a marriage for his son I will make thee sware saith the text The same form in administring an oath did 〈◊〉 use to 〈◊〉 concerning his burial Another oath we see given by 〈◊〉 to Esau concerning his birth-right If then this course of proceeding between man and man be allowed then much more a fortiori from a stronger ground in cases tending to the publick good Before the Law of Moses in the Patriarchs time In a matter of state 〈◊〉 charged his ten brethren as spies and without an accuser put them to their tryal So after it In the case of Elias who was suspected to be the cause of the long and great drought The King caused a search to be made for him all the land over so apprehend him and no mans denyal of him would serve but he put them to their oaths But in cases that concern the life of the party suspected the tendring an oath would seem hard For we see in the case of Achan where the thing concerned his life 〈◊〉 said not to him Swear to me but tell me what thou hast done And in that of 〈◊〉 unwittingly transgressing his fathers rash adjuration Saul said tell me what thou hast done not swear to me And so K. Zedekiah to 〈◊〉 I will ask of thee a thing hide nothing from me All these by interrogatories onely without the tie of an oath For as the Devil in Jobs case answered God Skin for skin yea all that a man hath will he give for his life And therefore to avoyd perjury an oath in these cases would be spared Besides publick oathes judicially taken there are oathes private and voluntary which may lawfully be vsed And this is warranted by the example and practise of the Saints of God as Saint Paul God is my witnes whom I serve in truth c. and lines by whom this kinde and manner of invocation or calling God to witnes hath ever bin accounted to have been equivalent to an oath Philo saith it among oothers Jusjurandum est tectificatio dei de re controversa it is no other but an attestation of God to what we aver And of this sort of oathes you have many in scripture As in the Covenant between Laban and Jacob and of that between the Elders of Gillead and Jopthah The Lord be witnes between us An d of Saint Paul I say the truth in or by Christ. And I call God to witnes or for a record upon my soul that to spare you c. And God is my record how greatly I long after you all So also the Angels and God himself as was touched before And
may think that to be true which is false and then we swear rashly and in vain Or we may know or think that to be false which is so and swear it for true and swear wickedly in vain And these two perjuries 〈◊〉 For in the first case though it be perjury yet it is not wiful As if I sell a horse and swear as I think he is sound yet proves lame In the other it is flat perjury As if I sell a jewel for true and right and swear it to be so though I know it to be a counterfeit stone Such was juramentum Petri S. Peters oath swearing that he knew not Christ a fearful thing it cost many tears before he recovered himself And there is a third perjury when we swear that to be true which we think false yet proves true As I ask a man whether a third person were at such a place at such a time he though he thinks he were not yet for some end swears he was and that proves true which he swears yet is he perjured For in the like case S. Augustine gives the reason Interest quemadmodum verbum procedat ex animo ream 〈◊〉 non facit nisi mens rea regard must be had to the heart whence words proceed the tongue sins not but where the minde sins with it Nor is it safe to swear with a mental reservation That hath not sworn deceitfully saith the Psalmist It is not he that shall dwell in Gods Tabernacle but he that 〈◊〉 the truth from his heart and that hath used no deceit in his tongue The Poets juravi lingua mentem injuratam gero will not serve the turn But the oath of the mouth must agree with the meaning of the heart God will not be mocked Deus sic accipit ut ille qui dat He will make a litteral interpretation of it For as Isidore saith Quacunque arte verborum quis juret Deus tamen qui 〈◊〉 test is est it a hoc accipit sicut ille cui juratur intelligit with what cunning soever of words one swears God who knows mans heart takes the oath as he to whom the oath is made doth understand it 2. And as in the oath of assertion so in that of promise a man may swear falsly too Either when we promise and binde that by oath which we mean not to perform As I borrow money and binde my self by oath to repay such a day and fail because I never meant or intended it Or when we do the like by oath and fail simply As I borrow money and see as well a possibility how I may repay it as a purpose in my self to perform and thereupon swear to repay at a set time in the interim before the day comes such losses befall me that I cannot do that I promised and intended The first of these is perjurium simplex absolutum The other per accidens and not so bad as the former But if one have power to perform his oaths and for self respects upon the change of times and circumstances refuse to perform it as Saul did to the Gibeonites violating the oath which Joshua and the people of Israel had made to them this is wicked and odious to God as we see in the punishment of Sauls posterity though the text saith he did it out of zeal for the house of Israel Nay to swear absolutely to do that which is not in our power is unlawful it is a sin to take such an oath it is a rash oath and if it be taken it bindes to no more then is in our power all such o aths ought to be with an expresse or tacite condition si Deus voluerit if God will and if we live and be able we will do this or that as S. James speaks of bare purposes which ought much more to be in oaths Therefore our care must be to swear truly Ne eloquaris mihi nisi veritatem in nomine Domini saith king Abab to Michaiah Tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the Lord. And we must imitate Saint Paul in the place before quoted I speak the truth in Christ my conscience bearing me witnes in the holy Ghost we must swear sine dolo malo and not seek to delude an oath by any sinister practise And this for the truth In judgement in discretion saith S. 〈◊〉 that is deliberatly as interpreters distinguish not rashly take time advise before thou swearest Not lightly but upon great necessity Be not rash with thy mouth saith the preacher consider that it is a holy thing thou goest about and that an oath is not bonum per se but bonum quia 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 necessarium extra terminos necessitatis is neither necessary nor good as a physicall potion which is to be taken onely when a man needs it and not otherwise We cannot say of swearing the oftner a man performes it the better it is as we may say of a good act but 〈◊〉 defectum when credit failes on the one part and the knowledge of a mans heart on the other part we must not come to swear but as David did to eat the shewbread in case of necessity Therefore neither Davids oath to kil Nabal nor Herods to take John Baptists head were good because there was no necessity in either they were both rash besides the unlawfulnes in the matter This swearing onely in case of necessity is to 〈◊〉 in judgement and is opposite to swearing in vain for it excludes 〈◊〉 finis when no end viz. Gods glory nor mans benefit do require it as also vanitatem cordis when the heart is light and unconstant not fixed and settled 2. Not rashly but reverently Holy and reverend is his name It was Gods charge not to pollute his name to wit by rash or common vse thereof without fear for holy is opposed to common or prophane and therefore when men swear out of anger or grief or other heady affection Gods name is polluted and prophaned And in case of necessity a truth is not to be sworn rashly but in fear and reverence The reason the preacher gives in the verse before named for God is in heaven and thou art on earth therefore be not rash with thy mouth And therefore good order is taken in the publick taking of an oath before a magistrate that neither the rules of judgement nor discretion be transgressed in not admitting any under age or any perjured person to swear and that men swear not but uncovered and the book of God the holy Bible to be toucht or laid before them with an admonition included in the form because of Gods more solemne presence at an oath taking and to stir up an awful deliberation and judgement in what men are to swear In righteousnesse or Justice And this consists for the most part in the promissory oath 1. First it must be in 〈◊〉 for
subject to this passion he doth not sentire se percussum not resent a blow Now if this anger cannot be prevented that it break not out it is to be sorrowed for and repented and we mnst labour to stop it in regard of the measure we must look to the suppuration or 〈◊〉 to have it healed and dried up A man may sometime be angry but he must not requiescere in ira as is said before S. Paul setteth us the longest time for keeping it Ne occidat Sol and the reason is every Christian is to offer his evening sacrifice of prayer and before we pray we must forgive The charge of this is set down negative and affirmative by S. Matthew from our Saviours mouth 〈◊〉 shew the necessity of it If ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you but if ye forgive not neither will your father forgive your trespasses And if we number our remissions or forgivings then ours shall be numbred to us by tally if we forgive sine fine numero we shall be forgiven in the like manner So much for Suppuratio Now for spuma the foaming of it out by the tongue He that doth this disquieteth his friends And yet we are to consider that we have to do with men and such men as sometime offend with the tongue though not with the will who is it that offendeth not with the tongue It is an unruly member no man can tame it David in his anger said All men are lyars Samuel and all because God had deferred that which Samuel told 〈◊〉 should come to passe the kingdom Seeing then that there is no man but offendeth with his tongue we should 〈◊〉 Davids practise esse tanquam surdus to be as it were deaf and give no regard to what we hear spoken in anger not to be deaf but tunquam surdus as one deaf is good in this case for when one hath heard evil 〈◊〉 words they are as the son of Syrach speaks like a coal of fire which if one blow on it it will kindle if he spit upon it it will go out The Heathen man considered this by the light of nature If he be thus angry without a cause quid faciet 〈◊〉 what will he be if I provoke him and requite one angry word with another And therefore the Philosopher when one reproached him cast up dust into the air and when the other asked him why he did so he answered Injicio pulverem vomitui tuo I throw dust to cover thy vomit and indeed it is nothing 〈◊〉 but vomitus bilis a 〈◊〉 of choler Solomon saith He that answers such a one whether he be in 〈◊〉 or in earnest he shall go by the worst If he be wise thou art yet wiser by forbearing him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wiser for not returning word for word Therefore he would not have a fool answered lest we become like him and be as he that reproving a sault in another commits a greater himself and so runs into a great absurdity for against a fools words magnum remedium negligentia the best course is to neglect them so that sometimes he must not be answered lest we make e stulto 〈◊〉 of a fool a mad man and yet again sometimes he must be answered when he is among such as himself that think well of him 〈◊〉 he seem wise but if he be among wise men answer him not for they will regard rather quid tu taceas quam quid ille dicat thy wisdom in silence then his 〈◊〉 in speaking The last thing in anger is the Act it self or requiting of one injury with another Now though this be no way lawful neither is revenge allowed under the 〈◊〉 by our Saviour though under the Law they were allowed eye for eye and tooth for tooth because a far higher degree of love is now required under the Gospel yet we may distinguish between revenge and reparation for the damage we have sustained in our 〈◊〉 person or name Revenge is when we seek the hurt of him with whom we are angry though we our selves receive no benefit thereby and this is utterly unlawful now either for private persons or any others as Magistrates c. But the other viz. reparation for the losse or damage we have sustained is no way contrary to Christian love nor forbidden by Christ but may lawfully be sought by the hands of the Magistrate when it cannot otherwise be had we are not to be as the Pope once said of England a good asse to bear all burdens A man may strive lawfully especially in Gods cause Strive for the truth saith the Wise man and that unto death and this is 〈◊〉 far from the sin of anger that it is accounted a vertue called zeal In the case of 〈◊〉 and tuum we see that Abraham said to Lot Let there be no strife between me and thee Abraham for 〈◊〉 departed something from his right But because by so doing we many times pluck upon us a more grievous burthen then we are able to bear and therby give occasion to men to work upon our good and quiet nature we are warranted to have recourse to the Magistrate to relieve us by Law And for this purpose were Magistrates appointed and Laws made 〈◊〉 earum 〈◊〉 humana 〈◊〉 audacia that mens insolencies might be restrained by fear of them Yet there are some rules to be observed in our going to Law 1. It must be for some considerable matter not for every trifle Not quod opus est but quod necesse not for that we may do but for that necessity drives us to not every trivial action but such as if it be not remedied will breed an inconvenience and 〈◊〉 as nothing but the Law can rectifie and redresse 2. Before we bring it into forum civile before the Magistrate we must endeavour to have it ended by Good Men as we call them some wise and understanding men to judge of it 3. Our Saviour being required to deal between two brethren in the case of an inheritance saith Who made me a judge And in the next verse adds Beware of covetousnesse we must not go to Law with a covetous minde that is another rule 4. We must not by presuming upon our wealth savour or 〈◊〉 with the Judge enter upon a suit and endeavour to take away the right from the poor that every mans suum may be 〈◊〉 must not go to Law with a corrupt minde as the Heathen man said to the Judge in the words of the Law Si 〈◊〉 est adversarii habeat ille if it be none of mine let mine adversarie carry it This is another rule 5. Our Prosecution of a suit must not savour of gall we are to preserve charity keep a charitable minde with our adversarie 6. The last rule is prescribed by Solomon Strive not hastily his reason is lest
accusing falsly 2. upon uncertain grounds 3. by prevaricating 4. The Defendant 1. by not confessing the truth 2. by appealing without cause 3. by not submitting to the sentence 5. The 〈◊〉 1. by not declaring all the truth when 〈◊〉 is lawfully called 2. by not delivering the innocent though he be not called 3. by delivering the wicked by false testimony 6. The Advocate 1. by undertaking an evil cause 2. by perverting the Law Of giving false testimony in Elections THE Act of this sin consists specially in words which are as our Saviour speaks according to the treasure of our hearts Now there is not onely an evil treasure of the heart out of which a man brings 〈◊〉 evil things but also an idle treasure out of which a man brings forth idle things viz. idle words for which a man must give an account Under these two heads we may comprehend the branches of this sin which may admit this division of 1. false words and 2. vain or idle words 1. False words are either when our words disagree from the truth and essence of things or when they disagree from our own minde And both may be considered either as they concern our selves or our brethren for whatsoever speech is either prejudicial to ourselves or our neighbour is condemned as against the rule of charity And though it be neither hurtful to us nor to our brethren yet if it contain falshood it is against the truth of God and therein we are as the Apostle speaks found false witnesses against God False doctrine is here included as opposite to true doctrine but not as it is in the third Commandment for there it is forbidden as contrary to Gods glory here as hurtful to our brethren and their spiritual good We must not adde to his word nor take from it nor change it by making any other way of salvation as those false teachers did among the Galatians that preached another gospel which as the Apostle saith is to preach alium Jesum another Jesus This was toucht before and therefore we shall say the lesse 〈◊〉 Onely this we adde that it is a good rule given by S. Basil not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely all lies and falshoods but also all turnings and wrestings of Scripture are condemned as among others he specially instances in one viz. the making of the litteral sence typical or turning the Scripture into allegories and from thence inferring doctrines which the Holy Ghost never intended This gives occasion to all Heresies when men choose what opinions they themselves please and make the Scripture a nose of wax to patronize them As to make Adam the reasonable part of the soul and Eve the seniual and thereupon to infer this as a positive doctrine That if reason command sense we shall avoid the temptation of the serpent but if the sensual part prevail against reason we shall be overcome by the Tempter as Adam was by hearkning to Eve this is to pervert the Scripture we may indeed 〈◊〉 to such things in Scripture as the Apostle doth to Sarah and Hagar but to say this or that is meant by such texts is to make the Scripture like a 〈◊〉 mans hose or Cothurnum a 〈◊〉 that will serve either leg and makes all Religion uncertain Ezekiel makes it an 〈◊〉 to God to say In obscuris 〈◊〉 I have written to you in dark or doubtful speeches but by this means all is made doubtful so that people shall be doubtful what to hold in any point We come now to false speaking in particular and here we must consider 1. false testimony which is given in judgement and 2 falshood uttered out of judgement This distinction is intimated by Solomon Proverbs 19. 5. where he saith A false witnesse shall not be unpunished and he that speaketh lies shall not escape where we see he make this division that some are false witnesses viz. such as speak falshood from judgement and others speak lies at other times that is out of judgement and the very same we finde by him repeated in the ninth verse The same may be inferd in the words of this Commandment for when it is said Thou shalt not bear false witnesse against thy neighbour that is in judgement this 〈◊〉 that there may be also falsum testimonium false witnesse that is not contra proximum against our Neighbour Before we speak of these in particular we shall onely say this briefly in general concernig all lies That all lyes are from the Devil who was a lyar from the beginning for the first word that ever he spake was a lye those then that utter lyes belong to him The Psalmist makes it the proper mark of wicked men whom he describes by this they speak lies from the very womb And that this is no small sin appears by that fea ful threatning against lyars Perdes omnes qui loquuntur mendacia 〈◊〉 shalt destroy all 〈◊〉 that speak lies All lies whether they concern our selves our Neighbours or none make us false witnesses to God And therefore we finde in the Revel that in the place of torment shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one that loveth or maketh a lye he that either loves to hear it or that speak it so that lies are condemned both actively and passively if we make them or love to hear them Come we now to him that speaks false in judgement And for this false witnesse Solomon gives us a good comparison for he saith A man that beareth false witnesse is a hammer a sword and a sharp arrow Now thus he is compared partly because his face is hardned so that he blushes at nothing be it never so false for having once lost his 〈◊〉 he comes to have frontem meretricium as the Prophet speaks a whores forehead and 〈◊〉 known to the one party viz. to him that hired him to be a Knave he grows impudent and testifies any thing and so strikes like a hammer or a sword or whatsoever doth wound the deepest he sticks at no mischef he can do to the party against whom he speaks and partly because that as S. Bernard speaks there are three parties who are 〈◊〉 by him at once by one and the same tongue 1. Judici est Malleus He is a hammer or maul to the Judge whose judgement and understanding he 〈◊〉 so that like a man astonisht by a blow on the head he knows not how to determine aright 2. To the party that hired him he is gladius a sword for though he speak for him yet 〈◊〉 is a sword to destroy his soul. He makes him beleeve that by his purse he hath prevailed against the truth and having done so once he may do so at other times and so he 〈◊〉 him in this evil course 3. He is a sharp arrow to him against whom he witnesseth though he hath
which speech implies that a man being not called may be a false witnesse against his neighbour when there is no cause How can this be In common ordinary talk when a man speaks evil of his neighbour he bears false witnesse against him though he be not before any Judge Therefore he advises to put far from us proter vitatem oris labiorum a froward mouth and perverse lips we must not breath out slanders against him who it may be doth not think the least evil of us That we may understand this we must know that there are four things to which the tongue may do harm For 1. a man hath favor or good esteem among men this is in the minde 2. A good report which consists in speaking well of him 3. Friendship with friends c. 4. A state or dignity as a Superiour And as all these may be hurt by the tongue so may the faults of the tongue extra judicium be distinguished Of the first and second Solomon speaks when he saith A good name is 〈◊〉 to be chosen then great riches and loving favour rather then silver and gold Of the third in another place he saith a faithful friend is an unknown treasure Against the fourth we have an example in Rabshekah who reproached and blasphemed King Hezekiah and in him God himself Against these there are diverse faults of the tongue which we are now to speak of 1. Contumely and disgrace which is against the 〈◊〉 credit and favour and is when a man is present such men as use these the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 despightful which disgrace a man to his face by opprobrious speeches 2. If it be per sales oblique glauncingly by jeasts it is called subsannatio taunting and this is against the fourth viz. against ones dignity Those that are laughed at are moriones fools the off-scourings of men fit to be laughed at Now to make a man as one of them to set him in that estate that he shall be 〈◊〉 at is an impairing of his state and dignity and gives him a great wound 4. This was Sauls reason why he would have his harnessebearer to kill him he would rather be killed then be mocked by the uncircumcised Philistims for an ingenuous nature counts onely probrum to be delictum reproach to be a crime other railings are to be neglected 3. As two are when one is present so there is a third who hurts a good Name behinde ones back Obtrectator a Backiter he offends against the second which is good Report and the fourth viz. Friendship Plautus calls him Mus nominis a Mouse that is the Gnawer or eater up of ones good name But Saint Paul calleth him by his true Name Diabolus the Devil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in lingua a Devil in the Tongue that is a false accuser or detractor first he speaks against one to this man then to another then to a third thereby to make him lose some of his 〈◊〉 and then they call him susurro a talebearer and indeed he often so prevails that as the Wise man observed he sowes discord and dissention between Princes and so between whole Realms This sin when it is contra bonum aestimationis against a mans credit and estimation and to his face it is called Shimeis sin If it be behind ones back it is called Hamans sin If it take away friendship and bring alienation of 〈◊〉 it is Ziba's sin for he informed David against Mephibosheth to alienate Davids affection 〈◊〉 him If it be to the scorning and vilipending of a man it may be called the sin of the men of Succoth who slighted Gedeon and we may read afterward how he requited the Princes of Succoth A heroical minde cannot endure this David complains often that he was scorned by his friends and acquaintance and that the very abjects made jests of him and so doth Jeremy who was used in like manner This sin as it may be by words so by letters also Sanballat sent a letter to Nehemiah full of slanders against him And as it may be in words either directly or indirectly so it may be by writings either directly as in that of Sanballat or indirectly as in Libels whereof we have a resemblance in that which Jehoash king of Israel sent to Amazia concerning the Thistle and the Cedar which was nothing else but a scoffe of Jehoash against Amazia And as it may be both in words and writings so also by outward acts as when the Souldiers platted a crown of thorns upon our Saviours head this was a real scoffing of him Any of these whether done directly or indirectly come under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foolish talking and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jesting and such as use it are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jesters which is the common name given them of curtesie when as indeed they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foolish talkers In all these kindes a man may be guilty of bearing false witnesse though he speak the truth for the truth ought to be spoken in love as love delighteth in truth so the truth must be spoken in love which is the affirmative part of this Commandment And therefore though one speaketh truth yet if it be not in love he is a slanderer Therefore Doeg was Doeg though he told the truth it was true that when David came to Nob to Abimelech that Abimelech gave him bread and the sword of Goliah all was true that he said but yet he was a Doeg still for as David said truly His tongue did cut as a sharp razor for it cut all the throats of the Priests Some go further and cover their malice under a veyl of love they are like those false brethren the Apostle speaks of that were unawares brought in of whom S. Jerome gives the reason why they were so called because they came in like those in the story of Daniel that came under the table and eat the meat provided for the Idol so these men privily insinuate themselves into those they speak to by pretending a great deal of love and affection to the party they speak against Their lips swim with butter and oyl but their words are very swords Such were they that askt Christ whether they might pay tribute to Caesar or no Magister bone Good Master say they we know thou speakest the truth this is the oyl but here is the sword shall we pay tribute to Caesar If he answer one way he offends the people who would be ready to stone him if the other he offends Caesar and off goes his head Thus whether a tale-bearer speak to bring a man into danger or to take away his credit His words as the Wise man speak are as wounds and they go down into the 〈◊〉 parts of the belly S. Bernard upon the
this by bearing 〈◊〉 witness against himself not onely by suppressing the truth in 〈◊〉 inwardly but also in daily and common talk by glorying and vaunting of that which is not in him S. Paul saith it was not expedient for him to boast and therefore lest he should be thought so to do though he spake nothing but the truth speaking of his revelations and the mysteries he heard when he was wrapt up into the third Heaven he speaks of it in the third person as of another man and lest he should fall into this sin he had one sent to buffet him that he might not be exalted above measure Our Saviour excepts not against their assertion that said He bore witnesse of himself for ordinarily it is true he that witnesseth of himself must have another witnesse but Christ being truth it self needed not any other witnesse for the truth may bear witnesse of it self but otherwise as the Wiseman advises Laudet te os alienum Let another mans mouth praise thee and not thine own lest we fall into Moabs sin and partake of the punishment threatned Jer. 48. 29 30. And as this is every where to be avoided so especially in this place when we utter the word of God The Prophet that telleth lyes is the tail of the people the most vile and abject of all others God hath no need of our lyes as Job saith what we speak from him must not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and nay true and false but onely 〈◊〉 The Apostle would not 〈◊〉 of any of those things which Christ had not wrought by him It is vain arrogancy in men to names 〈◊〉 they have never seen or affirm that which they do not know especially in the Ministers of Christ. And as it is a sin for a man to boast of what he hath not so also to take that fault upon himself which he is not guilty of as he that when Saul had killed himself said that he had killed him hoping for a reward So also to deny any thing of a mans self which is true 〈◊〉 be to his 〈◊〉 or dispraise S Gregory saith this is Mendax humilitas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lying humility and unadvised And s. Augustine saith He that uttereth an untruth of himself out of modesty or humility though he had not sinned before yet peccator 〈◊〉 mentiendo he sins now by lying Therefore S. Hieroms rule is Ne ita caveatur arrogantia ut caveatur veritas not so to shun arrogancy as to deny the truth It s true in the 〈◊〉 a man may affirm minus de se 〈◊〉 of himself because in majore est minus the greater doth contain the lesse but otherwise where there is a necessity of answering concerning himself he must stand on the negative not to deny any truth of himself Again on the other side a man is not bound praedicare peccatum suum to 〈◊〉 his sin It was the height of impiety in them that declared their sin as Sodom yet being asked where we are bound to answer we must not deny our sin with Sarah though we are not bound alwayes to speak all the truth of our selves yet we must 〈◊〉 deny the truth or speak an untruth of our selves Having done with this actus reflexus we come to that which is false witnesse directly of which we spake something before viz. Mendacium a lye These we have already spoken of are 〈◊〉 perniciosa mendacia serpentis pernicious lyes the lyes of the Serpent whose first word was Nequaquam 〈◊〉 ye shall in no wise dye Besides these there is a lye they call Innocuum a harmlesse lye of which cometh no hurt or losse But s. Augustine saith they that say so that there is mendacium innocuum an innocent lye are not innocui innocent themselves And though men account nothing to be losse but losse of name goods life and such like yet there is no lye wherein there is not losse of truth which is more worth then all these CHAP. VI. Of a rash lye an officious lye a merry lye Four cases wherein a man seems to speak contrary to the truth but doth not Of Mendacium Facti the Real Lye by simulation NOw a lye in this sence may be two wayes 1. To speak contra quam se res habet otherwise then the thing is though he that speaks is perswaded in his minde that it is true and such an one as S. Augustine saith Non tam mendacii 〈◊〉 temeritatis accusandus est is not so much guilty of a lye as of 〈◊〉 and temerity such as the same Father saith should learn their tongues to say 〈◊〉 I know not and not like those in S. Jude to speak of things they know not 2. To speak contra quam se animus habet otherwise then a man thinks and this they divide into officiosum mendacium the Midwives lye an officious lye and 〈◊〉 the merry lye or the scorners lye mentioned in Hosea They make the Princes glad with their lyes Now for the former of these the officious lye which is for our neighbours profit S. Augustine confesses that these mendacia compensativa did somewhat trouble him As if a man lying sick his only son should dye of which if I should tell him it would kill him In this case saith he what shall I answer if he should ask me I must either say he is alive or he is dead or I cannot tell if I say he is alive or I cannot tell a lye is made if I say he is dead it kils the father so that on the one hand here is 〈◊〉 mendacium a saving lye on the other hand here is Homicida veritas a killing truth What should a man do in this case He answers When I am in this case I cannot tell what to say and yet when I am out of it me thinkes I can answer well enough For I see Saint Paul saith Nihil possumus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We 〈◊〉 do nothing against the truth I see David saith 〈◊〉 omnes qui 〈◊〉 mendacium Thou shalt destroy all those that speak lies I see that God is truth and I see that as Christ is the truth who is the first-begotten and onely begotten Son of God so a lye is of the Devil and that a lyer is the first-born of the Devil and I see that if I grant 〈◊〉 mendacia some lyes to be lawful I must also grant aliqua 〈◊〉 some sinnes to be lawful And further if I may lye to save a mans life or with the Priscillianists to bring another to Christian Religion then a man may commit adultery to save ones life I put the case to stand thus There is a woman so fondly enamour'd on a man that except that unlawful act be committed she would dye whether this may be 〈◊〉 adulterium or no It is certain no man in the world would defend it Therefore neither can the other salubre 〈◊〉 be