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
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
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
is vaine Againe the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie not onely against thy neighbour but also for him For the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth both to wit both against as Esay 59 Our sinnes do testifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against vs and also for as Gen. 30 My righteousnesse shall answere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for me or shall testifie in my behalf In the ninth commaundement therefore is forbidden not onely false speech as euery lie is but also vaine speech as the jeasting lie commonly is and not onely that false or vaine speech which is against our neighbour but also that which is for him whether it be for his delight as the jeasting lie or for his profit as the officious lie Augustine out of the words of the Apostle I. Cor. 15. where the Apostle confesseth That if Christ be not risen againe then he and other the Apostles should be false witnesses of God For saith he we haue testified of or as the word may signifie against God that he hath raised vp Christ c. he gathereth that that is said to be a false testimonie against any which is falsely said in his praise Seeing therefore these two sorts of lies are forbidden in the decalogue it is euident by the confession of the Schoolemen themselues that they are not onely sinnes but also mortall sinnes 2. Againe a lie is euill in generall and is generally forbidden in the Scriptures Apoc. 21. to all yers without exception eternall death is denounced And agreeably to the Scriptures the sonne of Syrach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doe not thou make no manner of lie The Hebrew word which signifieth a lie signifieth iniquitie that wee might vnderstand euery lie to be a sinne 3. Euery lie is against nature For seeing words naturally are the notes of our thoughts as the Philosopher saith it is against nature and against dutie that a man should signifie in words that which he doth not thinke in his heart or that the will should direct the tongue to vtter that which is contrarie to the illumination of the mind Whereupon the Philosopher sayth That euery lie is in it owne nature euill and to be auoided 4. Augustine reasoneth thus The truth teacheth not that we may lie at any time for no lie is of the truth Therefore it is not true that we may lie at any time 5. We can doe nothing sayth the Apostle against the truth but for the truth 2. Cor. 13 but euery lie is against the truth yea vpon euery lie followeth the losse of truth which to God is most deere 6. Againe sayth Augustine the law is the truth Psal. 119. yea God is the truth therefore that which is against truth is against the law yea and against God 7. And hereunto wee may adde the testimonies of Augustine No lies are iust for all are sinnes 8. And of Gregorie Euery lie is iniquitie for so much it dissenteth from equitie as it discordeth from veritie For whatsoâ—uer is opposed to vertue is sinne euery lie is opposed to truth which is a vertue therefore euery lie is a sinne 9. Euery lie is of the diuell therefore euill Iohn 8. 44. 10. The conscience of euery man when he lieth accuseth him of sinne But let vs consider them seuerally And first as touching the merry lie we are to hold a distinction namely that there is a merry lie which vnproperly is called a lie when as in shew of words a false thing is vttered but yet by the jesture or pronuntiation of him that so jeasteth it may appeare that something else which is true is signified by him and that such a jeast as vnder the shew of an vntruth doth hide a truth may sometimes be vsed of a Christian man I dare not denie But that which properly and in the meaning of the speaker is a lie may in no sort be vsed of a Christian. First because it is not onely false but also vaine and idle and if of idle words an account must be giuen how much more of lies Secondly the Prophet Hoseas inueigheth against those who with their lies make princes merry Now if princes to whom being oppressed with great cares mirth is most needfull may not be made merry with lies who then may Thirdly a lie may not be vttered to helpe a man or to deliuer him out of danger as shall straightwaies be shewed mueh lesse may it be told to delight him For as the schoolemen truly say Bonum utile prefertur delectabili a profitable good is preferred before a delightfull nay the truth it selfe is not spoken to the end to delight men as Augustine sayth much lesse may a lie Fourthly Epaminondas the heathen man shall rise in judgement against those who make no conscience of speaking merry lies for he was so strict an obseruer and louer of the truth that hee could not abide that a lie should be spoken no not in jeast And to these reasons you may adde those arguments which before were produced to prooue a lie generally to be euill But the chiefe controuersie is concerning the officious lie for therein now adayes the policie of worldly men especially consisteth But let vs see by what arguments they commend this office forsooth of lying First because it is not against Christian charitie say they to help our brother with a lie yea but Christian charitie say I abhorreth lying and rejoyceth in the truth and those which are Christians so long as they keepe a good conscience they can do nothing against the truth but for the truth 2. Yea the honest friendship of Heathen men was contained within the limits of truth The Philosopher in his Morals professeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be a godly thing to prefer the truth before his friends And those which were of the better sort among them were wont to professe themselues friends one to another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto the altars to which they vsually came when they were to testifie a truth that it may be a shame for Christian men in respect of friendship to goe beyond the bonds of truth 3. Christian Charitie requireth not onely that wee should do good but also that we should do it well and by good means For this a rule in Diuinity that Euill is not to be done that Good may come thereof Those things only which are good and lawfull are to be done of vs committing the euent to God 4. Christian charitie doth not require that for another mans commodity thou shouldest cast away thy selfe But God will destroy those which speake lies and as the wise man saith The lying mouth destroyeth the soule Secondly they proue this kind of lying to be lawfull by the examples of the godly For first say they Abraham the father of the faithfull that he might escape danger said that his wife
the lesse if it be his owne than the greater if it be anothers For although manslaughter be a more grieuous sinne than theft yet it is worse to steale than to be killed Secondly he thatlyeth that he may not be forced to whordome or some other sinne to auoid an vncertaine sin he runneth into a certaine Thirdly neither may they be sayd to commit sinne vpon whom whordome is enforced against their will for they do but receiue wrong whereas the others which enforce them do commit the sin Neither is whordome which is enforced vpon another against their will in respect of the sufferer a corruption but a vexation For the mind remaining vncorrupt the body is not corrupted Who therefore seeth not whether a man ought rather to auoid the permission and suffering of another mans sinne which he cannot hinder or the doing of his owne 4. But what if by my lie I may further the saluation of my brother may I not lye in that case as for exāple of an hereticke to make a true Christian and to reclaime a heathen man from paganisme to Christianitie Neither may we lie in this case as Augustine proueth at large for when as the Priscillianists who were a pernicious sect of heretiks did so cloke their heresie that they could hardly be discouered diuerse professors of the truth faining themselues to be Priscillianists denied the true faith that they might insinuat themselues into the company of the Priscillianists that so they might be discouered and reclaimed to the profession of the truth This fact of theirs Augustine condemneth Neither doubteth he to affirme that the professors of the truth that they might discouer the heretickes did lie more perniciously or at lest more dangerously than the heretickes did lie in couering their heresie from them And againe farre be it from a Christian saith he that he should deny and blaspheme Christ to the end that he might make another man a Christian Et percando quarrat inueniendum quemsi tale doceat perdat inuentum And by casting away himselfe seeke to find another whom being found be shall also if he teach him such doctrine cast away For if this once be granted That it is lawful to lie for thy neighbours good yea for his saluation all faith will be abolished for thou shalt not bee able to say any thing wherein he may not thinke that thou doest lye for his good And that it is not lawfull to lie for the saluation of men hereby it is euident Because we may not lie for Gods cause Iob. 13 For whosoeuer will lye for God he shall be found guilty of false witnesse against God And thus it appeareth that we may lye for no cause 1. And that we may abide firme and resolute in this truth let vs first hold this as a firme principle in Diuinity We may not do cuill that good may come thereof For those that say we may their damnation is just But to lye is to doe euill as hath bene proued therefore we may not lye that good may come thereof Yea but say they actions are to be esteemed according to their end Therefore to lye to a good end is good That is true in things which be in their owne nature indifferent but lying is in it owne nature euill and vnjust 2. We are to consider that we are not to lye for our owne life or safety otherwise Peter had not offended when being in feare of his life he lied saying that he knew not Christ and therefore we are not to lye for the life or safety of another 3. Euery lie is pernicious if not to the neighbour yet to the speaker For euery lie is cōtrary to the vertue of truth and therfore is a lye contrary to the law therfore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sinne or transgression of the law and euery transgression of the law maketh vs subject to the cursse of the law Therefore the lye which in respect of the neighbor is officious in respect of the speaker is pernicious Therefore no lie is lawfull What then will you say is the truth alwayes to be professed 2. That is the other question Whereunto I answer That the truth is neuer to be denied that an vntruth is neuer to be affirmed and yet notwithstanding the truth is not alwayes to be professed For the profession of the truth is sometimes necessary sometimes free and in our owne choice sometimes vnseasonable Necessary when as the consideration of Gods glorie our neighbors good or our owne duty requireth it at our hands As first in causes spirituall when a man is called to an account of his faith and religion for then the Christian Apologie and constant profession of the faith is necessary 1. Pet. 3. 15 Be ready alwayes to giue an answer to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you For as with the heart we beleeue vnto righteousnesse so with the mouth we confesse vnto saluation He that confesseth me saith Christ before men him will I confesse also before my father which is in heauen But whosoeuer shall deny me before men him will I also deny before my father which is in heauen In causes ciuile as in the place of judgement when as a man is lawfully called as a witnesse to testifie the truth For then as we are forbidden to beare false witnesse so are we commanded to beare witnesse to the truth The profession of the truth is vnseasonable when as there being no necessity of vttering it in respect either of Gods glory our neighbors good or our owne duty it is joyned with our own or our neighbours danger or harme for then the truth may yea must be concealed either in whole or in part It is free and in our owne choice when it is neither necessary nor vnseasonable for then we may either professe it or conceale it And herein as in all other Christs action must be our instruction For whē as he was conuented before the Priests and Pharisies whom he perceiued to offend of prepenced malice he would answer nothing to their demands lest he should seeme to cast holy things before dogs or pearles before swine which would not onely trample the truth vnder their feet but also persecute the professor thereof But before Pontius Pilat he is said to haue witnessed a good confession For not onely he confessed himselfe to be the King of the Iewes but also made this profession For this cause am I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should beare witnesse vnto the truth c. Againe when the Priests questioned with him concerning his doctrine he sendeth them to his hearers For it was against all equity that he should accuse himselfe But when the high Priests adjured him that he should plainely tell whether he was the sonne of God or not then although the profession of the truth were ioyned with manifest danger
thereunto by some necessitie which may concerne either thy neighbour or thy selfe Thy neighbour I say either to whom or of whom thou speakest and for him of whom thou speakest it may be necessary that his sinnes as it were his diseases which by priuat admonition could not be cured should be declared vnto a superiour that hath authoritie or gouernment ouer him as it were his Physition to cure him But herein we must be carefull that this delation or acquainting of the superiour with the faults of the inferiour do follow vpon our priuat admonition if conueniently it could be vsed and proceed from our loue towards the partie whose good we therein do seeke Thus Ioseph told the faults of his brethren to Iacob their father Thus they of the houshold of Chloe notified the vices of the Corinthians to Paul Now to the party to whoÌ„ thou speakest it may be necessary that he should be premonished of another maÌ„s faults when there is danger that either the injurie thereof will redound to his losse or the contagion of them will infect him When the injurie is feared we may say to our neighbour Take heed of such a man for he intendeth such a mischiefe towards you Thus Pauls sisters sonne certified him how certaine Iewes lay in waite for him Thus Iohanan with other captaines premonished Gedaliah of the slaughter intended against him by Ismaâ—l When infection is feared as nothing is more infectious than the company of the wicked we may say Take heed you enter not into familiar acquaintance with such a man for he is giuen to drunkennesse to whordome to swearing c. or he is in the number of such sinners with whom familiar acquaintance is not to be entertained 1. Cor. 5. 11. For thy selfe it may be necessary to declare another mans fault when thou mayst not conceale it vnlesse thou wilt be guiltie of the same offence as in the matter of treason and sometimes of other crimes And this is that which the son of Syrach aduiseth in this behalfe Declare not other mens maners neither to friend nor foe And if the sinne appertaine not vnto thee that is if thou shalt not by thy silence be enwrapped in the guilt thereof reueale it not But if vpon no necessitie thou shalt vtter the offences of thy neighbour which is absent thou playest the part of a slanderer yea of the diuell And how soeuer this vice of backbiting and slandering be a very grieuous fault as hath bene shewed yet there is no sinne more common none more vsuall none lesse regarded so common that it is in euery bodies mouth almost euen of those that would seeme religious so vsuall that there is no feast no meeting no communication almost among meÌ„ which is not full of rumors and ill reports of other men whiles some of hatred defame others others of enuie detract from them others of selfe-loue desire themselues preferred before them And so ordinarie a fault it is among meÌ„ that most men when by ill speaking they defame and disgrace their neighbour they do not perceiue themselues to offend But if we be Gods children how commeth it to passe that we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is diuels and carry the diuell about vs as a slandering and lying spirit in our mouthes Yea but so long as I speake the truth of my neighbor saith one I am not to be blamed Answer 1. Yea but few tale-bearers or backbiters are able to say so much of themselues truly whose maner is either to inuent tales of themselues or else to such reports as they haue heard to adde of their owne 2. Howsoeuer in shew of words talebearers sometimes do seeme to speake the truth yet in respect of their purpose and intent which is that their neighbour may seeme worse by their report than indeed he is they are to be accounted liars and slaunderers It was true which Doeg reported to Saule concerning Dauid and Abimelech the priest but because by his narration he would haue Saule to gather that Abimelech had conspired with Dauid against him he is condemned of falshood and lying Psal. 52. 3. But suppose the euill report which thou vtterest concerning thy brother be true yet if it proceed from hatred of his person thou art a backbiter and slaunderer For euen as he is a murtherer that killeth a malefactor without judgement without calling so he is a slaunderer who vpon no necessitie diffameth his brother though he deserue so to be spoken of 2. Yea but I sayth another in reporting the faults of my neighbour haue regard to his credit for I tell them to my friend with this caution that he shall tell no bodie Indeed so doe backbiters vse to say I haue a secret to tell you but you must keepe it to your selfe But whether should I say is greater your mallice or your folly that which you would haue concealed your selfe doe vtter For if you would haue it concealed indeed why doe you not trust your owne tongue rather than another mans or how can you require that of another which you cannot obtaine from your selfe 3. Yea but he is my friend and he will keepe it secret So hath he friends and they also haue friends by whom the ill report or slaunder may be spread farre and neere Follow therefore the aduice of Iesus the sonne of Syrach Declare not other mens manners neither to friend nor foe and if it bee not sinne to thee reueâ—le it not If thou hast heard a word against thy neighbour let it dic with thee and be sure it will not burst thee A foole trauaileth when he hath heard a thing as a woman which is about to bring forth a child as an arrow that sticketh in ones thigh so is a word in a fooles heart that is it must out 4. Yea but I doe so report my neighbours fault as that it may appeare I am sorry for him Or rather say I that thou mayest appeare to be an hypocrite such as Bernard describeth You shall see them sometimes sayth he to send deepe sighes before a slaunder and so with a kind of grauitie and slownesse of speech with a sad looke and deiected countenance and dolefull voice the slaunder is vttered being so much the more credible as to them that heare it it seemeth to be vttered with an vnwilling heart and with the affection of him that condoleth rather than of one that is maliciously affected I am very sorry for him saith one because I loue him but I could neuer reclaime him from this fault And another I had saith hee certaine notice of this matter but it should neuer haue been blazed abroad for me but seeing the matter is made known by others I cannot denie the truth with greefe I speake it but soâ—t is And then be addeth it is great pitty the man hath good parts and otherwise he is well qualified but in this matter to say the
and vnlawfull therefore I say with learned Chemnicius That when men make question of moderat vsurie whether that be lawfull or not they might as wel make question whether moderat adulterie or moderat lying or moderat theft is lawfull for as adulterie as lying as theft are things in themselues simply euill and vnlawfull and therefore cannot well bee done so is vsurie as I haue prooued It is a good saying and a true of D. Wilson in his booke of vsurie That there is no meane in this vice more than is in murther theft or whoredome and as the stealing of one penny is theft so is the least vsurie though it be but of a penny And as touching the second whereas they allow moderat vsurie taken of the wealthie I answere as before That if God in his word had made this difference of vsurie in respect of the poore and the rich as he doth in respect of the Israelite and the Canaanite To the poore thou shalt not lend vpon vsurie but to the rich thou mayest their practise had beene justifiable who require vsurie of the rich but the Lord in diuerse places of the Scripture in generall tearmes absolutely condemneth all vsurie as I haue shewed And therefore if because in the prohibition of vsurie in one or two places there is mention made of the poore we may inferre that therefore vsurie is lawfull towards the rich by the same reason the most notorious sinnes against the sixth and eighth commaundements may be justified if they be not committed against the poore and helpelesse because in the prohibition of those sinnes there is expresse mention made in diuerse places of the poore the fatherlesse the widdow the stranger and such others as are helpelesse And therfore when the holy Ghost saith Prou. 22. 22 Rob not the poore because he is poore the robber might by the same reason justifie his robbing of the rich And lastly whereas they allow vsurie so it be not joyned with the hurt of the borrower I answer that by the same reason they may justifie the officious lye which is vttered to helpe and not to hurt the neighbour But charitie as it rejoyceth in the truth so also in justice and as a lye so also vsurie is euer opposed to charitie if not as an hurtfull thing to our neighbour yet as an vnjust thing in it selfe And it is a rule in Diuinitie That we may not do euill that good may come thereof and therefore vsury though it were not hurtfull yet were it vnlawfull But as it is vnlawfull in it selfe so is it euer hurtfull if not to the borrower in particuler as most commonly it is in the judgement of Caluin yet as I haue before shewed to the common weale which is worse Besides in the contract of vsurie there is an absolut couenant for gaine and therefore no prouision made for the borrowers indemnitie seeing by the very contract of vsurie the same gaine is to be required out of the borrowers losse as well as out of his gaine Whereas therefore they say vsurie is to be allowed when prouision is made that the borrower shall not be hurt or damnified thereby it is all one as if they had sayd that vsurie is then to be allowed when it is no vsurie But let vs consider their reasons which are of three sorts viz. proofes out of the Scripture with other arguments and testimonies Their proofes out of the Scriptures are these First the example of Ioseph Ge. 47. which I haue heretofore shewed to haue none affinitie with vsurie Secondly out of Deut. 15. 1 2 3 4 the author of the aforesayd English Treatise would prooue that in the seuenth yeare of freedome the rich debtor was by the appointment of the Lord himselfe to pay his debt with the vsurie thereof though the poore were exempted from payments of debts that yeare for so it is sayd vers 4. Saue when there shall be no poore with thee as if the Lord bad said saith he prouided alwayes that thy rich debtor shall haue no such priuiledge c. And how is this proued Forsooth because the word Masshah which as he saith signifieth vsurie and the verbe Nashah which signifieth to lend vpon vsurie are there vsed But I aunswere that Masshah in no place of Scripture signifieth vsurie and in that place signifieth a debt which the creditor lendeth with purpose to exact againe but there the Lord taketh order that it should not be exacted in the seuenth yeare And Nashah in this place as appeareth by the text it selfe and by the consent of all writers signifieth onely to lend with purpose to exact againe that which is lent For otherwise the Lord should allow the lending vpon vsurie to the poore and the exacting of it also so it were not in the seuenth yeare But that author absolutly condemneth all vsurie towards the poore yea he affirmeth though without reason that the exacting of the principall alone from the poore is vsurie But of the signification of these words I haue sufficiently spoken before As for the prouiso which as he saith followeth vers 4 it appeareth by the reason following that it is not an exception of the rich for the Lord shall blesse thee c for the words as Iunius readeth and Caluin expoundeth them are thus to be red Only because thy brother ought not by thy meanes to become poore or be impouerished and therefore are a reason of that law of remission For seeing in that yeare of Sabbath the ground was to rest and men had not the meanes of raising profits whereby to pay their debts as in other years therefore if the creditors should that yeare haue exacted their debts they would haue brought many to beggerie for the preuention whereof the Lord saith he instituted this law concerning the remission of debts in that yeare of freedome And that the creditors should not alledge for themselues that they should be vnable to forbeare their money so long the Lord addeth another reason being a promise That if they kept that other his commandements hee would blesse them in the land and so blesse them that they should be able to lend to many nations and should not need to borrow of them So that in conclusion this being not an exceprion of the rich and the word Masshah not signifying vsurie there is no shew of reason in this allegation Thirdly no more is there in the next out of Pro. 22. 16 which notwithstanding the same author commendeth as a notable place to proue that the rich ought to giue interest or increase He that oppresseth the poore saith Salomon to increase himselfe and giueth to the rich shall surely come to pouertie whence he inferreth these consequences First that it is as great a fault to giue or lend freely to the rich as to oppresse the poore by taking vsurie of them because the same punishment Viz. pouâ—rtie is awarded to both And secondly from the contrary that it is as
arguments of odious and detestable things but the names of vsurie are odious as hath beene shewed for which cause the vsurers themselues do auoid them and are ashamed of them and therefore such a thing is vsurie it selfe 2. Obiection No vsurie is forbidden by the law of God and by the law of nature but that which is hurtfull and ioyned with the hurt or losse of the neighbour But some vsurie is not hurtfull but rather helpefull to the neighbor Therefore some vsurie is not forbidden First the proposition is vntrue and of dangerous consequence for the law of God forbiddeth all vsurie in generall as a thing in it own nature and in his whole kind simply vnlawfull without any such restraint or limitation euen as it condemneth adulterie lying theft or any other notorious sinne And therefore if it were lawfull thus to argue in fauour of vsurie mincing the commaundement of God in an intollerable presumption and restraining and limitting the same out of our owne braine why may it not be lawfull so to argue in defence of other sinnes as indeed some haue done in defence of lying which as you heard before is generally forbidden as a thing simply euill and yet some haue taken vpon them the defence of such lies as are not hurtfull but helpefull to the neighbour And why might not the pick-thanke as well haue justified his murthering of Saule if he had according to his owne report slaine him in charitie and at his owne intreatie to end his paine being past recouerie and to preuent the scornings of the Philistimes which he feared more than death But they prooue their proposition thus Vsurie is not forbidden but as it is against charitie for charitie is the summe of the law and he which obserueth the rules of charitie keepeth the law But that which is not hurtfull to the neighbour is not against charitie therefore that vsurie which is not hurtfull to the neighbour is not forbidden Answ. Charitie which is the summe of the law hath reference towards God towards our neighbour not only in priuat but also in publicke and towards a mans selfe And in this sence I acknowledge the proposition of this syllogisme to be true viz. that vsurie is not forbidden but as it is repugnant to charitie But hereby the assumption of this syllogisme is prooued to be false for there be many things which are not perhaps hurtfull to our neighbour in particular with whom we deale which are notwithstanding repugnant to charitie The officious lie helpeth the particular neighbour in whose fauour it is told yet because it is repugnant to veritie it is repugnant to charitie God who is truth hath forbidden all vntruth and he will destroy euery one that speaketh lies The lying mouth destroyeth the soule therefore no lying can stand with that charitie and obedience which we owe to God nor with that loue which we owe to our own soules So in like sort suppose that the borrower sometimes is not hurt by vsurie but rather holpen yet notwithstanding all vsurie is against charitie for the practise of it cannot stand with charitie and our allegiance to God who hath forbidden it denounced his judgements against it made gracious promises to them that will do the contrarie nor with our charitie and dutie to our countrey vnto which vsurie is in many respects noysome as hath beene shewed nor with that loue which we owe to our owne soules for whosoeuer putteth foorth to vsurie or taketh increase he shall not liue but die the death And moreouer you may remember what I haue before prooued that vsurie is euer repugnant to charitie if not as a hurtfull thing to our neighbour yet as an vnjust thing in it selfe Yea but say they againe to proue the former proposition That vsurie which is ioyned with the hurt of the neighbour is condemned therefore that which is not ioyned with the hurt of the neighbour is not condemned Answer I denie the consequence for there are other respects which make vsurie vnlawfull besides the hurt of the neighbour as euen now I shewed By the same reason the patrones of officious lies might argue thus God forbiddeth vs to tell a lie against our neighbour therefore the lie which is not against the neighbour but for him is not forbidden But you will say All lying is forbidden so is all vsurie as I haue alreadie prooued And thus I haue shewed against the proposition that all vsurie is vnlawfull though all were not hurtfull Now I add against the assumption of the first syllogisme That all vsury is hurtfull hurtfull I say either to the borrower as commonly it is or else to the commonwealth as before hath beene prooued Obiection 3. Vsurie is not vncharitable neither in respect of the borrower nor yet in regard of the common-weale the former they prooue thus There is no propertie of charitie which may not well stand with vsurie No not that charitie seeketh not her owne for I am not otherwise bound to loue my neighbour than my selfe Nay rather the debtor should offend against charitie in too much seeking his owne if he would haue another mans money freely by which he is sure in all likelyhood to gaine Answer In traffique and negotiation it is lawfull for a man as well to respect his owne gaine as another mans good But in lending which is an act of charitie and a contract ordained for the good of the borrower to seeke gaine it is against charitie which seeketh not her owne We ought to lend by the commaundement of Christ not respecting our profit or gaine but the good of the borrower But the vsurers charitie is by his lending to seeke ease out of the borrowers labour securitie out of his hazard and gaine as well out of his losse as out of his gaine Againe out of the vncertaine negotiation of the borrower to couenant for certaine gaine it is not onely vncharitable but also vnjust and vnequall But in the contract of actuall vsurie there is an absolut couenant for certaine gaine as I haue proued before which the borrower whether he shall gaine or loose is absolutly bound to pay together with the principall And this absolut couenant for certaine gaine is not an abuse happening besides the nature of the contract but of the verie nature and essence of actuall vsurie But the borrower you say is in a maner sure to gaine Why then say I will you not aduenture with him for if the lender will be content to hazard his principall so as he will not onely looke for no gaine but when the borrower gaineth but also will bee content to beare part with him in his losse hee shall not deale by vsurie but by partnership And whereas they say that the borrower should offend against charitie in seeking too much his owne if hee would desire to borrow freely c. I answer by distinction Men borrow either to supply their need or to procure gaine Of the former there is no question
judgement he getteth his goods vnlawfully as for example by vsurie or briberie Now we are briefly to consider the contrarie affirmatiue namely that euery sound Christian maketh conscience of his gettings hauing a true purpose and vpright endeuour to obtaine and procure the commodities of this life onely by good and lawfull meanes And that we may all of vs in like sort be persuaded to make conscience of this duty let vs haue in our minds these considerations first that riches are fitly compared to thornes which if we be not carefull in the gathering of them will pricke and wound not the hand but the conscience yea and if we be ouer-greedie of them will pierce vs through with many sorrowes and secondly that so oft as they being offered to our desire cannot be compassed by good and lawfull meanes they are the baits of the Diuell And therefore we are not to lay hold vpon euerie commoditie which is propounded vnto vs but we are to looke vnto the lawfulnes of the meanes for if we attaine them by vnlawful means we do with them swallow the hooke of the Diuell And this is a certaine truth that those which will be rich that is which haue set downe with themselues that they will attaine to wealth whether the Lord do giue them lawfull meanes or not they fall into temptation and snares of the Diuell for he cannot lay any bait of commoditie to entrap them which they will not be readie to obtaine by sinne which is the very hooke of the Diuell Thirdly we are to acknowledge that it is the blessing of God which maketh rich Prou. 10. 22 and that the Lord doth not blesse ill gotten goods see Prou. 13. 11. and Iâ—rem chapter 17. 11. Fourthly that better is a little with righteousnesse than great reuenews without equitie Prou. 16. 8. Psal. 37. 16 and that it is better to be in meane estate with a good conscience than with the shipwracke of a good conscience to be rich Fiftly that goods justly gotten are the good gifts of God and pledges of his loue towards thee if also thou hast grace to vse them well but contrariwise that ill gotten goods obtained by sinne in the seruice of the diuell they are the wages which the prince of this world giueth to his seruants and are as Nazianzene sayth the earnest penny of perdition or that I may speake more effectually they are the price of mens soules for which couetous men who haue set their soules to sale doe sell them to the diuell Lastly let vs esteeme that onely to be gained which is gotten lawfully And when any thing which we desire cannot be gotten lawfully let vs remember that as the Apostle sayth Great gaâ—e is godlinesse with contentednesse Whereas contrariwise in that which is vnjustly gotten thre is exceeding great losse And therfore the heathen man did well aduise vs to chuse losse rather than vnhonest gaine for the one sayth hee will grieue thee but once and the other for euer For indeed what is gained in that which is gotten by sinne an earthly commoditie which to a worldly man is not onely vaine and vnprofitable but also hurtfull But what is loâ—t thy soule For the wages of sinne as death and the soule that sâ—â—neth shall die Now if the soule should bee weighed in the ballance of Critolâ—us against al the commodities of the world it would ouerweigh them all Wherefore let that diuine Oracle of our Sauiour Christ alwaies sound in our eares What will it profit a man if hee shall gaine the whole world and loose his owne soule Mar. 8. 36. should we not sinne to gaine the whole world and shall we be readie to sinne for euery trifle in the world Would not the whole world be a sufficient ransome to redeeme our soules and shall wee â—ell our soules to the diuell for euery nothing in this world Was Esau prophane and foolish who in his hunger sold his birthright for a messe of pottage and are not we much more prophane and foolish if for matters of like value but lesse necessitie wee shall make away an euerlasting inheritance yea an eternall kingdome in heauen And thus much may suffice to haue spoken concerning the description of the sound Christian and citizen of heauen Now followeth the priuiledge of euery sound Christian who is qualified according to that description viz. That he shall neuer bee remooued for so sayth the holy ghost He that doth these things shall neuer bee remooued Where we are to consider two things first who it is to whom this priuiledge belongeth and secondly what this priuiledge is the partie to whom it belongeth is He that doth these things He doth not say he that knoweth these things nor he that can discourse of these matters but he that doth these things For as we judge of the health and soundnesse of the heart not by the words of the mouth or colour of the countenance but by the pulse of the arme so of the soundnesse and vprightnesse of the heart judgement is to be made not so much by the words or countenance as by the fruits of the hands It is a good thing to say well but we are no sound Christians or citizens of heauen vnlesse also we doe well Not euery one that sayth vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen It is a good thing to read and heare and by reading and hearing to know the will of God but we shall neuer attaine to happinesse vnlesse we be also carefull to doe it Blessed it â—e which readeth sayth Iohn the Diuine and blessed are they which â—e are the words of this prophecie but he stayeth not there and obserue sayth he the things which are written therein It is a good thing to haue the word of God preached and a miserable thing to be without it as Salomon sayth Prou. 29. 18. but he that so heareth it as that he keepeth it ô happie is he They are blessed sayth our Sauiour Christ that â—eare the word of God and keepe it And againe If you know these things happie are you if you doe them We are therefore from hence to bee exhorted vnto well doing For seeing a sound Christian and citizen of heauen is to be discerned by doing these things as the holy ghost here teacheth it behoueth vs by doing them to make our calling and election sure For if we doe these things we shall neuer fall as Peter also by the same spirit affirmeth The priuiledge it selfe is that he shall neuer be remooued or as some read that he shall not fall for euer not for euer that is neuer as Iohn 13. 8. Thou shalt not wash myfeet for euer And the same priuiledge in the same words is repeated Psal. 112. 6. The good man shall neuer be remooued and Prou. 10. 30. The righteous shall neuer be remoued