THE word of Truth aſſures us, That the Devil was a Liar from the beginning; For early he began that Trade, deluding our firſt Parents with pretenſions of increaſing their knowledge, when his deſign was to rob them both of knowledge and happineſs, overwhelming all the faculties of their ſouls with diſmal clouds of Ignorance, which to this day ſadly obſcure the Intellectuals of their unhappy off-ſpring. Nor was his Oracle, infamouſly famous at Delphos, wanting to purſue the ſame method, only ſomewhat refined with ſemblances of verity, and from thence, 'tis like, the firſt practice of Equivocation came into the world, To keep up the Reputation of his Prieſts and continue the Idolatry of his Votaries, returning anſwers couched in ſuch ambiguous expreſſions that whatever happen'd he might ſeem to be in the Right; and ſometimes giving forth his fallacies in Writing either unpointed, or dubiouſly diſpoſed, where the unwary Reader was trapann'd to deſtruction by treacherous hopes. Thus one of his Agents a Magician once anſwer'd Albertus Scotus Earl of Placentia, enquiring of his ſucceſs againſt an approaching Foe ready to invade his Territories— Domine stes ſecurus inimici tui ſuaviter intrabunt terram & ſubjicientur Domni tuae. Which Albert, flattered by his own wiſhes, interpreted as the words ſeem'd to import thus: Sir, Reſt your ſelf ſecure, your Enemies ſhall ſweetly (peaceably or fairly) enter your Land, and ſhall be made ſubjects to your Family; But being vanquiſhed and ſubdued, the crafty South ſayer thus read and Interpreted his words, Domi ne ſtes ſecurus, do not reſt at home ſecure; inimici tui, thy enemies, ſua viter intrabunt, by their force ſhall thrice enter thy Land, & ſubjicient, and ſhall caſt, ur, a Chaldee word for Fire, Domui tuae, on they Palace.

But among all the Scholars to this arch crafts maſter of falſhood, there are none that have more unhappily improved the Myſtery of deceit in this kind, than the Jeſuites and Romiſh Seminaries, their very looks and garbs as well as their words are Equivocations, Wolves in ſheeps clothing, and Ghoſtly fathers that have by vows abandon'd the world, ruffling in Courts, Exchanges, every where, in huffing habits of Hectoring Gallants. Their diſcourſes capable of as many Conſtructions as an Almanack makers prognoſtications, nor are their writings leſs full of craſty obſcurity and hidden meanings. Of this ſort we have here a pretty inſtance, which without doubt was hammer'd in that Forge. A poor Fryar who it ſeems was not very fit for their turn, being ſent from an eminent man of that Fraternity on ſome ſleeveleſs errand, has a Letter of Recommendation given him to carry by his Superiour; and being firſt read to him, finding the Contents ſo much (as he underſtood them) in his favour, did no doubt, return his Ghoſtly Patron abundance of thanks for ſo ſignal a kindneſs, promiſing himſelf what extraordinary welcome the ſame would procure him with the perſon to whom it was directed, and indeed who could ſuſpect a Snake in ſuch verdant Graſs? or a miſchievous meaning in words that appeared ſo plain and hearty? being as follows.

Now I dare lay a wager the honeſt Reader ſees no more harm in all this than the ſilly Fryar did that carried it; but if you pleaſe to turn down juſt a quarter of the leaf on the outſide ſo as to cover half the Letter and then read what remains open, you will find it ſtill coherent ſenſe but to a quite contrary import from that which before it carried. For thus it runs: Sir,

Mr. G. An Iriſh Fryar is the bringer to you of this Letter, he is one of the moſt vitious perſons that I ever yet knew, &c.

But alas! deceiving a poor Fryar with ſuch a neat piece of Gullery is nothing to the practices of the Eccleſiaſtical Politicians of the right Roman breed; their principles delivered by approved Caſuiſts extend to & allow more groſs exploits. Take an inſtance of it in commerce, To uſe Lies (ſays de Graffijs l. 2. ca. 118.) in bargaining to get a good price, is but a venial fault, though made a daily practice. What think you of forſwearing ones ſelf a little? Hear what their great Doctor Soto in his book de Juſt. & Jure l. 5. q. 7. ſaith, Teſtimonium falſum in favorem proximi, non eſt mortale. A falſe Teſtimony in favour of my neighbour is no mortal ſin. And he gives you (though himſelf a Dominican) this true-blew Jeſuitical Reaſon for it; Becauſe, ſays he, the Command is, Thou ſhalt not bear falſe witneſs againſt thy neighbour, but forbids not thy doing it for him. Their Navarr delivers it for orthodox Popiſh Divinity, That any perſon being Interrogated unduely, that is, by any that he thinks not competent Judges in that Caſe, concerning any thing which if confeſſed might endanger him, may anſwer with a mental reſervation, denying that to be done which 〈◊〉 in was done, ſecretly meaning in ſuch a mo •• or was not done with an intent to diſcover it to you, or the like. Their Sylveſter, in his Summs in the wor • Accuſation; ſpeaks freely, that the Accuſed (in the laſt caſe 〈…〉 orementioned) may tell a Lie, which is not any mortal 〈◊〉 nor ſo much as venial, if anſwering cautiouſ •• 〈…〉 they ſay ſophiſtically, he ſpeak that which is falſe in the Judges ſenſe and true in his own; Since not being properly under his Jurisdiction, he is not bound to ſpeak Truth in his ſenſe. Nor is Truth more ſecure amongſt them in the Pulpit than at the Bar; A Preacher may there Lie, by Gajetans good leave [Summ. V. Mendactum p. 437.] if he does it not as a Preacher, and his Lies be not ſcandalous ſo the ſaid Sylveſter (on the ſame word num. 4.) thus reſolves the point, Queritur utrum ſit peccitum mortale praedicatori mentiri in Ambono •• If any enquire whether it be a mortal ſin for a Preacher to tell Lies in the pulpit, Dico quod non, &c. I ſay no, If he can do it wittily, he may intermix his Sermons with falſe Stories provided they be but jocoſe, for if they only make his hearers innocently merry, 'tis ſcarce ſo much as a venial. In a word, Since by their doctrines they may without danger be falſe ſo their friends and dependants, to private perſons, to Magiſtrates, to their Prieſts, to their God, where ought they to have Credit? Since they may practiſe Lying and deceit in common Converſation, in Commerce; in Doctrine, in Courts of Juſtice; and even in Gods Worſhip; where may they be truſted▪