hast sayth he vnto the Lord shewed vnto thy seruant Dauâ—d my father great mercy when he walked before thee in truth and in righteousnesse and in vprightnesse of heart with thee Of Ezechias you heard before But omitting other examples let vs call to mind the example of Enoch by which being the first in this kind we may best conceiue what account the Lord maketh of Integritie For when as he walked before God vprightly the Lord did therfore translate him out of this valley of teares that he should not see death and assumed him into heauen where he might inioy immortall glorie But if neither the golden reason of excellency can moue vs nor the siluer reason of profit allure vs then must the yron reason of necessitie enforce vs to Integrity and vprightnesse of heart For first such is the necessity thereof that without Integritie the best graces we seeme to haue are counterfeit and therefore but glorious sinnes the best worship we can performe is but hypocrisie and therefore abhominable in Gods sight For vprightnesse is the soundnesse of all graces and virtues as also of all religion and worship of God without which they are vnsound and nothing worth And first as touching graces if they be not ioyned with vprightnesse of hart they are sinnes vnder the maskes or vizards of virtue yea as it may seeme double sinnes for as Augustine sayth Simulata aequitas est duplex iniquitas quia iniquitas est simulatio Fained equitie is double iniquity both because it is iniquitiâ— and because it is â—aining Wherefore in the Scriptures it is required that our faith should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnfained that is such a faith as inwardly purifieth the hart and outwardly worketh by loue otherwise it is not a true and a liuely but a counterfeit and dead faith Likewise our loue must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnfained that is as Iohn saith we must loue not in speech and tongue but in deed and truth Or as Paul speaketh our loue must proceed from a pure heart a good conscience and â—aith vnfained Our wisedome also must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without dissimulation not that mixt or Machiuilian prudence which politicke men in the world so greatly praise being mixed with hypocrisie and deceit but that prudence of serpents tempered with the simplicitie of Doues otherwise it is as Iames saith earthly carnall and diuellish Lastly our repentance and conuersion vnto God must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnfained and from our whole hart For it is not the renting of the garments but of the heart that pleaseth God Neither is it the bowing of the head like a Bul-rush but the humiliation the melting the contrition of the heart that is acceptable before him Such as was the repentance of Iosiah 2. King 22. not as that of Achab 1. King 21. nor yet as that of the dissembling Israelites who made semblance of repentance and turning to God but their heart was not vpright with him If therefore without vprightnesse our faith be dead our loue cold our wisedome diuellish our repentance counterfeit then is vprightnes no lesse necessary to saluation then I say not any one of these graces but theÌ„ all But as those graces which we may seeme to haue without vprightnes are couÌ„terfeit so our religion worship of God without it is hipocrisie For although it be the common practise of meÌ„ not only to content themselues with a profession of religion pietie towards God neglecting the duties of charitie towards men but also to rest in an outward and bodily worship notwithstanding it is no true religion before God which is altogether wanting in the duties of charitie neither is the outward worship without the inward acceptable vnto God This is notably declared in the Prophecy of Micah where to the hypocrite demanding wherewith he should come before the Lord and bow himselfe before the high God and making large offers if outward seruice would stand for good payment Shall I come before him saith he with burnt offerings and Calues of a yeare old will the Lord he pleased with thousands of Rammes or with ten thousand riuers of oyle shall I giue my first borne for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sinne of my soule Answer is made He hath shewed thee ô man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee surely towards men to do iustly and to loue mercie and towards God to humble thyselfe to walke with thy God The reasonable seruice that is the spirituall worship of God is that liuing holy and acceptable sacrifice vnto God For God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth As for bodily exercise that profiteth little yea if it be seuered from the spirituall it hurteth much Therefore the Prophet denounceth the fearefull judgements of God against those who comming neere vnto him with their mouth and honoring him with their lippes do notwithstanding remoue their heart farre from him But the truth of this doctrine will more clearely appeare if we shall descend into the particuler consideration of the seuerall parts of Gods worship As first of prayer to the acceptable performance whereof there is required vprightnesse not onely in the action it selfe but also in the life of him that prayeth For as touching the action it selfe it is not sufficient to moue the lippes or to vtter a certaine number of words as Papists and other hopocrites do but our prayer if it shall be acceptable must also be a prayer of the heart and of the spirit a lifting vp of the soule a lifting vp of the heart with the hands a pouring forth of the soule before the Lord and to pray aright is to pray with our whole heart with an vpright heart out of a pure heart with lippes vnfained finally it is to pray in truth that is in vprightnesse and to this vpright prayer is the promise of hearing our prayer restrained Psal. 145. 18. The Lord is neere to them that call vpon him What to all yea to all saith the Prophet of purpose excluding hypocrites that call vpon him in truth For the Lord in our prayers doth not so much regard our tongue as our heart As for them which draw neare vnto the Lord with their lippes and are remooued from him in their heart they abuse the Maiesty of God whiles crying vnto him but not from their hearts they lye vnto God and go about to deceiue him with their lippes and by their hypocrisie to cast as it were a mist before his eyes But herein they are greatly deceiued For how soeuer masking vnder the vizards of hypocrisie they may hide themselues from men yet before God such maskers do as it were daunce in a net for before him all things
vpon the world halting betwixt God and Mammon and esteeming gaine to be godlinesse we may be theeues yea diuels as he was And not to insist any longer in the seuerall parts of Gods worship this may be said of all externall worship in generall that so oft as it is seuered from the inward spirituall worship of God it is hypocritical and detestable in the sight of God To which purpose the Lord professeth by his Prophet That he which killeth a bullocke is as if he slew a man he that sacrificeth a sheep as if he cut off a dogs necke he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swines bloud he that remembreth incense as if he blessed an idole Wee must therefore beware least we rest in the performance of outward seruice or coÌ„tent our selues with opere operato the deed done which is the rotten pillar of popish superstition For it is not sufficient to doe that which is right vnlesse we do it with an vpright heart If with Amaziah wee doe that which is right but not with an vpright heart we may fall away as he did Wherefore that exhortation which the Apostle maketh to mens seruants much more belongeth to vs who are the seruants of God namely That we shold performe our duties towards him from our heart not in eye-seruices as men-pleasers but with simplicitie of heart fearing God and from our hearts obeying the holy will and commaundements of God Out of all which it appeareth euidently that without vprightnesse of heart neither the graces of the spirit which wee may seeme to haue are of any worth or our worship of any account with God But howsoeuer the most excellent graces without it be glorious sinnes and the most glorious worship counterfeit yet on the other side where vprightnesse is the graces which we haue though as small as a graine of mustard seed and our worship though performed in much weakenesse is acceptable vnto God The second argument is taken from the authoritie of God himselfe auowing the necessitie of vprightnesse And hereunto appertaineth first the testimonie both of the holy ghost in this place affirming That those who are to dwell in Gods holy mountaine are such as walke vprightly as also of our Sauiour Christ Matth. 5. denying that we shall euer enter into the kingdome of heauen vnlesse our righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies The righteousnesse which the Pharisies obserued themselues and taught others to obserue was altogether outward whereby they abstained from outward and more grosse offences neglecting inward and sâ—cret corruptions Secondly the commaundement of God enjoyning vprightnesse For this is the especiall dutie which we are to performe towards God viz. that wee bumble our selues to walke with our God For when the Lord was to establish his couenant with Abraham and his seed this condition he requireth to be performed on their part to walke before him and to be vpright This is that which Dauid commendeth to Salomon as his last will and testament Know thou the God of thy father and serue him with an vpright heart and a willing mind which Iosua in his last speech commendeth to the people of Israel that they should worship the Lord in spirit and truth As Moses also before had charged them Deut. 18. Thou shalt be vpright therefore before the Lord thy God For seeing the Lord is a spirit he will therefore be worshipped in spirit and in truth And as himselfe is a spirit so is his law spirituall restraining not onely the hand and tongue but also the heart Now the commaundement of God imposeth a necessitie not absolute indeed but with this condition If we will auoid his curse Thirdly the same is prooued by the oath of God which he sware vnto our father Abraham that he would giue vs who are the sonnes of Abraham and heires of promise that being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies we should worship him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him For as the commaundement of God imposeth the necessitie of dutie so the oath of the Lord imposeth a necessitie of certainetie or as the schoolemen speake of infallibilitie And therefore if we doe not walke vprightly worshipping the Lord as before him it is as certaine as the oath of the Lord is true that we can haue no assurance that wee are redeemed by Christ out of the world to raigne with him in his holy mountaine The third and last argument enforcing the necessitie of vprightnesse may be this For either wee must be vpright or hypocrits There is no third for not to bee vpright is to be an hypocrite and not to be an hypocrite is to be vpright But we may in no case be hypocrites For hypocrisie is a sinne most odious vnto God most foolish in it selfe most pernicious to them that are infected therewith It is most odious vnto God for as the vpright are the Lords delight so the hypocrit is an abhomination vnto him For that which is highly esteemed among men is abhomination in the sight of God And not without cause For all hypocrisie and doubling is a double if not a triple sinne for counterfeit pietie is double impietie both because it is impietie and because it is counterfeit And as hypocrisie is a counterfeiting it containeth also two sinnes opposed to simplicitie and truth both which are comprised in integritie viz. falshood opposed vnto truth as it is mendacium facti and deceit or guile opposed vnto simplicitie as duplicitie or doubling The hypocrite in respect of his falsehood and disguising in the Greeke tongue is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a stage-player who although perhaps he be little better than a rogue representeth sometimes the person of a prince or monarch Those therefore are hypocrits who lead their life as it were vpon a stage cloaking sinne vnder the shew of vertue hauing some â—orme or vizard of pietie but denying the power of it Qui in superficie boni sunt sed in alto mali as Augustine speaketh who seeme to honour God with their lips but remooue their heart farre from him who desiring to seeme good but not to be so and not to seeme euill but to be so make cleane the outside of the cup and of the platter but within they are full of briberie and excesse and are therefore compared by our Sauiour Christ to painted sepulchres which appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and all filthinesse And as the fruit which groweth neere to Mare mortuum when it is ripe maketh a faire shew but within is full of cinders or ashes as some write so these men outwardly appeare righteous vnto men but within they are full of hypocrisie and iniquitie But as in the disguising of hypocrits there is falshood so in their doubling there is guile wherby they indeuouring to deceiue
of Enoch Noah Abraham Isaacke and others that they walked before God it signifieth that they walked that is liued vprightly as in the presence and sight of God admitting him to be the witnesse and iudge of all their actions and dealings thus were Zachary and Elizabeth sayd to be righteous before God that is vpright persons And in this sence vpright actions are said in the Scriptures to be done before the Lord. In the song of Zacharie we are said to be redeemed from the hand of our spirituall enemies to this end that we sâ—ould worship the Lord in holinesse and righteousnesse before him that is not as in the sight of men who see but the outward shewes but as in the sight and presence of God who seeth and respecteth the heart Thus are we with the Apostle to speake as before God in Christ thus are we to preach as before God thus are we to heare as before God with Cornelius 2. Againe to be vpright is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to walke with a rightfoot neither couertly treading awry with Peter Gal. 2. nor openly halting with the Israelits 1. King 18. 3. It is also as I said to be void of hypocrisie and doubling not to haue an heart and an heart or to bee double minded but to be single hearted Thus those things which be vpright are said to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnfained and to be performed not with an heart an heart or with a heart diuided or parted but with an entire or whole heart After this manner the holy ghost speaking of the Zebulonits 1. Chron. 12. 33. that they came to Dauid nor with an heart and an heart doth afterwards expound himselfe when speaking of all the Tribes hee saith they came to Dauid with an vpright heart On the other side hypocrits and dissemblers they speake as the Psalmist saith with an heart and an heart and are therfore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 double minded men 4. Lastly this vertue of Vprightnesse is commended vnto vs vnder other names viz. synceritie and truth Sinceritie being opposed to mixture and truth to falsehood both which hypocrisie is Sincere is that which is without mixture as clarified honey is sine cera without wax or as bread without leauen For which cause the vertue of sinceritie is commended vnto vs vnder the type of the vnleauened bread with which the feast of the Passeouer was to be celebrated As contrariwise hypocrisie is signified by leauen and is called the leauen of the Pharisies There were other types also of the law wherin the mixture of hypocrisie doubling was condemned and contrariwise sinceritie commaunded vnto vs. As for example when the Lord forbad the Israelits to plant their vineyards with diuerse sorts or to sow their fields with diuerse kinds of seed or to plow with an oxe and asse together or to weare garments of linsey wolsey But it is also called Truth as 1. Cor. 5. 8. for this is the truth which the Lord requireth in the inward parts Psal. 51. 6. and wherein he is to bee worshipped and called vpon He is therefore said to walke vprightly who behauing himselfe as in the sight and presence of God walketh with a right foot without hypocrisie or dissimulation in sincertie and truth 2. Now that vprightnesse is a proper note to the citisens of heauen it may easily appeare by the reciprocall conuersion which is betwixt them For if all the citisens of heauen be vpright and all that be vpright are citisens of heauen then is it manifest that vprightnesse agreeth to all that be the sonnes and heires of God and to them alone First then that all which be heires of the kingdome of heauen are vpright it is euident For those that are not vpright haue none inheritance in heauen As Peter telleth Simon Maguâ— that he had no part in the Communion of Saints because his heart was not right in the sight of God For hypocrits as all be that are not vpright for not to be vpright is to be an hypocrite and not to be an hypocrite is to be vpright neither shall they sojourne to the end in Gods Tabernacle neither shal they rest in the mountaine of Gods holinesse but contrary to the priuiledge of the vpright in the last verse they shall beremooued both by defection whereby they seperat themselues from God in this life and by exclusion whereby they shall bee seperated from God in the life to come As touching the former as constancie and perseuerance is an vnseparable companion of vprightnesse so hypocrisie is accompanied with inconstancie and is commonly punished with defection The double minded man is inconstant in all his waies And the Apostle Iohn doth teach vs that those which be in the Church but are not of it that is to say hypocrits are permitted by the just judgement of God to fall away that their hypocrisie may be detected And to the same purpose Bildad the Shuhite Can arush saith he grow without mire or can the grasse grow without water Though it should be greene and not plucked vp yet shall it wither before any other hearbe So are the paths of all that forget God and the expectation of the hypocrite doth perish And as touching the life to come Iob sheweth that the hypocrite hath no hope when God doth take away his soule For all their reward they receiue in this life as our Sauiour Christ saith Verily Isay vnto you they haue their reward They are therefore in no expectation of reward for the hypocrite shall not come into the presence of God but are or may be in certain expectation of punishment For our Sauiour Christ when he would signifie that the wicked seruant shall certainely be condemned he saith That hee shall haue his portion with the hypocrites where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Those therefore that be heires of the kingdome of heauen they be not hypocrites and dissemblers but such as are vpright Which must teach vs as wee desire to perseuere in the faith to the end and to attaine to the end of our faith which is the saluation of our souls so to humble ourselues to walke with our God in sinceritie and vprightnesse of heart Now that all those also which be vpright are citisens of heauen it may euidently be prooued out of the Scriptures For as the Psalmist saith the Lord will giue grace and glory grace in this life and glory in the life to come and no good thing will â—ee withhold from them that walke vprightly Grace he giueth them with perseuerance for the vpright man buildeth vpon the rocke and therefore no temptations shall vtterly ouercome him He is not onely in the Church but also of it and therefore certainely shall remaine in the communion of the Church and whosoeuer continueth to the end he shall
be saued Againe doth the holy ghost call any blessed that are not heires of the kingdome of heauen But the vpright are by the testimonie of the holy ghost happie and blessed Blessed are those that are vpright in their way Blessed are those in whose heart there is no guile that is hypocrisie And to this purpose belongeth that testimony of Salomon as Tremellius readeth the just man that walketh in his vprightnesse is blessed blessed are his children after him And yet the holy ghost is more plain in testifying this truth Prou. 28. 18. He that walketh vprightly shall be saued Psal. 140. 13. The vpright shall dwell in thy presence But most plaine Mat. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for so hee calleth the vpright for they shall see God they shall haue the vision of God and enjoy his glorious presence in the fruition whereof consisteth our eternall happinesse And therefore most fitly not onely in this place but elsewhere also in the Scriptures is Vprightnesse made the note and cognisance of the sonnes and heires of God For this cause Israel is called Ieschurun to signifie that whosoeuer is a true Israelite is vpright Iacob himselfe is commended for this vertue And of those that are pure in heart it is said Psal. 24 This is Iacob So Psal. 73 when the Prophet had said that God is good to Israel in the next words he expoundeth whom he meant by Israel namely the pure in heart So also our Sauiour Christ speaking of Nathaniel Behold saith he a true Israelite in whom there is no guile For as the Apostle saith he is not a Iew which is one outward but he is a Iew which is one within that is to say the vpright 3. Seeing then as we haue heard all that are vpright are citisens of heauen and contrariwise all that be citisens of heauen be vpright it behooueth vs diligently to trie and examine our selues whether this note doth belong vnto vs or not For vnlesse we be vpright wee shall not rest in Gods holy mountaine but must looke to haue our portion with hypocrits where is weeping and gnashing of teeth To this purpose I will set down certaine signes and tokens whereby the vpright and the hypocrits may be discerned 1. And first the studie and endeuour of the vpright is to approue himselfe to God to walke before him to discharge a good conscience the testimonie wherof he greatly esteemeth and preferreth it to the judgements of men concerning himselfe On the other side the hypocrites care is to approue himselfe to men neglecting the testimony of his owne conscience and therefore those good things which he doth he doth to be seene of men and the euill which he omitteth he leaueth vndone least he should be seene of men for if men be not acquainted with his doings he neither careth to doe good nor feareth to doe euill 2. It is the propertie of vpright men to yeeld simple and absolute obedience to the word of God denying themselues their owne affections and reason but to obey humane precepts so farre forth as they are not repugnant to the law of God But it is the fashion of hypocrits to obey the commaundements of God so further than themselues thinke good as appeareth in the example of Saul and more strictly to obserue the traditions of men than the commaundements of God 3. A third signe of an vprightman is so to contemn the world and to be wained from worldly desires as that hee preferreth the keeping of a good conscience before the obtaining of any worldly desires knowing that it will not profit a man to gaine the whole world and to loose his owne soule For he that is not addicted to the world it is a good sign that he professeth religion not for worldly and by-respects But the hypocrits guise is to seeme religious and to be a wordling to professe religion and to mind earthly things to diuide himselfe betwixt God and Mammon to giue to God the outward shew to the world his heart not first and principally to seeke the kingdome of God his righteousnesse but to professe religion in a secondarie respect so farre forth as it jumpeth with the fruition of his worldly desires and consequently to preferre the gaine of the world before the keeping of a good conscience and to be ready to sinne that he may obtaine any worldly desire 4. The propertie of an vpright man is to hate sinne as well in himselfe as in others and to bee exercised in judging himselfe But the manner of hypocrits is to hate sinne in others but not in themselues to be busie in prying into other mens behauiour and to neglect their owne to be quick-sighted to discerne and very censorious to judge the offences of their brethren but haue neither eyes to see nor consciences to condemne their owne sinnes and as our Sauiour Christ saith of such hypocrits to see a mote in their brothers eye and not to discerne a beame in their owne 5. The vpright man repenteth of all sinne hauing an vnfained purpose and resolution to abstaine from all sinne and not to retain any one howsoeuer besides and contrary to his purpose hee may faile in some particulars But the hypocrite howsoeuer he may be brought to abstaine from diuerse sinnes whereunto he is not so much addicted yet he will be sure to cherish and retain some sinne or sinnes that are more deare vnto him from which he will by no meanes be reclaimed Example in Herod who reuerenced Iohn Baptist and when he heard him did many things which Iohn aduised him vnto and heard him gladly but doe Iohn what he could he would not forgoe Herodias his brothers wife 6. It is the propertie of the vpright to loue and reuerence the good and godly for their godlinesse sake and to contemne and despise the wicked though mightie in the world because of their wickednesse as it followeth Vers. 4 For the world doth loue her own and hateth those which belong to Christ. But hereby we know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren But it is the manner of hypocrits to stomacke the godly to enuie thē which are better than they and not to brooke them that be had in better estimation than themselues And thus were the Pharisies affected to Christ. 7. It is the propertie of the vpright to preferre the greater weightier duties before the lesse the substance before circumstances the workes either of pietie or mercie before ceremonies But it hath alwayes beene the hypocrits guise to neglect the greater duties and to affect the obseruation of the lesse to preferre circumstances before the substance and ceremonies before the workes either of pietie or charitie to place the height of their religion either in obseruing or vrging ceremonies or contrariwise in refusing them and inueighing
thing for whereas it is sayd of Eâ—och Gen. 5. that he walked before God that is that hee liued vprightly it is by the Apostle thus expounded That he was sayd to haue pleased God And the Hebrew word which signifieth to be right or vpright doth signifie also to please that we may know that he which is right before God doth please him As it is sayd in the Prouerbes They which are peruerse in heart are an abhomination vnto the Lord but such as are vpright in their way are his delight Now this must needs be an excellent virtue that goeth vnder the name of perfection which the Lord esteemeth as the inward beautie of his spouse which is not onely pleasing vnto God but as it were the pleasing of him But let vs come to the profit by which consideration most are led as it is sayd Psal. 4. There be many that say who will shew vs any good that is profit The profit of vprightnesse may be shewed first in generall that God is good and gracious to theÌ„ that are vpright As the Psalmist after many conflicts at length resolueth Psa. 73. 1. But yet God is good to Israell to those that are pure in heart And this goodnesse he manifesteth by doing good to them and causing all things to worke together for their good according to the prayer of Dauid Psal. 125. Do good O Lord to those that are good and vpright in heart but those that turne aside by their crooked wayes them shall the Lord send away with the workers of iniquity Neither is the goodnesse of God sparing towards them For he is a Sunne that is an author and giuer of all comfortable blessings and a shield that is a protector of them from all euill He giueth grace and glory and no good thing doth he with-hold from those that walke vprightly More specially the benefits wherewith the Lord doth crowne the vpright are either temporall or spirituall For as salomon saith Prou. 2. The Lord hath laid vp for the vpright substance that is whatsoeuer is truly good and verse 21. The righteous shall inhabit the land and the vpright men shall remaine in it And as the Lord bestoweth good things vpon the vpright so he preserueththem from euill and is therefore sayd to be â— shield to them that walke vprightly or as Dauid saith My shield is in God who giueth saluation or preserueth the vpright in heart according to the saying of the Prophet Hanani The eyes of the Lord saith he behold all the earth to shew himselfe strong with them that haue a perfect that is an vpright heart towards him The spirituall blessings which God bestoweth on the vpright are as the Psalmist speaketh Grace Glory Grace in this life Glory in the life to come The graces which God bestoweth on the vpright are many for sanctifying graces are so linked together as it were in a golden chaine that where some be in truth as they are in the vpright all are in some measure Among many others these spirituall blessings accompany vprightnesse Comfort in affliction and Ioy in the holy Ghost and which before I spake of Confidence or spirituall securitie in worshipping the Lord without feare which is the blessednesse promised to the faithfull in all nations in Abrahams seed according to the exposition of Zacharias Luk. 1. and also Constancy and Perseuerance As touching the former before not touched Forasmuch as the vpright building not vpon the sand but vpon the rocke haue layd a good foundation against the day of triall therefore when as they are afflicted they faint not neither are ouermuch discouraged but with Dauid in his greatest distresse do comfort themselues in the Lord their God 1. Sam. 30. 6. And being assured that the Lord will cause all things euen their afflictions to worke to their good they resolue with Iob to put their trust in him though he kill them But the vpright haue not onely comfort but ioy also in the holy Ghost For God doth giue to him that is good in his sight that is to the vpright wisedome and knowledge and ioy For the vpright haue a good conscience and a good conscience is a continuall feast For this is our reioycing saith the Apostle the testimony of our conscience that we haue had our conuersation in simplicitie and godly purenesse And this was Ezechias his stay when he had receiued the sentence of death and which he vsed as an argument vnto the Lord to obtaine the lengthning of his life and preuailed Lord saith he I beseech thee remember how I haue walked before thee in truth and with an vpright heart and haue done that which is good in thy sight For howsoeuer the vpright are sometimes vnder the crosse yet there is light sowne for the righteous and ioy for the vpright in heart which in due time will sprout forth yea in the mids of their affliction they do reioyce knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed And seeing the vpright do with Dauid set the Lord alwayes before their eyes for he is at their right hand therefore they must say with him I shall not be remoued wherefore my heart is glad and my tongue reioyceth my flesh also doth rest in hope With these and such like blessings the Lord doth reward the vpright in this life for after this life eternall saluation abideth them He that walketh vprightly saith Salomon shall be saued but he that is peruerse or walketh peruersly in two waies as double minded men do he shal fall in one or as some read at once And to omit other testimonies the holy Ghost testifieth in this place That he which walketh vprightly shal dwell in the holy mountaine of God Finally to conclude all blessings vnder one blessednesse it selfe is promised to the vpright Blessed are those which are vpright in their way Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God And this blessednesse doth not onely belong to themselues but it redoundeth also to their posteritie Blessed is the iust man that walketh in his vprightnesse and blessed are his children after him And againe The generation of the vpright shall be blessed But it may be you expect examples which one calleth the hostages of our speech whereby that may appeare in particuler experience which the Lord hath confirmed in generall promise Let Noah therefore be an example whom the Lord because of his vprightnesse preserued in the vniuersall deluge And likewise vpright Abraham to whom the Lord was a shield and an exceeding great reward Dauid professeth that for as much as he was vpright before God the Lord therefore rewarded him according to his righteousnesse and the purenesse of his hands in his sight And the same is confessed by Salolon his sonne Thou
person or by a more ciuill honest man who is void of faith of religion of the loue and feare of God although materially they be good yet are they euill as they proceed from him For whiles the tree is euill the fruit cannot be good whiles the person is not accepted as just in Christ as none but the faithfull are his actions cannot be acceptable for without faith it is impossible to please God And this is that which the Apostle saith that the end and consummation of the commandement is loue out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith vnsained In respect of the manner our good workes must be performed vprightly not in hypocrisie and dissimulation otherwise it is vnfained and counterfeit For though we doe that which is right yet if we doe it not with an vpright heart we doe it not rightly neither can we be sayd to worke righteousnesse In respect of the end we are to perfome good workes that by the discharge of our duty God may be glorified But if our end be to be seene of men if to win praise and glorie to our selues if to merit of God and as it were to bridle him by our good deed all our workes though neuer so glorious in the eyes of the world yet are they splendida peccata that is to say glorious sinnes To this purpose we are to remember that we are to worship God not onely in holinesse but in righteousnesse also and we worship him in righteousnesse when as in a sincere obedience to God we seeke by performing the duties of righteousnesse to our brother to glorifie God From this note therefore of Gods children we distinguish the seeming good workes first of infidels without the Church or of more naturall men within because there can be no true righteousnesse or loue of men without faith pietie and loue of God Secondly of hypocrâ—tes and dissemblers who do no good but for sinister and by-respects and therefore their righteousnesse being hypocrisie is double injustice Lastly of all Pharisaicall and Popish justiciaries who by their good workes thinke such is their Satanicall pride to make God beholding vnto them and to merit heauen to themselues most sacrilegiously injuriously vnto Christ our Sauiour placing the matter of their justification and the merit of their saluation in themselues In a word that is no true righteousnesse which is seuered from holinesse neither is that a worke of righteousnesse which is not a righteous worke rightly done as that is not which is done in hypocrisie or to an ill end He therefore vndoubtedly is the sonne and heire of God who professing the true faith laboureth to demonstrat his faith by good works his faith working by loue and his loue proceeding from faith vnfained who in vpright obedience towards God seeketh by the exercise of righteousnesse and discharge of his dutie towards his neighbour to glorifie God The third note of the child God is Truth which the holy ghost expresseth in these words and speaketh the truth in his heart Which words sayth Augustine are not thus to be vnderstood as though keeping the truth in the heart we should vtter vntruth with our mouth But the holy ghost vseth this phrase of speech because a man may with his mouth vtter the truth which will nothing auaile him if he hold not the same in his heart Wherefore although this phrase of speaking the truth in his heart seeme somewhat harsh notwithstanding if it be rightly vnderstood it doth more fully expresse the disposition of a man which is addicted to the truth than if it had been said from the heart Thus therefore I read who speaketh the truth which is in his hâ—rt that is who vttereth with his tongue the truth which he hath conceiued in his mind For that we may be vcraces that is speakers of the truth there is a double conformitie or agreement required which is here expressed the one of the speech with the mind namely that we should speak as we thinke the other of the mind with the thing it selfe namely that wee should conceiue in our mind according to the truth of the matter For as the rule and measure of truth in words is the agreement of them with our thoughts so the rule and measure of truth in our thoughts is the agreement thereof with the things themselues It is true indeed that in some sciences either agreement alone sufficeth vnto the truth as in morall philosophy he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speaker of the truth who speaketh as he thinketh although perhaps he thinketh otherwise than the thing it selfe is And in Logicke he is said to speake the truth who speaketh as the thing is although perhaps he thinketh otherwise But in diuinitie both as I said is required Neither can we be said if either be wanting to be veraces that is such as speake the truth which is in our heart for he which deliuereth an vntruth supposing it to bee true howsoeuer hee bee free from the vanitie of lying yet he cannot be said to bee a speaker of the truth for in his mouth he vttereth an vntruth though in his heart he be well affected to the truth Contrariwise he that speaketh the truth which he thinketh to be false he is a lyar though he speake the truth because he hath truth in his mouth but not in his heart Such a one therefore because hee speaketh with an heart and an heart may not vnworthily be said to lie For mentâ—ri est contra mentemire to lie is to speake otherwise than a man thinketh Wherefore that a man may bee said to speake the truth which is in heart there is a double agreement required the one of the tongue with the mind the other of the mind with the things themselues And to this double conformitie in speaking the truth there is opposed a double falshood namely when a man speaketh either that which is false or falsely He speaketh that which is false who speaketh otherwise than the thing is whether he thinkes it to be so or otherwise He speaketh falsely who speaketh otherwise than hee thinketh He which speaketh a falshood supposing it to be true is not so much to be blamed for lying as for vnaduifednesse and rashnesse For we ought to be sure of those things which we affirme But he which either speaketh that which hee knoweth to bee false or speaketh that which is true falsely that is animo fallendi with a purpose to deceiue as the diuell sometimes doth he is a lyar neither can you easily determine whether is in the greater fault for as the one hath lesse truth in his mouth so the other hath more deceit in his heart Now that the loue of the truth and likewise the detestation of falshood is to be reckoned among the notes of Gods children it is testified not onely in this place but also elsewhere in the Scriptures Zeph. 3. The remnant of Israell that is
the true members of the Church which shall remaine shall not speake lies neither shall a deceitfull tongue bee found in their mouth And Prou. 13. A righteous man hateth lying words but a wicked man is so addicted vnto lying that he stinketh as it were and is confounded And whereas it is said in the end of the Psalme He that doth these things shall neuer be remooued The same is testified by Salomon Pro. 12. The lip of truth meaning thereby the man which speaketh the truth shall be established for euer And whereas in the beginning of the Psalme it is promised that he shal rest in the mountaine of Gods holinesse the same we read performed Apoc. 14. where it is said of those 144000 in whose mouth was found no guile that they were redeemed from among men being the first fruits vnto God and the lambe But it will be obiected that euery man is a lyar according to that of the Apostle Let God be true and euery man a lyar If therefore none shall dwell in the holy mountaine of God but such as are speakers of the truth who then shall be saued I answere that no man indeed vpon the earth may be said to be so perfectly true but that sometimes he faileth of infirmitie so farre hath the father of lies the diuell infected vs with his falshood But that if we aspire and contend towards that perfection embracing and louing the truth detesting and abhorring lies and haue a setled purpose and vnfained resolution to obserue the truth in all things so farre as God shall enable vs assuredly howsoeuer we may sometimes faile of infirmitie as Sara once did and Peter also through feare notwithstanding our infirmities being pardoned through and for the perfect obedience of Christ and our leasings couered with his veritie who is the truth the Lord will accept of vs in his fonne as those which speake the truth in their heart because the true desire and purpose of our heart is alwayes to obserue the truth For we must distinguish betwixt those who hating falshood doe sometimes though seldome fall thereinto and those which haue got a custome and habit of lying and are delighted with vntruth for the former may be verified of the faithfull but the latter cannot The vse which we are to make of this doctrine is this That seeing the truth of our speech is a matter of so great weight and consequence as that the holy ghost in this place hath set it downe as one of the marks of Gods children we are to be stirred vp to embrace the truth and to abhorre lies And to this purpose let vs in the first place consider that whereas the facultie of speech is of so great vse in our life as that without it wee should seeme to liue like beasts notwithstanding all this vse of our speech dependeth vpon the truth thereof For take away truth from the speech of men and it were better men should bee dumbe than able to speake Of truth therefore there is great necessitie not onely in religion for without the knowledge of the truth wee cannot attaine to saluation but also in our whole life Lying contrariwise peruerteth the vse of speech and maketh it not onely vnprofitable but hurtfull also it taketh away faith from among men and in a manner dissolueth humane societies which without mutuall contracts and negotiations wherein truth doth rule cannot be maintained c. Secondly whereas God is truth and the authour of all truth and contrariwise the diuell is a lyar and the father of lies let vs consider whose image it behooueth vs to represent for his children we are whose image we do bear the wit the children of God if we be speakers of the truth the children of the diuell if we be lyars Thirdly as there be two fathers of those which speake truly God and of lyars the diuell so there are two kingdomes whereunto all appertaine the kingdome of light and the kingdome of darkenesse The language or dialect of the former is truth of the latter lying If therefore thou wouldest know to whether kingdome thou doest appertaine thou mayest know by thy language Fourthly by the profession of the truth as our brother is profited so is Gods glory aduaunced but by lying wee sinne not onely against our neighbour but also against God Fiftly for those causes Truth in the Scripture is commended vnto vs and commaunded but vntruth is forbidden and condemned Wherefore saith the Apostle cast off lying and speake euery man the truth vnto his neighbour for we are members one of another Where the Apostle vseth two reasons first because we are renewed in the holinesse and righteousnesse of truth according to the image of God that we may be true as he is true Secondly because we are members of the same body and therefore ought to maintain truth among our selues But especially in the ninth commaundement is truth commanded and all falshood forbidden But it may be you desire testimonies of either seuerally As of truth commaunded Zachar. 8. These are the things that you shall doe Speake yee euery man the truth vnto his neighbour execute iudgement truly and vprightly in your gates And againe Therefore loue the truth and peâ—ce Of falshood forbidden Exod. 23. Thou shalt keepe thee farre â— verbo mendacâ— from a lying word Leu. 19. Ye shall not steale nor deale falsely nor lie one vnto another Where theft and lying as they vse to goe together so are they joyned as companions and hard it is to say whether is the worse sinne A lie sayth a wise man is a wicked shame in a man yet is it oft in the moâ—th of the vnwise A theefe is better than a man that is accuâ—tomed to lie but they both shall haue deâ—truction to heritage The conditions of lyars are vnhonest and their shame is euer with them And hereunto let vs adde that prohibition of the Apostle Col. 3. Lie not one to another hauing put off the old man with his practises and put on the new c. Sixtly as God doth loue the truth as being himselfe not onely true but truth it selfe so he abhorreth lying as one of the things which he especially hateth Seuenthly And hereunto accordeth the judgement also of all ingenious men euen among the heathen and others who commend truth as a most excellent vertue as a most sacred possession as the Sunne in the world as that one thing wherein men may become most like vnto God Wherefore Pythagoras being demaunded What that was in doing whereof men might especially be like vnto God answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If they speake the truth And therefore another sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is alwaies best to speake the truth Contrariwise they condemne lying as a most foule and shamefull vice and vnworthy an honestman To lie sayth one is a base thing but truth is noble And
therefore of all reproches an ingenious man can least brooke this that another to his face should say Thou lyest But if the very heathen people doe so highly esteeme of Truth how much more doth it become vs Christians to loue and embrace it who are his children that is the Truth who are redeemed by him that is the Truth and vnto whom wee are to conforme our selues who are regenerated by the spirit of truth by whome we are to be led into all truth who are sanctified by the word of God which is the truth who are of the truth so many as are of God Therefore nothing lesse becommeth a Christian than lying nothing more than truth Eightly but if no other arguments will preuaile with vs let vs consider on the one side what rewards the Lord hath promised to them that speake the truth and on the other side what â—udgements he hath denounced against lyars To the speakers of truth the Lord hath promised that they shall neuer be remooued that they shall be established for euer that they shall dwel in Gods holy mountaine as before hath beene shewed against lyars the Lord hath threatened fearefull judgements A false witnesse shall not be vnpunished and he that speaketh liesâ— shall not escape For first he is punished with infamie and looseth his credit insomuch that no man will beleeue him when he speaketh the truth For as one sayth What truth can be spoken of a lyar Secondly he is discarded of the godly he that telleth lies sayth Dauid shall not remaine in my sight But these are light punishments in comparison of those that follow for God doth not onely punish lyars but also destroy them Psal. 5. Thou shalt destroy them that speake lies Prou. 19. A false witnesse shall not he vnpunished and he that speaketh lies shall perish For God destroyeth them either with a temporall death as Ananias and Sapphirâ— because they had lied were stricken dead Act. 5. or with eternall for who so euer loue or make lies shall be excluded out of the heauenly Ierusalem and shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Ninthly and lastly seeing the holy ghost hath reckoned Truth among the markes of Gods children it behoueth vs as we desire to haue any assurance that we belong vnto the Lord or shall dwell with him in the mountaine of his holinesse so to loue and embrace the truth and to detest and abhorre falshood And thus haue we shewed in generall that lying is wicked and detestable and that the truth is to bee loued and embraced of all those who would be held citisens of heauen But here are two questions to be decided of vs. First Whether it be lawfull for a Christian man at any time to lie Secondly Whether he be bound alwayes to professe the truth and how farre forth As touching the former we are to hold a distinction of lics or vntruths for an vntruth is either vnproperly so called or properly that is vnproperly called an vntruth which being true in sence is false onely in shew of words as figuratiue speeches and fabulous parables the lawfulnesse where of is warranted by the vse of speech in the Scriptures for howsoeuer if we respect the sound of the words they seeme to containe some falshood yet if we regard the sence and meaning of the speaker as it is fit we should they expresse the truth either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more significantly or more profitably More significantly as figuratiue speeches especially such as we call Hyperbolae where of there are some examples in the Scriptures As when the holy ghost would signifie a very great or innumerable multitude he vseth to compare it with the sand of the sea And likewise Iohn the Euangelist when he would signifie that Christ our Sauior did work very many or rather innumerable miracles and other acts worthy to be registred he sayth That if euery one of them should be set downe in writing he supposeth that the whole world could not contain the books that should be written And as for fabulous parables they hide not the truth but more profitably lay it foorth that it may be more clearely discerned and more sincerely acknowledged for the truth is more clearely discerned when as by a fit sâ—â—ilitude for such these parables are it is illustrated And it is more sincerely and vnpartially acknowledged when the person of whom it is meant is withdrawne For better doe men comprehend vnder the person of another what is to bee thought of themselues examples hereof see 2. Sam. 12. 1. Mat. 21. 33. 41. Iudg. 9. 7. 2. King 14. 9. and 2. Chron. 25. 18. 19. A lie or vntruth so properly called is such a speech as in sence and meaning at the least is false And such an vntruth is deliuered either for no cause at all as that which is called merum mendacium a meere lie or else for some purpose The meere lie is that which is vttered neither with a desire to hurt nor purpose to helpe any but onely in a vanitie and pleasure taken in lying Which sheweth our notable vanitie and pronenesse to lying that many are delighted therewith for it selfe But this vanitie especially sheweth it selfe in those persons who in all their speeches almost loue to tell of strange and wonderfull things And of this kind of lie there can be no question but that it is vnlawfull The lie which is told for some cause is either to hurt some man or to pleasure him That which is told to hurt any body it is called mendacium perniciosum a pernicious or hurtfull lie neither can there be any controuersie but that this is wicked and diuellish The lie which is told to pleasure any is either mendacium iocosum the merry lie or officiosum the lie for aduantage And of these two sorts is all the controuersie For there are which thinke these lies either to be no sinnes at all or else not mortall sinnes because they seeme to them not to breake that commaundement wherein lies are forbidden For these lies say they are not spoken against our neighbor but rather for him namely either to delight him as the jeasting lie or to helpe him as the officious lie I answere that the ninth commaundement whereof they speake is generally to be vnderstood for first vnder false testimonie we are to vnderstand all false speech concerning our neighbour and not onely false speech but also all vaine talke For the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth both As also the other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is vsed in the third commaundement And in the fift of Deuteronomie where the law is repeated Moses in the ninth commaundement in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 putteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wee may vnderstand not onely false speech to be forbidden but also that which
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
of his life notwithstanding seeing it so neerly concerned the glory of God the good of his followers and the conuiction of his aduersaries he made a notable confession of the truth And that the truth sometimes may be concealed it may be proued by the authoritie of God himselfe For when as the Lord appointed Samuel to go to Bethlehem to annoint Dauid king Samuel desired to be informed how that might safely be done for if Saul should heare thereof he would be sure to kill him The Lord therefore teacheth him this godly pollicy Thou shalt take an heifer with thee and say I am come to sacrifice or as some read to selebrate a feast to the Lord. Whereas therefore Samuel was sent to Bethlehem for two causes he was by the commandement of God to conceale the more principall which teacheth vs that the simplicity of doues is to be tempered with the wisedome of seruants The same is proued by the example of Abraham which himselfe doth justifie for whereas Sara was not onely his sister according to the Hebrew phrase but also his wife he professed the one that she was his sister and concealed the other that she was his wife when as therefore the profession of the truth not necessary is joyned with the damage or danger either of our selues or others and so is vnseasonable howsoeuer we may neither deny the truth nor vtter an vntruth yet we may or rather must conceale the truth either wholly or in part As for example An innocent man who is persecuted for righteousnesse sake is sought for by his persecutors that he may be brought to punishment committeth himselfe to your fidelitie and safe custody The persecutors come and demaund of you where this partie is What will you do in this case If you tell where he is you betray the innocent If you knowing where he is shall say you cannot tell where he is or shall say he is where you thinke he is not you shall lye Will you offend in lying against your owne soule or in treachery against the innocent Forsooth the circumstances are to be considered If you plainely see that notwithstanding whatsoeuer you shall say he cannot be concealed it is all one in respect of the innocent partie whether you conceale the truth or confesse it For neither by confessing the truth shall you betray him nor by concealing it saue him If it be doubtfull whether by concealing the truth he may be preserued or not hide the truth so much as thou mayst and by telling some other truth as Raâ—ab did diuert the fury of the persecutors another way But if the partie be so hid that vnlesse thou discouer him he cannot be found and perhaps thou be asked concerning the very place where he is whether he be there or not here if you say nothing you betray him if you say I cannot tell you lye Therefore as Augustine faith A man in such a case must say I know where he is but I will neuer tell you for which Christian humanitie whatsoeuer you shall constantly endure it is so far from being worthy of blame that it is to be commended And here unto belongeth that memorable example recorded by Augustine in the same place of a certaine Bishop Firmâ—â—s by name but more firme as he saith in resolution For when as messengers sent from a persecuting emperour enquired of him concerning a Christian whom he had hid as secretly as he could where he was he answered them that neither could he lie neither would he betray the man neither could they by any tortures make him to discouer the partie Whereupon they bring him to before the emperour who admiring the constancie and courage of the Bishop was content for his sake to pardon the other Likewise in heathen writers the constancy of Zeno the Philosopher is highly commended who rather than he would be forced by any tortures to vtter secrets against his will he did bite off his tongue and spit it in the tyrants face And thus much may suffice to haue spoken of the three generall notes this onely remaineth that we should apply them to our selues Wherefore from this proposition of the holy Ghost Those that walke vprightly worke righteousnesse embrace the truth are such as shall inherit the kingdome of heauen and reciprocally those that shall inherit the kingdome of heauen are such as walke vprightly exercise iustice speake the truth in their hearts let vs consider what euery mans conscience will assume for if thy conscience shall make this assumption But I walke vprightly worke righteousnesse embrace the truth though with great imperfection yet with my true endeuour and vnfained purpose and desire of mine heart then vpon these premises will follow this happy conclusion Therefore thou are one of those that shall inherit the kingdome of heauen But on the other side if this be the assumption which thy con-conscience maketh Thou playest the hypocrite before God and dealest deceitfully with men thou liuest vnjustly and followest after lies vpon these premises it will follow necessarily That thou art not such an one as shall inherit the kingdome of heauen And therefore as thou wouldest hope to be saued so repent of these sinnes and embrace the contrary vertues which are here set downe as the proper notes of Gods children But let vs come to the fourth note which as also the third whereof euen now I spake respecteth the tongue and the same in part may be sayd of the eight Now whereas the holy Ghost among the ten notes of Gods children taketh two or three from the toung it appeareth that great regard is to be had of the tongue For howsoeuer many make but light account of their words which are they say but wind notwithstanding the holy Ghost affirmeth that death and life are in the power of the tongue and as men loue to vse it so shall they eate the fruit thereof And Christ our Sauiour after he had said that men are to giue an account of their idle words he adjoyneth this reason for by thy words saith he thou shalt be iustified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Wherefore let vs learne to gouerne our tongue otherwise we shall be conuicted by three notes out of this Psalme that we neither are sound members of the Church militant nor shall be inheritors of glory in the Church triumphant but rather shall shew our profession of religion though otherwise neuer so glorious to be but vaine For as Iames saith If any man among you seemeth religious and refraineth not his tongue but deceiueth his owne heart that mans religion is vaine Moreouer betwixt the third note and this fourth there is great assinitie For thereby are signified two duties of the tongue which may not be seuered the contrary affirmatiue being vnderstood vnder this negatiue namely that the speech of the vpright man concerning his neighbour is full of charitie whereby The is so farre from
vpon God as a witnesse of our true purpose to performe and as our surety for performance and as our judge or auenger if either we be deceitfull in promising or vnfaithfull in performing Now an oath was ordained to supplie the want of other arguments and the insufficiencie of humane testimonies to the end that a needfull truth which otherwise could not be knowne might by this meanes be acknowledged for an oath hath place neither in matters manifest nor generall as where is question of right but in things doubtfull and particular where is question of facts either past or to come Wherein when as they cannot by other certaine and necessarie arguments be demonstrated men flie to testimonies And because humane testimonies haue little force in prouing by themselues therefore they flie to oathes wherein God is called vpon as a witnesse of such matters as are either affirmed concerning things past or promised concerning things to come And so great religion there is of an oath among all men that euen by the law of nations that is held for certaine and true which is affirmed vnder the religion of an oath though otherwise it could not be proued For this is engrauen in the hearts of all men That there is a God to whom all secrets are knowne who also is the patron of truth and auenger of falshood and therefore to call vpon him as a witnesse and a judge in that which is not true it is supposed to be a greater sinne than any man that is not a desparat A theist may be thought to commit For may it be thought that any man almost is of such outragious wickednesse as that he feareth not to call vpon God whom he knoweth to be a defender of truth and reuenger of falshood to beare witnesse with him that he affirmeth the truth and to execute vengeance on him if he speake an vntruth when he knoweth himselfe to lie For what were this but wilfully to prouoke the Lord and as it were to dare him to execute his fierce indignation vpon him And hereby it appeareth that an oath is an holy ordinance of God seruing greatly for his glorie and for the profit and necessitie of men It is glorious vnto God because when men flie to the name of the Lord as a strong tower and sanctuarie of truth he is acknowledged not only by him that sweareth but also by them that receiue the oath to be first omnipresent and omniscient that is one who is present in euerie place and is acquainted with all secrets secondly true and a maintainer of truth and reuenger of falshood thirdly just and therefore willing omnipotent and therefore able to punish those that sweare falsly And these attributes of God are so acknowledged and celebrated in euerie lawfull oath that to sweare by the Lord is to confesse vnto God and in the Scriptures it is accounted as none of the meanest parts of his worship Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him and shalt sweare by his name Which must put vs in mind whensoeuer we do sweare that by our oath we are to glorifie God and to performe a solemne worship vnto him which was also further signified both by the solemne forme of imposing an oath and the solemne rite of taking an oath among the Iewes The forme of imposing an oath was this Giue glorie to God the maner in deposing was to stand before the Altar which was also the custome of the Athenians and Romans And as an oath is glorious vnto God so is it also profitable and necessarie for men For an oath being as one saith the greatest proofe among men it giueth satisfaction to our neighbour who otherwise would not be satisfied It is the chiefe bond of truth whereby men either bind themselues to God as in voluntarie oaths or are as it were enforced to speake the truth as in oaths imposed for as one well saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an oath is the freemans racke It is the chiefe preseruatiue against falshood the remedie against contention and as the Apostle saith The end of all controuersies among men These premisses duly considered it will not be hard to determine the former questions For as touching the first if an oath be as hath beene shewed an holy ordinance of God making greatly for the glory of God and profit of men then whosoeuer shal refuse to sweare when just and necessarie occasion is offered he sinneth against Gods glorie and the loue of his brethren Here therefore is to be refuted of vs the heresie of the Manichees renewed by the Anabaptists who thinke it altogether vnlawfull for a Christian to sweare though enjoyned thereto by a magistrat But they sinne against the third commaundement and they erre not knowing the Scriptures For where the Lord forbiddeth vs to sweare in vaine there he commaundeth vs to sweare aright for the discharge of our dutie in the confirmation of a necessarie truth to Gods glory the good of our neighbour or the clearing of our selues And surely if it were vnlawfull to sweare as they would beare vs in hand then should we by swearing offend either against the glory of God or the good of our brother But an oath as you haue heard maketh for both and by the neglect thereof wee sinne against both And that an oath is lawfull it may appeare by the examples of those whom we cannot deny to haue sworn lawfully For first the most faithfull seruants of God both before the law and since haue vsed vpon just occasion not onely themselues to sweare but also to impose oathes vpon others Examples of swearing in Abraham and Isaac to Abimelec Iacob to Laban Elias to Obadiah Elisha to Iehoram c. of oathes imposed by Abraham vpon his seruant Gen. 24 and by Iacob vpon Ioseph Gen. 47 by Ionathan and Dauid mutually 1. Sam. 20. And if it might be objected as truly it cannot that these seruants of the Lord in these oathes offended yet other examples may be added which are without exception For it may not bee thought that those holy men of God who were the pen-men of the holy ghost did offend in penning of the scriptures but in the very penning of the scripture they haue vsed diuerse oathes especially Paule in his epistles yea in the scriptures are recorded oathes of the holy Angels who are free from sinne and to conclude with the example of all examples the Lord himselfe is sometimes said to haue sworne But an oath is not onely warranted as lawfull but also commended as good Psal. 63. 11 euery one that sweareth by the Lord shall bee commended where as in this place to sweare by the Lord aright is made a proper note by which a godly man is described Neither is it onely commended as good but also commaunded as necessarie And it is necessarie not onely by necessitie of dutie
in respect of Gods commaundement enjoyning this dutie as a singular braunch of Gods worship but also by necessitie of certainetie or as the schoolmen call it infallibilitie in respect of the oath of the Lord which cannot be vntrue By my selfe haue I sworne sayth the Lord the word is gone out of my mouth that euery knee shall bow to me and euery tongue shall sweare by me But the Anabaptists object the prohibition of Christ Mat. 5 But I say vnto you sweare not at all therefore it is not lawfull to sweare at all Whereunto I answere that the purpose of our Sauiour Christ being not to abrogate the morall law of God as himselfe professeth but to expound it and to deliuer it from the grosse corruptions and deprauations of the Scribes and Pharisies we may not thinke that hee doth absolutely and wholly forbid this dutie of swearing which as we haue heard is expressely commaunded in the law of God Whereas therefore the Scribes and Pharisies taught first that the third commaundement was to be vnderstood of perjurie onely or false swearing euen as they vnderstood the sixt and seuenth commaundement of outward murther onely and adulterie and secondly that not all false swearing is forbidden but onely when the name of God is interposed or something else which immediatly belonged to his worship as the gold of the temple which was consecrated to the Lord and the gift vpon the Altar which was offered vnto God Our Sauiour Christ sheweth that in the third commaundement is forbidden not onely perjurie and false swearing by the name of God but also all rash and ordinarie swearing in our common talke whether by the name of God or by any of his creatures Because the offence committed in swearing amisse by them redoundeth to the dishonour of God Our Sauiour therefore speaketh not of publicke oaths before a magistrat for in them they sware by the name of God alone but of priuat oaths in their ordinary talke and communication and in respect thereof he commandeth vs not to sweare at all neither by the name of God nor by any of his creatures For so he saith But let your communication be yea yea nay nay which Iames expresseth thus Let your yea that is your affirmation be yea and your nay that is your negation be nay that is to say if you haue occasion to affirme any thing let it be sufficient to say yea and when you are to denie any thing let it be sufficient to say nay Neither doth our Sauiour Christ simply condemne all oathes in our ordinarie talke but such as are needlesse or superfluous For so he saith Whatsoeuer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is redundant aboue these it is of euill For an oath is not a good thing but vpon necessitie and therefore is not to be vsed but vpon necessitie for a necessary good without the bonds of necessitie is not good Hereby therefore it appeareth that as here it is made a note of a godly man to sweare and hauing sworne to keepe his oath so it is lawfull for a Christian man to take an oath prouided alwayes that those duties be obserued in swearing which the holy Ghost hath required in oathes As first in respect of the object that we sweare by the Lord alone for seeing what we sweare by that we deifie and make our God therefore we forsake the true God if we sweare by that which is not God and consequently by this sinne prouoke the Lord to execute his judgements not onely vpon vs but also vpon the countrie wherein we liue As he saith by his Prophet Ieremie to Ierusalem How should I spare thee in this thy children haue forsaken me How so they haue sworne by that which is not God Secondly in respect of the manner that we sweare in truth judgement and righteousnesse In truth that we may be able to say with the Apostle I speake the truth in Christ I lie not my conscience bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost In judgement that is aduisedly and vpon necessarie occasion In righteousnesse promising by oath nothing but that which is lawfull and just Thirdly in respect of the end that by our oath God may be glorified our duty discharged controuersies appeased our brethren satisfied our innocencie cleared And forasmuch as the child of God who is here described is carefull to performe these duties required in oathes we may bee assured that he is none of these rash and ordinarie swearers but as he knoweth an oath to be an holy ordinance of God wherein the holy glorious and dreadfull name of the Lord our God is vsed and called vpon so he will be carefull in all good conscience to sweare holily and reuerently And as he knoweth that an oath is not good but whē it is necessarie so he will not sweare vnlesse he be drawne thereto by necessity for so much seemeth to be implied to the Hebrew word which is 〈◊〉 and signifieth to be sworne rather than to sweare As for those which sweare vpon no necessitie vsually and ordinarily in their common talke they do most vilely prophane and pollute the holy name of God turning the sanctuarie of truth and veritie into a common house of vanitie and therefore are such as the Lord will not hold guiltlesse For as the sonne of Syrach saith A man that vseth much swearing is ful of iniquitie and the Plague shall neuer go from his house Yea so farre are the common swearers from being reputed the children of God as that by the judgement of Salomon it is a note of a godly man to feare an oath and a badge of a wicked man to make no conscience of swearing For when hee would by this particular signifie that which he had affirmed in generall that the wicked and the good are manie times alike in their outward estate He that sweareth sayth he as he that feareth an oath Thus much may suffice to haue spoken of the former question cōcerning the taking of oaths it remaineth that I should intreat of the other concerning the keeping of oaths viz. whether all oaths are to be performed or not Whereunto I aunswere that all oaths which are lawfull and in our power are religiously and faithfully to be performed and kept For this faithfulnesse is both commanded and commended to vs in the Scripture and the contrarie vnfaithfulnesse condemned Num. 30 Whosoeuer voweth a vow vnto the Lord or sweareth an oath binding himselfe by a bond he shall not breake his promise but shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth Neither is it commanded among matters of lesse importance but among the weightier points of the law Mat. 23 it is commended vnto vs First by the example of the Lord himselfe whose fidelitie in keeping of his promises is to bee imitated of vs if we would be reputed his children Secondly by this testimonie of the holy
And this priuiledge doth so truly and properly belong to euery sound Christian as that to the holy ghost in this place it is one the same thing to be a sound Christian and to be such an one as shall neuer be remoued For when Dâ—uid had demanded Who shall soiourne in tby Tabernacle and who shall rest in thy holy hill that is Lord by what tokens may a sound Christian and heire of the kingdome of heauen be discerned The Lord maketh answere He that walketh vprightly and worketh righteousnesse and speaketh the truth which is in his heart c. he is a sound Christian and heire of the kingdome of heauen But he vseth not those words but in stead of them he vseth these to the same sence He shall neuer be remoued Whereupon it plainely followeth that euery vpright and sound Christian is such an one as shall neuer be remoued These words therefore affoord this most comfortable doctrine That the perseuerance consequently the saluation of the vpright of the righteous of the faithful and sound Christian is certaine And this truth is elsewhere in the Scriptures most plainely and plentifully taught as shal be shewed when my treatise of Perseuerance which I haue alreadie finished shall be thought fit to be published In the meane time let vs from this doctrine gather this vse That seeing it is the priuiledge of the vpright sound Christian neuer to be remoued we ought therfore by walking vprightly by exercising righteousnesse by speaking the truth from our hearts c. labour to make our calling and election sure for if we doe these things wee shall neuer fall FINIS The Faults escaped are thus to be corrected PAg. 8 lin 20. care p. 9. l. a fine 10. jagur in Mar. l. a f. 5. are p. 13. l. 1. region l. 15. concauam l. a f 10. now l. a f. 5. vanitie and p. 15. l. 18. 19. the short light p. 16. Marg. for Heb 6 11. â— Heb. 4. 11. p. 19. l. 12. Charitie p. 23. l. 10. foure are p. 24. l. 8. I said the p. 25. l. 2. make l. 11. with perfect righteousnes p. 27. Mar. l. 8. Be lo-leb valeb p. 40. l. 2. 3. Salomon p. 43. l. 22. for righteousnes r. vprightnes p. 59. l. a f. 6. p. 79. l. 16. 27. ingenuous p. 67. l. 15. fruits p. 69. l. 22. for vs. Profitable p. 70. l. a fâ— viâ— regni p. 71. l. a f. 8. care of well p. 72. l. 10. workes which in l. vlt. meere ciuile p. 73. l. 13. they are fained l. 11. bribe l. 23. but splendida l. a. f. 8. By this l. a. f. 6. of meere p. 74. l. 18. child of God p. 75. l. a. f. 10 in his heart p. 76. l. vlt. But yet p. 79. l 15. seuenthly herunto p. 80. l. 3. eightly if p. 90. l. a f. 13. pereundo quaerat p. 91. l. 17. and therefore a vice p. 93. l. 14. celebrate l. 18. serpents p 101. l. 21. we are freely p. 102. l. 7. Scripture l. 14. is the pr. p. 103. l. 12. premonished p. 117. l. 9. 10. to reuenge answered p. 121. l. 18 are not onely mal l. 24. peculier p. 125 l. 20. howsoeuer all p. 129. l. a. f. 5. indices p. 137. l. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— 15. we haue p. 145 l. 18. implied in p. 146. Ma. l. a. f. 8. peierare p. 147. l. 9. 10. void and of p. 154. l. 5 by this p. 155. l. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 136. l. a. f. 5. whatsoeuer p. 159. col 2. l. 2. coÌ„modation p. 164. l. 7. contracts p. 166. l. 9. as belonging l. 19. thy default l. 22. quanti l. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 167. l. 3. cause as it l. 12. certain or p. 170. l. vlt. of the drachmae p. 171. l. 10. diuerse rates l. 16. decunx l. 17. quincunx Mar. l. 5. sesquialtera l. 10. foeneratâ—rum haec p. 172. l. 9. Antoninus l. 11. helpe p. 179. l. 16. Rome made p. 180. l. 3. to giue 182. l. 11. restored p. 183. l. vlt. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 184. l. 8. thereof p. 186. l. 6. who making l. 12. twentie shillings l. 19. then in p. 187. l. 9. some few p. 191. l. 19. pro rata temporis p. 192. l. 22. Nubibus As p. 196. l. 7. excelsiue l. a f. 5. in hiphil p. 198 l. 7. 9. l. a f. 9. l. 199. l. 5. Nashah p. 203. l. 4. generally 207. l. 14. shal men p. 208. l. a f. 3 4. hostis p. 209. l. 22 would p. 216. l. 3 the Lord answereth he that p. 222. l. 22. because his p. 235. l. a f. 3. commuted p. 238. l. 15. of horses p. 244. l. 6. interusurium p. 252. l. 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 259. Mar. l. 1. Epod. 2. p. 260. l. 11. wealthier p. 262. l. a. f. 4. trientes p. 263. l. 12. Alcoran p. 264. l. 16. forbidden p. 287. l. a. f. 3. brought p. 301. l. af 8. cariage Of p. 306. l. 2. secondly the lender p. 308. l. 22. but of other p. 310. l. 4. reuerend p. 311. l a f. 13. imprecation In Marg. l. 11. danisticum p. 313. l. a f. 9. 10. do not repent p. 314. l. a f. 12. all-sufficient p. 317. l. a f. 8. lesse p. 330. l. 4. acknowledged in the Scriptures to be no sinne p. 339. l. 10. and too p. 345. l. 18. n vsurie p. 350. l. 4. praemittimus Psal. 8â— 6. Exod. 22. 28. 2. Pet. 1. 10. 1. King 3. 6. Psal. 78. 71. 72. The Argument of the Psalme Mat 7. 21 22 23. The meaning of the words Ver. 1. 2. Chro. 3. 1. 2. Tim. 2. 19. The diuision 〈◊〉 the text Vers. 1. Esay 40. 22. Psal. 104. 2. Luke 16. 9. In Psal. 15. 2. Cor. 5. 1. 2. Pet. 1. 13 14. 1. Cor. 3. 16. 6. 19. 2. Cor. 6. 16. Col. 3. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 61. 5. c. Thâ— Church militant is the Tabernacle of God The first vse Iob. 7. 1. 1. Pet. 5. 8. Iob. 1. Gal. 5. 17. 1. Tim. 6. 1. Pet. 2. 11. 1. Cor. 7. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Pet. 58. Eph. 6. 14 15 16 17. sam 4. 7. 1. Cor. 7. 31. Tit. 2. 12. Psal. 131. 2. Col. 3. 2. Gal. 5 24. Col. 3. 5. Rom 13. 14. The second vse 1. Cor. 10. 2. Chron. 3. 1. 5. 5. Heb. 11. 37 38. The third vse 1. Tim. 3. 15. 2. Cor. 6. 16. Eph. 2. 21. Apoc. 3. 12. 2. Thess. 2. 4. Exod. 25. 8. Leuit. 26. 12. 2. Cor. 6. 16. Esay 12. 6. Deut. 13. 14. Psal. 9. 12. 132. 13. Apoc. 2. 1. Deut. 20. 3. Deuâ— 9. 3. Deut. 6. 15. Deut. 23. 14. God more especially present in the assemblies of the Church Mat. 18. 20. Gen. 4. 15. Psal. 27. 4. Psal. 42. 1. 2. 4. Psal. 84. 1 2. c