by 1. his power 2. his jealousie How jealousie is ascribed to God Why humane affections are ascribed to God CHAP. IX page 224 Of the Commination wherein 1. The censure of the sin 2. The punishment 1. In the censure The sin viz. of Idolatry Is called 1. Hatred of God How God can be hated 2. Iniquity The punishment visitation upon the children The 〈◊〉 of this punishment by 1. The greatnesse 2. The multiplicity 3. The continuance Of Gods justice in punishing the sins of the fathers upon the children That it is not unjust in respect of the father nor 2. of the sin The use of all CHAP. X. page 228 The third part of the sanction a promise of mercy Gods rewards proceed from mercy which is the fountain of all our happinesse His mercy is promised to the 1000 generation the threatning extends onely to the third and fourth The object of his mercy such as love him Our love must be manifested by keeping his Commandements How they must be kept The benefit they will keep and preserve us The Exposition of the third Commandement CHAP. I. page 231 The general scope of the third Commandement Of glorifying the name of God by praise The manner how it must be done Several motives to stir men up to the duty CHAP. II. page 234 What is meant by Gods name The use of names 1. To distinguish 2. To dignifie Gods name in respect of his Essence Attributes and works and how they are to be reverenced What it is to take his Name as glorious as necessary Glorifying his Name inwardly outwardly by confessing defending it remembring it honourable mention of it threefold it must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 often 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well spoken of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 venerable Applyed to our own actions by prayer and to others by blessing c. Of glorifying it in our lives What it is to take Gods Name in vain in respect of 1. the end 2. agent 3. the work CHAP. III. page 239 Of taking Gods Name by an oath The causes and grounds of an oath The parts of it Contestation Execration How God is glorified by an oath What is here commanded 1. To swear In what cases For Gods glory Mans necessity For the publick good The Oath Ex Officio whether lawful or no. Of private and voluntary oathes 2. To swear by God not by Idols or Creatures 3. Not to take his Name in vain but to swear in 1. Truth in oathes assertorie promissorie 2. Judgement 3. Justice Against voluntary oathes whether lawful Of swearing from the heart The means to be used against vain swearing The signes of keeping this Commandement Of drawing others to keep it CHAP. IV. page 250 What a vow is Whether a bare purpose without a promise Whether a thing commanded may be the matter of a vow The necessity and use of vows in respect of God of our selves What things a man may vow se suos sua Vows in the times of the Gospel Of performing vows Qualifications in a vow for the person the matter The time of vowing Of paying our vows CHAP. V. page 255 Of glorifying Gods Name from the heart The means of glorifying it The signes Of causing others to glorifie it The second part of this precept the Commination Reasons why such a threatning is here denounced Gods punishing the breach of this Commandment by visible judgements God is jealous of his Name The Exposition of the Fourth Commandement CHAP. I. page 259 The excellent order of the Commandements Why God himself appointed a set time for publick worship Why this Commandement is larger then the rest Six special things to be observed in this Commandement which are not in the rest The general parts of it 1. The precept 2. The reasons In the precept 1. The affirmative part what is meant by Sabbath what by sanctifying How things sanctified differ from other things God sanctified it not for himself but for us We must sanctifie it 1. In our estimation of it 2. In our use of it CHAP. II. page 262 What is commanded here 1. A rest 2. Sanctification Rest is required not for it self but for the duties of sanctification Reasons that the Sabbath is not wholly nor principally remonial Addition 21. out of the Authors other works declaring his meaning in two things 1. That the Lords day is Jure Divino 2. That the Jewish Sabbath is abolisht by Christs death proved by him at large out of Scriptures and Antiquity in his Speech against Trask in Star-Chamber CHAP. III. page 268 Additional considerations upon the doctrine of the Sabbath laid down in seven conclusions 1. It is certain some time is to be set apart for publick worship proved by Schoolmen Canonists and Reasons 2. Certain that the law of Nature doth not dictate the proportion of seven or any other in particular 3. It is most probable that the seventh day was appointed by God from the beginning as a day of publick worship in memory of the creation and did oblige all mankinde though the symbolical or typical rest afterwards was enjoyned to the Jews onely This proved from Scripture Fathers Jewish Doctors late Divines reasons c. How the Fathers are to be understood that deny Sabbatizing before the Mosaical Law 4. The Lords day is of divine institution proved by Scripture Fathers publick Declarations of the Church Edicts of Princes Canonists some Schoolmen late Divines 5. The fourth Commandement is in force for the moral equity that at least a seventh part be given to God literally it requires onely the seventh day from the creation not a seventh day The day altered by the Apostles by special authority 6. The rest of the Iewish-sabbath partly moral which continues still partly symbolical which is expired How the rest of the Lords day differs from the rest of the Sabbath rest from ordinary labours forbidden by God but the special determination left to the Church How the Lords day succeeds the Sabbath 7. The Sabbath kept with the Lords day by the Primitive Christians till the Councel of Laodicea was not in a Jewish manner CHAP. IV. page 276 Reasons of this Commandement 1. Gods liberality in allowing us six dayes and requiring but one for himself 2. The seventh is his own proper day Who are comprehended in the prohibition 1. The Master of the family 2. Children 3. Servants 4. Cattel 5. Strangers The general reasons of this precept 1. Gods rest from the creation Addition 22. Moral reasons sometimes given of a ceremonial precept The reason why a rest and why on this day are different things out of Maimon Abenezra 2. Reason the benefit coming to mankinde by the creation 3. Reason God blessed the seventh day CHAP. V. page 280 How far this rest is to be kept Why this word remember is prefixed Such work to be forborn which may be done before or after Necessity of a vacation from other works that we may attend holy duties Mans opposition to God when
before them such do wound the name of God by their evil coversation and cause others to sin 2. We make his name glorious by free and voluntary vows made and performed so the Psalmist Accept I beseech thee the free-offerings of my mouth and teach me thy judgements and what he practised himself he exhorts others to perform Vow and pay unto the Lord. Seeing God doth freely bestow so many things upon us we should glorifie him not onely in the duties commanded but in vowing and making frec-will offerings of something in our power The contrary to this when men will give nothing to God but what necessity of law or eminent danger sorces from them Like those in the psalm that when God slew them they sought him and like the marriners in Jonas they prayed and made vows but it was not till they were in a storm The third thing in the prohibition is what it is to take Gods name in vain In every action three things are considerable The end The Agent The work These three duly weighed we shall soon see what it is to take Gods name in vain 1. That which hath no end proposed or is done to no end may truly be said to be done in vain As the sowing of seed without reaping the fruit the planting a vineyard without a vintage or feeding a flock without eating the milk of it These are labours in vain So he that taketh the name of God to no end neither to Gods glory nor the private or publick good taketh it in vain Cui bono is a good question in all undertakings If to no good as good and better not undertaken at all it is to no end it is in vain If a man have well fashioned legs and they be lame frustra pulchras 〈◊〉 tibias claudus the lame man hath them in vain The chief end therefore of taking this name must be 1. the glory of God otherwise we open our mouthes in vain as it is in Job God is willing to impart all his blessings to us and requires nothing of us again but Glory which if we returne not he may say as David did of Nabal for whom he had done many good turns in securing his shepherds and slocks c. And when he desired nothing but a 〈◊〉 meat for the young men he denied it All that I have done for this fellow is in vain in vain have I kept all he hath So God having done so much for us and expecting nothing but the glory of his name if we be defective herein he may well say all that he hath done for us is in vain 2. Next to Gods glory is the good of our selves and others and so to take God name without reference to this end if we neither promote our own good nor the good of others it is in vain ex privatione finis because it wants a right end therefore Saint Paul rejoyced having by his preaching laboured the saving of souls I rejoyce saith he that I have not run in vain nor laboured in vain 2. In the Agent the heart and soul is to be considered which in the person acting is the chief mover If the soul be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rachah vain and light as when we take Gods name without due advise and reverence though we propound a right end yet we take his name in vain therefore the Wise man advises not to be rash with our mouth and the Psalmist professeth that his heart was fixed when he praised God the heart ought to be fixed and stablisht by a due consideration of Gods greatnesse when we speak of him This is opposed to rashnesse inconstancy and lightnesse such as are in chasse and smoak which are apt to be carried away with every blast and such as are so qualified do take Gods name in vain 3. In the work it self may be a two fold vanity which must be avoided 1. Falshood 2. Injustice 1. If it be false then is it also vain as theirs in Esay We have made falshood our refuge and under vanity are we hid And this is that actio erroris work of error of which Jeremy speaketh Vanitas opponitur veritati vanity is opposed to verity and truth therfore a thing is said to be vain when it is false or erroneous They are vanity the work of errours saith the Prophet and as there is truth in natural things so is there a truth in moral things which if it be wanting our speech is vain 2. If unjust it is vain too If I be wicked why then labour I in vain saith holy Job and the very hope of unjust men perish saith the Wise man and they walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vain shadow and disquiet themselves in vain If justice be 〈◊〉 in our actions 〈◊〉 truth in our assertions and promises they are vain and to use Gods name in either is to take his name in vain So that if either we take the name of God to no end but make it common and take it up as a 〈◊〉 till it come to a habit not for any good end or if our hearts be not stable and fixed but light and inconstant when we take it or if we take 〈◊〉 colour or bolster out any fashood or any unjust act we take it in vain and break this Commandment CHAP. III. Of taking Gods name by an oath The causes and grounds of an oath The parts of it Contention Execration How God is glorified by an oath What is here commanded 1. To swear In what cases For Gods glory Mans necessity For the publique good The oath ex officio whether lawful or no. Of private and voluntary oaths 2. To swear by God not by Idols or creatures 3. Not to take his name in vain but to swear in 1. Truth in oaths assertory promissory 2. Judgement 3. Justice Against voluntary oaths whether lawful Of swearing from the heart The means to be used against vain swearing The signes of keeping this Commandment Of drawing others to keep it Of the taking Gods name by an Oath VVE said before that the word which we translate taking the name of God signified in the original to take up and that in a double use 1. In gloriosis as a banner with which we have now done The other use is in necessariis as a burden of which now If there be any thing which we stand in need of for the use though it be heavy and weighty yet we will take it up So did Jacob the great stone before the well when upon the coming together of the flock necessity urged him to it Now as the first use in gloriosis was solely to the glory and praise of God by taking up his name as a standard or banner by praise so this in necessariis the taking his name up as onus a burden by lawful swearing or taking an oath looks also at mans benefit to end controversies for an oath for confirmation to men is an end of
all strife And although God be not so much glorified in this as in the other yet in regard of our necessary use of an oath this hath in a manner taken up the whole Commandment there being little mention of the other Concerning which we must shew first the nature of the duty and then proceed according to the former rules given for expounding the several commandments Concerning the nature of an oath this will appear if we consider 1. The necessity or the causes and grounds of an oath 2. The parts of it 3. How it tends to Gods glory 1. For the first It is expedient and necessary that all strises and controversies should have an end and not be continued which cannot be unlesse the one part of the matter in controversie be confirmed above the other And therefore we finde that before God would proceed to judgement against Sodom he would go down first ut certo cognoscat that he may know the certainty and proceed upon a 〈◊〉 ground Now the best way of proceeding to finde out the truth is by arguments and reasons where they may be had which course Joseph took to know the truth whether his brethren were spies or no by bringing with them their brother Benjamin when they returned for thereby it would certainly appear that they were no spies But when Arguments or reasons are wanting then are we to come to the second cause which is by witnesses a way approved by God himself who appointed that in the mouths of two or three witnesses every truth should be established And because that many times not onely proof by arguments but by witnesses also is wanting there is a necessity of calling God to witnesse which is by an oath So God appointed that in case of jealousie or suspition of a womans honestie by her husband though she were not taken in the deed nor the act could be proved yet she should clear her self by oath and swear she had not defiled her self Now this necessity of appealing to God by an oath as it is sometimes in regard of the action which is hid from others so likewise it is needful in two other cases as when assurance or certainty is to be had De occultis cordium of the secret thoughts and purposes of the heart which canot be known by external proof for who knows the heart saith the Prophet save God alone who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the searcher of the heart and secondly when it is to be concerning things to come for as the Wise man saith who knoweth what shall be No man is omniscient he cannot know the heart nor foresee future contingents In these cases therefore when the fact is hidden or not evident or when the intention of the heart must be made appear or a thing future must be ascertained there can be no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no confirmation but by oath other proofs do here fail and come short And here if the matter of the oath be de facte or relate to what is past it is called Juramentum assertorium an oath of Assertion if it be de futuro of something to come it is called Juramentum promissorium an oath promissory or of promise And in both these when other arguments or testimonies fail there is no other way but to fly to God to make him a witnes and not onely a witnes but a judge and an avenger also if we call him to witnes an untruth for an oath is nothing else but a calling of God to witnes the truth of what we say and to be avenged on us if we speak an untruth or perform not what we say And here in the next place comes to be considered the two parts of an oath according to these two For first 1. God is called as a 〈◊〉 whether the thing be true and 2. he is called forth as an avenger if the thing be false 1. The first is sub Deo teste a contestation or taking God to witnes vsed by God himself As I live saith the Lord and by the fathers and holy men in the old testament who used to say vivit Dominus As the Lord liveth I will do this or that c. 2. The second is sub Deo vindice which is called execration that is the calling of a curse upon themselves if it be not true which they speak And what these curses are we may read in Levit 26. and Deut. 28. Where there are whole catalogues of threatenings of revenge The 〈◊〉 therefore was in the old testament Sic faciat mihi dominus et addat God do so to me and more also if this be not truth c. Let God adde to the first plague the second also This form was vsed by Eli to Samuel God do so to thee and more if thou hide any thing from me Now when one is brought to this that he hath called God to witnes the truth of what he speaks and to be an avenger if he have called him to witnes an untruth then according to to the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an oath which properly signifies a hedge or inclosure he hath hedged in and inclosed himself with Gods truth and justice to performe it and so he that swears is holden and bound persistere in dicto 〈◊〉 pollicito to persist in his saying and to perform his promise And as an cath is an hedge to him that sweares so to him to whom the oath is made or given it is a satisfying or satisfaction according to the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shebugnah juramentum or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shibegnah saturitas which comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shabagn saturari to be filled or satisfied because the party to whom one swears ought to be satisfied herewith to which agrees the Latine translation of Saint Hierome pro jure habere that is now that I have put him to an oath I have bound my self as it were by a law to rest therein And thus an oath coms to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an end of controversy And thus we see the causes which make an oath necessary in respect of men but because our necessity is not enough to make it an act good and lawful unlesse God have glory by it therfore we must know in the next place that an oath duely made brings much glory to God 1. For first it is a rule in reason that nihil confirmatur nisi per certius a thing cannot be confirmed but by what is more certain this then brings great honour to God that when all other purposes and demonstrations fail his name is acknowledged to be Turris Fortissima a most strong tower that his testimonie is more certain then all reasons and testimonies of men When we hereby account of it as the wiseman saying The name of the Lord is a strong tower of defence the righteous run to it and are exalted The very
the Angel saith Saint John sware by him that liveth for ever and ever And God himself in his promise of blessing to Abraham by my self I have sworn saith the Lord. And in Esay I have sworne by my self And in his denuntiation of vengeance upon Eli and his house I have sworn unto the house of Eli c. And in his promise to David I have sworn to David my servant And I have sworn once by my holines that I will not fail David with diverse other And all these make against the vain conceit of the Anabaptists and if there be any other of that fond opinion that hold it unlawfull to sweare at all upon that speech of our Saviour sweare not at all When as his meaning in that place was not to abrogate the Law for he testified that he came not to take it a way but to fullfil it but to give them the true interpretation and meaning of it and to reduce them to the true and sound sence of it If his meaning had been to forbid swearing upon any occasion he would have said Non assumes nomen ei 〈◊〉 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord at al but as he forbids all rash vain and unnecessary and voluntary oathes so he confutes the doctrine of the Scribes and Pharifees who thought that if one sware by any thing but the name of God as by heaven and earth c. That such oathes did not binde nor were to be regarded when our Saviour teaches that to swear by any of the creatures of God is to swear by God himself The first thing then commanded is to swear and the contrary practise of Anabaptists is here forbidden 2. The second thing commanded in the affirmative part may be gathered from the next word nomen 〈◊〉 Dei tui the name of the Lord thy God which implies that we ought to swear by the name of God and by no other name I have sworn saith God that every tongue shall swear by me It is his prerogative royal one of his priviledges and it is therefore often called Jusjurandum Jehovae An oath of the Lord shall be between them And the oath of the Lord thy God and the preacher I advise the to keep the kings commandment and that in regard of the oath of God Therefore 〈◊〉 vouchsafe this honour to others or to transfer this prerogative to others is prohibited and this is done two wayes 1. When men leave out the name of God in their oathes and swear by other things for a wofull vengeance is threatened to such by the Prophet They that swear by the sinne of 〈◊〉 and forget God c. even they shall fall and never rise up again 2. When we joyne any other thing or name with it For God threatens to cut off them that shall swear by the Lord and by Malcham And Joseph is discommended by many for swearing by the life of Pharoah this joyning others with God whether it be a false god or any creature both are forbidden 1. We must not swear by them that are no gods Idols it was Josuahs charge to the people upon his death-bed that when they should come among other nations they should not so much as mention the names of their gods nor cause any to swear by them king David observed this rule He would not mention their names within his lips It was Gods expresse command ye shall make no mention of their gods neither shall it be heard out of thy mouth And for the breach of this God thought himself so disparaged by Judah that he knew not how to let them go unpunished How saith he should I spare thee for this Thy children have forsaken me and sworn by them that are no Gods The Psalmist saith that they which run after other gods shall have great trouble and that he would not offer their drink-offerings and sacrifices nor make mention of their names within his lips and God threatens that he would take the name of Baalim out of their mouth that they should forget him 2. And for the second to swear by any creature though such oaths being made do binde because of the relation to God yet they ought not to be for if any swear by that which is not God it is an abomination The reason why we should not joyn any other thing in an oath with Gods name is in respect of a threefold injury that will arise by it 1. To God himself who requireth this honour to be exhibited to him alone and being his prerogative is not to be communicated to others He hath magnified his name above all things 2. To our selves for he that sweareth sweareth by him that is greater then himself Now he that sweareth by the Creature preferreth it before himself 3. To the Creature that is content with that place that honour which God hath placed it in and if it could would be avenged of us for giving to it the honour due to its Creator 3. The third thing comanded may be gathered from the next words In vain viz. that we ought to swear in a right manner otherwise we take Gods name in vain though we swear onely by the name of God And this dutie of swearing aright with due qualifications in an oath is gathered by S. Jerome out of Jeremy 4. 2. and after him by other expositors where the Prophet saith of a people that should swear aright They should swear in veritate judicio justitia in truth in judgement and in righteousnesse Animadvertendum saith he quod jusjurandum hos habet comites veritatem judicium atque justitiam si ista defuerint nequaquam erit juramentum sed perjurium we are to observe that an oath hath these Concomitants Truth Judgement and Righteousnesse if these be wanting we cannot any way call it an oath but perjury 1. Against transgressing the first you may see Gods absolute Prohibition Ye shall not swear by my name falsly and S. Augustine saith that he that sweareth falsly seemeth to be a man but indeed is no better then a beast yea detestanda 〈◊〉 a beast to be detested Diodor. Siculus the Heathen Historian saith Perjuri poena capitis plectuntur doth he swear falsly let him loose his head And the Wise man saith If a man swear in vain falsly he shall not be innocent but his house shall be full of plagues And God himself commanding that he that sweareth should swear by the God of truth seemeth to intimate that we are not to swear but in truth 1. A man may swear falsly either in juramento assertorio or promissorio 1. In assertion when either in re cognita upon our certain knowledge we testifie a falshood or in re dubia when we doubt the matter will fall out otherwise then we swear yet we will affirm it upon oath for we
may think that to be true which is false and then we swear rashly and in vain Or we may know or think that to be false which is so and swear it for true and swear wickedly in vain And these two perjuries 〈◊〉 For in the first case though it be perjury yet it is not wiful As if I sell a horse and swear as I think he is sound yet proves lame In the other it is flat perjury As if I sell a jewel for true and right and swear it to be so though I know it to be a counterfeit stone Such was juramentum Petri S. Peters oath swearing that he knew not Christ a fearful thing it cost many tears before he recovered himself And there is a third perjury when we swear that to be true which we think false yet proves true As I ask a man whether a third person were at such a place at such a time he though he thinks he were not yet for some end swears he was and that proves true which he swears yet is he perjured For in the like case S. Augustine gives the reason Interest quemadmodum verbum procedat ex animo ream 〈◊〉 non facit nisi mens rea regard must be had to the heart whence words proceed the tongue sins not but where the minde sins with it Nor is it safe to swear with a mental reservation That hath not sworn deceitfully saith the Psalmist It is not he that shall dwell in Gods Tabernacle but he that 〈◊〉 the truth from his heart and that hath used no deceit in his tongue The Poets juravi lingua mentem injuratam gero will not serve the turn But the oath of the mouth must agree with the meaning of the heart God will not be mocked Deus sic accipit ut ille qui dat He will make a litteral interpretation of it For as Isidore saith Quacunque arte verborum quis juret Deus tamen qui 〈◊〉 test is est it a hoc accipit sicut ille cui juratur intelligit with what cunning soever of words one swears God who knows mans heart takes the oath as he to whom the oath is made doth understand it 2. And as in the oath of assertion so in that of promise a man may swear falsly too Either when we promise and binde that by oath which we mean not to perform As I borrow money and binde my self by oath to repay such a day and fail because I never meant or intended it Or when we do the like by oath and fail simply As I borrow money and see as well a possibility how I may repay it as a purpose in my self to perform and thereupon swear to repay at a set time in the interim before the day comes such losses befall me that I cannot do that I promised and intended The first of these is perjurium simplex absolutum The other per accidens and not so bad as the former But if one have power to perform his oaths and for self respects upon the change of times and circumstances refuse to perform it as Saul did to the Gibeonites violating the oath which Joshua and the people of Israel had made to them this is wicked and odious to God as we see in the punishment of Sauls posterity though the text saith he did it out of zeal for the house of Israel Nay to swear absolutely to do that which is not in our power is unlawful it is a sin to take such an oath it is a rash oath and if it be taken it bindes to no more then is in our power all such o aths ought to be with an expresse or tacite condition si Deus voluerit if God will and if we live and be able we will do this or that as S. James speaks of bare purposes which ought much more to be in oaths Therefore our care must be to swear truly Ne eloquaris mihi nisi veritatem in nomine Domini saith king Abab to Michaiah Tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the Lord. And we must imitate Saint Paul in the place before quoted I speak the truth in Christ my conscience bearing me witnes in the holy Ghost we must swear sine dolo malo and not seek to delude an oath by any sinister practise And this for the truth In judgement in discretion saith S. 〈◊〉 that is deliberatly as interpreters distinguish not rashly take time advise before thou swearest Not lightly but upon great necessity Be not rash with thy mouth saith the preacher consider that it is a holy thing thou goest about and that an oath is not bonum per se but bonum quia 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 necessarium extra terminos necessitatis is neither necessary nor good as a physicall potion which is to be taken onely when a man needs it and not otherwise We cannot say of swearing the oftner a man performes it the better it is as we may say of a good act but 〈◊〉 defectum when credit failes on the one part and the knowledge of a mans heart on the other part we must not come to swear but as David did to eat the shewbread in case of necessity Therefore neither Davids oath to kil Nabal nor Herods to take John Baptists head were good because there was no necessity in either they were both rash besides the unlawfulnes in the matter This swearing onely in case of necessity is to 〈◊〉 in judgement and is opposite to swearing in vain for it excludes 〈◊〉 finis when no end viz. Gods glory nor mans benefit do require it as also vanitatem cordis when the heart is light and unconstant not fixed and settled 2. Not rashly but reverently Holy and reverend is his name It was Gods charge not to pollute his name to wit by rash or common vse thereof without fear for holy is opposed to common or prophane and therefore when men swear out of anger or grief or other heady affection Gods name is polluted and prophaned And in case of necessity a truth is not to be sworn rashly but in fear and reverence The reason the preacher gives in the verse before named for God is in heaven and thou art on earth therefore be not rash with thy mouth And therefore good order is taken in the publick taking of an oath before a magistrate that neither the rules of judgement nor discretion be transgressed in not admitting any under age or any perjured person to swear and that men swear not but uncovered and the book of God the holy Bible to be toucht or laid before them with an admonition included in the form because of Gods more solemne presence at an oath taking and to stir up an awful deliberation and judgement in what men are to swear In righteousnesse or Justice And this consists for the most part in the promissory oath 1. First it must be in 〈◊〉 for
whatever is more is not from me but from the incredulity of him to whom I swear The third rule for exposition of the Law viz. that it is spiritual takes place in an oath The Psalmist saith of a good man non juratus est dolose proximo suo 〈◊〉 hath not sworn deceitfully to his neighbour We must not say with him Juravi lingua mentem injuratam gero I swear with my tongue but my heart never meant it Gods name must not be used in guile but we must speak the truth from the heart the Heathen saw that this law was spiritual and that the heart must go along with the tongue for as Isidore saith truely God will take and understand the oath not according to the deceitful intentions of him that swears but according to his minde to whom he swears non ut ille qui juraverit sed ut is cui juratus est this will be Gods rule in expounding our oaths whatsoever other rules we follow The fourth rule is concerning the means to keep us from unlawful swearing 1. We must obstare principiis beware of the first degrees of this sin for ex facilitate nascitur consuetudo ex consuetudine perjurium ex perjurio blasphemia out of this facility and easinesse to swear a custom is bred out of custom perjury out of perjury blasphemy when men make no scruple of lying or speaking untruths they come by degrees to perjury by swearing untruths and after that to blasphemy a sin so horrible that in heaven it wants a name and therefore the Scripture expresses it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Berech blessing as in Job 2. where Jobs wife saith Blesse God and die that is blaspheme or as we render it Curse God and die And if any can go higher they come to that fearful sin the sin against the Holy Ghost therefore we must take heed to the first beginnings of this sin These are the chains and links of an oath and S. Chrysostome saith non est qui frequenter jurat quin aliquando non perjurat there is none that swears often but is perjur'd sometimes and with him agrees Philo ex frequenti jurejurando perjurium nascitur 2. Again as he there saith we must beware of such asseverations which though they be not perfect oaths yet are the way to oaths as to say per fidem meam per salutem meam by my faith or by my salvation or the like for he that swears by either of these bindes either to that he swears to and this amounts to an execration which is a part of an oath as was shewed before for as S. Augustine saith when a man saith per fidem meam by my faith obligat se per fidem suam Deo and cum dicit quisque per meam salutem salutem suam Deo obligat he that saith by my faith or salvation binds or pawns his faith or salvation unto God If that be not true he swears to he desires to be deprived of his faith or salvation and God if he please in the very article of time he makes this execration may confirm it Our Saviour taught us that in our ordinary converse we should use yea and nay and therefore we are to go no further 3. In the next place we must dispossesse our souls of impatience and anger as also of vain glory Anger is a principal passion which makes men subject and prone to swearing The same Father saith the first sin is anger and the second swearing if a man be of an angry spirit he is seldom free from vain swearing for in an angry mans mouth nothing is so ready as an oath Nay it is as one saith incentivum ad blasphemandum when a man is in fury as anger is a short madnesse he spares none not so much as God himself dum irascitur insanire creditur saith S. Jerome Therefore fo low the Apostles counsel Be angry but sin not that is watch over 〈◊〉 passion that it break not out into swearing And S. James Be 〈◊〉 to wrath for it will cause thee to offend this precept 4. Vain glory is another disordered passion of the minde as S. Jerome calls it By it a man is violently carried away with a vain desire to have every word he speaks beleeved as the word of God received as an Oracle to be as true as the Gospel and therefore to establish their credit they confirm their words by oaths for as one saith There is nothing that men desire so much as that they make so light of to wit their faith and credit for they make shipwrack of it at every blow by frequent oaths They swear that their credit may not be lightly accompted of when as by this means it comes to be lightly accompted of Ideo leviter aestimant ne leviter aestimentur leviter aestimando leviter aestimantur 5. And because an ill habit in any thing is hard to be left and Custom being a second nature and that as S. Augustine saith Peccata quamvis magna horrenda cum in consuetudinem venerint aut parva esse aut nulla creduntur sins though great and fearful as this sin of swearing is when they grow into custom are reputed little or none at all We must strive to nip them in the bud not onely in our selves but in our children for it is with them as with a vessel Quo semel est imbuta recens 〈◊〉 odorem testa diu as the Poet saith and as Cassidore Indigne transacta adolescentia 〈◊〉 efficit senectutem 6. We should have ever in our remembrance and set before our eyes the great punishments and judgements which are so many visible sermons from God himself none so many and remarkable for the breach of any other precept which have been inflicted in all ages for the breach of this one Commandment as Saul for attempting to kill David contrary to his oath was slain himself Zedekiah for breaking his oath of fealty to the King of Babel had his eyes puld out lost his kingdom and was made a captive The Prophet tells us that the flying roul twenty cubits long and ten cubits broad written full of curses shal enter into the house of the swearer c. and shall consume it c. The fifth rule is concerning the signes of keeping this Commandment And these may be taken from the consideration of the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 massah here used to take up as a burden or heavy thing If the name of God be to us as a burden or a heavy thing and so taken up it is a signe we are careful to keep this Commander As 1. Every man will adde no more to a burden then he can bear he will make it no heavier then needs must nor take more burden upon him then necessity requires so if we take up the name of God as a burden we will use it no oftner then we
of Neconcupisces as that they thought Concupiscence no sinne and for the rest though they had some particular Laws respectively against the breach of some commandment as against adultery incest and the like yet they dispensed with them as persons time and place ministred occasion to them Which we may see in the story of a King of Persia who being desirous to marry his own sister and knowing that there was a Law against incest brake his minde to the Magi desiring their opinions they told him that though there were such a Law yet there was another that the King might do what he would Whereas our Religion is so far from dispensing either with that or other the Laws of God that the saints of God had rather suffer death then them to be broken as in the case of John Baptist who told King Herod Tibinon licet it is not lawfull for thee to have thy brothers wife though it cost him his head for saying so 4. Another argument to prove the truth of our Religion is that both it and the Scriptures by which we are guided go to the heart whereas other Religions pierce not the skinne These stop the streames theirs make the Lusts of the flesh but affections Adiaphora indifferent things to be avoyded or not ours by prohibiting Concupiscence stop the fountain of all sinnes 5. Again it is a necessary consequence that that which cannot come from man comes from God But there are some things in Scriptures which are truly Metaphysicall and exceed the capacity of man as that Jehovah Elohim is one God and three persons trinity in vnity that God should become man that God should take upon him to be the redeemer of Mankind and that by his stripes and suffering punishment man should be healed that God should create a world and out of that gather a Church to himself These things and more cannot be comprehended by man and are not to be conceived but onely by our Religion 6. Not to conceale the faults of a mans parents or friends or to speake against a mans own countrey stock kinred or his own self is a thing altogether unnatural and cannot come into any but by a supernatural power But we see that Moses when no necessity compelled him spared 〈◊〉 ot his own stock but spake against his brother Aaron for making the Golden Calfe nor his sister Miriam in the case of murmuring no nor his own selfe at the waters of strife and committed the same to writing that Posterity should take notice of these things Yea and dispossessed his own children from succeeding him in the Magistracy constituting Josuah in their stead these acts cannot agree with the natural man but must needs proceed from a higher cause therefore the writers of these Scriptures must of necessity be inspired by God himself 7. Whereas the whole scope of Philosophers and of the Law makers among the Heathen was to teach how Princes might enlarge their territories and taught it as a point of wisdom to win by all means the favour of princes and great men this Religion teacheth contempt of life the world and worldly honours in respect of God and such was the practize of the prophets who were so far from seeking the favour of Princes that they reproved them to their faces when Gods cause was in hand Therefore this Religion is spiritual and proceeds not from man 8. Again we know that as God is a spirit so must his worship be spiritual and this is the scope of the Scriptures that God be honored without Images or shadows And though in the vnity of God that there is but one God to be worshipped false Religion may agree with the true yet in this point it doth not their Religion and the worship thereof being onely corporeal not spiritual For though in the Old Testament there be many Ceremonial worships prescribed yet God disclaimeth them all yea he abhorreth them if they be performed without the inward worship and sets down the way of worship wherein he most delighteth namely in a broken and contrite heart and spirit Therefore as man is bodily and his motions fall within the compasse of the Body so is that worship which comes from him bodily whereas Gods worship is spiritual and not corporal onely 9. To these may be added by us that we had Miracles and Oracles to confirme our Religion as they did to strengthen theirs And those beyond theirs in divers respects 1. The Miracles mentioned in Scriptures were not done in a corner but openly as were they which were done by Moses upon Pharaoh in the sight of his servants 2. They were notfrivolous or vain but profitable and beneficial 3 They were not imitable nor 〈◊〉 by Magique or mans art for what Magician can divide the Sea or cause the Sun to stand as in Josuahs time or make the Suns shadow goe back as in the diall of Ahas or to rain Manna as in the wildernesse Jannes and Jambres are not able to stand against Moses 2. And for our Oracles they were not as the Oracles of the Gentiles that spake placentia pleasing things or as they themselves say did speak such things as their Kings would have them speake nor are they ambiguous or doubtfull such as theirs that needed Delium interpretem some Apollo to explain them and in that respect as Porphyrius testifies of them they ever had their Postica back-doors evasions to help them But ours are void of flattery and are certain some of them being fullfilled 500. some 1000. years some 3000. years after they were uttered as the enlarging of Japhets tents which hapned not till the calling of the Gentiles and the like So much to prove the truth of both Testaments as our religion agrees with that of the Jews Now follow some reasons proper to the confirmation of the truth of Christian Religion CHAP 12. Special reasons for the Christian Religion as diff ring from the Jewish It purgeth the soul shews that God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The testimony of the Apostles and 〈◊〉 the knowledge of what they wrote their Honesty The credit of the story Testimony from Pagans The star at Christs birth The crosse sacred with the Egyptians The miracles at Christs death The progresse of Christianity by weake means opposed by power and learning contrary to flesh and blood the excellency of the promises power in conversions The truth of Christs Miracles The constancy of Martyrs The ends of the apostles The Divels testimony against himself Saint Augustine out of 〈◊〉 de regressu animae one of the greatest enemies that ever the Church of God had saith that there is no true Religion that confesseth not that the soul of man 〈◊〉 to be purged and addeth that the Platonists received from the Caldeans that the soul of man non potuit perfici 〈◊〉 per principia and we know that Platos principles were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father the minde and love which
that if the thing we do be indifferent in it self yet if commanded by lawfull authority we must not forbear it potius scandalum admittatur quam veritas amittatur as Saint Augustine saith rather let offence come then the truth be lost I may adde rather then any act necessary vi pracepti be omitted and so a sinne of omission follow for this is scandalum acceptum non datum a scandal taken and not given and in this case we may say as Christ of the Pharisees if they will be offended let them be offended but if the thing be not sub pracepte but wholly in our own power and no way necessary we ought to forbear till the weak brother may be informed of the lawfulnesse of the action but if he will not be informed or rectified t is not weaknes but wilfulnes in him after sufficient means of information and no man need to abridge himself in his liberty for the pleasing of such persons Thus much for the rules of extent CHAP. 3. Rules os restraint in expounding the law False rules made by the Pharisees Of Custom Addition 7. of the force of Church Customes Three Rules of restraint 1. by dispensa ion 2. by the nature of the precept 3. by Conflict of precepts Antinomia wherein these rules are to be observed 1. Ceremonial preceps are to give place to moral 2. The second table is to give place to the first 3. In the second table the following precepts are to give place to those before Rules to expound in case of 1. obscurity 2. Ambiguity 3. Controversy THe second are the rules of Limitation or Restraint how far the Comandments are to be restrained The Hebrewes say that there are general precepts in the Scriptures which we would conceive to be perticular but are enlarged as generals either in the fignifications of the words or in their derivations or from equity or parity of reason c. And this practise of enlarging and restraint according to the true 〈◊〉 and scope of the words hath bin a token or note of distinction between good interpreters and bad The Pharisees rules be narrow though their Phylacteries be broad The commandment against swearing the Pharisees restrain it either to Thou shalt not forswear or Thou shalt not swear by the name of Jehovab But our Saviour by the second rule of extension saith Thou shalt not swear at all but your conversation should be yea and nay and so forbids all unnecessary oathes which appeares from the end of an oath which as the Author to the Hebrews Heb. 6. 16. saith is to be an end of all weighty controversies and not to be used upon every light and triviall matter They restrain the Commandment Thou shalt not kill that is not the innocent and restrained it to the outward act and thought it fit for a man to revenge an injury But Christ by the third rule of extent maketh wrath and anger murther because it is the seed of a greater offence and forbids all revenge commanding to love our enemies They in the Law against adultery held they might have as many wives as they would by way of divorce But Christ by the fourth rule of extension tells them they must avoyd all occasions of adultery we must not look upon a woman to hust after her They restrained the word neighbour in the parable of the Samaritan to them that dwelt neer them but Christ by the rule of aequipolleus extendeth it to every man so that Christs interpretations warrant extensions And though it be true which the Rabbins say that it is necessary to extend and to restrain but more necessary to extend yet rules must be set down of restraint also There is a Rule that Consuetude est optimus legum interpres Custom is the best expounder of Laws but we must adde bumanarum of mans Laws for concerning the interpretation of Gods Laws it is most false In Civill Law Communis error facit jus Common errour makes a Law say the Civilians but in Gods Law it is no rule but Consuetudo cedat authoritati divinae Custom must give place to divineauthority Their rules have no place in the ten commandments ther 's no 〈◊〉 that can plead Custom or so common that can make it a Law If Jehosaphat walk not after Gods Law but after the Custom of Israel he is blamed Now the reason why Custom must give place to Gods Law is this In every positive Law of man it is necessary to sever just positivum nature the positive Law and Law of nature ut necessario consequatur repetitio and repetitio doth presuppose deliberationem and oft times the after wit is better then the former But the Law of God was so wisely set down at the first that it need not come again to the forge of men mans after wit cannot better it and therefore howsoever it be with the Law of man yet in Gods Law vsus authoritati cedat per principia in lege Dei omnia examinanda all actions are to be squared according to the principles of Gods Law and Custom must give way to authority This holds where the Custom is clearly and evidently contrary to Law but where the Law speaks doubtfully or obscurely there Custom and usage of the Church is the best and safest guide to follow even in divine Laws as well as humane so our learned Authour on 1 Cor. 11. 16. speaking of Church Customs Every Society besides their Laws in books have their Customs in practise and so the Church we de not oppose them to that which is written c. but haec oporret facere et illa non omittere P. 531. At the Nicene Councel the Churches cry was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mos 〈◊〉 obtineat let old Customs prevail And P. 521. against contentions men reasoning will not serve they will be sine fine dicentes no way so ready to stop their mouthes as Custom for Custom is matter of fact habemus or non habemus may be put to twelv men and there 's an end Thus this reverend Author expounds himself Now we may know how many wayes a Commandment holdeth not by three rules of Limitation 1. By the Dispensation 2. By the nature of the Precept 3. By the Conflict or opposition of the Precepts 1. Every Prince challengeth to himself a prerogative Royall to dispense with his own Laws the word cometh a dispensando proper to a Steward so are all princes to God This priviledge as it is allowed to earthly Princes of great right doth God challenge it For their dispensations commonly proceed from will or affection which oft times is corrupt but Gods will and his justice go together therefore there can be no danger in his dispensations Their rule is Quod licitum est ex superveniente causa mut atur that which is 〈◊〉 may be changed by a cause which may come unlooked for and so in some cases God hath somtimes restrained his Law
the Widow and Job mentions it as an act of men transcendently wicked 〈◊〉 drive away the asse of the fatherlesse and take the widows oxe for a pledge And Solomonn advises Not to enter into the field of the fatherlesse for their Redeemer is mighty and he will pleade their cause with thee And here partly under this Head and partly before cometh in the Enclosures of Commons which may well be reckoned among those peccata clamantia crying sinnes For this theft is aggravated by this circumstance that it is against the poor For as when Countreys were first seized upon and possest and the first partition was made 〈◊〉 man had his own peculiar distinct from other mens as Caleb had Hebron allotted him by Joshua which became their inheritance So there was consideration had of that protestation of God That there should alwayes be some poor among their brethren as objects of their charity and mercy and therefore there was left for them a division of Lands in Common whereupon they might live which ought not to be alienated for God takes order under the Law that those ancient Land marks should not bee removed which they of old time had set and there is good reason for it because all the parties therein concerned cannot at once be pretent and therefore the right cannot be alienated for all the poor from the beginning to the end are interested herein and those that are not born cannot consent to any such act Hence God appointed to shew the greater detestation of this sinne and to deter the people the more from attempting any such matter that the curse should proceed out of their own mouthes All the congregation was to curse them that did any such thing Solomons censure against such as remove the Land-marks is That GOD himself will pleade the cause with them The Prophet Hosea when hee would set forth wicked Princes by as odious a comparison as hee could saith they are like those that remove the land-marks How odious this was may appear by the setting up every where Metas terminicas upon the borders and the imprecations against them that should remove them The Prophet Micah threatens it as a great judgement upon a people and which should bring doleful lamentation upon them that the portion of the people should be changed and their fields divided c. And Job though without the Law yet saw so much that he reckons this among the practises of wicked men to remove the land mark And thus much for the wayes of unjust getting and the several sinnes committed therein When we begun to speak of the act of theft we shewed that it might be either in the unlawful getting of riches or in the unlawful use of them and the several wayes of lawful getting we reduced to two heads 1. Furtum theft which is getting by deceit 2. Rapina which is by violence They are distinguished by Nazianzen thus in the one there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manus injecta the laying on of hands whereby a thing is taken by violence In the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a compassing by 〈◊〉 or deceipt Now whatsoever is got either way is not to bee accounted as a 〈◊〉 from God And therefore Chrysostome upon that petition in the Lords Prayer for temporal things Give us our daily bread saith Habere convenit etiam malis habere autem de manu Dei sanctis tantum the wicked may have these outward things but to receive them from the hands of God as blessings from him is peculiar to the Saints for Deus parare non vetat sed cum peccato parare qui enim cum peccato parat ei diabolus dat quod manducat non 〈◊〉 God forbids us not to get them but to attaine them with sinne for what any attains by sinful means he receives it as a gift from the Devil not as a gift from God nor can he justly make this petition to God and he that thus receives his daily bread receives also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pledge of some judgement that shall 〈◊〉 him CHAP. VII Of the vertues opposite 1. Just getting 2. Restitution commanded both in the Law and Gospel That we must make restitution not onely of what is unlawfully got but of some things lawfully got As 1. Of what belongs to another by gift 2. Of things deposited 3. Of things found 4. Of things lent 5. Of what will prejudice the publick if it be detained for our private benefit OPposite to this vice of unlawful getting is the vertue of just getting which is the subject wee are now to handle It is called studium honeste rem parandi an endeavour to get by honest meanes where men doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grow rich without fraud Concerning which every man ought to bee perswaded that as Solomon saith A little which the righteous hath viz. which is got by lawful meanes is better then the great revenues of the wicked got unjustly The Apostle sets both down together in one place where speaking of covetous men who set themselves to get by any means he saith they are men of corrupt mindes and destitute of truth and gives the reason because this is their position that gain is godlinesse gain got by any means they count lawful let men say what they will they applaud themselves in their unjust gains like the Heathen that said Let me have the money in my bag and let the people call me piller and poller or what they will But in the next verse he shews the practice of just getting when a man can invert the proposition and say that 〈◊〉 is gain accounting onely that the true gain which is got in the way of godlinesse This is indeed the true gain which is got according to Gods prescript not by mans over-reaching when a man can say concerning all his gettings as Jacob did to Laban call me to account when you will Cras respondebit pro me justitia mea my righteousnesse shall answer for me in time to come Now though to this vertue of just getting it belongs to keep and preserve us from evil and unjust dealing yet because the World is full of it and most men have mentem malam a corrupt minde and run on in an unjust course of acquiring till the conscience bee touched and awakened whereby they are stopt Therefore to this must bee added a second vertue called Restitution which is absolutely necessary if a man have over-shot himself in the way of unjust getting It is one of the most frequent and principal common places throughout the Fathers saint Augustine sets down this for a Canon Non remittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum the sin of an unlawful purchase or getting is never pardoned unlesse restitution be made of what is unjustly got The ground of this is laid both in the Old Testament and in the New In the Old God appointed
Speak every man the truth to his Neighbour First to make plain the words and the meaning of them This Commandement is not delivered in one word as some of the others but consists of divers words which rendred according to the Hebrew run thus Non respondebis testimonium falsum super vicinum tuum thou shalt not answer a false testimony concerning thy Neighbour The words non respondebis thou 〈◊〉 not answer must be understood according to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 in which to answer is to speak whether there be any question asked or no. So the Evangelists often begin a story thus Jesus answered and said though no man spake to him nor demanded any thing of him So that by answering is not meant onely speaking the truth when it is demanded but also to speak truth 〈◊〉 we speak though no question be asked of us For the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth 〈◊〉 to speak or utter ones minde and therefore we finde it used to expresse singing as in Exod. 32. 18. where Moses saith he heard vocem cantantium the voice of them that sung 〈◊〉 the same word is used so that it signifies to speak either by way of question or answer or otherwise Although it be true the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie generally to speak and so is often rendred by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sometimes by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respondeo and though all contained under the general signification may be reduced hither yet it is more probable that literally and properly in this place the word is strictly taken for answering because the custome was among the Jews that the Judges did adjure the witnesses by the name of God to speak the truth to which the witnesses made answer and therefore whereas we reade Levit. 5. 1. If a soul sin and hear the voyce of swearing and be a witnesse c The Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is rendred by the Greck 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 the voyce of one adjuring c. as referring to the adjuration of the Judge to which the 〈◊〉 was to answer So also guilty persons or such as were accused were wont 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 as we see in the example of Achan adjured by Joshua and of our Saviour adjured by the High Priest The form of such adjurations was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Give glory to God as in that place of Josh. and John 9. 24. or in other words equivalent as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I adjure thee to speak the truth to me in the name of the Lord 1 Kings 22. 16. The next word is witnesse Thou shalt not bear false witnesse c. which we 〈◊〉 applyed four wayes in Scripture 1. To the great and chief witnesse God himself When 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 accused by his friends he appeals to this 〈◊〉 Ecce testis meus est in Coel. s 〈◊〉 my witnesse is in heaven and S. John saith There are three that bear witnesse in heaven the 〈◊〉 the Word and the Spirit every person in the Deity is a 〈◊〉 of the truth and 〈◊〉 witnesses we have of our thoughts words and 〈◊〉 whether they be 〈◊〉 or evil These are true and faithful 〈◊〉 God is often stiled the God of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 is called that true and faithful witnesse yea truth it 〈◊〉 and the Holy Ghost is Spiritus veritatis the Spirit of truth These are the witnesses with whose testimony we must 〈◊〉 our selves This must be our comfort 〈◊〉 our praise is not of men but of God who onely can judge of the sincerity 〈◊〉 our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men may often be applauded by the wicked when a good man shall be slighted 〈◊〉 such 〈◊〉 shall not stand a man in stead it is not the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 that makes one praise worthy nay it 〈◊〉 a great judgement to be well spoken of and 〈◊〉 by wicked men Wo be to you saith Christ when all men shall 〈◊〉 well of you Qui laudatur ab hominibus vituperante Deo 〈◊〉 salvabitur ab hominibus damnante 〈◊〉 He that is praised by men when God abhors him shall not be saved by men when God condemns him He is not a Jew that is one out wardly but he that is one inwardly whose praise is not of 〈◊〉 but of God Therefore the Apostle when the 〈◊〉 past rash judgement upon him tels them 〈◊〉 pro minimo 〈◊〉 c. It is a small matter for me to be judged of you 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 me is the Lord. 2. Now 〈◊〉 this great witnesse in the second place cometh 〈◊〉 witnesse which the Apostle 〈◊〉 of Rom. 2. 15. Attestante ipsis conscientia Their conscience bearing them witnesse and Rom. 9. 1. I 〈◊〉 the truth in Christ my conscience also bearing me 〈◊〉 Of 〈◊〉 the Heathen man said that it is 〈◊〉 testis as a thousand witnesses because it is the knowledge of our selves and of our own 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 him Miserum miserable Qui contemnit 〈◊〉 testem that despiseth this witnesse For 〈◊〉 that regards not the testimony of his own conscience will not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this Commandement in bearing 〈◊〉 witnesse against his brother and when men 〈◊〉 not to the voice of their conscience it is the beginning of all apostasie both in faith and practice and therefore the Apostle saith that the wrath of God is 〈◊〉 from Heaven against all such as suppresse or smother the truth in unrightcousnesse 〈◊〉 when men have a wicked affection or inclination to any sinful act and though their consciences speak unto them and tell them this they ought not to do and they will not hearken unto it then they detain the truth in unrighteousnesse for they suppresse and keep down the truth as a prisoner which would shine forth in their hearts For 〈◊〉 the Heathen man said the foundation of Gods justice begins here when he speaks in the hearts and consciences of men and they will notwithstanding do the contrary for this moves God to leave them to themselves and as s. Paul saith to give them over to strong delusions that they may believe lies And though this witnesse be great yet God is greater then our consciences as s. Paul and s. John say and therefore S. Paul saith that though our hearts acquit us yet are we not thereby justified Men do often dream strange things of themselves and are deceived in their judgement and purposes for the heart of man as the Prophet speaks is deceitful above all things and therefore when our consciences come to be 〈◊〉 up coram magno judice before that great Judge it will appear that in many things we have been mistaken which made S. Paul say That though he knew nothing by himself yet was he not thereby justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For he that judgeth me saith he is the Lord.
like those in Micah of whom he saith He that would prophecy of such things as they delighted in as of wine or strong drink should be Prophet for that people And hence it is that as S. Hierom saith Qui nescit adulari he that cannot 〈◊〉 nor apply himself to the humours of others is thought to be either superbus or invidus proud or envious all which ariseth from this that men like those that do sooth them up Now this vice of flattery is two fold for it is either in things uncertain or certain 1. In things uncertain as when we commend a man before we be certain he deserves it this is 〈◊〉 laus 〈◊〉 praise when a man is praised at first sight or when he begins to do well for some will then so highly commend him as to make him think he hath done enough and answered all expectation whereas it is not the puting on of the armour but the putting of it off which shews what praise a man deserves It is not stadium a part of the race well run but the whole race that deserves the Garland Praeclarum stadium sed metno dolichum the entrance of the race is excellent and I like it well but I am afraid of the length and continuance of it many begin well who fall short and faint before they come to the goal Therefore whilest things are uncertain we ought not to be liberal in commending nor prodigal in our 〈◊〉 2. In things certain and those either evil or good 1. In evil things which are by God condemned Laudatur male qui 〈◊〉 ob malum or de malo it is a very sorry commendation to be praised or cried up in evil or for evil He that saith to the wicked thou art righteous him shall the people curse nations shall 〈◊〉 him And the Psalmist speaking of a wicked man saith That he speaketh well of the covetous whom God 〈◊〉 The Prophet Esay denounceth a woe against all such as call evill good or good evill that call light darknesse and darknesse light 〈◊〉 writes of Cambyses that he having a minde to an incestuous mariage moved the question to those about him 〈◊〉 he might marry such an one they told him that they could not well answer in general for that the action seemed not good but they found this in particular that whatsoever the King would do he might do it This 〈◊〉 was abominable and to be hated of all good men The Prophet compares such to those that build a wall with 〈◊〉 morter which cannot therefore stand For as it followes when the wall is fallen it shall be said unto them where is the daubing where with ye have daubed it These are Caementarii 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 daubers And therefore at the 18 verse there is a woe denounced against those that sow pillows under mens elbows for he would have men that are asleep in sin to sleep with as little ease as may be without pillows or curtains that so they may wake the sooner but flatterers by sowing pillows 〈◊〉 them make them sleep the more secure 2. In good things one may be guilty of flattery by praising them above measure 〈◊〉 brings men into an errour of thinking otherwise then it is whereas the Apostle 〈◊〉 not have any to think of him above that which was in him Thus praise above a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 sine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beyond proportion this breeds in men a better 〈◊〉 of themselves then they deserve and whereas they ought to strive and endeavour to go on and to attain more perfection they stand still and rest in what they have attained Such flatterers though they pretend great love yet usually there is no such affection in their heart and therefore Solomon saith of 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 his friend with a loud voice rising early in the morning it shall be counted a 〈◊〉 to him Yea it may be sometime he hath a 〈◊〉 affection he hates him whom he slatters and therefore the same Solomon saith Though he 〈◊〉 favourably believe him not for there are seven 〈◊〉 in his heart 〈◊〉 such men did truly love those they praise they would speak no more then truth of them for love 〈◊〉 in truth as truth ought to be in love If the one be without the other if either love be without truth or truth without love the law is broken Thus whether it be upon uncertainties that we praise men or if upon 〈◊〉 yet in evil things or if in good things yet if it be too much or too high or without affection or love it is flattery in them all and here 〈◊〉 The lips that utter such flatteries the Psalmist 〈◊〉 and wishes that such men might be liplesse and that they might be rooted 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 they might not utter with their 〈◊〉 that venenum quod habet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Heathen man said that poyson which is conveyed 〈◊〉 smooth words It is true there is a pleasing of men which is lawful sin being set aside and the truth preserved and the heart first wrought upon truly to affect them and desire their good Thus s. Paul laboured to become all things to all men but without these conditions whosoever he be that sets himself to please men cannot be the servant of Christ. To avoid this plague of flattery we must not countenance such persons nor open 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to them lest we be like those spoken off by the Prophet that make falsehood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and love to be well spoken off rather then to deserve well Or 〈◊〉 that of Menander 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he that flatters most shall fare best when as the Prophet speaks they bend their tongue 〈◊〉 a bow for lies and take pains to do wickedly we must rather pray with the Psalmist Ne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 caput meum that his head may not be 〈◊〉 with the oyl of wicked men that is with their words which are smooth as oyl that his senses may not be so bewitched with their flatteries that his heart might be perverted And as we must not suffer our selves to be flattered so we must not flatter others but reprove them rather for we may be assured that if he 〈◊〉 wise whom we reprove he will make use of it 〈◊〉 a wise man and he will love thee If he do not the fault is his we have done our duty And though for the present he seem to be offended yet as the Wiseman saith He that rebuketh a man shall at last finde more favour then he that flattereth with his lips We have done with flattery as it 〈◊〉 others we come now to that which they call actum reflexum when a man by reflecting upon himself doth praise himself This is Jactantia boasting or vaunting of ones self As in the former Commandement a man may sin against himself as we shewed so here he may break
good So his conclusion is that neither for safeguard of bodily life or for the soul must a lye be spoken And this 〈◊〉 hath been generally held since by the Fathers and by the most and best of late Writers This is called the Midwives lye but improperly for I like not the racking of places of Scripture to make more faults in the Fathers and others then they were guilty of All the Midwives say is that the Hebrew women were so strong that they were delivered before the Midwife came which is likely to be true of many of them as we see there are divers such among us That they spake then may be said to be onely occultatio veritatis the concealing of some truth rather then the uttering of an untruth This kind of lye may more fitly be called Rahabs lye Who hid the Spies and yet said they were gone for in her as S. Augustine saith there was rather virtutis indoles a good disposition then 〈◊〉 virtus perfect 〈◊〉 as appeared by this act For that other which they call Jocosum a merry lye the Prophet makes it a fault to make the King merry with lyes and if a man may not speak the truth to please men as the Apostle saith much lesse may he uttera a lye to please them And though a pernicious lye be worse then this yet as S. Aug. saith it is no good argument to say this is good because the other is worse no more then it is to say because one man is worse then another therefore the other is good Therefore he condemns all three as evil and though these two last are without any great fault yet not without any sault But though we must in no case speak 〈◊〉 to the truth yet there are some cases wherein we seem to go against but do not 1. When things are spoken in parabolical and figural speeches as where in Jothams parable the trees are said to go and choose a King So when our Saviour taught by parables such speeches are not lyes nor here prohibited for what in them is propounded is not res sed figura rei not as a real truth but onely as a figure of some thing that is true This is lawful in speech as painting is lawful to represent things the better to the 〈◊〉 and thus hyperbolical speeches are lawful because neither in the intention of the speaker nor in the sense of the hearer they are contrary to the truth 2. When part of the truth is concealed but no untruth uttered As when 〈◊〉 told Abimelech that Sarah was his sister which she was according to 〈◊〉 Hebrew phrase for she was his brothers daughter but denied not that she was his wife but 〈◊〉 that so when Samuel went to anoint David King and the Elders of the City asked him what he came about he told them he came to sacrifice to the Lord which was true for that was one end of his coming though he had another end also which he concealed 3. When a question may have two sences or meanings and the answer is true in the one but not in the other a man may answer it in his own sence which is true though it be false in another sence As when Christ was asked by 〈◊〉 Whether he were a King he answered that he was and that truly viz. A spiritual King though he had no temporal kingdom which was that that Pilate meant So Jacob might truly say to his father Isaac that he was his eldest son in one sence viz. because hee bought his brothers birth-right though otherwise hee were not So our SAVIOUR expounds that prophesie of Malachy concerning Elias saying that Elias was then come meaning not Elias in his own person but one in the power and spirit of Elias 4. When the thing is changed in circumstances a man may 〈◊〉 contrary to what he said and yet not be guilty of an untruth the Angels said to Lot they would not 〈◊〉 in but would lodge in the streets s. Peter said Christ should not wash his 〈◊〉 and s. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to come to 〈◊〉 and yet the Angels came and lodged in Lots house Peter suffered Christ to wash his feet and S. Paul did not come yet none of them were guilty of a lye because the circumstances were changed The Angels had not come in if Lot had not importuned them S. Peter would not have had his feet washed if he had not been better informed and Paul would have gone to Corinth if Satan had not hindred him All these speeches were to be understood 〈◊〉 sic stantibus but not if there were an alteration in the circumstances 〈◊〉 often change moral actions besides that the promises of a good man in moral matters ought to be conditional In these 〈◊〉 both the elder Church and 〈◊〉 Schoolmen have resolved there is nothing against the truth Having spoken of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lye in words we are now to proceed to mendacium 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 in our actions for as S. Augustine saith Non refert utrum quis dicto 〈◊〉 aut facto it is all one to lye in our actions and in our words For truth is nothing else but an evennesse or an equality 1. Between the thing in its nature and the imagination we have of it in our heart and if they be even then there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Between the conceit we have in our mindes and the expression of it by our words or deeds If the tongue and heart agree then there is 〈◊〉 oris truth in our speech and if our actions agree with both then there is 〈◊〉 facti truth in our actions for that Facta deeds or facts may be signes as well as words appears by that of our Saviour when he saith that men shall be knowne by their fruits that is by the actions as fignes of what is in their hearts and by that question of the Pharisees who 〈◊〉 of him a signe that is some act to testifie his greatnesse and power as also for that as good is done to edification and hurt to give offence by words or precepts so good or evil is done by fact or example for which cause God hath taken order that both by our deeds and by our words the truth should be confirmed and that there should not be Simulatio dissimulation which is the vice we here speak of when men make shew by their actions of what they are not For if the Factum the fact or deed be not commensurate or equal to the thought and heart this is simulation Yet as we said before a man may conceal some part of the truth in words and is not bound to utter all he knows so here in his actions he is not bound to signifie or declare all his minde but that onely which without sin cannot be kept close God himself was the author of an ambushment to Joshua when he made shew of flying