CHAP. I.

AS good is most commenda­ble §. 1. That the vice of Lying is most common. when as it is most com­mon and communicable, because it multiplies it selfe, and increases the happinesse of many in whom it is; so vice and sinne is so much the more sinfull and pernicious; by how much the more it diffuseth and spreadeth it selfe as a common Plague or Leprosie to the in­fection and destruction of many, and utter ruine of all humane societies. In which regard this sinne of lying, of which I now purpose (God assisting me) to intreate, may challenge unto it selfe a speciall preheminence aboue almost all other vices, there [Page 2] being none more common and universall, whether wee respect persons, times, or places. It begunne with our first Parents as soone almost as they had their beginning, who no sooner left their innocen­cy and integrity, than they left their Truth; and falling into sinne, they fell to lying, hiding it in this darke shade, and covering it under this blacke vayle, because they saw it so foule and loathsome, that they were ashamed to bring it unto the light▪ For being asked by God why they hid themselves from his Presence among the trees of the Garden, they alleadge two false causes, and conceale the Truth. The one, was because they heard Gods Voyce, which made them affraid; the other, be­cause they saw their owne nakednesse; whereas they had often before heard God speaking unto them and were not terrified, and had seene them­selves naked and were not ashamed; neither was it their want of cloathing, but of the robe of Inno­cency, and their sinne that brought this shame and feare. And from their loynes this corruption is na­turally propagated to all their Posterity: from their sinfull breasts wee have all sucked this deadly poyson, which hath so generally infected the cor­rupted nature of all Mankinde, that there is scarce any vice or sinne unto which we are more inclined, than unto this of lying.

The which will better appeare, if wee consider §. 2. That all Nations and conditions of Men are subject to this vice, that there is no Country or Nation, no place, age or condition of Men, priviledged and exempted from this contagion; no people so rude and savage, but have attained to the Art and skill of lying and dissembling; none so well civilized and instructed [Page 3] in morall vertue, governed and restrained from vice by politique lawes, but that they often breake their bounds, and take unto themselves a licentious liberty to speake untruths for their advantage; yea no Nation so well nurtured and taught in the knowledge of God and his true Religion, but that the most of them are tainted with the contagion of this vice; and though they make some conscience of other sins, as murther, whoredome, drunkennes, fraud, oppression, and the like, yet they are nothing scrupulous to use their best skill in lying, when as they thinke that it is for their gaine and advantage. And therefore though some people more than others, either by a naturall inclination, example or custome, doe exceede in this vice, and (like the Cretians in the Apostles time) may by way of eminency be called Lyers; yet there are no sorts Tit. 1. 12. of Men savadge or civill, Pagans, Turkes or Chri­stians, which are not too much addicted to this base and pernitious vice.

But that I may confine my speech within nar­rower §. 3. That our owne people and nation are much infected with the contagion of this sin of lying. boundes, and leaving others, come unto our selves; who seeth not, that after so long a time of preaching the Gospell, the light thereof hath not yet dispelled these foggy mystes of falsehood and lying? Take a view of all places in our Land, Court, Citty and Countrey, and we shall finde no Goshen that is exempted and free from this Egyp­tian darkenesse; almost all Men indeavouring to mislead others into errours, by lyes and untruths. And that which is worst of all, Mens consciences are not convinced of the greatnesse of this sinne, whereof it commeth to passe that it is not only in [Page 4] dayly practice, but also in some inward esteeme and credit; as contrariwise plaine and simple truth in some disgrace, the most m [...]n being ready to ap­plaud themselves when they have atchieved their ends by subtle untruths, and to censure others as dull and foolishly simple, who loving the Truth, doe loose the advantage of compassing their end; because they make conscience of their words and wayes, and will not purchase their hopes at the price of a lye. So that in these dayes we may justly take up the complaint of Ieremie: Truth is perished, and is cut off from the mouth of Men: and that of the Jer. 7. 28. Prophet Esay: Iudgement is turned away backeward, Esai. 59. 14, 15. and Iustice standeth a farre off; for Truth is fallen in the Streete, and Equity cannot enter: yea Truth faileth, and hee that departeth from evill, maketh himselfe a prey.

For if wee looke amongst all sorts of Men, wee §. 4. That enter­tainment lyes finde among Courtiers. shall finde Truth neglected, and lyes applauded and dayly practised. Amongst some Courtiers, they are esteem'd ornaments and elegancies of speech, and commended as witty complements to fill up the empty place of absent Truth: neither do they use their tongues for that end, for which God gave them, namely to bee the true interpreters of their mind's and hearts, but to faine and dissemble, professing the greatest love and kindnesse to those unto whom they intend most mischiefe. And now it is esteemed an high point of prudence, either cunningly to reserve themselves in a grave and so­lemne silence, and concealing their owne thoughts and intentions to lye upon the catch, that they may take all advantages for the discovering of others [Page 5] secrets; or so to speake and discourse, as that their words may not lay open their mindes, but rather mislead their hearers into false conceits and errors: Men not caring, so that their maine end and aime be good, though they neglect Truth, when it will not serve for their purpose so well as a lye.

Looke into our courts of Justice, in which next §. 5. That lyes are frequent in Courts of Justice Psal. 82. 1. unto the Pulpit Truth may challenge a place, as being the best guide that leadeth unto right where God standeth and judgeth among the gods, and there­fore nothing but truth should be spoken before the God of Truth who abhorreth lies, and his Depu­ties and Vice-gerents, who bearing his Image and sitting in his place should, that they may judge rightly, bee throughly informed in the Truth. And where shall we finde Truth more neglected, discountenanced and betrayed, than amongst those who would seeme to pleade for it? where have lyes and untruths more frequent and familiar en­tertainment? For how few among that profession that make conscience to bee intertained in a bad cause, and having taken upon them the patronage of it, make any scruple to use their uttermost abi­lities to dazell and blinde the eyes of the Judge; not onely by their Art and skill, but also by spea­king untruths, when they will advantage their ill cause? Neither doe they onely hereby indeavour to hinder the right of the adverse party, but also disgrace his person with false aspersions, and that not in words alone which might be blowne away with the winde, but also in their Bils and writings which must remaine upon record; for which no­thing can bee said that I know of, but that lying is [Page 6] growne into a custome, and become a common forme in the course of pleading. Yea I would there were none of this profession that doe intertaine more willingly a bad cause than a good, because it promiseth greater gaine, and chuse to speake lyes rather than Truth, because if they prevaile in the suite, they can sell them to their client at an higher price. So that here againe we may complaine with the Prophet: Your fingers are defiled with iniquity, Jer. [...]. [...] your lippes have spoken lyes, your tongues have muttered perversenesse. None calleth for Iustice, nor any pleadeth for Truth: or if they doe both, yet it is rather for their fees sake, than for the love of either.

Yea even our Divines themselves, though they §. 6. That many Divines are guilty of this vice. be professours of divine Truth, cannot wholly be excused and cleared of this vice; and that not only in respect of their private courses & conversations, but also in regard of the worke of their Ministery. For to speake nothing of them who for sinister ends broach errours of Doctrine, and in stead of Gods Truth, their owne frothy and false conceits; that they may make Proselytes and gather a num­ber of Disciples, by whom they may be applauded and maintained: how many are there that for tren­cher courtesies are ready to approve and applaud their benefactors in their sins of fraud, oppression, usury? and like those women, of whom Ezechiel speaketh, sow pillowes under the arme holes and elbowes Ezec. 1 [...] 18. [...]. of sinners, that they may the more securely sleepe in their sinnes, polluting Gods holy Name among the people for handfulls of barley, and peeces of bread to slay the soules that should not dye, and to save the soules alive that should not live, by their lying to Gods People that [Page 7] heare their lyes, making the hearts of the righteous sad with their lyes, whom GOD hath not made sad, and strengthening the hands of the wicked, that hee should not returne from his wicked way by promising him life? Others speake pleasing things rather than profita­ble, heartning and encouraging the people in their vicious courses, both by their words and examples, and walking (as the Prophet Micah speaketh of some such in his dayes) in the spirit of falsehood, doe Micah 2. [...]1. [...]ye saying, I will prophecie unto thee of wine and strong drinke. But as such men dishonour God and that high calling unto which hee hath called them, by their teaching of lies, making themselves base and contemptible and even the very tayle in the com­mon Esa. 9 1 [...]. wealth, as the Prophet Esay speaketh: so will the Lord dishonour them in the eyes of all good men, and take them away by his heavie judgements, Jer. 14. 15. as the Prophet Ieremy threatneth.

But though this sinne greatly raigneth amongst §. 7. That this vice of Lying chiefly raigneth in Cities and Townes, and especially a­mongst Shop­keepers and Artificers. all sorts and conditions of men in our Land, yet amongst none more than our Citizens, shopkeep­ers and artificers. For doe we not see that they in their Trade of buying and selling doe also make a common Trade of lying? And so they may utter their wares, they are content by sinning to set their soules to sale, giving them in as an over-measure and (as it were) an advantage to the bargaine; neither doe they more dazle the eyes of the buyer with their false lights, than the eyes of their mindes and judgements with their false praises, la­vishly affirming that there are none so good in the towne, when as themselves know that they have much better in their owne shops; that they cost [Page 8] them so much, when as afterwards they are con­tent to sell them for lesse; that they would not abate any thing of that price to their owne father or mother, though soone after they agree to take lesse of a stranger; and that none but they should have had them so good cheape, though perhaps this bee the first, and it may bee the last time that they ever saw or shall see them. Yea they are not content to use only their naturall faculty of lying, but strive also to perfect it with art, and bend all their wittes daily to improve their skill; helping themselves by their observation and experience to know and discerne what methode and skill of ly­ing they finde most advantageable. Nay they are not content to goe on themselves in these wayes of darkenesse, but they will compell their servants and apprentises to goe together with them in the same wicked courses, and now in these dayes take great summes of money to teach them their art, in which if they profit not, they are in no esteeme, as being dull and heavie headed fellowes; ill chap­men, and altogether unfit to deale with their cu­stomers. And though they above all others cannot indure lyes in their servants in any matters that con­cerne themselves, when as they tend to their hurt and damage, nor that they should cover their faults committed in the Family by speaking untruthes, and therefore will endeavour to breake them of this vice if they bee given to it; yet they will not onely suffer, but also teach them to lye in their or­dinary trading; as though lyes to deceive others were commendable, but hatefull when they are used to beguile them; lawfull and laudable in the [Page 9] shop, but odious and intolerable in any other part of the house: wherein they grosly deceive them­selves, for he that maketh no conscience of lying in one place, will make as little in another: hee that will not sticke to lye for his masters pleasure and profit, will as easily adventure on it to hide his owne faults, that hee may escape shame or punishment; and hee that by the dayly practise of lying in the shop commeth to a custome and habit, can hardly leave it in the hall or chamber. But let such ma­sters tremble to thinke that hereby they bring Gods wrath upon them, not onely for their owne sinnes, but also for the sinnes of their servants, in which they are not accessaries alone but even prin­cipals: and what a fearefull account they have to make at the Day of Judgement for poysoning of youth committed to their charge with this vice of lying and deceit, making them hereby subject to Gods wrath and liable to that woe and heavie judgement denounced against such servants, as Zeph. 1. 9. fearing man more than God, doe enrich their ma­sters with their lyes and deceit. I have enlarged my selfe the more in shewing how this sinne a­boundeth in the City, because being so generall, yet few lay it to heart as a sinne against God and man, but rather applaude themselues in it as the excellency of their skill in their trade; whereof belike it was that in former times Trades were called Mysteries and Crafts, because this mystery of iniquity was practised in them, and all craft and deceit used in their buying and selling: or rather being good words in their prime signification, they came into discredit by their abuse in their [Page 10] trades, and craft became a word of ill report and taken in an ill sense, by reason of that cūning deceit which was used in Crafts and Occupations. And now I should speake no more of this vice amongst Trades-men, if I did not observe another kinde of lying practised by shopkeepers, which with griefe and bowels of compassion I have observed to bee most pernitious, as being joyned with grievous oppression; namely that when their poore worke­men (by whose art and skill, labours and endea­vours they are enriched) come unto their shops and offer them their worke and wares to sell for the reliefe of themselves and families, they put them off and slight their commodities, telling them that they need them not, because they would beat them downe to a low and base price, by working upon their pressing necessity; whereas in truth they want and need to buy them, and to procure them would runne to their worke-houses, if their urgent wants (as a goade in their sides) did not en­force them to outrunne them and prevent their haste. Yet howsoever these men deserve to be pi­tied as oppressed, yet they cannot bee cleared as innocent, seeing they likewise use the same arts and slights of lying which I haue before condem­ned in the other, and having made false and de­ceitfull worke and wares, they cover usually their faults and defects in workemanship with untruths, affirming them to bee perfect and good, durable, profitable and every way for their turne that buy them, when as themselves know that they are bad, slight and good for nothing. So that in respect both of the one and other, wee have just cause to [Page 11] complaine of our Citizens and townes-men in this land, as Ezechiei did sometime of Jerusalem: She hath wearied her selfe with lyes, and her scumme went Ezec. 24. 12. not forth out of her. And therefore all that are plaine and simple hearted had now, if ever, need to hearken to Ieremies warning: Take ye heed every Jer. 9. 4, 5. one of his neighbour, and trust yee not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and they will de­ceive every one his neighbour, and will not speake the truth: they have taught their tongue to speake lyes, and weary themselves to commit iniquity. Thy habitation Quid Romae faciam? mentiri nescio. Juve­nal. Satyr. 3. is in the midst of deceit, &c. And yet let me not bee here mistaken, as though I judged all men in these places alike and under the same guilt; for I know that there are many of them that truely fearing God, doe make conscience of all their words and wayes, dealing as they would bee done by, and in their trading and conversation, abhorring to seeke their advantage by lyes and deceit; but I speake onely of the greater part, and of the usuall and common practice of the most in these dayes.

Neither let the countrey people blesse them­selves §. 8. That Countrey people also are tainted with this vice. as though they were innocent, nor suppose that I acquit them because I have not hitherto dis­covered and reproved them. For I doubt not but those that are conversant with them, and are daily witnesses of their words and dealings, doe finde them as faulty in their kinde, as crafty and de­ceitfull, as forward to advance their ends and ac­complish their desires with untruths and lyes, and as cunning to deceive in their buying and selling, their contracts and bargaines, by setting trueth to sale at the cheapest rate, as those that live in townes [Page 12] and Cities. Yea rather as they for the most part are more rude and untaught, so they are more sub­ject to this vice, and lesse ashamed when they are taken in it, than those that are civilized and better instructed. Although perhaps they offend more seldome than Citizens, because they are not expo­sed to so many tentations as those that spend their whole time in buying and selling, unto which this sinne of lying sticketh as close as the shirt to the backe, or the skinne to the flesh. And this Salomon observed that the buyer usually disprayseth in words, what he liketh and approveth in his heart. It is naught, it is naught (saith the buyer) but when hee is gone his way, then hee boasteth of his bargaine. And Prov. 20. 14. the sonne of Syrach telleth us, that as a naile stickes Eccl. 27. 2. fast betweene the joynings of the stones, so doth sin sticke close betweene buying and selling.

Finally, as this sinne of lying raigneth in all pla­ces, §. 9. That infe­riours, children and servants are most prone to this vice of Ly­ing. so in no persons more than in inferiours, as children and servants, who being not so carefull to avoid the committing of faults, as being commit­ted to hide and cover them, lest they might here­by incurre the just displeasure of their Superiours, and so bring upon themselves deserved punish­ment, doe usually use lying, that under this covert they may keepe them from being discovered. Yea having told one lye they are ready to second it with another, and that with a third and fourth, not caring to fall into a greater sinne to excuse a lesse, and to make the wound of conscience more deepe and desperate, by doubling and redoubling of their fault; whereas an humble and penitent confession would be accepted of their Governours, as a good [Page 13] part of satisfaction; being more pleased with their acknowledgement which giveth some hope of a­mendment for the future, then displeased with the fault it selfe. But let such take notice of their va­nity and solly, whilest they runne headlong into greater evills out of a bare hope to avoid the lesse, which often deceiveth them and maketh their faults more haynous and unexcusable. For what is the displeasure of mortall man which they indea­vour to avoide, in comparison of the wrath of the immortall GOD which they certainely incurre? What are the momentany corrections and pu­nishments inflicted by men, in comparison of those torments easelesse and endlesse in that Lake Apoc. 21. 8. which burneth with fire and brimstone, which are threatned by God, and shall most certainly be suffered, unlesse they be prevented by unfained re­pentance?

By all which it appeareth that this sin of lying, §. 10. That Gods Ministers should indeavour to suppresse this vice. hath so much prevailed in all places, and also over all sorts of persons in our Land; that God may as justly complaine of England, as he did heretofore of Ephraim and Israel; Ephraim compasseth me about Hos. 11. 12. with lyes, and the house of Israel with deceit. In which regard Gods Ministers should bend their whole strength both by preaching and writing against this vice which so much raigneth in this Land: for God hath appointed us to be watchmen, who must give the people warning, and convince them of Ezec. 3. those sinnes, which doe most indanger them to his judgements, and lay them open and naked to their enemies. They must lift up their voyce like a Esay. 58. 1. Trumpet, and shew Gods People their transgression, and [Page 14] the house of Iacob their sin. Neither is it enough that they speake against sinne in generall, nor yet that they inveigh against the sinnes of other Nations, to which their people are not much subject (for this were rather to backebite sinne, than to reprove it) but they must bend their chiefe strength against the common and raigning sinnes of the times and places where they live; and their voyce like the Trumpet must not give an uncertaine or imperti­nent sound, but such as may bee for the use and direction of their owne Troupes. The considera­tion whereof, as it moved mee heretofore in the time of my chiefest strength to write against those common vices of swearing, whoredome, drunken­nesse, bribery, rash and unjust anger which have overflowed our Land like an universall Deluge; so doth it now in my old Age, and in my grea­ter weakenesse both of body and minde, incite mee to write against this vice of Lying, both be­cause it is no lesse, if not more common, than any of the rest; and herein more pernitious, be­cause Mens consciences are not convinced of the greatnesse of this sinne, and therefore securely live in it without repentance: And also because I have not knowne of any other that have writ­ten of this Subject, although many might much better have done it, in respect of their greater strength and better abilities.

CHAP. II.

NOw in speaking of this vice, I will §. 1. What a lye is, and what things concurre in it. shew; 1. What a Lye is. 2. The causes of it. 3. The kindes and sorts of Lying. 4. The meanes to pre­serve us from it. And lastly, the uses which wee ought to make of all this Doctrine. Saint Augustine briefely defi­neth Mendacium est quippe falsa significatio cum voluntate fal­lendi. Aug. contr. mendac. ad Consent. lib. 2. cap. 12. Qua▪ propter ille mentitur qui a­liud habet in a­nimo & aliud verbis vel qui­buslibet signifi­cationibus e­nunciat. lib. 1. cap. 3. it thus; A Lye is a false signification with a will to deceive: And that (saith he) is not a false signification, when as though one thing is signified by another, yet that is true which is signified, if it bee rightly understood. And this hee explaineth in another place, where he saith, that he lyeth who hath one thing in his minde, and uttereth another thing in his words, or any other way of significa­tion; more plainely (as I take it) wee may thus de­scribe it. A lye is a vicious speech in which the tongue disagreeth from the minde, which is vo­luntarily uttered with a purpose and desire to de­ceive; or thus, a lye is a false expression or signifi­cation of the notions and conceptions of the mind; by speaking, writing, or any other significant acti­ons or gestures, voluntarily uttered with a purpose and desire to deceive; or when the Truth is sup­pressed and betrayed by silence, when wee ought to declare and confesse it: whereby it appeareth, that these three things doe concurre in a lye. First, falsity or untruth uttered by speaking, writing, or [Page 16] any other meanes contrary to that Truth, with which the minde is inlightned. Secondly, that it be voluntary, the will resisting the minde, and com­manding expressions which are contrary to its no­tions and conceptions. Thirdly, that it bee done with a purpose and desire to deceive. The two first doe containe the matter and forme, the third the end at which he aymeth who telleth an untruth.

But for the better and more full clearing of the §. 2. Of the name or thing defined. nature of this vice, wee will first say something of the name or thing defined, and then of the defini­tion it selfe. Our English name whereby wee ex­presse it is Lye, the Etymology whereof we cannot easily guesse at. It may seeme to bee derived or borrowed from the Belgicke word Lieghen, or the German Lügen, which signifie to lye; and they to be derived from the Greeke word [...] which signifieth to speake or talke: because (as Scaliger observeth) in much speaking or talking is usually some lying. The Latine expresseth it by a name which signifieth the disagreement that is in it be­tweene the tongue and the mind, mentiri, quasi con­tra mentem ire, to lye is to goe against the minde, or to say that which the mind gain-sayeth, the tongue speaking contrary to that Truth which the minde conceiveth. The Grecians call a lye [...] of [...] which signifieth to deceive, because deceit is the maine end of lying. And this some derive from [...] of [...] which signifieth to flye or avoyde, because lying is such a vice as men naturally abhor­ring, when it is spoken against themselves, do shun and fly from it; others derive [...] which Arist. eth. lib. 4. cap. 7. signifieth to reprehend, disprayse or disgrace, be­cause [Page 17] [...] is [...], a lye is reprehended and dis­praysed amongst all, as a thing vaine and wicked. The Hebritians commonly call a lye Aven, the same word also signifying iniquity and sinne; be­cause in all lyes though they seeme never so speci­ous and excusable, there is iniquity and sinne, be­cause the will and the tongue doe disagree from the minde, and doe betray it, by forcing it (like a false interpreter) to speake that which it doth not conceive and thinke.

And so I come from the name to speake of the §. 3. Of the fal­sity that is in a Lye. nature of the thing described. In which the first thing considerable is the falsity and untruth that is in every lye. The which is twofold: First, when that is false which is spoken. Secondly, when as Men speake the Truth falsely, that is, with a pur­pose to deceive. Now he speaketh false who doth not speake as the thing is, whether hee thinketh it true or noe; or whether he purposeth to deceive, or not to deceive; and he speaketh falselye, who doth not speake as hee thinketh, whether that hee speaketh bee true or false. The one is a Logicall untruth, when as the speech agreeth not with the thing: the other a Morall lye, or a lye against Mo­rality, when as the minde agreeth not with the speech. He that speaketh that which is false, but yet thinketh it to bee true, cannot bee said to lye, though he speaketh an untruth; because his speech agreeth with his minde, and as hee thinketh hee speaketh: onely it is his errour, either through the weakenesse of his reason, and understanding, and defect in judgement; or else through rashnesse, incogitancie and negligence; because he doth not [Page 18] duely consider and examine what he saith, before hee speaketh it. If the former, it is not so much a sinne, as the punishment of sinne; or if a sinne in the strictest censure, yet but onely as it is a branch of the corruption of nature, or originall sin. The other must bee acknowledged and bewayled as a sinne of infirmity, if it be done seldome and at un­awares; though nothing so haynous and odious unto God as a lye. But he that speaketh willingly that which he knoweth to be false, or doth speake the Truth falsely, that is, either when through er­rour and mistake hee thinketh it to bee false; or knowing it to be true that he may deceive, or may be better beleeved when he lyeth, he is a lyer and herein resembleth the Devill; who either lyeth in speaking that which hee knoweth to be false; or else when hee speaketh Truth, doth it with a pur­pose to deceive, or that hee may gaine the more credit to his lyes. And thus he called our Saviour Christ the Holy one of God; and his Apostles, Paul Mar. 1. 26. Act. 16. 17. and Silas, the servants of the most high God, either be­cause he would deceive the people and make them to suspect them the more, because of his testimony and approbation, as though they were friends to his kingdome of darkenesse, or that he might bee the rather beleeved, when hee should afterwards slander and reproach them as seducers and false teachers. Now which of those two, he that spea­keth that which is false with a purpose to deceive, or he that speaketh the Truth to the same end, bee in greater fault, it is not easie to determine, be­cause how much the lesse the one hath of Truth in his speech who speaketh that which is false, so [Page 19] much the more the other hath of craft and deceit, who can cunningly force Truth even against its nature to advance his false ends.

Whereby it appeareth that there is great diffe­rence §. 4. Of the dif­ference between lying and spea­king an untruth. betweene lying, and telling or speaking a lye or untruth; for in a lye the tongue disagreeth from the minde, and falsely speaketh contrary to that which the minde thinketh, and therefore lyeth though that bee true which is spoken, because it is conceived and thought to be otherwise: but when a Man speaketh that which is a lye or untruth being perswaded that it is true, hee lyeth not, because his minde and tongue agree together, and he thinketh what he speaketh, but hee onely erreth and would not willingly deceive, but that himselfe is first de­ceived; so that such an one cannot be said to be a lyer, seeing he mindeth, affecteth and loveth Truth, but is onely mistaken in what hee saith through ig­norance, rashnesse or incogitancie. And of this judgement are the ancients. So Bernard: there is Est qui dubiè profert men­dacium nec mentitur: & est qui veritatem quam nescit af­firmat, & men­titur, &c. Bern. in Cant. Serm. 17 (saith hee) that telleth a lye doubtingly and ly­eth not, and there is that affirmeth the Truth which he knoweth not, and lyeth; for he indeed saith not that to be which is not, but yet affirmeth that hee beleeveth that which in Truth he beleeveth, and he saith Truth, although that be not true which he beleeveth. But the other when he saith that he is Non est judi­candus mendax qui dicit falsum quod putat ve­rum, quiaquan­tum in se est non fallit, sed fallitur, &c. Anselm. in 2 Cor. 1. certaine of that whereof he is not certaine, speake­eth not the Truth, although that be true which he affirmeth. So Saint Anselme: Hee is not to bee judged a lyer, who speaketh false thinking it true, because as much as in him lieth hee deceiveth not, but is deceived; and contrariwise, hee lyeth who [Page 20] speaketh Truth, thinking it to be false. For hee is not free from a lye who speaketh true things with his mouth, not knowing them to be so; but know­ingly he lyeth in his will. Saint Augustine also spea­keth Quisquis autem hoc enunciat quod vel credi­tum animo vel opinatum tenet etiamsi falsum fit, non menti­tur, &c. August. contra mendac. ad Consentium. cap. 3. much to the same purpose; whosoever (saith hee) speaketh that which either hee beleeveth or thinketh in his minde, doth not lye although it be false. For this hee oweth to the declaring of this faith, that hee uttereth by it that which is in his minde, and so conceiveth it as he uttereth it. But hee cannot bee said to be in no fault although hee doth not lye, if hee either beleeveth things not to be beleeved, or thinketh that he knoweth what he knoweth not, although it be true: for hee taketh things unknowne as knowne; wherefore he lyeth, who conceiveth one thing in his minde, and utte­reth another thing by his words, or any other sig­nifications. From whence hee that lyeth is said to have a double heart, a double cogitation: one is of the thing which hee knoweth or thinketh true, and doth not speake it; another is of the thing which hee speaketh in stead of this, knowing or thinking it to bee false. Whence it commeth to passe that a man may speake that which is false, and yet not lye, if he thinketh it to be so as he speaketh, although it be not so; and that he may speake that which is true and yet lye, if thinking it to be false, he speaketh it for a Truth, although indeed it bee so as hee speaketh. For a man is to bee esteemed a lyer or no lyer, according to the meaning of his minde, and not according to the Truth or false­nesse of the things themselves. And therefore he that speaketh that which is false for true, thinking [Page 21] it to be so, may be said to erre or to be rash, but he cannot bee truely said to bee a lyer; because when he thus speaketh, hee hath not a double heart, nor desireth to deceive, but is himselfe deceived. And in another place speaking to the same purpose hee saith: neither by any meanes is he free from a lye, Enchirid. ad Laurentium. cap. 17. who with his mouth speaketh the Truth not know­ing it to be so; because knowingly hee lyeth with his will, &c. and he is better who not knowing it, speaketh false, because he thinketh it true, than he that willingly hath a minde to lye though hee speake Truth, not knowing it to be true which hee speaketh, &c. The like also may be said of promi­ses, as P. Martyr affirmeth, when as a man making 1 Sam. 21. 12. them purposeth to performe them, but afterwards doth not; either because hee cannot through im­potency, which hee foresaw not when he promi­sed; or will not upon some pressing necessity and much altering of the case from what it was. As when an able man promiseth to pay a debt at such a day, and in the meane time is disabled by some unexpected losse. So when one promiseth to lend a summe of money to one whom he taketh to be an honest man and able to repay it at such a time, and in the meane while it appeareth that hee is an unthrift who will consume it in drinking or ga­ming; or a dishonest banke-rupt, who will make no conscience to cheate him of it. Or if a man pro­miseth to lend his sword to one that is sober and in his right minde, and soone after he prove distra­cted and frantique, who is likely therewith to kill himselfe or some other: In these and such like ca­ses a man lyeth not, though hee doth not performe [Page 22] what he promised, because his minde and tongue agreed when hee made it, and the change is not from himselfe, but from him unto whom hee pro­mised, because there is error personae an errour in the person, he not being the same man which hee was or seemed to bee when the promise was made. And thus the Apostle Paul is excused from a lye, when as hee said that hee would goe into Spaine, Rom. 15. 24, 28. 2 Cor. 1. 15, 17. whither he went not; and promised the Corin­thians, that at such a time hee would come unto them, but did not performe it. In neither of which he lyed, because when he made these pro­mises he did not dissemble, speaking one thing and thinking another, but speaking then what he after­wards purposed to performe, God did in the mean while otherwise dispose of him; whose dispositi­on overruleth all, and is above all humane resolu­tion.

The second thing considerable in the nature of §. 5. That a lye is alwayes vo­luntary. a lye is, that it is alwayes voluntary, the will resi­sting the minde in a knowne Truth, and injoyning the tongue to speake that which is contrary to it; the heart also and affections desiring and deligh­ting in it, either absolutely or conditionally in re­spect of circumstances. So that if the will imbra­ceth not an untruth as it is untrue, but onely as through errour of the minde and judgement it is presented and commended unto it; and if the heart affecteth it not, nor delighteth in it as a lye, but onely as it is disguised with some shaddow or co­lour of truth, an untruth thus mistaken cannot be accounted a lye, because the will agreeth with the minde, and the tongue is directed by the will; [Page 23] so that though a man speaketh a lye, yet hee is no lyer; because he neither thinketh that hee lyeth, nor would willingly doe it if hee knew it to bee so. Interest enim inter mentien­tem & menda­cem; nam men­tiens est qui mentitur invi­tus, &c. Ad Con­sent. lib. 1. c. 11. To this purpose Saint Augustine: There is a diffe­rence (saith hee) betweene one that telleth a lye, and one that is a lyer; for one may tell a lye that lyeth unwillingly, but a lyar loveth to lye, and dwelleth with his minde in the delight of lying.

The third thing that concurreth in a lye is, that §. 6. That a lye is uttered with a purpose to de­ceive. it is an untruth, alwayes uttered with a purpose and desire to deceive, and to make the party to whom wee speake thinke that to bee so which is not. So that such an untruth as is uttered without any purpose to deceive, is not to be esteemed a lye, be­cause it aymeth not at that end which a lyer alwaies propoundeth. For howsoever some appropriate this end to pernicious lies that the lier intendeth it therein onely, yet indeed it belongeth also to those lyes that are officious and in jest. It is true that there are some lyers that have a will and desire to deceive him unto whom they speake, without his losse, yea it may be for his profit and delight; as those that use officious and merry lyes; and some lye with a will and desire to hurt and endammage him, as pernicious lyers, but all agree in this that all would deceive, though the one for their good, the other for their hurt; for whosoever speaketh that which is false wittingly and willing­ly, whether it doth good or hurt, hee alwayes speaketh it to this end, that the Truth may not be understood by him that heareth him, and conse­quently to deceive him. I say it is his next end to deceive (although his remote end at which hee [Page 24] aimeth, bee to delight or profit him) which hee useth as a meanes to attaine unto his desire. As when a Physitian telleth his sicke Patient that the potion which he willeth him to take is sweete and pleasant, though intruth it be bitter and loathsome, that so hee may perswade him to drinke it for the recovery of his health, the maine end at which herein hee aimeth is the welfare of the sicke Man, but the next end is to deceive him, by telling an untruth, which he useth as a meanes to further the other end of curing him, which is principally in his intention and desire.

The last thing in the definition to bee conside­red §. 7. Of the di­vers manner and meanes whereby a lye is expressed. of, is the divers manner and meanes whereby a lye is expressed and committed; and that is ei­ther positively and directly, when as the Truth is contradicted and opposed, or else privatively and indirectly, when as it is suppressed and betrayed. The former is done by any outward signification of the inward notions and thoughts of the minde, especially by our speech and actions. By our speach a lye is expressed and committed, when as wee speake otherwise than that which wee conceive in our mindes, either affirming that to be which wee thinke is not, or denying that to bee which (as we conceive) is. By our actions, when by our outward showes, gestures and deeds, wee deceitfully faine, dissemble and disguise the Truth, that we may de­ceive our neighbour, by making him to thinke that to bee which is not, or that not to bee which is; and to conceive by our outward shewes and carri­age that wee intend that which is least in our thought, to this end that wee may deceive and [Page 25] hurt him. Secondly, a lye is committed privative­ly and indirectly, when as the Truth is suppressed and betrayed, and that is done when as by silence it is concealed at such times, and before such per­sons, wherein and before whom, wee are bound in conscience to reveale and confesse it, for the glory of God, and good of our neighbours. For truth and falshood being contraries without meane, the suppressing of the one, is the exalting of the other, and we may bee truely said to lye when wee deny the truth, and to deny it when wee conceale it by silence at such times as wee are lawfully called to confesse it. And therefore our Saviour (as appea­reth by his antithesis and opposition) maketh this to be all one, to deny him and not to confesse him; Whosoever shall confesse mee before men, him will I con­fesse Matth. 10. 32, 33. also before my Father which is in Heaven; but who­soever shall deny me before men, him will I deny also be­fore my Father which is in Heaven. So that our silen­cing of truth when it ought to be spoken and con­fessed, is no better than a denyall, seeing by such silence it is betrayed, and the contrary errour and truth advanced and maintained. And therefore, fitly doth the Apostle Iohn in that Catalogue of Apoc. 21. 8. sinners, which shall have their part in that Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, ranke the fearefull with lyers, because as the one bely the truth, so the other through their cowardize and infidelity dare not confesse it, which is all one as to betray and deny it.

CHAP. III.

ANd these are the things which al­wayes §. 1. Of hyper­ [...]ol [...]es, and that they are no lyes. concurre in every Lye, whereby it appeareth that divers formes of speaking which are su­spected and accused as lyes, are acquitted and cleared hereof at the Barre, before the seat of Justice, by a right sen­tence of true judgement, as namely hyperbolicall speeches, fables, parables and ironies. In all which though there bee not the same spoken which is meant, punctually and literally, yet the same in the sense and intention of the speaker, in whom there is no will to lye or speake contrary to the truth with a love and delight in falshood, but a di­vers expression of the same truth conceived in the minde, in other words and phrases than are ordi­nary, namely such as are tropicall, metaphoricall, parabolicall and hyperbolicall, not onely for the greater elegancy, but also for the more profit of the hearer; and not to blinde him with untruthes, or deceive him with lyes; but rather the better to convince him of the truth, and to move him to im­brace it with greater profit and delight. As first for hyperboales or hyperbolicall speeches which is the raising of things to their highest pitch, and the inlarging of them above all due proportion, [Page 27] not to deceive, (for then some measure should bee observed to make the thing probable and credible) but to expresse the conceits of the minde in an ex­traordinary loftinesse of speech, not onely to de­light the hearer, but for the more full informing of him of the truth for his greater profit. As also when wee give to things senselesse or inanimate motion and life, yea sometimes the use of reason. Of the former are such speaches as ascribe a kinde of infinitenesse to things finite; as when speaking of a multitude, we say commonly that they are in­numerable like the sands of the Sea, of long lasting things, that they are everlasting and without end; of those that are of great quantity or capacity, that they are immense and above all measure. And such phrases are used in the Scriptures, as that the Ben­jamites were so cunning in the use of their slinges, Judg. 20. 16. that they could cast their stones at an haires bredth and not misse; that the sinnes which the faithfull Psal. 137. 18. confesse themselves to have committed, were a­bove not onely the haires of their head in number, but even the sands by the Sea shore; and that if all things which Christ did should bee wtitten, the John 21. 25. whole World would not containe the volumes that should bee written. By which speeches no man can be deceived, seeing if they were taken li­terally, there were no shaddow or shew of truth in them; but rather the truth which they perswade is the more cleared and inforced, namely that the Benjamites were exceeding cunning in the use of their slings; that the sins confessed were a number almost numberles, and the actions done by Christ were very many, more than the Evangelist had [Page 28] recorded. Of the other we have many examples in the Psalmes and Prophets, as when the Moun­taines are said to skip, the Flouds to clap their hands, the Earth to heare the Word of the Lord; which cannot be taken in their proper sense, but onely as Rhetoricall phrases, expressing the trueth according to the intention of the speaker in a lof­tinesse of speech, for the better understanding of the hearer and affecting of him with more delight. Neither can they be esteemed lyes, because they doe not deceive the hearer or reader, seeing they doe not beget a false conceit in his minde, but ra­ther cause him to conceive and imbrace the trueth with greater admiration. So S. Augustine: Whatso­ever Quicquid au­tem figuratè fit aut dicitur non est mendacium, &c. Contra men­dac. ad Consent. lib. 1. cap. 5. is done or spoken figuratively is not a lye. For every enunciation or signification is to be referred vnto that which it signifieth to the understan­ding of those unto whom it is uttered: otherwise (as he saith in another place) all tropes and meta­phors which are not taken in a proper but borro­wed cap. 10. sense, by one thing signifying another, should be judged lyes; as where it is said that Christ is a Rocke, a Doore, a Vine, and that impenitent per­sons have hearts of stone, all which are not pro­perly and literally true, but in a figurative sense.

The like may bee said of an Ironie, which is a §. 2. Of Ironies, and that they are no lyes. Rhetoricall manner of speaking, whereby we sig­nifie one contrarie by another; which is common­ly used by way of jesting or derision for the dis­praising or discountenancing of that which is e­vill, as when we say of an unthrift, O he is a good husband, or of a man infamous for deceit and un­just dealing; O hee is a very honest man. The [Page 29] which manner of speech is easily understood ei­ther by our gesture, or pronunciation, or the pal­pable difference that is betweene our words, and the thing it selfe. The which manner of speaking though it bee often abused unto sinne, as scoffing, scorning, deriding; yet is it lawfull in it selfe and to us also, when it is rightly used, not to deceive, but the better to cleare the trueth, to discounte­nance sinne, and to convince offenders of their faults and errors; neither hath he that so useth it, a will to lie or deceive, but to signifie the trueth in an improper way, that it may bee received with more delight. And of this wee have examples in the Scriptures, as in the speech of Michajah the 1 King. 22. 15. Prophet unto wicked Ahab: Goe up and prosper. In Elias deriding the follie of Baals Priests: in Iob, to his three friends; No doubt but yee are the 1 King. 18. 27. people, and wisdome shall dye with you. In the Apostle Paul convincing the Corinthians of their pride Job 12. 2. and follie. Ye suffer (saith he) fool [...]s gladly, seeing your 2 Cor. 11. 19. selves are wise; and elsewhere telling them that he had not been burthensome unto them as to other Churches, he concludes with an Ironie, forgive me 2 Cor. 12. 13. this wrong. Yea, even God himselfe useth (and by his using justifieth) this figure and forme of spea­king to Iob, that he might thereby the better con­vince him of his follie and weakenesse. Gird up now thy loynes like a man and answere me: And, Deeke thy selfe now with majestie and excellencie, and array thy selfe with glorie and beautie, &c.

Finally, upon the same grounds we acquit and §. 3. Parables acquitted from the censure of lying. exempt from lying; first, Parables, whereby the trueth of things is signified and represented unto [Page 30] us by fained stories of other men and their actions, wherein the circumstances are so fitted, as though they had been truely done, that by them the truth may bee signified, as it were in reall words, and portraied in living and speaking pictures for the better convincing of the hearers to the acknow­ledgement of the trueth, when they without par­tialitie may judge of it in other mens persons, as we see in Nathans Parable to David; and our Sa­viours 2 Sam. 12. to the Scribes and Pharisees concerning the vineyard let out to those unjust farmers that killed the heire to get possession of it; which drew Matth. 21. 33, 41. from both a just sentence against their owne sinnes, which they would rather have minced and excused, if directly and plainely they had beene charged with them. So also they serve some­times to dazle the understanding, when they are darkely propounded and not applied to use, the which our Saviour used, when hee spoke to those whom in just judgement he would have heare and not understand; sometimes to make what is said more cleare and evident when things are illustra­ted by such examples as are common and familiar; by which as the hearer is made docible and ca­pable of what is taught, so are the things learned much the better imprinted in his memorie. Nei­ther is there any lie in such formes of speech, see­ing the end of the speaker is not to deceive the hearer, but rather to discover the trueth in a more familiar manner, the minde and tongue agreeing together, and ayming at the same end, although the words must not be taken as proper and direct, but by analogie and way of similitude.

Not much unlike unto these is the way of tea­ching §. 4. Of fables and poeticall fi­ctions, and that they are not to bee reputed lyes. by Fables and Poeticall fictions, in which, beasts and birds, yea, trees and plants are brought in speaking and reasoning one with another; which were purposely invented to teach men some politicke lesson or morall instruction, that there­by they might be made more wise or more vertu­ous, provoked to some good dutie, or made more cautious in shunning some evill either of sinne or punishment, which fabulous tales cannot justly be reputed lyes, because he that telleth them speaketh the truth, though not in a proper and literall sense, yet in the reason and morall of his speech; and because it is not his purpose to deceive his hearer, but to teach him the truth in an easie and familiar manner, that it may bee better conceived and re­membred. In which respects fabulous tales are of best use when as they are told to rude and simple people, who not being capable of arguments, syllo­gismes and demonstratiue reasons, give no heede unto them, but when the truth is represented in a fabulous tale which they understand, being allured with the noveltie of the thing, they listen unto it, that they may know what will be the issue, and so at unawares are taken with the reason and morall of it, when as stronger reasons would not per­swade them. And being informed in the trueth the lesson which they have learned is more firme­ly imprinted in their memorie; for things which are strange and pleasant doe extraordinarily de­light; and being delightfull are not easily forgot­ten. And of such fables we have examples in the Scriptures; as that of Iotham, who by that fable of Judg. 9. [Page 32] the trees, convinced the people of their ungrati­tude and folly, in preferring ambitious and wicked Abimelech before all the sonnes of Gedeon who were vertuous and modest. And that of Iehoash in which he resembled Amaziah to a Thistle and himselfe to 2 King. 14. 9. a Cedar, that by the inequalitie of their strength hee might disswade him from provoking him to battaile. And such was the fable of Menius Agrippa to the mutinous people of Rome, about the disa­agreement betweene the rest of the members of the body with the belly or stomacke, whereby hee perswaded them to come backe and joyne with the Senators. The which kinde of fables are law­full, as being no lyes, but representations of truth under fictions, and not to deceive the hearer, but to draw him on more easilie to the acknowledge­ment of the truth; onely in them that devise them care must bee had to avoide all obsceanesse and scurrilitie, because as the Apostle speaketh, such 1 Cor. 15. rotten speeches doe corrupt good manners. For whereas it may be objected, that the Apostle Paul 2 Tim. 4. 4. condemneth those that turne away their eares from the truth, and hearken unto fables, and for­biddeth Timothy to give heede unto them; and 1 Tim. 1. 4. 2 Pet. 1. 16. the Apostle Peter saith, that hee had not followed cunningly devised fables, they doe not speake of all fables, but onely of profane old wives and Jew­ish fables, which did not tend to edification and instruction in the knowledge of the trueth, but onely by pleasing the eare to fill the minde with unprofitable vanities and misleade the judgement into errors and lyes. And that he speaketh of such onely and not of the other which have their poli­ticke 1 Tim. 4. 7. Tit. 1. 14. [Page 33] and morall use, he plainely expoundeth him­selfe in divers other places.

CHAP. IIII.

ANd thus have I shewed what a lye is, §. 1. That stra­tagems in war are lawfull. the nature thereof, the things con­curring in it, and what formes and kindes of speech are suspected for untruths, but cleared from this sus­pition. And now for conclusion of this point two questions come to bee resolved. First, what is to be thought of stratagems in Warre; by which I understand such sleights and policies, either by words or actions, as are purposely devised and practised to circumvent and deceive an enemie; where as one thing is pretended to conceale the truth, and another thing is intended, but coloured and covered with some subtile device. To which I answere that it is lawfull by all just and honest policies to circumvent an enemie in a lawfull war, either by word or action. For if it be lawfull by strength of armes to spoyle, kill and utterly de­stroy them, then also to use the strength of our wits and all good policies which may conduce to the obtaining victorie, especially considering that here there is no falsehood or treacherie, under shew of love and amitie, but an open denouncing of hostilitie, by which both sides professe, that [Page 34] they will use the uttermost of their indeavour to supplant one another both by strength and poli­cie; by which generall profession both sides have sufficient warning to expect the uttermost that can be done by power or wisdome for their ruine, and consequently to prepare themselves and (as it were) to countermine against them for the pre­venting of their designes, and to catch them if they can in their owne wiles. And this as it is warranted by reason and nature, that in our owne defence or just and necessarie offence, wee should use all good meanes to destroy them who other­wise would destroy us; so also by the holy Scrip­tures, and that both by the examples of pious and religious Kings and Captaines, as Iosua, David and divers others; and also by the commandement of Josh. 8. 2. 2 Sam. 5. 23. God himselfe, injoyning them to use such politicke stratagems. And with this also agreeth the law of Nations and the law of Armes, that all meanes may bee used both apertly and professedly, and also secretly and cunningly, as ambuscadoes and subtile devices for the surprizing of Cities and Forts, masked and disguized under shewes and ap­pearances of such things as are not really inten­ded. Neither is there in all this any falsehood or unjustice, but onely an indeavour to conceale the truth, when as being unseasonably professed, it would become hurtfull and pernicious to our selves and countrie.

But yet some caution must here be observed, §. 2. That the former point is to be held with some caution. namely, that though wee take lawfull libertie in these stratagems and martiall policies to con­ceale the trueth from an enemie▪ yet that wee doe [Page 35] not, under any pretence or to advance any end, tell direct lies, and much lesse confirme them by false oathes and imprecations; and least of all must we hold it lawfull to breake and nullifie our promises and covenants made with enemies, either for the concluding of peace, or a truce and cessation from armes and hostility for an appointed time, or kee­ping of quarter, or any other course agreed upon for the right ordering and managing of the warre to the good of both parties, and tending to the wel­fare of common wealths and humane societies. The which is to be abhorred of all Christians, yea though such breach of promise might be coloured and excused by equivocations, mentall reservati­ons or any other pretence whatsoever; seeing such lyes and falsifying of promises are not onely most dishonourable unto God, especially when as by oath he is brought in as a witnesse to a lye, but also most hurtfull to humane societies and common wealths, when as this chiefe bond of peace and justice is violated, seeing none thus deceived would be willing afterwards to trust another, or to make truce or peace upon any conditions, when as they can have no assurance that they wil be observed and performed. Yea such lyes and breach of promises are above all most pernicious to the parties them­selves, seeing through Gods just judgement they are either taken in their owne net and miscarry in their enterprise, or have the same measure from o­thers measured unto them, who taking them upon advantage falsifie their faith to them whom they have found faithlesse. For he that is Lord of hoasts and God of battailes, Who giveth salvation to Kings Psal. 144. 10. [Page 36] and delivereth David his servant from the hurtfull sword, is also the God of truth; and therefore as wee may expect that hee will crowne Justice and Truth with conquest and triumph; so that he will execute vengeance upon lyers and not suffer false­hood to goe unpunished. The like may be said of spies and intelligencers, who if any other, might in many respects pleade for a liberty in lying. But howsoever it may bee lawfull for such to disguise themselves and their intentions, and to use all good policies to conceale an unprofitable and unseaso­nable truth, yet it is in no wise lawfull for them to use meanes that are evill and sinnefull to effect their desire, as to deny the truth, renounce their religi­on, to make profession of a false religion, as Juda­isme, Mahumetisme, Popery, by going to Masse, and joyning with them in any superstitious service; or finally by telling lyes, or using any other false­hood to deceive and blinde their eyes with whom they converse, that they may atchieve their de­signes the better, when as they live among them unsuspected.

The second question is concerning simulation §. 3. The second question pro­poundedand dis­cussed, and first of simulation lawfull and un­lawfull. or faining, and dissimulation or disguising. Simu­lation is, when by word, action, or any other signe that is fained to be which is not. Dissimulation is when as by any of these means any thing is disgui­sed and hid, which in truth is. Now the question is whether either of these can be judged lawfull and justly acquitted from being a lye. For the former, we must answer by distinction; for either the thing fained hath no being at all, either in reality and truth, or in reason and signification; or else though [Page 37] it have no existence properly and in the very na­ture of the thing, yet it hath an improper and fi­gurative being by which it signifieth and repre­senteth something that is. If the thing fained have no being at all, then is it all one with a lye; but though it have no being in reality, yet if it haue a being in the reason of the thing, and bee brought to signifie, demonstrate and illustrate something that is, then is it no lye, but wholly tendeth to the setting forth of truth: and of this kinde are many poeticall fictions, fables, apologies and para­bles. So Saint Augustine, not all that which wee Non omne quod singimus mendaciū est, sed quando id singimus quod nihil significat, &c. Quaest. E­vangel. lib. 2. cap. 51. faine is a lye, but then it is a lye, when as we faine that which signifieth nothing. But when our ficti­on is referred to some signification, it is not a lye, but some figure of truth; otherwise all those things which are spoken figuratively of wise and holy Men, yea even God himselfe should bee thought lyes, because according to common understanding truth is not in such speeches. As for example, the parable of the prodigall was not really and proper­ly true, but figuratively and in the reason and signi­fication of it. So our Saviours comming to looke for fruite on the figge tree when the time of bea­ring was not, had in it no reall intention to finde fruite upon it, seeing every one might know that in such a season it could have none; but it was fained, that (as it were) under this reall parable, he might signifie that they who brought forth no Fictio quae ad aliquam veri­tatem refertur figura est: quae non refertur mendacium est Aug. ibid. fruites were under the curse. And therefore (as he saith) a fiction which is referred to some truth is a figure, and that which is not thus referred is a lye. Secondly, wee may distinguish of the purpose and [Page 38] resolution of our minde and heart of doing or not doing what we faine and make shew of. For either it is absolute, or conditionall. Now if in shew or words I faine that I will doe that which I have ab­solutely resolved not to do, then doe I lye, whether I doe or doe it not, because my words and signifi­cations disagree from my minde and heart. But if my resolution were onely conditionall, then it de­pendeth upon the performance of the condition, and I may doe a thing resolved on, or not doe it without lying, as the condition is observed or not observed. As for example, if I goe to a friendes house with a resolution to returne home to my owne supper, if he doe not use some importunity in desiring me to stay supper with him: then if I faine that I will goe home and use some earnestnesse that I may take leave, I lye not if I goe away, though I desired to stay, being not at all, or but sleightly intreated; nor yet if I stay, though I made shew that I would depart, if importunity bee used; because my resolution was conditionall, and I was truely purposed to depart, if not earnestly invited, or to stay and suppe with my friend, if he instantly desired it. Lastly, wee may distinguish of the di­vers ends which they that faine do aime at in their faining. For either their aime is to deceive their neighbour in making him to beleeve that which is not true, or to doe him some other hurt; or else that they may hereby benefit themselves or o­thers. The former is to be reputed a lye, yea such a lye as is hurtfull and pernicious: as when men faine themselves to be pious and religious, when as in truth they are impious and prophane, the which [Page 39] is damnable hypocrisie, and this fained piety, dou­ble iniquity; or when outwardly by their words and shewes they faine love and friendship when as their hearts are full of enmity, that they may get the fit­ter opportunity of revenge, and executing their malice. These men lye in their faining, seeing their minds disagree from their words and shewes, and because also their end and aime is to deceive and hurt.

Now these distinctions being received will §. 4. Divers ex­amples of simu­lation objected and cleared. serve to cleare some places of Scriptures objected to maintaine unlawfull faining; as first that the ho­ly Angels themselves fained when Lot intreating them to come into his house, they refused saying, Nay, but we will abide in the streete all night, contrary Gen. 19. 2. to what they purposed, for afterwards they were content to lodge with him, and so no doubt were resolved to do before he requested them. I answer, that their purpose was not absolute, but upon the condition of his earnest intreaty, which if hee had not vsed, they would not have tarried; for so it is said, that when they refused, hee pressed upon them greatly, and so they turned in unto him, and entred into Luk. 24. 28. his house. Secondly, it is objected that our Sa­viour himselfe fained, when as travelling with his Disciples to Emaus, hee made as though hee would have gone further which hee intended not, for afterwards being intreated, hee stayed with them, and hee knew beforehand that they would thus intreat him. To which some answere, that this his making as though hee would goe further, is to bee referred not to Christs intention, but to the opinion and conceit of his Disciples, who seeing [Page 40] him still goe on thought that hee had purposed to proceed in his journey, and therefore stayed him with their earnest importunity. But though this would not stand good, seeing unlesse Christ had shewed some purpose of going, they should not have needed to have constrained him upon this reason, that it was too late to travell, the night approaching; yet the former answere will serve, that it was his purpose to stay, yet not absolutely, but upon the condition of their importunity which hee knew they would use, neither did hee herein (as Saint Augustine observeth) faine any thing which was false, seeing hee was indeed a stranger upon earth, and was not here to stay, but to goe further till hee came into his owne Countrey and Heavenly Kingdome. Neither was it his end to deceive, but to convince the Disciples of the truth, as of their incredulity, of the necessity of his suffe­rings, for the redemption of his People, and of the certainty of his resurrection. Lastly, it is objected that David being in the Court of Achish fained 1 Sam. 21. 13. himselfe mad, that he might escape the danger of his life. To which I answere, that though David were an holy Man, and according to Gods owne heart, yet he had his failings and infirmities as well as others; and therefore we must not in all things propound him unto our selves as an example for our imitation. It is true that this fact and fault of his may admit of some excuse and extenuation, namely that he thus fained, not out of any love or liking of this course, but transported and perplex­ed with a great and sudden feare by the apprehen­sion of imminent danger, wherein hee shewed [Page 41] much weakenesse of faith; seeing hee had speciall promises that God would keepe him in all his wayes, and notwithstanding the malice of all his enemies would settle him upon the Throne and give unto him the Crowne and Kingdome.

The like also may be said of dissimulation where­by §. 5. Of dissimu­lation, lawfull and unlawfull. wee hide and disguise that which is, the which is either lawfull or unlawfull; lawfull when as we onely dissemble and hide the truth, but doe not deny or falsifie it with a lye, neither use it to hurt or deceive our neighbour, but for his profit and benefit; not to lead him into errour, but to reserve our selves, and to conceale our good counsells and intentions, that they may succeede the better and not be hindered by their discovery. And thus our Saviour Christ the eternall Sonne of God dissem­bled and hid his Divine nature under the vaile of our flesh; not by denying, but by not discovering that he was God, and hindering also his Apostles Matth. 17. 9. from making it knowne till after his resurrection; which hee did not with a purpose to deceive men, but that hereby hee might further their salvation by laying downe his life as the price of their re­demption. The which his counsell would not have beene effected, if it had beene discovered, see­ing the people would not have killed and crucified him, had they knowne him to be the Lord of Glory, as the Apostle speaketh. And thus also God him­selfe 1 Cor. 2. 8. Act. 3. 17. Job 42. 2. John 21. 17. Heb. 4. 13. doth graciously dissemble our sinnes, not that he doth not see and know them, for hee knoweth all things and they lye open and naked in his sight, but because hee will take no notice of them to im­pute them unto us for condemnation. And thus [Page 42] Saul laudably dissembled his displeasure when hee 1 Sam. 10. 27. was despised and neglected by the sons of Belial; and David his just indignation against Shemei, that 2 Sam. 19. 22. by this his clemency hee might more firmely knit unto him the hearts of his revolted people. And thus may we lawfully dissemble such wrongs and injuries as have beene offered us by such friends, as we are willing so to forgive, as that wee are unwil­ling to call them to account; either because wee would not grieve their hearts by such repetitions, or would not make them suspicious of the sinceri­ty of our love out of the apprehension of their owne guiltinesse. Thus also wee may dissemble the good parts of our neighbour, when as taking notice of them will but make them proud; and much more our owne, which though it be unlaw­full to deny as being truth, yet in modesty ought to bee dissembled, seeing it is vaine glory to vaunt of them, or to bee Trumpets of our owne prayse. Unlawfull dissimulation is when as it is joyned with untruth, or is used to deceive or hurt our neighbour, seeing it is opposed not onely to Truth and Justice, but also to candidous ingenuity, and honest simplicity. As when men hide and disguise their malice, under the shew of love and friend­ship, that they may get the fitter opportunity to take sharpe revenge, as we see in the example of Absolon towards Amnon, and of Ioab towards Abner and Amasa. Or when they dissemble their pride and ambition under the shew of Hu­militie and Affabilitie, that becomming popu­lar, they may rayse themselves into the seate of Honour, as wee see in Absolon, who by these [Page 43] cunning subtilties stole the hearts of the People from his Father, and made way for his owne usurpation.

CHAP. V.

BUt for the better clearing of this point §. 1. In what cases it is lawfull to conceale and dissemble the truth. let us further consider whether it bee lawfull to suppresse, hide or dissem­ble the Truth in whole or in part, and in what cases it is lawfull or unlawful. For the understanding whereof, I will set downe this conclusion, that it is lawfull to conceale the Truth, (if it bee not masked with a lye) in whole or in part; when the Glory of God, the good of our neighbour either publike or private, and our owne good in particular doth require it; and utterly unlawfull when it is otherwise: for though it be not lawfull at any time to deny it, yet is it both lawfull and expedient to conceale it in such cases by our silence, or any other way which is not sinnefull. And thus ought wee to conceale the truth in whole, if we be left to our selves and not necessitated to declare it, or in part if wee bee examined, making use of that part which wee re­veale to bee as a cover or colour to hide that part which we conceale, which being discovered would impeach and hinder Gods Glory, or our owne and neighbours good. An example whereof wee have in Ieremie, who being examined by the Prin­ces, The example of Jeremie. [Page 44] and asked what king Zedechiah, said unto him, he confesseth the Truth in part, namely his suppli­cation to the king, that hee would not send him backe to Ionathans house to die there; but concea­led his counsell in advising him to yeeld up him­selfe and the Cittie into the hands of Nebuchadnez­zar, Jer. 38. 27. because this discovery would not have condu­ced to the former ends, but onely have exaspera­ted the Princes against both the King and Prophet, and caused them to crosse this counsell, if he should afterwards resolve to follow it. Now if any except against this, that Ieremie might doe it through infir­mity, and that therefore it is no president for us to The example of Samuel. follow, we have another example above all excep­tions, namely of Samuel, who by God himselfe 1 Sam. 16. 2. was appointed, by uttering one part of truth, to conceale the other, if the matter should come to bee examincd, and to say (if his going to Iesse his house came to Sauls eare) that the end of his going was to offer sacrifice, that so hee might hide from him the other part, which was the maine end of his going thither, namely to annoint David King in Sauls stead.

And thus (as Saint Augustine thinketh) Abraham §. 2. The speach of Abraham in calling Sarah his sister, exami­ned. may bee acquitted of telling a lye, when hee said that Sarah was his sister, seeing shee was his neere kinswoman, who according to the usuall speech of the Hebrewes were called sisters. Neither did he say; She is not my wife, but she is my sister, the which was no lye but the truth, being rightly un­derstood. And so Abraham himselfe excuseth it, yet indeed shee is my sister, she is the daughter, that is, the Grandchilde of my Father, &c. Therefore [Page 45] (saith hee) Abraham concealed something of the truth, but said nothing that was false, when he con­cealed that she was his wife, and said that shee was his sister. And it is not a lye when the truth is Non est men­dacium, cum si­lendo abscon­ditur verum, sed cum loquendo promitur falsū. Contra mendac. ad Consent. lib. 2. cap. 10. concealed by silence, but when by speaking wee utter that which is false: unto which might bee added that Abraham had no will to lye, nor desire to deceive, but to preserve his owne life, and the people with whom hee conversed, from the sinne of murther. But (saving his better judgement) these reasons alleadged doe not justifie Abraham as innocent, but onely thus farre excuse his fact, that it was a fault of infirmity into which feare, and not maliciousnesse thrust him. For there is great difference betweene the fact of Ieremy and Samuel, and this of Abraham: seeing they concealed onely one part of truth and acknowledged another; but he in the same speech uttered (as I may say) a truth and untruth; a truth in the reality of it, but an un­truth in his intention: a truth in some sense, as himselfe understood it, but not in that sense where­in hee would have them to conceive it; for it was his purpose in speaking it to make them falsly to thinke, that shee was onely his sister, and not his wife, or else it would not have secured him from that danger which he feared. And a speech is not true, when as it is so in a reserved sense, but when it is so in that sense wherein wee would have the hearer to take it. And so Abrahams speech could not be true, but a plaine equivocation, which is no better than a lye, for in saying that she was his si­ster, his desire was that they should conceive that shee was not his wife. And though it were not [Page 46] Abrahams absolute and free will to ly, yet it was his will by accident, as he thought himselfe necessita­ted hereunto to save his life, and though it were not his principall and maine end to deceive by speaking untruth, but to escape the danger of be­ing killed; yet it was his next and mediate end which he used to advance the other. Neither doth Abrahams speach to the King imply that hee was wholly faultlesse, but rather the contrary. For if hee had spoken a cleare and ingenuous truth, in saying that she was his sister, why should he excuse it, that he did it not upon free choyce, but because hee was necessitated thereunto being in danger of his life? And his saying that indeede shee was his sister, tendeth not wholly to acquit him of all fault, but onely to extenuate it, seeing she was so truely in some sense, though not in that where in he desi­red that they should understand him. Finally, A­bimelech even by the light of nature discerned that notwithstanding Abrahams excuse, Sarah had equi­vocated in saying that she was his sister, and there­fore Gen. 20. 16. reproved her for it, because it was such an untruth as had exposed her to the danger of being defiled. But though it be unlawfull to lye or equi­vocate, yet it is lawful to conceale the truth, whol­ly by silence if we be not examined, or to conceale it in part if wee bee questioned, so that the other part which wee speake be not onely true in it selfe Non autem hoc est occultare veritatem, quod est proferre medacium, &c. Contra mendac. ad Consentium lib. 2. cap. 10. and in our owne sense, but also in his understan­ding to whom we utter it, or at least as we desire to have him understand it. And of this judgement is Saint Augustine himselfe else where: It is not all one (saith he) to hide the truth, and to tell a lye; [Page 47] for although every one who lyeth desireth to con­ceale what is true, yet not every one lyeth who willeth to conceale it. For very often we conceale things that are true, not by lying, but by our si­lence. Neither did our Lord lye when hee said, I have many things to say unto you, but as yet yee cannot John 16. 12. beare them. He concealed truthes, but did not speake untruthes, because hee judged such truthes as yet unfit for them to heare.

But let us examine this question yet more fully §. 3. That the truth of Religion is to be confessed when wee are lawfully called thereunto. and distinctly, in what cases the truth is to be spo­ken or concealed, and when the Glory of God and good of our neighbour, or our owne good, doth require the profession of it; and when wee should conceale and hide it by silence or otherwise. For the understanding whereof wee are to distinguish of truth, namely that it is either religious or civill. Religious truth is the truth of religion, or the do­ctrine of Faith; the which we are upon all occasi­ons to professe being lawfully called thereunto, when the Glory of God, or good of our neigh­bour doth require it, according to that of the A­postle Peter; Sanctifie the Lord in your hearts, and be 1 Pet. 3. 15. ready alwayes to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekenesse and feare. Neither is it enough to beleeve the truth and keepe it to our selves, but we must also openly professe it: for as with the heart man beleeveth un­to Rom. 10. 10. righteousnesse; so with the mouth confession is made unto salvation, as the Apostle Paul telleth us. For if wee conceale the truth when wee are called to professe it, we doe not onely deny the truth, but also the Lord of Truth, who is the Author and [Page 48] Patrone of it, and whosoever shall deny him before Math. 10. 33. men, him will he deny before his Father which is in Hea­ven. But when are wee called lawfully to make this confession of truth? surely at all times when by our confession wee may glorifie God, or benefit our neighbours. As when wee are called before a lawfull Magistrate and required an account of our faith, then wee must in no case suppresse the truth, though we confesse it with the danger of our lives: for he standeth in Gods stead as his Deputy, and to hide or deny the truth before him is (as it were) to deny or hide it in Gods sight and pre­sence. And then also God is glorified by our Christian apology, when as wee will not shrinke from the truth whatsoever we suffer for it. So also we are bound to professe the truth of our religion before private men, when as wee conceive that thereby wee shall glorifie God by propagating his Truth, and edifie them to whom wee confesse it. Otherwise if there be no cause why we should conceive this hope, because we know them to bee scorners and enemies of Gods true Religion, who would but deride it and our profession, wee may, yea in Christian discretion wee ought to conceale it, seeing we shall by our confession dishonor God by exposing his Truth to contempt, and wrong our owne persons by laying our selves open to scorne and derision, if not to the danger of their rage and violence. For which wee have our Savi­our Christs Word for our warrant; Give not that which is Holy unto Dogs, neither cast yee your Pearles Math. 7. 6. before Swine, lest they trample them under their feete, and turne againe and rent you.

Secondly, there is a civill truth which is exer­cised §. 4. That civill truth is to bee confessed, when Gods glory or our neighbours good doth re­quire it. about the affaires of this life, the which also is to bee spoken and professed, when the glory of God and our owne and neighbours good doth re­quire it, or to bee hid and concealed when by the profession of it God is dishonoured and our selves and neighbours endammaged. Now if we further enquire when Gods glory and our owne and neigh­bours good doth require it to be spoken, and when it ought to be concealed, wee are to distinguish of it, either as it is to be spoken publikely before the lawfull Magistrate sitting judicially upon the judg­ment seate, or privately to ordinary men in our common course of conversation. When wee are judicially called before the lawfull Magistrate, and required according to law to speake the truth, we ought not to conceale it, whether it bee for us or against us. And for this wee have the same reason that we have for speaking of religious truth; for the Magistrate sitteth in the place of God as his Deputy to enquire and examine the truth, and therfore to deny or dissemble it unto him in a legal maner inquiring after it, is (as it were) to deny and dissemble it unto God himselfe; the which in this respect is the more grievous sinne, because in course of law men are examined upon oath and are bound thereby to speake not onely the truth, but also the whole truth, in which they call God as Witnesse to what they say, and so grosly abuse his Majesty being the God of truth, if they draw him, as much as in them lyeth, to countenance and confirme a lye. Secondly, hereby they transgresse in a high degree Gods expresse Commandement, by which [Page 50] as he forbiddeth us to beare false witnesse in the negative part, so in the affirmative hee requireth that we speake the truth to his glory and our neigh­bours good. Finally, wee sinne against the com­mon wealth and against all good policy, order and government, which cannot stand if in these legall Uterque reus est, & qui veri­tatem occultat, & qui mendaci­um dicit: quia & ille prodesse non vult, & ille nocere deside­rat. Ad Casu­lanum. proceedings the truth should bee denyed or sup­pressed. In all which respects Saint Augustine speaketh fitly to our purpose; either of these are guilty and faulty, both hee that hideth the truth, and he that telleth a lye, because the one denyeth to profit, and the other desireth to hurt.

Upon which grounds and reasons I conclude, §. 5. That the Truth must bee confessed before the Magistrate, when hee requi­reth it in a Le­gall manner. that being convented before a lawfull Magistrate, and by him examined, we are bound in conscience to speake the truth and whole truth, if he proceed legally and in judiciall manner, and demand of us such things as we may answere unto piously, with­out dishonouring God, and justly without any pre­judice to the Church and Common-wealth, or wrong to any particular person. For if such que­stions bee propounded as are not lawfully deman­ded, nor we bound by the Law of God and of the Common-wealth to answere, wee may in such a case refuse, and conceale the truth. So likewise when the discovery of it tendeth to Gods disho­nour, to the hindering or suppressing of his true re­ligion, to the hurt and dammage of the Common­wealth, by betraying unto the enemy the secrets of State; or the delivering of the innocent into the hands of impious and unjust men that are in autho­rity and seeke their ruine, and the taking away of their goods, liberties and lives, we are not bound [Page 51] to answere the truth of the things demanded, yea wee ought in such cases to hide and conceale it, though it bee with the extreame and imminent danger of our goods, liberties and life it selfe. As for example, when in the times of persecution wee are examined by wicked tyrants; whom we know to be of our religion, or who were present with us and accompanied us in such a place, and at such a time in Gods divine Service, Prayer, and hearing of the Word; we should in such a case indure any losses and tortures, rather than betray them into their hands that seeke their lives. But though wee may not discover the secrets and counsells of the innocent when it tendeth to their hurt and ruine; yet wee may and ought to confesse, when wee are examined to reveale the faults and crimes of those that are guilty and have offended against the Lawes of God or the Land, yea though wee have beene copartners with them in their wickednesse, and by solemne promise or oath have mutually bound our selves to secrecy, because such oathes and promises are unlawfull, as tending to Gods dishonour, the hindring of Justice, the nourishing of Vice, and the great prejudice of Church and Common-wealth.

But here another question commeth to bee re­solved; §. 6. Whether malefactours are bound in consci­ence to confesse the truth, thogh it bee with the hezard of their lives. whether a man that is guilty of a fault or crime that concerneth his life, being examined in a Legall manner before a lawfull Magistrate, bee bound in conscience to confesse the Truth, and so by accusing himselfe to indanger his life. To this I answere, that every one who is guilty is bound to testifie the Truth, if he be required by the law­full [Page 52] Magistrate, though it bee with the hazard of his life, and sinneth if he hide his fault with a lye; and better it is to expose the body to the danger of death by confessing the Truth, than by lying and sinning to offend God, and cast both soule and bo­dy into Hell. But yet men thus guilty are more or lesse bound to confesse the truth and accuse them­selves, and doe sinne more or lesse haynously by concealing it in divers cases and considerations. For if the Judge having no evidence of Truth, nor competent witnesses to cleare the cause, and direct him in giving a right sentence, doth seriously ex­amine the offendor, charging him upon his Con­science to testifie the Truth that God may be glo­rified, when he his Deputy doth Justice; and if thus strictly examining him, hee doth in some degree rest upon his testimony for his direction and judge­ment, in such a case the guilty person sinneth great­ly if he conceale the truth or hide his offence with a lye; for Judgement being the Lords, hee disho­noureth him, that hindreth the execution of justice with a lye. And therefore Iosuah thus strictly exa­mining Josh. 7. 19. Achan in a waighty cause, willeth him to give Glory unto God by confessing the Truth, implying hereby that hee should much dishonour him if hee did otherwise. Besides by concealing the truth and telling a lye in such a case, he blindeth §. 7. Whether offenders at the barre are bound to plead guilty of those crimes which are justly laid to their charge in our ju­diciary procee­ding. and misleadeth the Judge, and causeth him to per­vert justice, and to pronounce an unrighteous sen­tence.

But if (as it is in our judiciary proceeding) the question bee asked, whether the offender at the Barre be guilty or not guilty, hee is not so strictly [Page 53] bound as in the former case to confesse the Truth, nor sinneth so much if hee doth conceale it. For in this case the Judge greatly regardeth not the te­stimony of the person arraigned, when he pleadeth not guilty, thereby to bee directed in passing his sentence, but onely in a Legall proceeding he de­mandeth this question; that in a formall and order­ly manner he may put himselfe upon another try­all, namely of the Jewry, who are in no sort dire­cted by the offenders testimony, but by the testi­mony of competent witnesses and evidence of rea­son. Neither doth our law in these criminall cau­ses of life and death, binde an offender to accuse himselfe, nor inflicteth any punishment, if hee refu­seth to doe it. Yea rather if pleading not guilty he put himselfe upon tryall of his Countrey, he hath a faire and sometime favourable proceeding and issue, being often acquitted, when being guilty he hath deserved punishment; whereas if he concea­leth the truth by silence, and refusing to put his cause upon tryall, doth condemne himselfe as guil­ty, because hee will not use the Legall forme in pleading not guilty, he hath no favour of law, but is adjudged to greater and more torturing punish­ment, than if he were found guilty by the Jewry, or his owne voluntary confession. Againe, there is great difference betweene the offences which are confessed or concealed; for if in themselves they are haynous and capitall, both by the morall Law of God, the law of Nature and Nations; as Treasons, Parricides, Murthers and the like; for which every naturall Conscience will condemne the offenders as worthy of death; then doe they [Page 54] much more haynously sinne, if being examined by a lawfull Magistrate they conceale the Truth, and excuse themselves by telling lyes. Yea in such cases it is probably thought that if there were no other to bring these haynous crimes to light, they are bound in conscience, that Justice may be exe­cuted, to discover and accuse themselves. But if the offences be such as are not capitall by the morall Law, and the Law of Nations; but are onely made so by the Positive lawes of particular Common­wealths, which admit rather of a particular mis­chiefe, than a generall inconvenience, and respect in their punishments the universall good of the Common-wealth, more than the demerit of the offender; punishing with more severity lesse faults, which being through the disposition of the people inclining thereunto, more commonly com­mitted to the hurt and damage of the whole State, than greater offences which being rarely commit­ted bring no such prejudice; then is it much more tolerable and lesse sinnefull, when the offenders by pleading not guilty doe put themselves in a Legall forme upon tryall of the Jury, in hope to be acquit­ted by their verdict, when the law affords them no favour upon their confession. As for example, in the case of stealth and small thefts which the Law of God punisheth not with death, but restitution; yet is so punished by positive lawes with all severi­ty, because it is generally necessary that it should so be for the preservation of the Common-wealth, although in some particular cases, there may bee a lawfull and conscionable mitigation of punish­ment, which in Legall proceedings that respect the [Page 55] common good more than the preservation or im­munity of some private persons, cannot bee so law­fully used by inferiour Magistrates, who are bound to judge according to law, if the offender confesse his fault and plead guilty: In such a case I say, it is more excusable if the truth bee concealed by such a deniall, as is to be understood onely as a forme in pleading, whereby he putteth himselfe upon a Le­gall tryall, that he may have the favour of the law, for the remitting of his small offence, and not as a reall, cordiall, and resolute deniall of the truth: For when they plead not guilty, it is not much unlike in sense, though different in words; as if they should say, I will not discover my faults by acknowledging my selfe guilty and accuse my selfe, seeing the law doth not require it, but I will for my purgation put my selfe upon tryall, and stand (upon the examining of witnesses) to the verdict of the jury, to bee ac­quitted or condemned according to their evidence directing their Conscience.

And thus I have shewed how it is lawfull or ex­pedient §. 8. Of confes­sing or concea­ling the truth to private men. to confesse the truth when as wee are exa­mined in a legall manner before a lawfull Magi­strate: now concerning the confessing or concea­ling of it in our private conversation, the case is much different, seeing therein we have a liberty to utter or hide it from those that have no authority to examine us, according as our occasions shall re­quire and Christian prudence direct us. It is true that commonly and ordinarily we must speake that truth with our tongues which our minds conceive, because they were given us to this end that they should be as faithfull Interpreters of our hearts to [Page 56] discover our thoughts one to another, but yet this is no farther required than as in our speech we may be usefull and profitable one to another. In which regard it is not onely lawfull but very expedient that wee should conceale the truth in many cases from those that have no authority to examine us of it. And thus wee may, yea ought to conceale such secrets as are intrusted to our keeping, when as they are lawfull, as also the faults and infirmities of our neighbors, seeing love doth cover a multi­tude of sins; yea to discover them when we are not necessitated thereunto by some great and necessary cause, doth not onely shew want of love, but also of honesty and justice, which requireth that wee should doe unto others, as we would have them to doe unto us. And the like also may be said of our owne faults and infirmities, which wee ought by all lawfull meanes to hide and conceale from all men, unlesse it be to our spirituall Physicians, that they may the better cure us, or to our weake Pa­tients troubled and afflicted in minde, that we may comfort and cure them, by making our selves ex­amples unto them of the same infirmities where­with they thinke none so troubled as themselves. Otherwise, except it be in these and such like cases, it is not only permitted as lawfull, but required as expedient and necessary to hide and conceale our owne sinnes and infirmities. For first whereas in the ninth Commandement in the affirmative part, God injoyneth us to use all good meanes, both by giving a true testimony and also by our silence whereby we may preserve the good name of our neighbour, setting forth their virtues and good [Page 57] parts, and concealing their faults and failings; he requireth also the same at our hands for the preser­ving of our owne fame and reputation, for charity begins at home, and the love of our selves is the rule of our love towards our neighbours. And where­as it may bee objected, that this Commandement injoyneth us to give a true testimony, whether it be with or against us; and that God requireth that every man should speake the truth to his neighbour; Zach. 8. 16. to this I answer, that affirmative precepts though they binde us alwaies to performe the duties com­manded, yet not at all times, but when it is seaso­nable and profitable for Gods glory, and our owne and neighbours good. And as the Prophet requi­reth that wee should alwayes speake the truth to our neighbour, so the Apostle teacheth how it Eph. 4. 15. must be spoken, namely in love. Secondly, the un­necessary and unseasonable discovery of our owne faults and infirmities tendeth to Gods dishonour, who as he is glorified when we bring forth much fruit, John 15. 8. Matth. 5. 16. and have the light of our holy lives shining before men: so is hee dishonoured by our evill conver­sation, and his holy Name blasphemed by those that are without, when they discover our sins and corruptions: for the vices and faults of the ser­vants 1 Sam. 2. 30. 2 Sam. 12. 14. doe often redound to the discredit of the ma­ster. Thirdly, the discovery of our faults and fai­lings, tendeth to the disgrace of Gods true Religi­no which wee professe, when men that are wtihout discover in us such evill fruits, and to the discredit of our Christians profession, seeing they are apt to at­tribute them rather to our religion and profession, than to our naturall corruption, and are willing [Page 58] through the sides (as it were) of our fame and re­putation, to wound the Gospell. Fourthly, hereby we shall become scandalous and stones of offence to those that are weake, and those also that are not yet called; encouraging the one to fall into the same vices and sinnes by our evill example, and dis­couraging the other from entring into the profes­sion of our religion, when as they heare us say well, but see that we doe no better. Lastly, hereby we shall sinne against our selves in blasting and ble­mishing our good name with just aspersions; and whereas it should bee in higher esteeme with us than great riches, and sweeter than the most odo­riferous Prov. 22. 1. Eccl. 7. 1. oyntment, wee shall deprive our selves of this pretious jewell by unnecessary discovery of our faults and failings. Neither can wee, when we have once opened a breach, stay at our pleasure the current and streame of mens suspitions; but when we have spoken much, they will bee apt to thinke that we could say more, seeing every one is natu­rally so favourable to himselfe, that he will speake the least of that which he knoweth will tend to his prejudice and disgrace.

And thus much of the second question whether it bee lawfull in whole or in part to conceale the §. 9. Of equi­vocations, and mentall reserva­tions. truth, and in what cases it is to bee approved as good, or disallowed as evill: unto which this Trea­tise would require that I should adde a third, name­ly concerning equivocations and mentall reserva­tions, which are not onely in continuall practice among the Papists, but also warranted and defen­ded by their doctrine. But I shall not neede to speake any thing in this point, seeing it is already [Page 59] fully and learnedly handled of late by a reverend M^r. Henry Ma­son. Divine in this Citty. Only let me briefly set downe my judgement of it, namely that such equivocati­ons and mentall reservations, are not onely lyes, but in this respect of the worst sort; in that there lieth lurking in them the greatest deceit, as being masked with the shew of truth. For not onely that which is false is in them affirmed both in his sense that speaketh as he desireth to be understood, and in his that heareth in ordinary understanding, but also it is done wittingly and willingly, and to this end that they may deceive and mislead men into errour; which if it were allowed would prove most pernicious, seeing it would overthrow all so­cieties, and all contracts and dealings, publike be­tweene Common-wealths, and private, betweene Man and Man; seeing none could know how words or oathes are to bee understood, and conse­quently could not beleeve one another in what is spoken. And as they are pernicious in these and many other respects unto other men; so in this re­gard most pernicious to themselves; In that whereas other lyes are condemned by a naturall Conscience, and so often repented of, these being maintained and defended as no sinnes, are com­mitted without remorse, so that men live and dye in them without repentance.

CHAP. VI.

THE maine end of all my former dis­course §. 1. Of the outward causes of Lying, which are first the Di­vell. hath beene to inform the judge­ment in the true nature of a Lye, and to distinguish it from such Truthes, as in outward shew and appearance may seeme to have some semblance of it, that so rightly discerning it, we may the better avoyde it: and yet not through our untaught zeale in shunning it, loose our lawfull liberty in speaking such truthes as being cleare and candide inough in their owne nature, yet (like a faire greene tree neere unto a Smiths forge) are (as it were) dusked and obfuscated with the sul­phureous smoke of lyes, by reason of their vicinity. For vertue dwelleth betweene its extreames, and the most unreconcileable enemies doe often border one upon another. And now in the next place ac­cording to my order propounded, I am to say something of the causes of lying, the which are ei­ther outward in others, or inward and in our selves. The chiefe outward cause is the Divell, who as he is a lyer from the beginning and the father of lyes, so doth he beget children after his owne likenesse, and indeavoureth to make them as great lyers, as himselfe. And as by his lyes at the first hee mur­thered Mankinde, so ever since hee maketh them murtherers of themselves, by drinking dayly deepe draughts in this poysoned cup of lying, which he putteth into their hands. Wherein also he sheweth [Page 61] his desperate malice against God himselfe, in that not being able to resist his Power, hee opposeth him as he is the God of Truth, gainesaying what he saith, as wee see in his first tentation to our first Parents: For God having threatned death against them, if they did eate of the forbidden fruite, hee expressely contradicteth him, and saith, Yee shall Gen. 3. 4. not die at all. And when he cannot impeach or hurt him in himselfe in regard of his most absolute and perfect being, hee adventureth upon us, and as it is reported of a kinde of Serpent called the Panther, that hee so maligneth Man, that when hee cannot hurt him, hee will flye upon and bite his Picture: So this old Serpent the Divell bearing an invete­rate malice against God, when he cannot revenge himselfe upon him, he flyeth upon his Image, that hee may deface it, blotting out of it its created Truth and Righteousnesse, and stamping upon it his owne image of lyes and falshood.

Another outward cause of lying is the World, §. 2. Of the se­cond outward cause of lying, which is the world. whether we understand it of the Persons of world­ly wicked men, or of Worldly things. For world­ly Men are the common teachers of lyes, both by their precepts, setting up (as it were) a Schoole of falshood, and instructing one another in those cun­ning and politike arts of lying for advantage, and also by their practice; for the whole World lying in 1 John 5. 19. wickednesse (as the Apostle Iohn speaketh) but yet not willing to have it discovered, doe tell lyes in 1 Tim. 4. 2. hypocrisie, as (Saint Paul foretelleth of the false teachers of the latter times) and commonly use the Art of lying to hide and disguise their sinfull courses, not caring to commit any wickednesse, [Page 62] which by lyes they can keepe from comming to light, whereby they become precedents and exam­ples to encourage one another in these wicked practices, which every one not restrained with the feare of God are apt to follow; partly because being become so generall and universall, the cu­stome doth take away the conscience of it, and the multitude of offenders, leaveth no place for shame, if they bee taken in the sinne; and partly because they see one another thrive by these lying Arts; so as they thinke with Dionysius, that Divine pro­vidence favoureth their untruthes, seeing they are carried with so faire a gale of winde into the Port of their desires. Yea worldly wicked men allure oftentimes one another with promises and re­wards to afford mutually the helpe of a lye, when as it may advance their ends, and redound to their benefit and advantage; which if they refuse, they become enemies (as the Apostle speaketh) because Gal. 4. 16. they tell the Truth. And if they cannot intice them to swallow the hooke with these alluring baites of favour and friendship, they will not sticke to drive them into their nettes with terrours and feares, watching all occasions to doe them a mischiefe, if they refuse to satisfie their desires. Finally, the things of the World, as honours, riches, and plea­sures, are by way of object the usuall meanes to draw men to lying, there being no kinde of lyes which the ambitious, covetous and voluptuous, will baulke, when they thinke them advantagious for the obtaining of their preferments, wealth and carnall delights.

The inward Cause of lying is our owne corrupt §. 3. Of the in­ward causes of Lying, namely the flesh and fleshly lusts: and 1. Ignorance and forgetfulnesse of God. [Page 63] flesh and the sinfull lusts thereof. For as the De­vill is a lyar and the father of lyes, so the flesh is a lyar and the mother of this bastardly brood, who receiving from Sathan this sinfull seed, doth nou­rish it in her fruitfull wombe, conceiving, breeding and bearing it, untill it bee so multiplyed that it hath filled the earth. Neither is our corrupt nature more prone unto any vice than unto this of lying, nor yet giveth more full swinge unto any without remorse or checke of conscience, than unto it, if it be simply considered in it selfe, or produce any ad­vantage, and bee not made odious by some evill consequents, or pernitious fruits which it bringeth to our neighbours or to our selves. And as the flesh generally is the cause of lying, so is it in its particular lusts and the sinfull fruits which it pro­duceth. As first ignorance of God and his trueth, is a speciall Cause of lying. For did we know and acknowledge Gods Omniscience, whereby hee beholdeth all secrets, and taketh notice of not on­ly the words of our mouthes, but also of the hid­den thoughts of our hearts, and discerneth how they differ one from another; his omnipotence, whereby hee is able not onely to kill the body of him that lyeth, as hee did Ananias and Sapphira, but also to cast both body and soule into hell, and in the meane time to frustrate all our hopes and ends which we propound unto our selves in lying, either by detecting our untrueths, or by crossing us in them, so as they shall not effect our desires, but rather hinder them; and finally if wee did know that he is a God of trueth, who hateth and abhorreth lyes, and will according to his Word [Page 64] give lyars their portion in that lake which burneth Apoc. 21. 8. with fire and brimstone, if they doe not prevent their just damnation by unfained repentance, wee would not take pleasure in lyes, nor bee hyred to tell them with the base wages of worldly vanities. But it is our ignorance of these things that causeth us so easily to fall into this sinne, when as Sathan or the World tempteth us unto it. And therefore the Prophet joyneth them together as the Cause and Effect: They bend (saith hee) their tongue like Jer. 9. [...]. their bow for lyes; but they are not valiant for the trueth upon the earth; for they proceed from evill to evill, and they know not me, saith the Lord. Another Cause is oblivion and forgetfulnesse of God, for many that know Gods Nature and Attributes, and will acknowledge that he is omniscient, omnipo­tent, just and true in all his Word and wayes, yet fall into this sinne through forgetfulnesse, not pon­dering and considering what they know, when they should make use of it to keepe them from sinning. And of this the Prophet Esay speaketh; Of whom (saith hee) hast thou beene affraid or feared, that thou Esay 57. 11. hast lyed, and hast not remembred mee, nor laid it to thy heart?

A third Cause of lying is our inordinate and §. 4. A third Cause is immo­derate feare of men. immoderate feare of men more than of God; the which the Prophet implyeth in the same words; Of whom hast thou beene affraid, that thou hast lyed, and hast not remembred me whom thou hast more cause to feare than all men or devils? For they at the most can but kill the bodie, but God can also cast bo­dy and soule into hell. Neither is either man or de­vill Mat. 10. 28. so able to protect us against the stroke of Gods [Page 65] vengeance when wee speake lyes, as hee is both able and willing to defend and preserve us against all their might and malice whilest wee make con­science of speaking the trueth; for according to his gracious promise, Hee shall cover us with his fea­thers, Psal. 91. 4. and under his wings shall we trust, his trueth shall bee our shield and buckler. But because men looke onely unto the present and take care to avoid im­minent danger, and live by sense more than by faith, beholding the arme of flesh ready to strike them, and not the power of God which is all-suf­ficient to protect them, nor seeing him that is invi­sible; Therefore they make lyes their refuge, and hide Esay 28. 15. themselves under falshood and vanitie. And this ap­peareth principally in the practise of inferiours, as children and servants, who having committed any fault, doe usually colour and cover it with a lye, that so they may escape the displeasure of their go­vernors: whereas if they feared God more than men, they would bee much more fearefull to fall into his hands than theirs, seeing he is a consuming Heb. 12. 24. Fire, who is able in his just wrath utterly to destroy them; and would rather choose to speake the trueth though they lost the favour of mortall men, than by lyes to loose the favour of the immortall God: yea they would know that their greatest safety would be in speaking the trueth, seeing God the authour and lover of it, hath the hearts of all men in his hands, and can move superiours to par­don what is done amisse; yea to love them more for their trueth and ingenuity, than to mislike them for their faults and errours.

A fourth Cause of lying is carnall confidence [Page 66] and security, whereby men blesse themselves in §. 5. A fourth Cause of Lying is Carnall Confi­dence and Se­curity. this sinfull course, presuming that their lyes shall bee so cunningly contrived, and so boldly and im­pudently outfaced, that they shall never come to light; and that as they have long practised them and yet have escaped both the punishment of God and men, so they may still goe on securely in their sinne without feare of danger. And of such the Prophet Esay speaketh; Who had made a covenant with death, and an agreement with hell, promising un­to Esay 28. 1 [...]. themselves, that when the overflowing scourge should passe thorow, it should not come unto them, because they had made lyes their refuge, and hid themselves un­der falshood. And againe, they trust in vanitie and speake lyes, hoping through their cleanly conveiance Chap. 54. 4. that they shall never be discovered. But the truth which they oppose is as a shining light, which will lay open all these hidden workes of darkenesse, and bring them at length to shame and punish­ment. And whereas they presume that they shall still escape because having long lived in this sinne they finde no hurt in it, nor have felt Gods hand in punishing of it, and so encourage themselves to go on in their wickednesse, according to that of the Preacher, Because sentence against an evill worke is Eccles. 8. 11. not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sonnes of men, is fully set in them to doe evill. Let them know that though they are respited, yet they are not re­mitted, and though the overflowing scourge hath Esay 28. 18. passed over, and not yet whipped them, yet at last they shall as God hath threatned, be trodden downe by it, if they doe not prevent his judgement by true re­pentance: or though they should wholly escape [Page 67] in this life, yet this is but cold comfort, if they con­sider, that they are hereby hardened in their sinne, that living and dying in it without remorse, they may at last receive their full payment without mer­cie Apoc. 21. 8. in the world to come.

The last Cause of Lying (which I intend to §. 6. A fifth Cause of Lying is Covetousnesse. speake of) is Covetousnesse, whereby men immo­derately loving worldly wealth, will not stay Gods leisure in the use of lawfull meanes for the com­passing of their desires; but resolving to bee rich, and making all haste in satisfying their greedy ava­rice, they leave no stone unmoved, no meanes untryed which may advance their ends. Amongst the rest they finde none more fitting for their pur­pose than this of Lying, as being a speciall helpe whereby they are inabled to supplant and deceive one another, and to enrich themselves by their neighbours ruines; especially when they have any entercourse of Trading, buying and selling, in which all manner of deceit is used to defraude one another, and all disguised and hid with these lying arts. So that as Covetousnesse is the roote of all 1 Tim. 6. 10. Exod. 18. 21. evill, so especially of lyes, and therefore when Iethro would describe fit Magistrates, hee joyneth these together, that they must be such as feare God, men of Truth and hating Covetousnesse; implying that covetous persons cannot love the Trueth, seeing it is one of their chiefest arts in getting wealth, to make no other use of Truth, but that it may serve sometimes for a shew to colour their lyes. In which regard if we would leave this Vice of Ly­ing, wee must also forsake our Covetousnesse, which maketh men to make more haste than good [Page 68] speede that they may attaine unto riches. To which end let us consider with the wise man, that treasures of wickednesse profit nothing, but righteousnes Prov. 10. 2. delivereth from death: That riches (thus gotten) will Prov. 11. 4 not profit in the day of wrath; and that when this day commeth wee shall finde by experience, that it is better to be a poore man than a lyar; That wealth got­ten Chap. 19. 20. by vanity shall be diminished, whereas hee that get­teth by honest labour, shall increase. Finally, that the Chap. 13. 11. getting of treasures by a lying tongue, is a vanity tossed Chap. 21. [...]. to and fro of them that seeke death.

CHAP. VII.

THe next point which now commeth §. 1. The kinds of Lyes diversly distinguished. to bee handled, is the divers sortes and kindes of lying and lyes. In which regard they are diversly di­stinguished. The first distinction is taken from the causes: for either they proceede from the Divels tentation, or the Worlds instigation, or from the corruption of our owne flesh, if at least, these may be said to bee di­vers kindes in which these causes ordinarily con­curre and meete together. And these which pro­ceede from our flesh and the lusts thereof, are ei­ther lyes which arise from ignorance and forget­fulnesse of God and his Truth, or from infirmitie and immoderate feare of men, of which sort was that of Abraham and Peter to avoide danger; or out of a naturall vanity and delight in lying, or [Page 69] finally, from covetousnesse which causeth men to lye for their gaine and advantage. The second di­stinction is taken from the very forme and nature of a lye, which is as Aquinas saith, the most proper 2 [...]. 2 [...]. Quaest. 110. art. 2. and naturall division. And so a lye either transcen­deth and exceedeth the truth, and is called boasting or arrogancy, or else it commeth short of that which is true and extenuateth it, offending in the defect, and so is called an irony. And this is the Philosophers division, the which is thought to bee Arist. eth. lib. 4. the most proper, because a lye is opposite to Truth, which consisteth in an equality and evennesse be­tweene the speech and the thing, and therefore the opposition unto it, which is in a lye, is according to these two extreames, which are either the ex­cesse or defect.

The third division which is the most common §. 2. Lyes distin­guished into 3. kindes; merry, officious, and pernicious Lyes. and received is taken from the divers ends which men in their lying propound unto themselves; for either their end is to delight themselves and their hearers, and then it is called mendacium jocosum, a merry lye; or their end is to profit and doe good to themselves or others; the which is called men­dacium officiosum, an officious lye; or finally their end is to doe hurt and mischiefe, which is called mendacium perniciosum, a pernicious lye. In which division I purpose to insist, onely adding thereunto a fourth kinde, which is called mendacium mode­stum, or a modest lye, when men in a kinde of hu­mility deny or extenuate their vertues and good parts. A merry lye is that wherein the lyer pro­poundeth A merry lye what it is. this end onely, that hee may delight his hearer, and not deceive him, or so farre onely to [Page 70] deceive, as that thereby he may delight him. For there are some (as Saint Augustine saith) who Contra men­dacium ad Con­sentium. lib. 1. cap. 10. desire by their lyes to please men, not that they may injure or reproch any, but that they may bee sweete and pleasant in their talke. Now these dif­fer from other lyars in this, that they delight to lye, rejoycing in the deceit it selfe; but these de­light to please with the urbanity and sweetnesse of their speech, who notwithstanding, had rather please by uttering truthes; but when as they can­not easily finde true things which are acceptable to their hearers, they choose rather to lye, than to hold their peace. Now such lyes are either so cunningly fram'd and coloured with likely hoods and similitude of truth, that they deceive the hea­rer with their specious shewes, and afterwards de­light him, when he discerneth the jest and findeth his errour; or else spun with so course a threed by the teller of them, having no probability or shew of truth, that the hearer plainely discovereth them, and is onely delighted with the artificiall absurdi­ties and prodigious hyperboles of the tale, which transcend all truth and likelyhood. So that the hearer is no way deceived by it, knowing that it is spoken in jest to move delight. An officious lye is when as the speaker wittingly and willingly utte­reth An officious lye what it is. an untruth, either out of Piety that hee may glorifie God, or out of Charity and love of Justice and Mercy, that he may thereby doe good to him­selfe or his neighbour, either to prevent or free him, or himselfe from some losse, danger, disgrace, or other mischiefe; or to procure unto either some profit and benefit; and that without the hurt [Page 71] or dammage of any other. A pernicious lye, is A pernicious lye what it is. when as the speaker intendeth by lying not onely to deceive his hearer, but also to damnifie and hurt his neighbour in his person, name or state, and that wittingly and willingly. In which kinde con­curre all the sinnefull evils that are in a lye in the highest degree. For first, hee that thus lyeth, not onely speaketh that which is false, but also falsely against his minde and knowledge. Secondly, hee thus speaketh willingly, loving and delighting in his lye; and lastly, with a purpose and desire to de­ceive, and to doe hurt and mischiefe by his deceit. In all which respects this sort of lyes is above all others most abominable unto God, pernicious to our Neighbours, and damnable, to our owne soules. In the practice whereof men then grow to the highest pitch of this hellish impiety, when with the Divell the Father of lyes, they not onely use them for profit or necessity, but also love and delight in them more than in the truth; like those of whom the Psalmist speaketh. Thou lovest evill Psal. 52. 3, 4. more than good, and lying rather than to speake righte­ousnesse. Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou de­ceitfull tongue. And againe, They onely consult to cast Psal. 62. 4. him downe from his excellency, they delight in lyes.

Now this kinde admitteth of another distincti­on §. 3. Of religious lyes concerning matters of faith and doctrine. in respect of the divers subjects whereabout it is exercised, for either it is in points that concerne matters of faith and the doctrine of Religion, in which respect it may bee called a religious lye, or matters civill and politicall in humane affaires and the things of life, either publike or private, in which regard it may bee called a politicall or civill [Page 72] lye. The former is so much more pernicious than the latter, as the glory of God and the eternall sal­vation of our soules, which are hindred and impea­ched by it, are more precious and highly to bee esteemed than our present corporall estate, and the momentany things of this life. Neither is any deceit so dangerous as this in matters of religion, seeing this (as wee say) toucheth our free hold and leadeth us into such errours as will hinder our ever lasting salvation. In which respect these errours and untruthes in matters of religion the Apostle cal­leth the doctrine of Divels, because as hee invented 1 Tim. 4. 8. it, and his instruments teach it, so is it no lesse than he such an enemy that hindreth our heavenly hap­pinesse: the confirming wherof by lying wonders is by the same Apostle made a marke of Antichrist, who speaking lyes in hypocrisie ratifieth his false do­ctrines with no lesse false miracles. All which lyes 2 Thes. 2. 9. are to be abhorred above all other which concerne our temporall goods or lives. So Saint Augustine, Contra men­dacium ad Con­sentium. lib. 1. cap. 13. If (saith he) a lye which is spoken against the tem­porall life of any man bee detestable, how much more that which is against life eternall, as every lye is, which is made in the Doctrine of religion? Enchirid. ad Laurent. cap. 18 And againe, he doth not hurt so much who by ly­ing putteth a traveller out of the right way, as hee that by a deceiving Lye, depraveth the way of Life.

A modest ly is when as a man denieth or extenu­ateth §. 4. Of a modest lye, and what it is. Gods graces in him, his vertues, good parts, and commendable actions, which hee knoweth to be in him or done by him. The which proceedeth either from humility, whereby a man undervalu­eth [Page 73] himselfe and his gifts, either in the sight and sense of his contrary corruptions, or when he com­pareth the little which he hath received, with that that he wanteth, which he thinketh so far short in proportion, that his little in comparison seemeth nothing. And thus an humble man speaking what he thinketh cannot properly be said to lye, because his tongue and heart agree, although hee uttereth an untruth, not speaking as the thing is: or else it proceedeth from inward pride, which pursueth glory and praise, though not in the ordinary way, yet (as it were) by a backe doore or posterne gate; dispraysing those things in themselves which they know to bee praise-worthy, and denying or exte­nuating those gifts and good parts, which they not onely know to be in them in some good mea­sure, but also in selfe-conceite much over-value them above their true worth. The which Art they use to draw on the hearer to crosse their words, (though not their hearts) with excessive prayses, which they thinke no more than their due, and would be much displeased if hee should take them at their word, and crossed in their ends and desires, if he should not crosse them in their undervaluing of themselves, and take occasion thereby to fasten upon them the greater commendations.

CHAP. VIII.

ANd thus having shewed the diverse §. 1. Though some lyes are more sinnefull▪ than others, yet all sorts are un­lawfull, and a­gainst the ninth Commandement sorts of lyes, it now followeth that we examine whether any of them at any time or upon any occasion, bee lawfull and warrantable? And sure­ly it cannot be denyed but that there is great diffe­rence in the degree of sinfulnesse betweene some sorts of lyes and others; and that the guilt of merry and officious lyes is much extenuated by many cir­cumstances and considerations, by their nature, the will and desire of the speakers, who love and de­light not in the lye for it selfe, but as they thinke it fitte to further some good end; and because their end is not at all to hurt, nor principally to deceive, but to profit or delight their neighbours: Even as contrariwise the guilt of pernicious lies is much aggravated, because they are most opposite to Truth, and those that tell them doe it willingly with love and delight: And finally, because their chiefe aime and end is to deceive, and by deceite to hurt and wrong their neighbours in their goods or good name, life or liberty. But though some lyes are lighter and of lesse guilt than others, yet all in some degree are sinnefull and unlawfull, as being forbidden in the ninth Commandement. For whereas some object that they are not con­demned by this precept, because it onely forbid­deth such untruths as are against our neighbour, [Page 75] whereas officious and merry lyes are not against, but for him, and for his good, even for his profit and delight; and offend not against charity, which is the summe of the Law. To this I answere, that all untruth is forbidden in this Commandement, whether it be for or against our neighbour; neither doth the Hebrew word Beth used here signifie only against, but also toward, or concerning, about or touching our neighbour: neither is hurt onely for­bidden, but also any falshood and untruth by any meanes signified of, unto, or concerning our neigh­bour; for the word which is translated bearing witnesse, as if it were Legally, and before a Judge, signifieth in the originall, thou shalt not answere, which is as much in the Hebrew phrase as thou shalt not say or cause to be said, as appeareth in di­vers Prov. 15. 1. Matth. 11. 25. b Joh. 1. 7. places. And the word witnesse, signifieth any manner of shewing any thing, and so it is taken in other Scriptures. So that the sense of the Com­mandement, 1 Cor. 15. 15. extends further than the words out­wardly portend: Neither doth it onely forbid all false, but also all vaine and idle speech, as merry lyes for the most part are; nor yet only lyes which are against our neighbour, but also such as are for him, either for his delight as merry lyes, or for his profit and advantage, as those lyes which wee call officious. And therefore, seeing all lyes are the transgression of the Law, it followeth by the Apo­stle 1 Joh. 3. 4. Iohns definition that they are sinnes; yea seeing every lye is a sinne against a precept of the de­calogue, it followeth that even by the opinion of the Schoolemen themselves, who otherwise so much extenuate officious and merry lyes, they are [Page 76] mortall sinnes, seeing veniall sinnes (as they call them) are not committed Contra praecepta decalogi, sed praeter ea; not against the Commandements, but besides them. Againe, it is a sinne against nature to lye in any kinde; because words naturally are the signes and significations of those things which are in the minde; and therefore it is against nature to speake or signifie any way that which the minde thinketh not. Finally in every lye though never so pleasant or profitable, there is a losse of Truth, which is a vertue most acceptable unto God, and therefore the impeachment of it cannot be recom­penced by our profit or delight.

But let us more particularly examine these di­vers §. 2. That merry Lyes are sinfull and unlawfull. sorts of lyes, and consider how and in what measure and degree they are sinfull and unlawfull. And first for pernicious lyes, there is no question made by any, but that they are in a high degree sinfull, as being against Trueth, Justice and Chari­tie, and wholly tend to Gods dishonor, the hurt of our neighbors, and our own destruction and dam­nation, as I shall more fully shew hereafter. And therefore passing them over I will examine the o­ther kinds. And first for merry lyes, it is cōmonly conceived, that if there bee no scurrility in them, they may passe as tolerable, because they doe no hurt unto our selves or neighbours, but delight and recreate both; and they that tell them intend not to deceive their hearers; or but a while, that they may the more delight them. For either they are apparant in themselves to be but jests and lyes by the grosse absurdities that are seene at the first view, or are discoverd to be so by the gesture and [Page 77] pronunciation. So that they are not much unlike unto Hyperboles or Ironies in respect of the out­ward forme and shew, saving that they differ in their end and use: seeing they are used to teach and expresse the Trueth in a Rhetoricall manner, but these onely to delight the hearer. And of this minde Saint Augustine seemeth to have beene, Contra menda­cium ad Con­sentium. lib. 1. cap. 2. who thinketh that they can scarcely bee taken for lyes. Jests therefore (saith hee) are to be excepted which were never thought to be lyes, because they have a most evident signification, by the pronun­ciation, or the disposition of him that thus jesteth; and procede from a minde not willing to deceive, although it uttereth not truthes. And surely there is saith Peter Martyr, but a litle of a lye in these mer­ry tales, seeing though they willingly speake that which is not true, yet the falsity is easily discerned and cannot deceive the hearer. But whether these merry tales or lyes ought to bee used by perfect men or strict Christians, S. Augustine doubteth in Chap. 3. that place, though he cleareth it in another, where he saith, that hee lyeth, who hath one thing in his minde, and uttereth another thing by his words or any other signification; the which the merry lyar alwayes doth. And though hee doth not de­ceive or hurt, this doth not cleare his tales from being lyes, but onely sheweth that they are not lyes of the worst kinde, or such as are pernicious, seeing he lyeth who doth speake willingly other­wise than he thinketh. And as he speaketh in ano­ther Contra men­dacium ad Consentium. lib. 1. cap. 11. place, Those lyes are not to bee admitted, which although they doe not hurt another, yet they doe not profit any, and doe hurt themselves [Page 78] with lyes gratis and for nothing; who properly Duo sunt gene­ra mendacio­rum in quibus non magna cul­pa est, sed ta­men non sunt sine culpâ: cum aut jocamur, aut ut proximis prosimus men­timur. There are two sorts of Lyes in which is no great fault, and yet they are not without fault, when we jest or lye to profit our neig [...]rs. Aug. in Psal. 5. Tom. 8. Col. 27. Matth. 12. 36. are to bee called lyars. For there is this difference betweene one that telleth a lye and a lyar. For he telleth a lye who lyeth unwillingly; but a lyar loveth to lye, and hath a minde that delighteth in lying. And though such lyes hurt not the hearer, yet they greatly hurt the lyars themselves, because in so lying they forsake the truth and delight in fal­sity, and choose rather to please men than to speake the Truth. Againe these merry lyes are not onely in their falsity opposite to Trueth, but are also vaine and idle speeches; and our Saviour telleth us, that Wee must give an account at the day of judge­ment of every idle word. Yea Epaminondas though an Heathen, shall at this day rise up in judgement against merry lyars, who was so strict and severe in embracing Trueth, that hee would not allow a lye to bee spoken so much as by way of jest. Fur­thermore, if it bee unlawfull to tell officious lyes though they tend to our owne and others benefit, as wee shall shew hereafter, how much lesse these merry lyes, which tend onely to carnall delight? For if (as wee ought to bee) wee were spiritually minded, why should wee rather take pleasure to heare or speake lyes, than to speake and heare the Trueth? Moreover the Apostle requireth that We speake the Trueth one to another, and put away lying, and that our speech be alwayes with grace, seasoned with Ephes. 4. 25. salt, and tending to the use of edifying, that it may mi­nister Col. 4. 6. Ephes. 4. 29. grace to the hearers. Finally, if they were con­demned who made the hearts of Kings and Princes glad with their lyes, who in respect of their great Hos. 7. 3. cares and serious studies about their weighty affaires [Page 79] may bee allowed an over-measure of pleasure and delight, how much more are they unlawfull, if they bee used to ordinary persons, who stand in neede of such meanes to glad and cheere their hearts?

Secondly, it may bee demanded whether it bee §. 3. Whether of­ficious Lyes bee unlawfull. altogether unlawfull to tell officious lyes, seeing these in divers respects may seeme both justifiable and commendable; for he that telleth them hath no will simply to lye, but to doe good, nor deligh­teth in lying, but only as it conduceth to this end; neither hath hee any desire to deceive or hurt his neighbour, but mainly aimeth at this end, that hee may benefit him by delivering him from some dangers, or free him from some great evill, which hee is not able to effect by any other meanes. To which I answere, that if it be a sinne to lye, (as be­fore I have shewed and shall more fully proove hereafter) because it is opposite to truth, a vertue which is in high esteeme with the God of Truth, and a direct breach of his Commandement, then it is unlawfull to lye out of a desire to produce the greatest good. For every sinne is an offence against Gods infinite Majesty, and therefore deserveth an infinite and endlesse punishment both in soule and Rom. 6. 23. body; from which we cannot be freed by all Men and Angels, seeing nothing can satisfie Gods Ju­stice for it, but a price of an infinite value, which no finite creature could pay, but onely the LORD JESUS CHRIST, God and Man, whose death and sufferings were an All-sufficient price for our redemption, in respect of the Dignity of the Per­son that thus suffered. Againe, if it bee a sinne to [Page 80] lye, then we ought not voluntary to commit it for the effecting of the greatest good, seeing the Scrip­ture teacheth us, that wee may not doe evill that Rom. 3. 8. good may come thereof. And they also teach us that all lyes without exception or distinction are odious and abominable unto God, and that hee will destroy them that speake leasings. And what good Prov. 12. 22. & 6. 17, 19. Psal. 5. 6. can any lyes procure that being put into the bal­lance, can countervaile all these evills? Finally, when wee lye out of hope to effect thereby any good, the sinne committed is our owne, but the issue and effect is not in our power; for issues and future events are onely in Gods hand, and there­fore wee doe not know whether upon the sinne committed the good will follow; yea rather wee have just cause to feare the contrary: for how can wee expect Gods blessing upon the use of the meanes which hee hath cursed? Especially seeing in trusting unto our owne sinnefull inventions, we distrust his Power and Providence, as though he were not sufficient without the helpe of our lye to effect our good ends and desires, in freeing any from imminent evills, or preserving them in the most desperate dangers.

CHAP. IX.

NOw these things being well weigh­ed, §. 1. That it is not lawfull to lye for good ends or that wee [...] doe good. will serve as a thread to guide us out of the most intricate laby­rinth of the most difficult cases that are usually propounded, and inable us to answere the hardest questions and objections. First, it may be demanded whether it may not bee lawfull to tell a lye, when therein wee propound unto our selves some speciall good end; as either the obtaining of some great benefit, or the avoyding of some great and imminent dan­ger of falling into some evill of sinne or punish­ment. Concerning the former, I answere, that there can accrew unto us no such benefit by lying, as is sufficient to counterpoise the losse, to wit, of our soules by sinning, if God in mercy should not give us repentance. Secondly, that is not to bee esteemed a benefit which is procured by unjustice; for even the Heathen man could teach us, that Nihil utile quod non ho­nestum. Cic. offic. there is nothing profitable which is not honest, as no lye is, seeing truth is opposed by it. And the doctrine of Christian religion informeth us in this truth, that it is not sufficient for the making of an action good and lawfull that our end bee good, un­lesse also the meanes be so, by using whereof wee attaine unto this end. Thirdly, if this were gran­ted that wee might doe a lesse evill for the advan­cing [Page 82] of a greater good; then as Saint Augustine Contra men­dacium ad Con­sentium. lib. 2. cap. 8. saith all good Lawes and manners should be quite overthrowne, and a wide doore opened to all wick­ednesse. For then it might be lawfull for a theefe to rob a rich covetous man, that hordeth up his wealth and doth no good with it; if he propound this end to his theft, that hee will bestow the greatest part of what he hath stollen for the reliefe of the poore, or for a man to beare false witnesse before a Judge, if it tend to the clearing of the innocent and con­demning of the nocent party; or to burne a Will or Testament when the Testator hath made choice of a bad Heire, and to substitute a false Will in the place thereof, that the inheritance or goods may not come to the hands of such as will do noe good, but may by this meanes fall unto them who will feede the hungry, cloath the naked, lodge stran­gers, redeeme captives, and build Churches, Why should not all these evills bee done for these ends that be so good, if for these good things they cease to be evill? Yea (saith he) if this were allow­ed Cur non fiant illa mala prop­ter haec bona, si propter haec bona nec illa sunt mala? Aug. Contr. men­da [...]d Consenti­um. lib. 2. cap. 7. that we might doe evill to good ends, what fact so flagitious, what offence so hainous and dishonest, what sacriledge so impious, which might not bee said to be done rightly and justly, not onely with­out feare of punishment, but boldly and gloriously in hope of reward?

Concerning the latter, it may bee questioned §. 2. Whether it be lawfull to lye to prevent a greater sinne in others. whether it bee lawfull to lye which is a lesse evill, to avoide a greater evill either of sinne or punish­ment? Concerning sinne we may consider it either in another or in our selves. In another it may bee demanded whether we may not commit this small [Page 83] sinne of an officious lye, to pull one or many of our neighbours out of a great sinne, in which if they live and dye, there were no hope for them to escape damnation. As when wee see men to live in some damnable heresie, the which they keepe so secret that there is no meanes to discover them to the Magistrate that they may be examined, confuted and reformed, unlesse some orthodoxe Christian by telling a lye, whereby he faineth himselfe to be of the same opinions, doe dive into their secrets, and come acquainted with the most of them that are of this hereticall society, that so afterwards he may lay them open unto those that are best able to reclaime them. And this was the case of Consentius, dealing with those cunning heretiques called the Priscillianistes, which occasioned Saint Augustine to write those two books of this argument, where­in hee commendeth Consentius his love of truth, zeale, learning and elocution, but withall confu­teth his opinion and practice. For to say nothing of that ill companion which accompanieth this kinde of lying, which is treachery joyned with de­ceit, a vice odious in the eyes of all that are vertu­ous and ingenuous, and to consider of the lye used to the former good end, what charity will teach a man to fall into one sinne, that hee may pull his neighbour out of another, or to offend God our selves that wee may keepe others from offending him, or to endanger our owne soules that wee may deliver theirs out of danger? For true charity be­ginneth at home, and teacheth us to love our neighbour as, and not better than our selves; and to love them in the same quality and trueth of [Page 84] affection, and not in the same quantity and propor­tion. Yea if we should take this course to reclaime Heretikes, wee should love our selves lesse than them; because in some respects we commit a grea­ter sinne than they, seeing they maintaine their errours out of ignorance, but we lye against know­ledge and conscience, as hee also speaketh. And Lib. [...]. cap. 8. therefore if we can by no other meanes pull impi­ous Heretikes out of their secret dennes, unlesse our Orthodoxe and Catholike tongues doe stray out of the path of truth, it is more tolerable that they should still lie hid, than that truth should bee impeached; better that these Foxes should lurke in their holes, than that those who hunt them that Tolerabilius in suis foveis deli­tescerent vul­pes, quamprop­ter illas capien­das in blasphe­miae foveam caderent vena­ [...]ores. Aug. Con­tra mendacium. lib. 2. cap. 7. they may take them, should fall into the pit of lyes and blasphemy, as the same Author affirmeth. To say nothing that the sinne in using this lying poli­cy is certaine, but the good issue and event aimed at uncertaine, seeing that being in Gods hand hee might justly crosse and curse this unlawfull means, so that they shall not conduce to their conversion, but rather to their further confirming and hard­ning in their heresie and impiety.

But though it be unlawfull by lying to prevent §. 3. Whether it be lawfull to lye, that wee may greater sinnes in our selves; a [...] name­ [...] ▪ rape and ra­vishment. sinne in others; yet perhaps it may be lawfull, yea commendable to use it, when wee may thereby prevent greater sinnes not onely in others, but also in our selves. As suppose that a vertuous Matrone or chaste Virgine should be assaulted by an adulte­rer with violence to defile or deflowre them, and they might escape the rape, by putting him off with a lye, is it not lawfull to doe it in such a case to prevent so great a mischiefe? I answere, that [Page 85] though a stony heart could not chuse but relent and be much affected to heare of such a villany, and though the tentation be so strong that it is scarsely to be expected, humane strength should be able to resist it, yet in clearing of the truth wee must not consider what we would, but what we should doe being so assaulted and brought into such straites. Indeede if it were a sinne to bee meere patients in the sinne of others, the question were easily an­swered; but it is not so, for the greatest sinne in others is not the least sinne in us, if wee onely bee the subjects of their sinne, through unresistable vi­olence, and doe not give the least consent unto it. For here it is all one as in the case of persecution, oppression, murther or robbery, all which though they be hainous sinnes in the agents, yet none at all in the patients, when they have no will to consent or allow the commission of such sinnes, nor power to prevent or shun them. Yea in such cases that is lawfully suffered, which cannot but unlawfully be avoided; and no act is to bee judged sinfull if the will bee wholly averse unto it. For it is the very forme that giveth unto sinne its life and being, to be in some kinde or degree voluntary, and though the will give not its consent in all sinnes, yet it hath some kinde of operation in or about it, as in sinnes of ignorance, though wee doe not consent unto sinne as knowing it to bee so, yet wee consent to that action which is sinfull, the will being misled through the errour of our judgement. And so in concupiscence which goeth before consent, there is that which we call inescation, or the bayting of the hooke of sinne with some pleasure, profit or [Page 86] other allurement, which is Sathans tentation, and not imputed unto us as sinne if we wholly resist it; and there is that which we call titillation or the re­taining and revolving of the tentation with some delight, and (as it were) the itching of the desire and the watring of the teeth after it, if wee might injoy it upon no hard conditions. But when they are so propounded, as that wee cannot injoy the pleasure or profit of sin, unlesse we displease God, and indanger our owne soules, then the will re­jects the tentation, and will by no meanes give its consent. Notwithstanding, that retaining of the tentation with some tickling delight, is a sinne of concupiscence, and this very parlying with the Divell is a transgression of Gods Law, though wee doe not yeeld up unto him the Fort of our hearts, nor give our consent that sin shall enter. Of which sinne the will is guilty, which though it did not consent to the Act, yet it gave way to the Divels dispute, and that with some tickling delight wee should listen to his tentation alluring us to sinne. But if as in this case of a violent rape the will bee wholly averse unto it, and the heart abhor it, even as the terrours of death; though the agent and ra­visher committeth an horrible sinne, yet the pati­ent or party forced and ravished is wholly cleare of it. For the body onely is violated, but the soule not vitiated, and though that bee defiled, yet it is not corrupted, or at least with such a corruption that is not sinful; as S. Augustine speaketh. For there is onely the matter of sin which giveth it no being in a subject forced by outward violence; but not the forme, which giveth onely being and denomi­nation, [Page 87] seeing the will is wholly averse unto it. So that if this bee granted which cannot bee denied, that it is a sinne to lye, but no sin to be forced and ravished, then the case is easily cleared, namely that it is not lawfull by the evill of sinne, to shun such an evill as is not sinfull; actively to defile the soule that the body may not passively be defiled; or on­ly in hope that wee may shun the outrage of the adulterous ravisher, to cast our selves certainely into the snares of the Divell by lying and sinning, and so to be defiled by spirituall filthinesse; and to be deflowred and deprived inwardly in our soules of their purity and chastity. And of this judge­ment is Saint Augustine who speaketh excellent­ly Nulla est pudi­citia corporis, nisi [...]i­tate ani [...] ­deat, & [...] mend. lib. 1. c. 7. to our present purpose. There is (saith hee) no chastity of the body which doth not depend upon the integrity of the minde, which being pulled from the other, it must needs fall, although it may seeme untainted and untouched, and for this cause is not to bee numbred amongst temporall things, seeing they may be taken from those that are un­willing to leave them. And therefore by no means the minde must corrupt it selfe with a lye for its body, which it knoweth to remaine incorrupt, if the incorruption doth not depart from the soule. For what the body suffreth through violence, there being no precedent lust, it is rather to bee reputed vexation than corruption. Or if every such vexa­tion bee corruption, yet every corruption is not then dishonest, but onely that which lust hath pro­cured, or unto which lust hath consented. And by how much the soule is better than the body▪ it is by so much the more wickedly corrupted: chastity [Page 88] then may there bee preserved, whereas there can be no corruption, but that which is voluntary; nei­ther can it bee violated in our selves by the lust of another. Wherefore because no man doubteth that the soule is better than the body, therefore the integrity of the minde ought to bee preferred be­fore the integrity of the body, seeing it perpe­tually may bee preserved. But who can say that the minde of a lyar is sincere and upright, &c? And so hee concludeth that no man can convince any that it is sometimes lawfull to lye, unlesse hee can prove that an eternall good may by lying be obtai­ned.

And so much concerning the evill of sinne. The §. 4. Whether it be lawfull to lye to prevent the evill of punish­ment, and name­ly, 1. the death of others. second question respecteth the evill of punishment, whether we may avoide it lawfully by telling a ly, when we see no other meanes whereby wee may bee preserved from it. And because it were end­lesse to stand upon all the particulars, I will insist onely in one, which will cleare the question in all the rest, as being the greatest and last of all the rest, namely Death, which is the king of ter­rours, and therefore to be avoyded by all lawfull Job 18. 14. meanes above all other temporary evills. And this we will consider either as it respecteth our neigh­bours or our selves. Concerning the former, we will consider the case in two instances propounded by Saint Augustine, and not much vary from him in our answere and resolution. Suppose that a Fa­ther and his deere and onely Son were at the same time dangerously sicke in severall places or rooms, and that the Son (in whose life the life of the Fa­ther is bound up, as it is said of Iacobs in Benjamins) [Page 89] should dye the Father continuing in great weake­nesse, yet in some hope of recovery. If the Father in this case should inquire (suspecting the worst) whether his Sonne be dead or alive, what answere should be given him? If it be said that he is alive, it is a lye, but yet such an one as comforteth and strengtheneth the Fathers heart, and may prove a good meanes of his recovery; but if it bee told him that he is dead, (or which is all one in effect, if the hearers refuse to give any answere, because he will surely presume upon their silence that hee is departed, seeing otherwise they would not with­hold newes which would cheare him) the griefe hereof will presently strike him to the heart, and bee a certaine cause of his death and ruine. But I answer with him, that though the case be lamen­table, and much commiseration to bee had of the sicke Father, yet it is not lawfull to save his life by telling a lye. For this is but a meanes of our owne for his recovery, and wee know not whether God will blesse it or no, yea we may well suspect, that if we distrust in his All-sufficiency, who hath in his hand the issues of life and death, and is able to bring to the grave, and to returne backe againe, and trust more to our lye and meanes unlawfull, it will prove rather a hindrance than a furtherance to our desires. Whereas on the other side we are certaine that lying is a sinne, and that all sinne will slay our soules, if the wound be not recured by repentance, which wee cannot promise unto our selves, seeing it is not in our owne power, but the gift of God which hee giveth when and to whom he pleaseth. Finally, if it bee lawfull by sinning to prevent the [Page 90] death of another, the death of their body which is temporall, with the death of our soule which is eternall; why might it not bee lawfull also much more, if an adulteresse should so desperately love us, that if she might not have her lust satisfied, shee would hang or drowne her selfe, to prevent her death by yeelding to her desire, seeing by one act of uncleannesse wee should prevent her murther, and by prolonging her life procure time for her repentance, that shee may bee saved; whereas by the other course shee not repenting plungeth her selfe into Hell. The other instance is this; If an August. Con­tra mendacium ad Consentium lib. 1. cap. 13. innocent religious man should be pursued by mur­therous ruffians, or bloody persecutors, with a full intention to deprive him of his life, for the pre­venting whereof hee is forced to flye from them, or to hide himselfe in some secret place, with which his flight or place of hiding we onely are acquain­ted: The question is if the pursuers aske us which way he is gone, or if hee be hidden with us or no, whether we may not by an officious ly preserve his life, directing them to take a wrong way in their pursuit, that so he may escape, or telling them that he is gone from us and not in our house; seeing if we speake the truth, we shall thereby expose him to certaine danger of death, and if we refuse to an­swer, we shall not onely be indangered to taste of their rage, but also doe no good to the party, whom we have received and hidden, seeing upon our silence they will certainly presume, that hee is hidden with us, or else we would make no scruple to deny it. To which I answere with Saint Au­gustine, that wee must not lye, and so by sinning [Page 91] offend Gods infinite Majesty, and indanger the eternall salvation of our soules, in hope to preserve the momentary life of anothers body. What then? must wee tell the truth and so betray his life into their hands that seeke it? No by no meanes, for this is much worse than the other. Must we then say nothing, when as silence is no lesse dangerous then speaking the truth? Nor this neither, seeing this as little conduceth to our end of preserving our neighbours life, as if wee confessed the truth. What then must bee done? surely (as Saint Au­gustine also resolveth it) we are in such a case called by God to put on Christian courage and resoluti­on, and to endure any extremities, rather than we will either betray the truth or the innocent man, who hath intrusted his life to our secrecy. And therefore wee ought boldly to professe, that wee know what is become of the party whom they pursue, but will not by telling them expose him to the danger of their cruelty, because we will neither betray him, nor offend God by telling a lye. And of this Saint Augustine bringeth an example of a Bishop, called Firmus, whom he commendeth to have beene more firme in his will and resolution, than in his name: who when he had with all dili­gence hid a persecuted Christian from the rage of an heathen Emperor, and being by his Pursevants which hee had sent to apprehend him, demanded where they might finde him, couragiously answe­red them, that he could neither lye, nor betray the man; for which though they put him to many tor­tures, yet hee remained constant in his resolution. Who afterwards being brought to the Emperor, [Page 92] seemed unto him so admirable in his faith and con­stancy, that without any difficulty hee obtayned pardon for him whom he had hidden.

The other part of the question concerneth our § 6. Whether we may lawfully lye to save our owne lives. selves, namely whether wee ought for the preser­vation of our owne lives tell a lye, when as all other meanes are wanting, and this onely promiseth se­curity. Unto which a short answere may suffice, if we consider what hath beene already said in the former cases; for it is a sin to lye, but no sinne to dye; and our life is not so much worth, that wee should spinne out the thread thereof to a further length with wicked hands, nor buy it at so deare a rate as the price of sin, which is an offence against Gods infinite Majesty, and therefore of infinite guilt; from the condemnation whereof wee could not be redeemed at any lower price, than the pre­cious death and blood shed of the Eternall Sonne of God. Againe, by voluntary sinning we expose our soules to death everlasting, and at the most by not sinning and lying we indanger but our bodies to a temporall death, which either sooner may bee brought by some unexpected sicknesse, or by nature it selfe a little later; so that in effect long life is but the addition, and untimely death but the substraction of a few dayes or yeeres. And there­fore as much as the soule is to be preferred before the body, and life Eternall before this life of mor­tality, with so much more care and circumspection, wee must shun lying more than dying, seeing by that the losse of our chiefest jewell is indangered, and by this wee have no great losse. Excellently Saint Augustine to this purpose: who (saith hee) Quis observat vanitatem? qui timendo mori menti­tur; timendo enim morimen­titur & moritur antequam mo­riatur, qui idcò mentiebatur ut vivcret, &c. In Psal. 30. [Page 93] observeth vanity? Hee that lyeth fearing to dye. For fearing to dye hee lyeth, and so dyeth before he should dye, who therefore lyeth that he might live. Thou wilt lye lest thou shouldest dye, and so lyest and dyest. And when thou shunnest one death which thou canst onely put off, but not escape, thou fallest into two, first dying in thy soule, and afterwards in body, &c.

Finally, it is so farre of from being lawfull to lye §. 7. That wee may not lawful­ly lye to advance Gods glory. officiously in the behalfe of men, that it is unlaw­full to doe it for the advancement of Gods glory; for though he requireth that we should propound it as the maine end of all our actions, according to that of the Apostle: Whether you eate, drinke, or 1 Cor. 10. 31. whatsoever you doe, doe all to the glory of God: yet hee will not have us onely to seeke his Glory in respect of the end, but also in regard of all lawfull meanes which conduce to the furthering of this end; and being the God of Truth, hee esteemeth himselfe more dishonoured than glorified by our lye, though our chiefe end and aime therein be to advance his Glory. For as one saith well: It is no lesse evill Pet. Mart. in 2 Sam. 9. 8. to speake false things to Gods prayse, than not to beleeve of him those that are true. And therefore Iob reprooveth his friendes for those untruthes, which they spoke against him; though their maine end was to Justifie God, and to Glorifie him in his Justice. Will you (saith hee) speake wickedly Job. 13. 7. 8, 10. for God, and talke deceitfully for Him? Will yee ac­cept his Person? Will yee contend for God? Hee will surely reprove you, if yee doe secretly accept persons. So Saint Paul, though for the glory of Christ, and 1 Cor. 15. 15. God his Father, he had testified that he had raised [Page 94] him up from the dead, yet hee acknowledgeth that hee should deservedly bee esteemed no better than a false witnesse of God, if Christ indeede were not yet risen. So that we must not lye though our end bee that God thereby may have Glory, seeing hee needeth not our lye, being able to glo­rifie himselfe by us, when wee use lawfull meanes to lawfull endes. In which respect I have▪ much misliked those fained miracles recorded in some Ecclesiasticall Stories, wrought upon sleight oc­casions, and to as little end, purposely (as it see­meth) devised by the Authors to glorifie Christ, and propagate the Gospell; and much more the lying miracles and minte of untruthes invented and stamped by the Pope and his Emissaries in their Legends, to worke as they pretend an high­er esteeme of the Christian Truth in the hearts of the people, though they grace them with the ti­tle of Piae fraudes, Pious deceits: seeing they 1 Thes. 2. 9. not onely use lying meanes, but also aime at wicked ends; not to confirme and grace the truth, but to seduce the people, and leade them into errors.

CHAP. X.

ANd thus have I fully prooved that §. 1. The obje­ction, that offici­ous lyes are not against charity answered. no lyes though never so officious to God or men, may bee lawfully used; the which being clearely un­derstood and well weighed, it will bee easie to answere all objections which are usu­ally made by the Authors of them; whether they be grounded on seeming reasons, or on the exam­ples of the faithfull who have sometimes used them. Concerning the former; It is first objected, that these officious lyes are lawfull, because they are not against charity which is the end and summe of the Law; but they advance our neighbours good, at which we should aime in all our words and acti­ons, and doe not offend against humane societies, but rather preserve them, seeing thereby men are kept safe and freed from dangers. So the Apostle saith, that the end of the Commandement is Charity: 1 Tim. 1. 5. Rom. 13. 8. Matth. 22. 37. and hee that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law. I answere, If wee take Charity in a generall sense, it is the summe of the whole Law, as our Saviour maketh it, and includeth both all duties towards God required in the first Table, and towards our neighbours commanded in the second; in both which we are injoyned that our love should bee in truth. For first, God requireth that wee should John 4. 24. Psal. 51. 17. worship him in spirit and in truth, and in all his Service [Page 96] Hee requireth Truth in the inward partes, without Psal. 17. 1. Jer. 3. 10. Esay. 29. 13. which all religious duties are odious unto him; for hee abhorreth such prayers as are made with fained lippes; and if there be a distance betweene our tongues and our hearts when wee draw nigh unto him, our prayers will be rejected and repro­ved. So also our love towards our neighbours, must bee joyned with Truth; for Charity rejoyceth in the Truth, as the Apostle teacheth us, even as 1 Cor. 13. 6. the Truth rejoyceth in Charity, and therefore as we must speake the Truth in Love, so wee must love in the Truth, seeing neither are sincere and right, if either of them be divided from the other. And if our Charity bee racked by importunity of our neighbours to speake a lye in their behalfe, wee must say with the Apostle, that wee can doe nothing 2 Cor. 13. 8. against the Truth, but for the Truth. For though carnall love may thus stretch it selfe beyond the bounds of Truth and Justice, yet Christian Chari­ty will never goe alone, but delights in the compa­ny of these and all other vertues. And even the Heathen themselves, who had no other guide but the light of nature, limitted their love and friend­ship with their Piety and Truth; and therefore, though they would goe farre with their friends in the way of amity, yet no further than would stand with Piety; to which that proverbe tended, usque [...]. ad aras, your friend in what I lawfully may, but yet no further than the Altar. And that other, Plato is my friend, and Socrates my friend also, but [...]. Aristot. Truth is a greater friend than both. And the Phi­losopher saith, that it is a pious thing even among friends, to honor and esteeme highly of the Truth, [Page 97] besides Christian charity requireth not that wee should hurt our selves to helpe another, or to de­stroy our owne soules, by wilfull sinning, that wee may preserve our neighbours body or state from destruction. For it is said, that the Lord will destroy Psal. 5. 6. them that speake leasings.

Secondly, it is objected that it is a good and §. 2. The obje­ction of doing good by lyes an­swered. commendable thing to doe good, to preserve life, and deliver from danger; but this is done by an of­ficious lye. I answere, it is good and commenda­ble to doe good by good and lawfull meanes, and to compasse our laudable ends by such meanes as are lawfull and commendable; but it is not so, if we use sinnefull meanes, though our ends be never so excellent; for wee may not doe any evill, that good Rom. 3. 8. may come thereof. Now lyes in all kindes are evill, because they are contrary to the truth, and forbid­den by Gods Law, as before I have shewed. Nei­ther is any lye (as Saint Augustine saith) to be re­puted Enchirid. ad Laurentium. cap. 22. no sinne, because by lying wee may some­times profit another; for so wee may doe also by stealing, if a poore man to whom what wee steale is openly given, doe feele the profit of it, and the rich man from whom wee secretly take it doe not feele the disprofit of it. And yet for all this no man will say that theft is no sinne. Yea so we may profit by committing adultery; if a woman out of desperate lust will dye unlesse wee consent unto her, seeing though she have played the harlot, yet if shee live, shee may repent of it; and yet no man will say that we doe not sinne if wee commit upon these tearmes such an act of filthinesse. Now if Chastity doth deservedly so much please us, [Page 98] wherein I pray you hath truth offended us, that we may not for another mans profit violate that by committing adultery, and yet may violate this by telling of lyes?

Thirdly, it is objected, that an officious lye com­meth not under the definition of a lye, seeing he §. 3. The obje­ction that an of­ficious lye com­meth not under the definition of a lye, answered. that useth it hath no love to lying nor delight in it, neither is it his minde or desire to deceive or hurt, but to doe good and benefit his neighbour. I an­swere, that it is a lye to speake an untruth contrary to that which we know and conceive in our mind, whether we love and will it with delight, or dis­like and loath it; or whether it deceiue and hurt our neighbour, or delight and benefit him. For though we doe not absolutely will it, yet wee doe conditionally and accidentally, that we may attain unto our end. And though wee doe not deceive our neighbour to the hurt of his person, or the hinderance of his estate, yet wee deceive him by misleading his minde and misinforming his judge­ment, causing him to fall into errour, and to im­brace falsehood in the stead of truth. Besides truth it selfe is violated, whilst it is dis-throned, and un­truth which is opposite unto it, is set up in its place. But hereby wee doe most of all deceive and hurt our selves, whilest by sinning to benefit our neigh­bour in his corporall and temporall estate, wee in­danger our soules to everlasting perdition. And whereas it may be objected, that it is no sinne nor breach of Gods Law, which onely forbiddeth such untruths as are against, & not for the good of our neighbours: to this I have before fully answe­red, and therefore need not here to insist further on it.

Finally, it is objected that wee have many ex­amples §. 4. The objecti­on taken from examples of the faithfull in the Scriptures, an­swered. of the faithfull in the Scriptures, who upon severall occasions have used officious lyes to free themselves and others out of great and imminent dangers. To which I first generally answere, that these examples are recorded, but not approoved, or if in some respects allowed or commended, yet not for their lyes, but for their love of justice and mercy, their aime at Gods glory or their owne and others good; their pious affections to vertue and goodnesse, and their readinesse to advance re­ligious and honest actions. Neither are their lyes propounded as patternes and precedents for our imitation, but as examples of humane frailty, that they may serve as Sea markes to make us shunne these rockes, when by like tempests of tentation we are in danger to fall upon them. For howsoever they were Gods great worthies, and had attained to a great measure of grace and goodnes, yet they were but in part sanctified, having still infirmities and corruptiōs in part remaining in them, as it were little spots and blemishes in beautifull bodies. And therefore wee must live, not by examples, but by precepts, or at least imitate them only so far as they follow the rule of Gods word, and make them our patternes in their vertuous actions, and not in their frailties and aberrations; according to that of the 1 Cor. 11. 1. Apostle; be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

But let us descend to some particulars. And first §. 5. The exam­ple of Abraham, objected. the example of Abraham is objected, who called Sarah his sister to preserve his life from danger. But I have shewed before that this was Abrahams infirmity through feare of death, and wee must [Page 100] follow Abrahams example in his faith, and not in his frailties and failings. Againe, the example of Abraham is objected saying to his yong men: Abide you here with the Asse, and I and the lad will goe yonder Gen. 22. 5. and worship, and come againe to you, whereas it was his resolution to sacrifice his sonne. To which I an­swere with Saint Augustine, that Abraham was a Prophet, and might speake this as a Propheticall prediction, not directed with his owne reason, but by the instinct and motion of the Spirit, who knew what would be the issue of his action: or he might speake this out of the confidence of his faith, per­swading himselfe that though he sacrificed and kil­led his son, yet God was able to restore him againe to life, and would assuredly doe it as being both gracious, and also true in that speciall promise, that he would give him Isaac, and that in his seede all the Nations of the earth should be blessed. And to this I rather incline, because I have my warrant from the words of the Apostle, who saith, that Abraham Heb. 11. 17, 18, 19. by faith when he was tried offered up Isaac, and hee that had received the promise offered up his onely begotten sonne, of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall thy seede be called: accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead, from whence also he received him in a figure.

Secondly, the example of the Egyptian mid­wives §. 6. The exam­ple of the Egyp­tian Midwives objected and an­swered. is objected, who by an officious ly preserved the yong children of the Israelites from that bloo­dy slaughter intended and commanded by Pharaoh. To which I answere, first, that it doth not mani­festly appeare that they lyed, and where things or speeches are doubtfull, charity will have us to take [Page 101] them in the best sense. It may bee that the Israeli­tish women having speciall strength and assistance from God, that they might escape the Kings in­humane decree, concerning the death of their chil­dren, were delivered in their travell before the Midwives comming, having also some helpe one of another; a thing to bee beleeved without any great difficulty by the Irish-women, and those that converse with them and know their manners, who have experience of their easie labour, quicke dispatch, and speedy recovery. And it is likely that in their case they would put themselves to the uttermost of their strength, though it were with some danger, to preserve their Children. Neither is it improbable that the Egyptian Mid­wives out of their mercifull disposition, faith and feare of God, did them all the favour that they could, by giving them secret notice of their com­ming, that they might have time to prevent the mischiefe by hiding their Children, and when they came, by making a sleight or no search. But though it were granted that they lyed in their ex­cuse to Pharaoh, yet this will prove nothing, be­cause they are no precedents or patternes for us to immitate in their lying, seeing they might doe it through feare and infirmity. And whereas it may bee objected that their faith is commended and their worke rewarded by God; for it is said, that Exod. 1. 20. 21. God dealt well with the Midwives, because they feared God more than the King, and built them houses. To this I answere, that their mercy, faith, and feare of God was acceptable, approved and rewarded, but not their lye; and therefore graciously looking [Page 102] upon the better part rather than the worse, God pardoned and passed by their infirmity and fay­ling, and in his grace and mercy rewarded their faith and obedience. Even as hee is said to have approved and prospered divers of the good Kings of Judah, because their hearts were upright in the maine points and parts of his Service, though they tooke not away the high places; not because hee approoved their want of zeale, in purging the Church throughly from superstition, but because delighting in their integrity hee passed by, and pardoned their failings and infirmities.

Much like unto this is the example of Rahab, §. 7. The exam­ple of Rahab ob­jected and an­swered. hiding the Israelitish spies, and telling her Citti­zens that they were departed. The which some would charitably excuse, as though it were no lye, because keping an Inne, some other of her guests might depart in the Evening, of whom she might truly say, that they were gone. And I would willing­ly be as charitable as they, if there were any proba­bility of truth. But it is not likely that the Citizens in such a weighty businesse, would make such a sleight inquiry, but that shee might easily under­stand after whom they inquired. Yea, it is mani­fest that shee knew those whom shee had hid were the Men, or else to what purpose did shee hide them? And therefore, for her to say that they were departed, not meaning them after whom they inquired, but some other who in her owne knowledge were not the Men; what was it, but to equivocate and lye, seeing shee spoke not as the thing was, nor in that sense as they asked, nor yet as she desired that they should understand her; [Page 103] and that to this purpose, that shee might deceive and delude them. But what of all this? Is Rahabs example a priviledge against plaine precepts, and a fit patterne for us to immitate, who lately was an Harlot, an Innekeeper, having small knowledge as yet of Gods Will, and now but a new convert, under a strong tentation, and in a great conflict be­tweene feare and faith? Yea, but the Apostle Heb. 11. 31. commendeth her faith in this act, by which shee was preserved from perishing with the rest. I an­swere, that shee was saved by her faith, and not by her lye; and because beleeving Gods wonders done for the Israelites, and his Word revealed and expounded unto her by her Guests, shee had received them, concealed, dismissed them, and preserved their lives, with the hazzard of her owne; and not because shee had in the manner of doing it, followed her owne device, which feare and not faith suggested, seeing shee had no warrant for it, out of GODS Word.

CHAP. XI.

IN the last place it may bee demanded, §. 1. That mo­dest lyes are un­lawfull. whether a modest lye be lawfull, either when wee deny those gifts, graces and good parts, in whole or in part which we know to be in us, or accuse our selves of those sins and imperfections, of which we know that wee are guiltlesse and innocent, either altogether, or else in respect of that measure and degree which wee lay to our owne charge; seeing this is a notable meanes to curbe and subdue our pride, arrogancy and insolency, and to nourish and increase humili­ty, which is a grace most acceptable unto God. To which I answere, that when wee are to deale with God, and to humble our soules before him in the unfained acknowledgement of our sinnes and wants, imperfections and corruptions, it may bee lawfull and profitable to aggravate them even with hyperbolicall expressions, out of a godly jea­lousie of our selves, because our hearts are so wicked Jer. 17. 10. and deceitfull above all things that none can know them, nor search the gulph of corruption and sinke of sin to the bottome; and because wee have in us natu­rally the seeds of all wickednesse and flagitious im­pieties, which are ready to sproute and to bring forth their cursed fruite upon all occasions, if they be not checked and nipt with Gods grace and ho­ly Spirit; so that wee doe not wrongfully accuse our selves of those grosse acts of sinne; as murther, [Page 105] adultery, drunkennesse and the like, of which our consciences in the sight of God doe cleare and ac­quit us; because hereby we give glory unto God, magnifying his mercy and bounty, who hath for­given unto us such great debts, and because we doe also exercise our repentance and increase our sor­row for sinne and worke our hearts to a true hatred of it; according to that of the Prophet: Then shall Ezech. 36. 31. ye remember your owne evill wayes and your doings that were not good, and shall loath your selves in your owne sight for your iniquities and abominations. But when wee have to deale with men, wee must speake the truth, as we in our understanding conceive of it, as well of our selves, as of other men; and though we ought for the most part modestly to conceale those things which concerne our owne prayses, and may to the full lay open our wants and infirmities when just occasion shall bee offered; yet when wee are necessarily put to speake of either, we must not out of a sinnefull modesty lye and betray the truth, but ingenuously speake what wee truely conceive, nei­ther denying or too much extenuating Gods gifts and graces in us, nor accusing our selves of those sinnes, imperfections and corruptions of which we know that wee are as cleare as other of Gods servants; yea if we be unjustly suspected and accu­sed of them, we are bound in conscience to excuse and defend our selves and to manifest what we can our owne innocency. For first Gods Law requi­reth that wee should give a true testimony of our selves, as well as of others, and use all good means to preserve our owne fame and good name, as well as our neighbours. Secondly, by denying Gods [Page 106] gifts and graces in us, wee ungratefully dishonour him, not acknowledging his bounty and goodnes towards us, and refusing to ascribe unto him the Glory of these gifts whereof hee is the Author. Thirdly, we put out these lights which were given Matth. 5. 16. us to this end, that shining before men, they might take occasion thereby to glorifie our Heavenly Fa­ther. Fourthly, wee wrong our neighbours by working in their mindes a false opinion, and by causing them unjustly to sleight and disesteeme us, when as they thinke that our gifts and good parts are much lesser, and our faults and sinnes far grea­ter than in truth they are; seeing men for the most part speake of themselves, rather better than worse than they deserve. And secondly, whilest wee suppresse, deny or extenuate our vertues, and ag­gravate our failings and corruptions, wee neglect this Christian duty of edifying one another by our good example, and contrariwise make our selves scandalous and offensive. And finally, wee wrong our owne persons; for if it bee an injury to belye another, it is no lesse if we belye our selves; and if it bee an unjust and uncharitable act to robbe our neighbors of their good name, by false extenuatiōs of the good things which are in them, or aggra­vations of their faults and faylings, how can it bee lesse sinnefull if wee use the same meanes to spoile our selves of this precious jewell? To this purpose (though in another case) Saint Augustine excel­lently speaketh for confuting the Pelagians, and Coelestianians, who affirmed that they were pure and free from sin, and yet for humility sake against their conscience and perswasion confessed their [Page 107] sinnes, of which they thought themselves pure and cleare, hee thus convinceth them of their errour: Dost thou (saith he) lye for humility? Thou art just and without sinne; but for humilities sake thou Propter humi­litatem ergo mentiris? &c. August. de ver­bis Apostoli. Serm. 29. Tom. 10. callest thy selfe a sinner; how shall I receive thee as a Christian for a witnesse against another, whom I finde to bee a false witnesse against thy selfe? Thou art just, thou art without sinne, and yet thou sayest that thou hast sinne: therefore thou art a false witnesse against thy selfe, God will not ac­cept of thy lying humility; examine thy life, and looke into thy conscience, &c. How shall I take thee for a witnesse in another mans cause, who ly­est in thine owne? Thou makest Saints guilty, whilest thou bearest against thy selfe a false testi­mony, what wilt thou doe to another who slande­rest thy selfe? I demand; art thou just or a sinner? thou answerest a sinner. Thou lyest, because thou doest not say that with thy mouth, which thou beleevest of thy selfe in thy heart. And therefore, though thou wilt not be a sinner before, now thou beginnest to bee since thou lyest. For thou sayest for humilities sake that thou callest thy selfe a sin­ner, &c. But can there be humility where there is falsity.

But against this is objected, that we have many §. 2. The Exam­ple of Agur in defence of modest lyes, objected and answered. examples of holy men in the Scriptures, that in modesty and humility have abased themselves in the acknowledgement of their wants, infirmities, and sinnes, beyond all boundes of Truth; a­gainst some whereof wee can take no excepti­ons, seeing they were Pen-men of the Scriptures, and immediately inspired by the Holy Ghost. 2 Pet. 1. 21. [Page 108] The first is of Agur, who being a Prophet of great wisedome and understanding, thus abaseth and vi­lifieth himselfe: Surely I am more brutish than any Prov. 30. 2. man, and have not the understanding of a man. I nei­ther learned wisedome, nor have the knowledge of the Holy. I answere, that we must not understand these wordes simply and absolutely, but respectively. First, in respect of the Person to whom he speaketh and in whose presence hee standeth, to wit, Ithiel, which signifieth the strong God with us, and Veal, signifying one who having all power in his hand, is able to doe whatsoever he will. By both which he understandeth our Lord JESUS CHRIST, the Wisedome and Power of his FATHER, in com­parison of whom the wisest in the world are bru­tish and destitute of knowledge. Secondly he ma­keth this acknowledgement in respect of the sub­ject matter which he was to speake of, namely di­vine and heavenly Wisedome, which as much transcended his reach and capacity, as reason in man excelleth brutish sense; according to that of the Psalmist: Such knowledge is too wonderfull for me; Psal. 139. 6. It is high, I cannot attaine unto it. And that of the Apostle; And who is sufficient for these things? 2 Cor. 2. 16. Thirdly, hee speaketh not simply but respectively, comparing the little which hee knew, with the much which hee knew not; like that of Socrates, hoc unum scio, me nihil scire; I onely know this, that I know nothing. Fourthly, hee may bee said thus to speake, not as hee was now sanctified and inlightned with the spirit of Grace and understan­ding, but as he was in the state of nature, in which respect the Prophet saith, Every man is brutish in Jer. 10. 1 [...]. [Page 109] his knowledge, understanding nothing in spirituall 1 Cor. 2. 14. things which concerne his eternall salvation, till hee be regenerate and in Christ: The which sense the words will best beare, if with Iunius wee thus render them; for I am a beast or brutish since I was a man, that is, even from my birth, and the wisedome of a man is not in me, that is, like that which was in man by his first creation (before by his fall hee became brutish) and so ought to be in him still.

Secondly, the example of the Apostle Paul is §. 3. The exam­ple of Paul, ob­jected and an­swered. 1 Cor. 15. 9. Eph. 3. 8. 1 Tim. 1. 15. 2 Cor. 11. 5. 1 Cor. 15. 10. Phil. 3. 5. Act. 26. 5. objected, who saith that he was the least of the Apo­stles, and not worthy to be called on Apostle, yea that he was the least of all the Saints; yea which is more, that he was the chiefe of sinners; whereas elsewhere hee maketh himselfe equall to the chiefe of the Apo­stles, superiour unto them all in his labours and suf­ferings, and as touching the Law a Pharisee, yea in respect of his life and conversation of the stri­ctest of that Sect. From whence they conclude, that in those speeches wherein hee so much abased himselfe he used a modest lye, and therefore that modest lyes are in such cases lawfull. To which I answere, that hee called himselfe the least of the Apostles, and the least of the Saints, not simply and generally, but respectively, as hee expresseth himselfe, because he had persecuted the Church of God. 1 Cor. 15. 9. 1 Tim. 1. 13. In which regard also he calleth himselfe the chie­fest of sinners, as it is evident in the same places. But how can this bee other than a modest lye, that Saint Paul should call himselfe the chiefest of sin­ners, seeing others committed farre greater sinnes than hee, and yet upon their repentance were re­ceived to mercy, as Manasses? Some understand [Page 110] the words, that hee was the first of sinners (as the word may also signifie) namely the first of all those that came unto Christ, who had before persecuted him in his members. But this had beene no great aggravation of Pauls sinne, nor amplification of Gods mercy in pardoning it, both which the Apo­stle intendeth in that place. And therefore I had rather take it in a litterall sense, namely that in truth hee calleth himselfe the greatest sinner that had received mercy. First because hee speaketh as hee thinketh, and findeth himselfe in his owne sense and feeling: for as it is the nature of hypo­crisie to make our owne beames moates, and o­thers moates beames; so it is the nature of true re­pentance, to aggravate our owne sinnes, and to extenuate other mens: and when the eyes of our mindes are inlightned, wee see our sinnes to bee more in number, and more haynous in quality, either in themselves, or in respect of circumstan­ces, than wee can charitably suspect to bee in any other of Gods servants. Secondly, because hee speaketh in my judgement as the thing is. For if wee limitte his speech to the faithfull onely, who upon their repentance, have beene received to grace; (as wee must needs doe, seeing some have lived and died in their infidelity and finall impe­nitency, and others have committed the sinne a­gainst the Holy Ghost, with whom there is no probability that the Apostle compared himselfe) I say, restraining the comparison onely to penitent sinners, then it is true which the Apostle speaketh, that of all sinners he was the chiefe; whether wee consider the sinne it selfe, or as it was aggravated [Page 111] by circumstances. For he madly and maliciously persecuted the Saints of God, for their profession of Christ and the Gospell; and not being content Act. 26. 11. to blaspheme his holy Name himselfe, hee doth as much as in him lyeth, compell them also to blas­pheeme, as hee confesseth, and so lacked nothing but this of committing the unpardonable sinne, that he did it ignorantly, as himselfe acknowledge­eth. 1 Tim. 1. 13. Besides hee had great and many meanes of knowledge and of revealing unto him Christ and the Light of the Gospell, and some of them hee carelesly neglected, and some he utterly despised. Of the former sort was the Law of God, in which having great skill, he might in the ceremonies and sacrifices have seene Christ crucified before his eyes, by which, through the blindenesse of his minde, and hardnesse of his heart, hee profitted not. Of the latter was the Heavenly and Power­full Sermons of our Saviour himselfe, and of his Apostles, which were confirmed by many and wonderfull miracles, all which he despised; either not vouchsafing to heare them, or not receiving or beleeving them; so that nothing could touch his heart hardened in his sinne: And whereas some had sinned out of simple errour and ignorance, and had proceeded in their sinne, even to the crucify­ing of the Lord of Life, yet afterwards when by the Preaching of the Apostles, they were convin­ced of their sinne, they repented of it and beleeved in Christ; hee still proceedeth in his madnesse and fury to persecute the Saints of God, not conten­ting himselfe to heare that they were murthered and massacred, unlesse he stood by and satiated his [Page 112] eyes with their death and slaughter. Yea so ob­stinate he was in his sinne and rebellion, that either he must perish in it, or God must pull him out of it by strong hand, and use a miracle upon him for his conversion. By all which it appeareth that S. Paul had no neede to use the helpe of a modest lye, when he called himselfe the chiefest of sinners.

Lastly, it is objected, that our Saviour Christ §. 4. The exam­ple of our Savi­our Christ, obje­cted and answe­red. himselfe, who was greater than all the Angels, as being the Eternall Sonne of God, equall with his Father, the Prince of Angels, and as hee was our Mediator God and Man; yet in that Propheticall Psalme of his Passion and Sufferings, hee that was God maketh himselfe lesse than a man; But I (saith hee) am a worme and no man. The which is to bee understood not onely of David the Type, but also, and that chiefly of Christ himselfe the Antitype, in whose Person the Psalmist speaketh. To which I answere, that our Saviour speaketh this not sim­ply, but respectively; not what he absolutely was, nor what he was in his owne nature, or in his selfe­conceit, but what he was reputed to be in the sight and opinion of the people; who looking upon him as a Man forsaken of God, and exposed to the malice of his enemies, and being astonied at him, his visage was so marred with his sufferings more than any Esa. 52. 14. man, and his forme more than the sonnes of men; and seeing in him no forme, comelinesse nor beauty, that they should desire him: Hee was despised and rejected of men, as a man of sorrowes and acquainted with griefes, and they hid (as it were) their faces from him, hee was Esa. 53. 2, 3. despised and they esteemed him not, as the Prophet Esay prophecied of him; and in this regard he saith, [Page 113] that hee was a worme and not a man, as if hee should have said, I am so vilified of my enemies, by reason of my sufferings, and so despised, and contemned, because they see no forme or beau­tie in mee, being defaced and marred with af­flictions and persecutions, that they number mee not among men, but esteeme me no better than a contemptible worme, which is good for nothing but to be trodden under foote. And that he spea­keth this of his enemies false opinion, and not as himselfe thought or would have others to con­ceive, the words following doe sufficiently shew; I am a worme (saith he) and no man, areproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see mee, laugh me to scorne, they shoote out the lippe, and shake the head, &c.

CHAP. XII.

HAving spoken of the divers sorts of lyes, §. 1. That Lying is an hainous sin, proved by the Scriptures. and proved that they are all sinnefull and unlawfull: It now followeth ac­cording to the order which I first pro­pounded, that I set downe the meanes whereby we may be preserved from this sinne. The which are of two sorts; the first is to shew the dangerous­nesse and desperatenesse of this disease of lying, that so wee may with more earnestnesse desire to be cured; and then the remedies which may fur­ther the cure. For so much doe men sleight this [Page 114] sickenesse of the soule, as though there were no danger in it; yea so farre are the most in love with it, so loath to leave it, and so willing to live and die in this disease, which in their carnall reason they finde so pleasant and profitable, that in this, if in any other, the question of our Saviour may be well propounded to our sicke and impotent Pati­ents; wilt thou bee made whole? For as those that John 5. 6. are sicke of a Lethargy delight in sleeping, though it will bring assured death, and being rouzed out of it by their friends, are much displeased with them, because they are disturbed and disquieted: so is it with the most men in this case, apprehending no danger, and sensually feeling delight in this sickenesse, they love their disease and loath the re­medies. That men therefore may not securely sleepe in this sinne of Lying, as apprehending no danger, I will first shew the greatnesse and hainous­nesse of it in the sight of God and all good men; that so all may be brought into a hatred and dete­station of it, and then prescribe some means which may strengthen us against it. Concerning the for­mer, though lying were but a small sin in it selfe, yet it were not small unto us, if wee allow and ap­prove it, love and delight in it, seeing it is joyned with presumption and impenitency; neither (as one saith) is there any sinne so veniall, which is not Augustine made criminall, whilst it pleaseth and delighteth: But it is not so in Gods sight, how lightly soever men esteeme of it, as will easily appeare by the following discourse. For the Apostle Paul setting downe a Catalogue of most hainous sinners, as prophane persons, parricides, murtherers, adulte­rers, 1 Tim. 1. 10. [Page 115] Sodomites, men-stealers and perjur'd persons, doth ranke lyars in the reare of them; and the A­postle Iohn numbereth them with dogs, sorcerers, Apoc. 22. 15. whore-mongers and idolaters, all which shall bee excluded out of the gates of the Heavenly Jerusa­lem. And the Holy Ghost in the Hebrew tongue calleth a lye Aven, which also signifieth iniquity; implying that all lyes are iniquity, and that all ini­quity is after a sort included in a lye, seeing every sinne is in this respect a lye, as it is committed a­gainst the Truth of God which forbiddeth it. And A lyer worse than a theefe. howsoever men measuring the guilt of sinnes by their profit and disprofit, doe hang up theeves, and oftentimes laugh at lyars, yea even reward them if they be skilfull in their Art: yet is lying in it owne nature worse than theeving, and a common lyar, than a common theefe; according to that of the sonne of Syrach: A theefe is better than a man which Eccli. 20. 25. is accustomed to lye, and they both shall have destructi­on to heritage. For theft is committed immediately against men, but a lye against God, the God of Truth, and is therefore aggravated as being com­mitted against a much more excellent Object. Theft spoyleth us of our worldly goods, and hur­teth our estates, but lying exceedeth theft in theft, robbing us of a much more excellent jewell, even spirituall truth, which is the riches and ornament of the mind. Yea it depriveth both the liar and him that hearkneth unto lies of eternall salvatiō, seeing in this respect the theefe only hurteth himselfe, but cannot hinder him from the fruition of blessednes whom he robbeth, though he taketh from him his earthly riches. Againe, the Law of God appointed [Page 116] that the theefe should make satisfaction to him whom hee had wronged, by restoring unto him sowre or five fold, and so by recompence made the fault in respect of men curable; but no satisfaction is appointed to bee made unto those who are wronged by lying, there being for it no valuable recompence, seeing they are robbed of a Jewell Prov. 23. 23. above all price. Finally, lying is worse than stea­ling as being the cause of it, and the chiefe incou­ragement which setteth the theefe on worke to commit his sinne: for if men were resolved to speake nothing but truth, they would never steale, seeing when they are examined, they must confesse their offence, and receive deserved punishment; but because they hope to escape by hiding their sinne with lyes, therefore they are imboldned to the committing of it. And yet I have said nothing of the malignity of this sinne and sickenesse of the soule, more than is in theft, whereby it becommeth more contagious, infecting others with its poyson; for whereas in stealing the theefe himselfe onely sinneth, and not he that is robbed by him; in lying not onely they sinne who tell the lyes, but all they likewise who delight to heare them, and are too credulous in beleeving of them.

Yea not onely the Scriptures, but even the Hea­then writers, Poets and Philosophers, by the light §. 2. Lying con­demned as a great sinne even by the Heathens of nature have in all ages condemned lying as an hainous and hatefull vice. Many of whose sayings Stobaeus recordeth to this purpose: One saith that he is unhappy, who rather uses lies though seemingly Euripides. good, than truthes when hee judgeth them evill. And againe; certainly it is a thing intolerable to [Page 117] tell lyes. Another telleth us, that he is equally his enemy as the gates of Hell, who conceaveth one thing in his minde, and speaketh another thing with his mouth. And that Iupiter the great father [...]. Ho­mer. Iliad. lib. 4. Phocyllides. who helpeth all, yet will not be helpfull unto lyars. Another perswadeth thus; tell (saith hee) no lyes; but speake all truthes: And againe, doe not hide one thing in thy heart, and utter another with thy tongue. Another affirmeth, that every prudent Cleobulus. and wise man hateth a lye. And the Philosopher [...]. (as before was shewed) deriveth the Greeke word signifying a lye, from another which signifieth a thing dishonest and worthy reprehension, because every lye is of this nature. Finally, Plato in many [...]. Plato in Theat. lib. 2. de Repub. places condemneth lies and pleadeth for the truth. To thinke the truth (saith he) is honest, but a filthy and dishonest thing to lye: And againe, a lye is odious not onely to the gods, but also to men. And therefore if the Heathens could discover the fowl­nesse and deformities of this vice by the dimme light of nature; what a shame is it for us to bee so blinde in our understandings and ignorant, as not to discerne the uglinesse of it, when as we have the cleare sun-shine of the Gospell, and the illumina­tion of Gods Holy Spirit to guide and direct us.

But let us come more particularly to shew the §. 3. That Lying is opposite to Gods nature. haynousnesse of this vice, which will better bee cleared if we prove that it hath in it all relations of sinne, as it is committed either against God, our neighbours, or our selves; and is not onely a sinne in it selfe, but also the cause and the effect of many other evills, both of sinne and punishment, as it will appeare if wee examine some particulars. For [Page 118] first, lying is in this respect a great sinne, because it is contrary to God the chiefe goodnesse, whether we consider his Nature or his Persons. In his Na­ture and Essence he is in and of himselfe, and the fountaine of Being; and in this sense it is most true that being, Truth, and Goodnesse, are convertible and all one: He is not only True but Truth it selfe, and all other things are true in and for him. And thus he describeth himselfe; Mercifull, Gracious, Exod. 34. 6. Long-suffering, and aboundant in Goodnesse and Truth. So Moses in his song: He is a God of Truth, and with­out Deut. 32. 4. iniquitie, just and right is he. So Esay: Hee that sweareth in the Earth, shall sweare by the God of Truth; Esay 65. 16. yea hee is so essentially True, as that there is none true besides him; according to that of the Apostle, Let GOD be True, but every man a lyar; and though Rom. 3. 4. it be at mans choyce to speake the truth or to lye, yet truth being of Gods Essence, and the Truth of God, nothing but the True God, hence it follow­eth that God can no more deny the Truth, than deny Himselfe. And therefore it is said, that God is not a man that he should lye, yea though he can doe Numb. 23. 19. all things, yet He cannot lye; yea that it is impossible Tit. 1. 2. Heb. 6. 18. for God to lye, which doth not argue any impoten­cy in him, but perfection of Being, seeing if hee could lye, hee could also deny himselfe and so not be, seeing Truth in him and Being are all one. And as the former places are affirmed of the whole Di­vine nature, and so primarily of God the Father, the Fountaine of Truth and Being; so other places testifie the like of the Sonne, namely that Hee is full of John 1. 14. Grace and Trueth, and that all vers. 17. Grace and Trueth, come by him, yea that hee is the John 14. 6. Way, the [Page 119] Truth and Life it selfe: And so also of the Holy Ghost, who is called the John 14. 17. Spirit of Truth, yea, 1 John 5. 6. Truth it selfe, who proceedeth John 15. 26. from the Father and the Sonne. And those whom by regeneration hee maketh his Children, John 16. 13. He leadeth into all Truth, and worketh in them all sanctifying and saving Graces and Truth amongst the rest, which is therefore by the Apostle numbred among the Eph. 5. 9. fruits of the Spi­rit. In all which respects as it must needs follow, that Truth is a Vertue most acceptable unto God, as being according to his owne Likenesse, so also that those best please him, who resemble him in Truth, by loving, imbracing and speaking it, ap­proving themselves hereby to bee his Children, because they are like him, according to that of the Prophet Esay, Surely they are my people, Children Esa. 63. 8. that will not lye. To which purpose an Heathen Philosopher speaketh excellently, who being as­ked Pythagoras. in what thing men were most like unto God, answered [...]. i. if they speake the Truth. And in this respect their magi or magitians affirmed that their greatest god whom they called Oromagden, Serm. 11. was in his body like unto the light; and in his mind or soule like unto truth, as Stobaeus recordeth it. And excellent to this use is the etymologie of the Greeke word [...] (by which they signifie Truth) which Iamblichus bringeth, ut [...] dedu­cta sit [...], because as the Greeke word signi­fying the Truth, so Truth it selfe is derived from the gods; although others give another Etymolo­gy deriving [...] from [...], and the privative par­ticiple, because the Truth cannot lye hid. Where­by it appeareth that as Truth is deare unto God, so [Page 120] a lye, which opposeth it, is a great sinne and most odious unto him, seeing it opposeth himselfe and his owne nature, who is a God of Truth; for hee who lyeth, denieth the Truth; and he who denieth it, denieth God himselfe. Again, Truth which hath its existence in the minde against which the lyar speaketh, is of the Spirit of God, who is the Author of all Truth, and therefore what is it to lye, but to make the tongue speake against the Truth ingraven in the minde by the Spirit, and consequently to speake against the Holy Spirit himselfe who is the Lev. 6. 2. Author of it?

Secondly, by lying we sin immediately against §. 4. That Lying is a breach of Gods Comman­dement. God, in that we breake and violate his Word and holy Commandements, which injoine us to speake the Truth and not to lye, in any thing, nor at any time. For in the ninth Commandement under the name of bearing false witnesse against our neigh­bour, as in the affirmative part hee requireth all Truth, so in the negative he forbiddeth all lyes and falshood in thought, word and deede, even as un­der the name of murther, hee forbiddeth all the kindes and degrees of it; as anger, hatred, rayling, revenge, and under the name of Adulterer, all manner of filthinesse and uncleannesse. And there­fore raising of a false report by lying, and bearing Exod. 23. [...]. of false witnesse against our Neighbours, are both joyned together and forbidden in the three and twentieth of Exodus. And that we may know that lyes in no kindes were ever tolerated; God hath ever inhibited and condemned them, both in the Law, Prophets, and in the Gospell. In the Law, yee shall not lye one to another. So by the Prophet Levit. 19. 11. [Page 121] Zecharie: Speake yee every man the Truth to his neigh­bour; Zech. 8. [...]. and the Apostle Paul; Lye not one to another, seeing ye have put off the old man with his deeds. And Col 3. 9. Eph. 4. 29. to the Ephesians, Wherefore putting away lying, speake every man truth with his neighbor. So that if we have any respect either to Law or Gospell in yeelding obedience unto them, wee must speake the Truth, and abhorre lying. Finally we sinne immediately against God by suppressing truth and telling lyes; because thereby we hinder and impeach his Glory, whilest we hide our vices and faults from comming to light, and stoppe the course of Justice when it should deservedly proceede against us, to inflict upon us deserved punishment, in the execution whereof, Gods glory is advanced, as Iosuah impli­eth in his speech to Achan; My sonne, I pray thee Jos. 7. 19. give Glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confessi­on unto him, and tell me now what thou hast done.

Secondly, by lying we sinne hainously in many §. 5. That by ly­ing we sin great­ly against our neighbours by corrupting their mindes and judgements with errors and untruthes. respects, against our neighbours generally and par­ticularly. For first by lyes we corrupt and deprave their mindes and judgements, in putting downe Truth which should raigne and rule in them to di­rect them rightly in all their courses, and inthrone in the place of them false conceits and opinions, which are fit guides to misleade them into all er­rours and sinnes. Now if it bee a great wrong to blemish, deface and defile the bodies of our neigh­bours, then how much more to offer these injuries against their mindes, whilest by our strong delusi­ons wee make them to beleeve lyes? Secondly, Secondly, lyes are pernicious to all humane soci­eties in perver­ting order, and overthrowing all contracts. lyes are most pernicious to all humane Societies, and Common-wealths, by perverting that order [Page 122] which God hath appointed to bee amongst them which is, that men conversing together should by their words and speeches impart and communicate their mindes and meanings one to another, for the good of all; whereas if lyes bee spoken in stead of Truth, there can nothing follow but confusion, like that of Babel, whilest speaking one thing and thinking another, they cannot understand one a­nothers language, nor guesse at their meaning by their words, whereby the building of the State, and the worke and welfare of the Common-wealth is much hindred. For hereby all contracts, cove­nants, and intercourse of dealings betweene man; which is (as it were) the life of the Cōmon-wealth, the foode that nourisheth it, and chiefe meanes whereby it is maintained and inriched are quite overthrowne, when as men cannot give credit un­to any thing that is spoken, nor trust unto the per­formance of any promise, nor bee assured of any bargaine, seeing those with whom they deale make no conscience of lying, nor have any care to keepe their word further than feare of losse, or force of law compelleth them. The which as it is pernici­ous unto States and Common-wealths, in hindring their wealth and welfare, their livelyhood and well being in time of peace, so also it is no lesse hurtfull in time of warre, when as Nations having experi­ence of one anothers lyes and falsehood, being at enmity can conclude of no firme peace or truce, but take all advantages to worke one anothers ru­ine and utter destruction, because they have little or no hope that any covenants betweene them wil be observed.

Thirdly, these lyes are the causes of all jealou­sies §. 6. That lyes are the causes of jealousies and suspicions be­tweene man and man. and suspicions amongst men, when as there be­ing found no fidelity and truthin the speaker, there can bee no faith and beleefe in the hearer; but ha­ving often found him faulty and faithlesse, he dare no more trust him upon his word or promise, and suspitiō interpreting al that is spoken to the worst, hee will not beleeve what hee saith, neither when he lyeth, nor when he speaketh truth. And where­as it is the nature of faith, if it bee not abused to be­leeve that which another speaketh, because nature hath given men words that they may bee signes and significations, expressions and interpreters of the minde, when by lyes it is often frustrated, it cannot assent to what is spoken, but is turned to diffidence and unbeleefe. In which respect one be­ing Demetrius apud Stobaeum. asked what evill befalleth them that tell lyes, answered this, that they were not beleeved when they speake the truth. For we are apt to con­ceive that hee who hath often by lying deceived, is a lyar and deceiver still; and therefore shun all dealings, familiarity and friendship with him: be­cause wee can have no assurance of his faith and truth. So that as faith betweene man and man re­ceiveth a deadly wound by usuall lying: So is it the bane of all true friendship, when we are jealous and distrustfull one of another, and consequently pernicious to humane societies. For not onely he that hath beene deceived distrusteth the lyar who hath falsified his faith, but also he who usually lyeth distrusteth all others with whom he dealeth, mea­suring every ones shooe by his owne Last, and suspecting all others as guilty of the same vice, [Page 124] whereof his owne conscience accuseth and con­demneth himselfe, to which purpose S. Chrysostome speaketh: He that is a lyar (saith he) doth thinke Qui mendax est, neminem putat dicere veritatem, ne (que) ipsum Deum. In Math▪ 6. §. 7. That lying depriveth men of the end and use of speach. that no man speaketh the truth, no not God himselfe.

Finally, this vice of lying depriveth men of the use and end of that excellent gift and pro­perty of speech, which was given to man above all other creatures, that it might serve as a true inter­preter to make knowne our mindes, and the secret thoughts of our hearts one to another, and not to lye and deceive, seeing it were better to say no­thing than to lye, and to leave men to their owne uncertaine guesse, then by our untruthes certainly to deceive them and mislead them into errours. So Saint Augustine, every one that lyeth doth speake Omnis qui mentitur, con­tra id quod ani­ma sentit loqui­tur voluntate fallendi, &c. August. Enchir. ad Laurent. cap. 22. against that which he thinketh in his minde, with a will to deceive. Now words were therefore insti­tuted, not that by them men should deceive one another, but that every one might thereby make knowne his thoughts to others. And therefore to use words, that wee may deceive, and not for that end for which they were ordained, is a sinne.

And as this sinne of lying is pernicious to the §. 8. That lying is pernicious to every particu­lar family. Common-wealth, so also unto every particular fa­mily where it raigneth, as being the common cause of all confusion and disorder, of all evills and mischiefes which happen unto it. For as it bringeth Gods judgements upon those families where it is tolerated, as the deserved punishment of their sin, so doe they suffer many evills from one another which are the effects of it. For if the Governours be such as doe love and listen after lyes, it maketh all the servants wicked, because there will bee no [Page 125] Justice executed, no difference betweene well and ill-deserving, no rewards for the one, nor punish­ments for the other, when as the innocent and faithfull shall by lyes be traduced and branded, and the faulty and faithlesse, excused and commended. No marvell then if the governement become lame and much weakned, when as rewards and punish­ments, which are the sinewes of it, are cut in sun­der, and if there bee no good governement; how can there be any true obedience? And this is that which Salomon observeth: If (saith hee) a Ruler Prov. 29. 12. hearken unto lyes, all his servants are wicked. Againe, if in a family there be no conscience made of lying, all that live in it become negligent of their duetie, and are much emboldned to commit any fault, so it be not knowne, and to breake, burne, spoile, steale and loose any thing that belongeth to their gover­nours, when as they can by a lye deny or excuse it; neither is there any feare of shame or punishment to restraine them; seeing they can by lying so shift and shuffle off the fault from one to another, that the master of the family cannot possibly discerne who is faulty or faultlesse, and therefore is put to his choice, whether he will let the offender escape, or indanger himselfe to punish the innocent; and so either to suffer evill in others, or to bee evill him­selfe, whilest his severity is not guided by know­ledge and truth. And all this made David so out of love with lyars, that hee professeth hee would not suffer one of them to dwell in his family. Hee that worketh deceit, shall not dwell in my house; hee that tel­leth Psal. 101. 7. lyes shall not tarry in my sight.

CHAP. XIII.

BUt as lyes are in these and many other §. 1. That lying defaceth Gods Image in us, and stampeth on us the image of Sa­than. respects hurtfull to our neighbours, so are they much more pernicious to our selves; and that both in respect of the evill of sinne, and also of the evill of punishment. Concerning the former, lying is most pernitious unto our selves in many considerations. For first, it defaceth and blotteth out Gods Image in us, seeing wee resemble him not onely in wise­dome, holinesse and righteousnesse, but also in truth, which hath such relation unto them all, that it is necessarily required to their very essence and being, so that wisedome, righteousnesse and holi­nesse, are of no worth and existence, unlesse truth be joyned with them. And therefore the Apostle exhorting us to bee renewed according to Gods Image, doth bid us to put on the new man, which after [...]. Eph. 4. 24. God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse, or as the words there signifie, holinesse of truth. And this the Greeke Oratour saw by the light of nature, [...]. De­mosthenes. for being asked in what things men came neerest to the likenesse of GOD, answered, in Trueth and beneficence. Now this Trueth is most op­posed and defaced by Lying, and consequently it is most pernicious. For if wee esteeme it a great hurt, to have our eyes put out, our faces gashed and deformed, and our bodies maimed and dis­membred, [Page 127] how much more hurtfull is it to have these blemishes in our soules and to have Gods image defaced in us? And yet it doth not onely blot out of us the image of God, but it also stam­peth on us the image of Sathan and sinne. For the Devill is not onely a Lyar himselfe, but also the authour and father of lyes, according to that of our Saviour; He is a Murtherer from the beginning, Joh. 8. 44. and abode not in the trueth, because there is no trueth in him: when hee speaketh a lye he speaketh it of his owne, for hee is a Lyar and the father of it; where (as Saint Basil observeth) our Saviour putteth no difference In reg. Contract. Num. 76. of lyes, but speaketh this indefinitely of them all. And this wee see in the example of our first Pa­rents, unto whom Sathan lyeth even against God himselfe, and also teacheth them to lye; from whom this corruption and disposition of Lying is propagated to all their posterity; in the example of the foure hundred false Prophets in whose mouth Sathan was a lying spirit teaching them to lye perniciously to Ahabs destruction, as himselfe confesseth; and of Ananias and Saphira, Whose hearts 1 Kings 22. 22. Acts 5. 3. Sathan filled with deceit, to lye unto the holy Ghost, as Saint Peter speaketh. Wherein he sheweth him­selfe a right Serpent indeed, seeing he carrieth his poison in his mouth, whereby he killeth both him­selfe and others. And as the Devill is the Father of Lyars, so are they his children, in nothing more resembling him than in loving and making lyes. For in this particular respect our Saviour chiefly speaketh; Yee are of your Father the Devill, and the lusts of your Father yee will doe. Yea in this also they Joh. 8. 44. shew themselves to bee of this serpentine genera­tion, [Page 128] in that Their poison is like the poison of a Serpent, Psal. 38. 4. & 140. 3. sharpening their tongues like him, and having Adders poison under their lips. Yea herein they goe beyond their Father the Devill, in that hee beleeveth the trueth and trembleth, whereas they not onely love and make lyes, but also beleeve them more than truth, yea rather any thing more than it, according to the saying of our Saviour, Because I tell you the Joh. 8. 45. trueth, therefore yee beleeve mee not. Now what can bee more pernicious unto man, than to have Gods Image defaced in him, to become the child of the Devill, and to resemble him in sinfull Lying, seeing they that are like him in his sinne, shall hereafter be made like him in his punishments?

So also by Lying not onely the Image of Sathan §. 2. That the sinne of Lying encourageth men to commit all other wic­kednesse. is stamped upon us, but also the Image of sinne; and as thereby wee prove our selves to bee the children of the Devill, so also the servants and slaves of sinne. For as it is a great sinne in it selfe, having in it all relations of sinne, as before I have shewed; so is it the cause of many other sins, and a fruitfull mother and nurse of much other wicked­nesse, even as it is also the bastardly Brat and hellish of spring of other sinnes which like cursed fathers beget it. First it is the Cause of sinne, because it is the common encouragement which setteth men on to worke wickednes whilest they hope to hide and disguise it so with their lyes, that they shall never come to light. This emboldeneth the adul­terers to commit filthinesse, because if they be que­stioned Expè delin­quētibus prom­ptissimum est mentiri. Lys [...]s apud Stobaeum. Serm. 12. they resolve to deny it, and none can prove it but only their Partners in wickednesse. This heart­neth men to kill and slay, to coozen and deceive, to [Page 129] rob and steale, and what not? Because if they bee suspected and examined, they by their cunning lyes can hide their sinnes from the sight of men, and so escape shame and punishment. Whereas if they did not trust in lyes, Adam would not eate the forbidden fruite, Cain would not murther his brother, Iacob would not deceive his father, Iosephs brethren would not sell him to the Ismaelites, Gehazi would not take a bribe; the Harlot would not entice her young Lover to commit whore­dome and then wipe her mouth as though she had not committed filthinesse, Ananias and Saphira would not play the Hypocrites, and withold part of the price of their possession; the servant would not defraude his master, the thiefe would not steale his neighbours goods, nor the subject commit trea­son against his Prince; and as the Prophet spea­keth, Israel shall doe no iniquitie, if they will not Zeph. 3. 13. speake lyes to hide and cover it. But when men have made lyes their refuge and have hid themselves under falshood, then they are ready to make a covenant with death and an agreement with hell, and to let loose the reines to all wickednesse, because they hope for immunity and to escape punishment, and that when the overflowing scourge shall passe through, it shall Esay 28. 15. not come nigh unto them. And as Lying is the Cause, so also the Effect of sinne; which followeth it as the shadow doth the body, as we see in the exam­ple of our first Parents, who having committed sinne, did seeke to hide it with lyes and frivolous excuses, even as they did with figge leaves seeke to hide their shame. The which is also the common practice of all their degenerate posterity, who are [Page 130] no more ready to sinne, than to deny or excuse it with a lye. For that which Saint Chrysostome spea­keth Mendacil causa ex furto nasci­tur. Chrysost. in Mat. 5. Hom. 19. of stealing, that the Cause of Lying springeth from theft, the same may bee verified of all other sinnes which make men lyable to shame or punish­ment; although indeed the sinne of stealing is a most usuall cause of Lying, when as men having stollen, doe use it as a colour and cover to hide their theft, and therefore the Prophet Nahum joyneth them together as the Cause and the Effect. Woe unto the bloody citie, it is all full of lyes and robberie. Nahum. 3. 1. And as Lying is the Cause and Effect of many o­ther sinnes, so it is the meanes to make us lye and dye in them without repentance: for whereas there is no other meanes to bring us to the sight of our sinnes and unfeined sorrow for it, nor to worke in us reformation for the time to come, but the carefull and conscionable hearing of Gods Word, and Law, which convinceth us of our wickednesse and sheweth our miserable condition whilest wee continue in it, Lying doth stop our eares, that we will not listen unto it, nor beeleve it; as the Pro­phet implyeth in those words, This is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not heare the Esay 30. 9. Law of the Lord. And this commeth to passe, partly because they make lyes their refuge, and sheltring and hiding themselves under this covert, they ima­gine that as they deceive men with their lyes, so they shall also deceive God, and preserve them­selves from his just judgements, because he taketh no notice of their wickednesse: and partly be­cause being accustomed to Lying, they give no credit to the words of his Ministers and Am­bassadours, [Page 131] nor beleeve God or man in any thing which is spoken against them, as thinking that there is no more Truth in them than they finde in them­selves.

Secondly, the Lyar maketh himselfe guilty of §. 3. That the Lyar abuseth his tongue and speech. a great sin, by abusing of his tongue which should bee his glory, and which was given unto him by God as an excellent instrument to set forth his praise, to speake the trueth which his minde con­ceiveth and to discover it to others for their mu­tuall good, a privilege wherein God hath advan­ced man above all the rest of the creatures, but Lyars shamefully abuse this singular gift of God, and whereas it was given unto them as an instru­ment of righteousnesse and trueth, and for the set­ting forth of Gods praise, they make it to become a weapon or instrument of iniquity by their lying, wherewith they dishonour God and hurt their neighbors; whereby they make it appeare that they are subjects of Sathan. For whereas there are two kingdomes, the one of light, the other of darke­nesse, and God the King of the one, the Devill of the other; they have also two severall languages, the one of trueth, which is the language of the spirituall Canaan; the other of lyes, which is the idiome or language of hell: So that by our speech we may be knowne unto what Kingdome wee be­long, either of God, when we speake the truth from Psal. 15. [...]. our hearts, or of Sathan, when wee commonly lye and deceive; which language when wee usually speake, it may bee said unto us as it was unto Saint Peter, thou art a subject of the Kingdome of dark­nesse, for thy speech bewraieth thee. Now if any [Page 132] lyar shall object, that this is not his ordinary lan­guage, Incredibile est non mentiri hominem ne capiatur, qui mentitur ut capiat. i. It is not to bee beleeved but that a man will lye, that he [...] bee [...], who [...] not to [...], that he may [...] [...]nd over­ [...] ▪ August. Sen­ [...]. 2, 3. Ubi causa mē ­ti [...]n [...]i sublata est mentimur ex consuetudi­ne. Sen. Epi. 46. Qui non sedu­ctione diaboli deceptus men­titur, sed pro­posito mendax est, nunquam desinit esse mendax neque post mortem. Chrysost. in Matth. 6. Hom. 10. Matth 7. [...]2. but that he only useth it when it may seeme for his advantage; to this I answere, that a frequent act will bring an habite, and he who often lyeth for his profit, will within a while be so inured unto it, that he will bee ready to lye, out of meere vanity and love of lying, for his pleasure and delight. Yea, he will be ready to lye when hee never thin­keth of it; and as the skilfull Musition, who hath brought his hand by much practice to an habite, will play his lesson when his minde is on some other matter; so when by custome men are come to an habite of lying, they will lye at unawares, and if they bee challenged for it, they are ready to lye againe by denying that they lyed. In respect of which habite and custome, Saint Chrysostome saith, that a lyar will continue to lye even after death. He that lyeth (saith he) being not deceived by the seduction of the Divell, but willingly and of set purpose, will never leave to lye, no not after death, for death separateth the soule from the bo­dy, but doth not change the purpose of lying: wilt thou know this? consider those lyars even after death. Lord in thy name we have done this and that. Did not they know in themselves, that they never loved Christ, nor did his Will? yes, but they thinke that as in this world they have deceived men, so also there that they can deceive even God him­selfe: and therefore hee doth not say; depart from me ye that have wrought iniquity, but ye that now worke it: because wicked men cease not to be wic­ked, no not after death; seeing though they cannot now sin, yet they retain still their purpose of sining.

Thirdly, the lyar sinneth against his owne soule, §. 4. That the Lyar robbeth himselfe of his good name and credit. Eccles. 7. 1. Prov. 22. 1. in that by his lying hee robbeth himselfe of a most precious jewell, even of a good name, which is bet­ter than a precious oyntment, and much to be prefer­red before great riches; for a poore man being true and honest, is better than alyar though never so rich, Prov. 19. 22. as the wise man telleth us. Neither is it possible that a man should hold his reputation, when hee hath by lying lost all opinion of his truth, but his words are esteemed no better than winde, and if there be no clearer evidence for what he saith, then his bare word, hee is no more beleeved when hee speaketh truth, than when he lyeth▪ according to that of the sonne of Syrach: Of an uncleane thing what Eccli. 34. 4. can be cleansed, and from that which is false, what truth can come? Now what greater mischiefe can befall a man in this life, than to live infamous? what greater losse, than to loose a good name? And when it is once lost, what can againe bee more hardly recovered? If wee loose our riches, by la­bour and industry we may recover them: If wee loose our health, by physicke and good dyet it may be regained: If our bodies be sore wounded, they may be cured: but if we once loose our fame, and have woundes inflicted into our good names and reputation, they hardly admit of any cure, or if the wound bee healed, there will ever after re­maine a scarre. But there is no more ready way to bring this evill of dishonour upon us, than to bee accounted common lyars; for as the son of Syrach telleth us, The disposition of a lyar is dishonourable, and Eccli. 20. 26. his shame is ever with him. And the wise man teach­eth us the same lesson; A righteous man (saith hee) [Page 134] hateth lying, but the wicked man, that is (as the antithe­sis Prov. 13. 5. inferreth, such an one as loveth lyes) is loathsome and commeth to shame. Neither can there in common repute a greater shame befall a man, than to bee esteemed and called a lyar; whereof it is that the very name is so much abhorred in all Nations, and amongst all conditions of Men, yea even those that make no conscience of committing the sinne, that by a certaine kinde of propriety or eminency, it is called the word of disgrace, and no greater in­jury or affront can be offered unto them, than that any, upon any cause (yea even when they deserve it) shall give them the lye. Although I thinke that our great gallants doe not take the word so much to heart, because their truth is questioned and im­peached (for then they would hate the vice it selfe as much as the name) as because it toucheth them in their valour and courage, seeing lying is a base and cowardly vice, into which men oftentimes fall out of meere feare, and because they dare not speake or stand to the truth.

Fourthly, this vice of lying maketh us odious §. 5. That lyes make men odious unto God and men. both to God and men. First God abhorreth lyars, and hateth lyes, because they are contrary to his Nature, and to his Law, and not onely very sinfull in themselves, but also the causes of much wicked­nesse. And therefore Salomon numbreth it amongst those seaven abominations which God abhorreth; A proude looke, a lying tongue and hands that shed in­nocent Prov. 6. 17. Prov. 12. 22. blood. And againe, lying lippes are an abomina­tion to the Lord, but they that deale truly are his delight. And wisedome, even that eternall Word and Wisedome of the Father, his onely deare Sonne [Page 135] professeth that his mouth should speake truth, and that Prov. 8. 7. wickednesse (that is the iniquity of lying, as the an­tithesis sheweth) is an abomination to his lippes: now how odious ought this vice to be unto us, that ma­keth us odious unto God? and how ought we to love and imbrace Truth, which God so much lo­veth, according to that of Ieremy: O Lord, are not Jer. 5. 3. thine eyes upon the Truth? namely to approve, love and reward it; for he loveth Truth, and desireth it above all things in the inward parts, as the Psalmist Zech. 8. 19. speaketh. And who would not love that which God loveth? and embrace and delight in that, in which God delighteth and will reward? Second­ly, it maketh lyars odious unto men; as being a dishonest and dishonourable vice, reprehended and condemned of all as unworthy an ingenuous civill man, and much more a Christian, who professeth himselfe a servant and childe of the God of Truth. But especially, it is hurtfull to those that feare God and love his truth, and maketh those that make and love lyes odious in their eyes, according to that of the wise Salomon: A righteous man hateth lying, but Prov. 13. 5. a wicked man, that is a wicked lyar, is loathsome and commeth to shame. An example whereof wee have in David; I have (saith hee) hated them that regard Psal. 31. 5. lying vanities. And againe, I hate and abhorre lying, Psal. 119. 163. but thy Law doe I love. Yea hee maketh this a note and signe of a blessed man, that hee dis-respecteth lyars: Blessed is the man (saith he) that respecteth not Psal. 40. 4. the proud, nor such as turne aside to lyes. But though lyars are chiefly odious in their eyes, yet not in theirs onely; for even ingenuous men, though meerely civill, doe abhorre lyars as they are perni­cious [Page 136] members of a State, and bring with them much mischiefe, both to the whole Common-wealth, and also to private families and particular persons: yea oftentimes they that make no consci­ence of lying for advantage, do yet hate it in others when unpartially they looke upon it, and doe not behold it through the spectacles of selfe-love, and even they that like and love it in themselves, yet cannot indure that others should use it. Yea so loathsome it is in its owne nature, if it be not sugred and sweetned with some profit or pleasure, that though they use it, yet they are ashamed to owne it, and can upon no tearmes indure to bee branded with the name, which they hold most odious and reproachfull, though they make no scruple (so it be unknowne) to be tainted and poysoned with the vice. Finally, as lying maketh men odious both to the innocent and guilty, so it maketh the inno­cent odious to the lyar, when as hee knoweth that he hath abused them with his untruthes, according to that Italian, or rather Machivellian proverbe, whom I have wronged, I will never forgive. And this disposition the wise Salomon observeth to be in ma­licious lyars and slanderers; A lying tongue (saith he) Prov. 26. 28. hateth those that are afflicted by it: Of which this may be the reason, because they who have injured others by their lyes, doe expect from them just revenge, and upon due examination of their fault, that they will bring the truth to light, and them to suffer de­served shame and punishment. §. 6. That Lyes weaken faith and hope, dispoile us of the girdle of verity, and a good conscience.

Fifthly, lyes are pernicious unto the lyars them­selves in divers other respects; for first they wea­ken their faith in the assurance of their salvation, [Page 137] yea deprive them of all hope of Heavenly happi­nesse; seeing it is an infallible marke of one that shall dwell in this holy Hill, that hee speaketh the Psal. 15. 2. Truth in his heart. Now if we count that pernicious to our persons and state, that defaces our eviden­ces of some earthly Patrimony, and cuts off all our assurance ever to injoy it; how much more is that pernicious, that cuts off all our hopes to our ever­lasting Inheritance, and deprives us of that comfor­table note and signe, that wee have just title unto it? Secondly, it dispoyles us of a chiefe part of our Christian armour, the girdle of verity, wherewith Eph. 6. 14. all the rest is buckled unto us, and so layeth us open and naked to all the assaults of Sathans ten­tations, to bee thereby foyled, overcome, and led captive of sinne, when as he findeth us so disarmed. Thirdly, because it depriveth us of a good consci­ence, when as wee make no scruple of such a sinne as is committed directly against it, yea it wasteth and woundeth a naturall conscience, when as wee live in such a vice as it condemneth. For if consci­ence be not sear'd, it is ready as soone as a man hath lyed, to accuse him of sinne, and to testifie against him, that he hath offended God by denying truth, and done that which would be a shame and disho­nour unto him if it should come to light. And this is the cause why having lyed they are so loath to acknowledge it, but use all their Art and policy to hide and cover it, that so they may seeme not to have lyed: yea if they bee convinced or but su­spected of it, they are ready to discover their in­ward guilt of conscience by their outward blush­ing, the which is especially to be observed in chil­dren, [Page 138] who are not by custome hardned and heart­ned in their sinne; because they even naturally knowing that lying is a fowle and dishonourable vice, and that they have done evill in falling into it, as their consciences are pressed with the guilt of their sinne, so their faces are filled with the shame that accompanies it.

And thus lyars are pernicious unto themselves, §. 7. That lyes bring upon lyars the evill of pu­nishment in this life. in respect of the evill of sinne: Now further it commeth to bee considered how it bringeth upon them the evill of punishment. For howsoever it is made but a sleight sinne amongst men, and so ac­cordingly for the most part sleightly punished, yet it is haynous in Gods sight, and punished by him with great severity. And though the lyar through his cunning skill can often so hide his lyes, that men cannot discover them, and so are freed from the punishment both of their fault and lye with which they cover it, yet Gods All-seeing eye can easily finde them out in all their subtilties and cun­ning conveyances, and his mighty hand of Justice shall surely reach unto them, and inflict upon them Prov. 19. 5. deserved punishments. So the wise man saith, that howsoever it may fare with others, yet he that tel­leth Psal. 63. 11. lyes shall not escape. And though they delight to open their mouthes to lye for their advantage, yet God will stoppe them with his punishments, as the Psalmist speaketh: upon which ground in another place by a Propheticall Spirit foreseeing their im­penitence, he prayeth against them: for the sinne of their mouth, and the words of their lippes, let them even Psal. 59. 12. bee taken in their pride, and for their cursing and lying which they speake. Neither will God lightly punish [Page 139] those who love and make lyes, but it causes him to have a controversie with a land, to hasten his Assi­ses, and to inflict such heavy judgements, as will make the land to mourne, and every one that dwelleth therein to languish, as the Prophet Hosea threatneth. Hos. 4. 1. 2, 3. For he will bring upon lyars utter destruction; ac­cording to that of the Psalmist: Thou shalt destroy Psal. 5. 6. them that speake leasings; and that of the wise man. A false witnesse shall not be unpunished, and he that spea­keth lyes shall perish. To the same purpose speaketh Prov. 19. [...]. the sonne of Syrach. A theefe is better than a man that Eccli. 20. 25. is accustomed to lye, but they both shall have destruction to heritage. And because they are seldome severed either in this life, or in the life to come; therefore the Prophet joyneth the sinne and punishment to­gether: Ephraim daily increaseth lyes and desolation. Hos. 12. 1. And of this we have examples in the Scripture; as in Gehazi, whose lie was punished with a perpetuall Leprosie, upon himselfe and all his Posterity: In Haman, who slandering Mordecai and the Jewes, and by his lyes plotting their ruine, was taken in his owne net, and both hee and his sonnes hanged upon the same gallowes which hee had made for innocent Mordecai: And in Ananias and Sapphira, Hest. 3. 8. Act. 5. 2. 3. who for their lye were punished with present and sudden death. And therefore as much as wee hate death and destruction, so much let us abhor lying, which is the cause thereof; and with as much care and endeavour let us shunne the one, as well as the other.

And as God thus punisheth lyes in this life; so §. 8. That God punisheth lyars with everlasting condemnation much more fearefully in the life to come. For first it excludeth lyars out of the Kingdome of Heaven, [Page 140] seeing none are admitted to dwell in Gods Holy Psal. 15. 2. Hill, but those that speake the Trueth from their hearts; and the Gates of this Heavenly Citty are onely opened that the righteous Nation which keepeth Esa. 26. 2. the Truth may enter in. And as the Apostle Iohn tel­leth us, there shall in no wise enter into it any thing Apoc. 21. 27. that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lye. And that without the gates of the Cit­ty Apoc. 22. 15. are dogges, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murtherers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lye. Yea not onely doth this sinne of lying exclude lyars out of the Kingdome of Heaven, but also if they live and dye in it without repentance, it will irrecoverably plunge them headlong into Hell. For the same Apostle telleth us, that the feare­full and unbeleeving, and the abominable and murthe­rers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers and idolaters, and all lyars, (without any difference made of their di­vers kindes of lyes) shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the se­cond Apoc. 21. 8. death. And therefore as we love to injoy eter­nall happinesse in Heaven, so let us love to speake the Truth from our hearts, which will assure us of it; and as wee abhorre everlasting tor­ments in Hell fire, so let us hate and abhorre Lyes, which are the meanes, that will bring us to them.

CHAP. XIV.

ANd thus have I shewed that lyes are §. 1. That lyes are odious, be­cause most oppo­site to truth. accompanied with all manner of evils, both of sinne and punishment, and that both in this life, and in the Life to come. Unto which divers other mo­tives might be added, to bring us into a further de­testation of this vice, though none more effectuall than those already named, if wee have any respect to Gods glory, our Neighbours good, our owne present comfort and well-being, and the everla­sting salvation of our body and soules. As first that as lyes are friends and fanters of all vices, causing and incouraging men to fall into them, and to live in them without repentance; so they are enemies and opposites to all Vertues, and especially to Truth, Justice and Charity. First, they stand in di­rect opposition to Truth, so that where they are set up, there Truth falleth and fayleth; and where Truth is magnified and imbraced, lyes are con­demned and banished. And this opposition be­tweene lyes and Truth the Apostle Iames noteth; Jam. 3. 14. Lye not (saith he) against the Truth: and the Apostle Iohn likewise, where hee saith, that hee who brag­geth 1 John 2. 4. 21, 27. that hee knoweth God, and keepeth not his Com­mandements hee is a lyar, and the Truth is not in him. Yea they are such contraries as have no meane, but the presence of the one argueth the absence of [Page 142] the other, and the same heart at the same time can­not love and delight in both, but if it loveth and delighteth in lyes, it hateth and abhorreth the Truth. And therefore seeing Truth is a most ex­cellent Vertue, and exceeding pleasing and accep­table unto God, as being like unto him in his owne Nature; It must needs follow by the rule of con­traries, that lying is a most base and dishonourable vice, and most odious and abominable unto God, as being opposite to his owne Nature. Neither may wee qualifie and extenuate the sinne by our distinction of merry, officious and pernicious lyes: for howsoever these severall kindes may in other respects, bee much more hainous and wicked one than another, much more odious to God and men; and will condemne lyars to greater or lesser pu­nishments in Hell fire; yet all of them are alike odious and abominable in this, that they are all opposite to that excellent vertue of Truth, and in every kinde of them, contrary to Gods pure and perfect Nature, who is essentially true and Truth it selfe. In which regard even the best sort of offi­cious lyes are evill and sinfull, as namely when as men will tell them to confirme the Truth of Scrip­ture, and to perswade men more strongly and effe­ctually to imbrace, professe and practice the true religion, by reporting fained miracles that have beene for merly wrought for the confirmation of this Truth, which, as also others of like nature, are called pious lyes. For first they are contrary to Truth, an excellent Vertue, and therefore must needes be vicious; they are opposite to Gods Na­ture, and dishonourable unto him, as though hee [Page 143] were not able to maintaine his Truth, unlesse wee helped him with our lyes; neither do they so much grace and confirme the Truth of religion, when they are kept secret, as disgrace and weaken it, when they are discovered and come to light: nor so much strengthen mens faith in beleeving it, be­ing thus countenanced with lying wonders; as weaken it when the deceit is knowne, seeing these pious and officious lyes will make men, when they are discerned jealous and suspicious of reall truths, and take away from their teachers all power in per­swading, making their arguments and motives un­to piety of no credit or efficacy; seeing they that are moved and perswaded, are ready to suspect that their speeches are all alike; that seeing they have told them of false miracles, therefore there are none true, but all of one kinde, although some more than other, are more cūningly acted; and that all the reasons and motives which they use to per­swade men to a godly life, are nothing but officious lyes, which their teachers out of a pious affection and intention, use to countenance religion, and to make their exhortations and perswasions unto pie­ty and honesty, more forcible and efficacious. And this was the reason which made Saint Au­gustine August. lib. E­pistol. Epist. 15. oppose Saint Ierome, who maintained the lawfulnesse of such officious and pious lyes; be­cause if this were once permitted as lawfull or to­lerable it would take away all authority in the tea­cher, all faith and beliefe in the hearer; yea make the Scriptures themselves to bee suspected: so as no admonitions, reproofes or counsells can bee given with any fruite, because the hearers and rea­ders [Page 144] will easily surmise, that the things they heare and read are but pious and officious lyes, to bring into, and keepe men in the right way: and not be­cause they have in them any reallity of Trueth. And therefore seeing these lyes are also unlawfull as being opposite to Truth; I conclude that there are not any lawfull, according to that of Saint Au­gustine: There are (saith he) many kindes of lyes, Mendaciorum genera multa sunt quae qui­dem omnia uni­versaliter [...]disse debemus. Cont­mendac. ad Con­sent. lib. 2. cap. 3. all which universally we ought to hate. For there is no lye which is not contrary to Truth; for as light and darkenesse, piety and impiety, justice and iniquity, sinne and righteousnesse, health and sick­nesse, life and death; even so Truth and lying are contrary to one another, and therefore as much as we love that, so much ought this to bee hated and abhorred. And againe, those things which are done against the Law of God cannot bee just, and David saith unto God, thy Law is Truth; so that Psal. 119. what is against Truth, cannot bee just, as all lyes are, &c. And therefore when examples of lying are alleadged out of the Scriptures, either they are not lyes, but are onely thought so, because they are not understood, or if they bee lyes, they may not be imitated, because they are not just, as being against Truth.

And this is the next motive to make us to ab­horre and forsake lyes, because they are also oppo­site §. 2. That lyes are opposite to Justice. to Justice, the which consisting in an evennes, equality, and just proportion and agreement of one thing with another, that is to be esteemed un­just wherein there is inequality and disagreement. And consequently there is unjustice and iniquity in every lye, wherein there is no equality or agree­ment [Page 145] betweene the speech and the minde: this conceiving one thing, and the tongue uttering ano­ther; that dictating what is the truth, and this speaking what is false. To which purpose Saint Augustine thus speaketh; every one who lyeth, Omnis qui mē ­titur iniquita­tem facit, &c. August. dedoctr. Christiana. Tom. 3. col. 19. doth iniquity, and if it seemeth unto any that a lye is sometimes profitable, it may also seeme unto him that it is profitable to commit iniquity; for no man that lyeth, in that wherein he lyeth keepeth his faith: For his will is that he to whom he lyeth should have faith to beleeve him, which notwith­standing in lying to him, himselfe keepeth not; now every one who violateth his faith is unjust. And therefore either injustice is sometimes profi­table, or else a lye is alwayes unprofitable: and hereof it is that the Prophet Zephany joyneth these two together: The remnant of Israel shall not doe Zeph. 3. 13. iniquity, nor speake lyes, neither shall a deceitfull tongue bee found in their mouth. And so Malachie, affir­ming that Truth was in Levies mouth, denyeth also that there was iniquity found in it. The Law Mal. 2. 6. of Truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lippes. And therefore as wee love Justice, so also we must love Truth; and if we would not bee accounted unjust and wicked, we must be carefull to hate and shunne lying.

Finally, lying is contrary to Charity, which as §. 3. That lyes are opposite to Charity. 1 Cor. 13. 6. the Apostle speaketh delighteth and rejoyceth in the Truth: Now Charity is the fulfilling of the whole Law, and compriseth in it all duties towards God, our neighbours and our selves: and therefore lying in this respect, as it opposeth Charity, transgresseth the whole Law of God; for first, it dishonoureth [Page 146] God, and robbeth him of his Glory, as in those re­spects formerly spoken of, namely because it is con­trary to Gods Nature and Truth, and transgresseth his Word and revealed Will; so also because the Lyar, like the Divell, in a sort blasphemeth God in opposing his workes, taking upon him to give a being to that which is not, and to make something of nothing, which is proper and peculiar to divine Omnipotency, which neverthelesse is but an apish imitation, and not done in Truth; for whereas God by his Almighty Power giveth a true being to things that are not, and maketh all things of no­thing; the Divell and those his children that re­semble him in lying, doe not by their words give a true being to things that are not, but onely labour to imitate God herein as much as they are able, gi­ving unto them a false being in the opinions of those whom they deceive with their lyes, and though they are not, yet make them seeme to bee in shew and appearance. Even as the Divell by his jugling trickes and impostures, casteth false mists before mens eyes, and maketh them beleeve that they see many things which they see not, and which in truth are not, whilest being unable to give a true existence to these things, he onely deludeth and abuseth their phantasie. Secondly, it is con­trary to true Charity in respect of our neighbors, seeing it robbeth their mindes of that precious Jewell of Truth, and putteth in the place thereof (as it were) the base bugles and worthlesse coun­terfeits of lyes, besides all those evills and mis­chiefes, of which I have formerly spoken. Finally, it is most contrary to that Charity and Love which [Page 147] every man oweth to himselfe, seeing it bringeth upon a man innumerable evills, spoyling him of truth, and many other graces in this life, and de­priving him of all hope to injoy eternall blessed­nesse, or to escape the everlasting torments of Hell fire in the life to come.

Againe, (for a conclusion of this point) that we §. 4. That lying is but a vaine and sleight vice. may be moved to loath lying, let us consider, that as it is base and dishonourable, so it is but a vaine and sleight vice, which hath no solidity or sub­stance in it, and therefore lasteth and endureth not, but onely serveth for the present turne, to make a seeming and false shew, and then like a snuffe, the blaze going out, it endeth in stinke. It may seeme to bring profit for the time, and to make us rich like a Bristoll Diamond or counterfeite Pearle, but be­ing so soft that it will not indure the hard touch of a wise tryall, it will soone loose its glosse and glo­ry, and make the owner if hee have given oughts for it, a looser by his bargaine. It may like glitte­ring tinsell seeme for the time rich, and make a faire shew, and promise also to cover our naked­nesse, but even whilest it seemeth outwardly to hide our sinne and shame, we are inwardly in our hearts and consciences never the warmer in respect of peace and sound comfort; and within a while this base and sleight stuffe will bee worne out to ragges, so that it will bee easie to see through it, and to discerne all that nakednesse and filthinesse of vice and sin, which at the first they promised to hide. To which purpose the wise Salomon speake­eth excellently: The lippe of Truth shall be established Prov. 12. 19. for ever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment. The [Page 148] which even the Heathens have found by their Menander apud Stobaeū. Serm. 12. owne experience. For one of them saith, that no lyar can long lie hid. Another speaketh the same more elegantly: no lye proceedeth and liveth un­to Sophocles. old age. And the Oratour telleth us, that all Ficta omnia celeriter tan­quam flosculi decidunt; nec simulatū quic­quam potest esse diuturnum: Cic. offic. lib. 2. [...] ex eo dicitur quod non possit [...], id est, la­tere. Pro Coelio. Nihil simulatio proficit, paucis imponit, leviter extrinsecus in­ducta facies. Veritas in om­nem partem sui semper ea­dem est. Quae decipiunt nihil habent solidi. Tenue est men­dacium; perlu­cet si diligenter inspexeris. Sen. Epist. 79. §. 5. That lying though it bee sleight, yet is a laborious vice. Oportet men­dacem esse me­morem. fained things fade and fall like flowers; neither can any thing which is false and dissembled hold out long. Hence it is that the Graecians call Truth by a name which signifieth such a thing as cannot lie hid; but as the same Author speaketh, though by the dishonesty of many it may bee depressed, yet it riseth againe, and though the defence of innocen­cy may be checked and interrupted, yet in a while it will breath againe and get life. So Seneca (like himselfe) speaketh to this point wittily and fully. No dissembling (saith he) profitteth, it deceiveth but a few, sleightly drawing outwardly over it a false semblance. Truth is alwayes the same, and which way soever ye turne it, good on both sides. Those things that deceive, have in them nothing solid. A lye is so thinne a thing, that if thou doest diligently looke into it, thou mayest see through it.

And yet (which may be another motive to make us hate lying) though it bee but a vaine and sleight vice, and of short durance; yet it is no easie thing, but requireth much labour. For it putteth the wit to its strongest invention, and trieth to the utter­most the memory, and even tyreth it with much exercise; that the parts of their lyes may agree one with another, and when they are repeated, may seeme (like truth) to be alwayes the same: where­in if there be for want of wit or weakenesse of me­mory [Page 149] the least fayling, they are taken tripping and tardy in their tale, and sometimes punished both for their fault and falsehood, but alwayes at the least shamed and disgraced. In which regard when they have toyled themselves in their uttermost in­deavours to hide their sinne, yet are they alwayes upon the racke, and even when they are safe, they are not secure, but still in feare lest their lyes shall come to light; If at least their impudence armed with power doe not incourage them to out-face the Truth, and restraine their inferiours to whom they lye, from pressing them any further than will stand with their liking. An example whereof we have in Iacob, who intending to steale a blessing from his Father, doth use the uttermost of his wit and memory to interweave cunningly the webbe of his lyes, that he might not be discovered. And yet when he had improoved his lying Arts to the uttermost advantage, with what feare doe you thinke was he surprised? with what shaking hands and trembling voyce did he utter his lyes, whilest he doubted, lest his father discovering his fraude, hee might bring upon himselfe a curse in stead of a blessing. And therefore well might the Prophet speake of Jerusalem, that shee had wearied her selfe Ezech. 24. 12. with lyes, and yet her great scumme, even her pollu­ting sinnes and the guilt of them, was not gone out of her: for they that delight not to speake the truth, but have taught their tongues to speake lyes, doe (as Ieremy speaketh) weary themselves to commit Jer. 9. 5. iniquitie. So that the Art of lying may well bee compared to the Spiders web, in weaving where­of shee taketh great paines, yea spendeth and wa­steth [Page 150] out her owne bowels, though it serveth for no other use but to catch a few flies; and when all is done, shee cannot bee secure in her weake hold, but might justly feare (if shee had as much wit as a lyar) that she shall bee beaten out of it with every blast of winde, or brush of a broome: whereas on the other side, the way of truth is so plaine and ea­sie, that a weake memory, if we have once gone in it, will serve our turne to goe it againe; and where­as errour is manifold, it is ever one and the same, so that we may with confidence proceed in it, and not feare to bee tripped and catched, though wee are examined at severall times and before divers persons, because if wee know the truth, and speake nothing but what we know, the oftner we relate it the more we shall confirme it, seeing we shall still speake the same thing without varying in any matter of substance from that we have first spoken. And with this the judgement of Saint Augustine accordeth: The fictions of a lye (saith he) are very Difficillima & laboriosa sunt figmenta men­dacii. Qui ve­rum vult dicere non laborat. &c. Aug. Sen­tent. 66. difficult and laborious; whereas hee who desireth to speake the truth is at no great paines. For good men are farre quieter than those that are evill, and the words of those who speake truth, are much more absolute than the lyes of deceivers. And therefore if we would not take much pains to little purpose, and not with great danger goe the fur­ther way about, when wee may goe the next way with ease and safety; Let us not labour to com­passe our endes by false sleights, and lyes, which have alwayes in them more frothy subtilty, than substantiall solidity; but seeke to attaine unto them in the plaine and safe wayes of simplicity and truth. [Page 151] In which wayes if Iacob had walked, hee had pre­vented many dangers, escaped many cares and toilsome labours under a churlish uncle and deceit­full master, and with much more speed and safety had attained unto his end, and quietly enjoyed both birth-right and blessing.

CHAP. XV.

HItherto I have shewed the reasons which §. 1. The first meanes is seri­ously to meditate of the manifold evils which ac­company lyes. may move us to loathe and abhorre Lying, as a pernicious Vice; and if wee bee inclined to this disease or al­ready tainted with it to desire earnestly, that wee may be preserved from it or cured of it; and now in the next place, if this desire by the former mo­tives bee wrought in us, it is necessary that wee carefully use all good meanes which may strengthen us against this poisonous contagion like soveraigne antidotes, or if wee bee already infected, may re­cover us out of it. Now these meanes either re­spect meditation or affection and action. First, if we would shun or leave Lying, we must often and seriously meditate on the manifold evils both of sin and punishment before spoken of, as that it is dis­honourable unto God and consequently odious and hatefull to his pure and perfect Nature, most injurious to our neighbours and therefore abhor­red of all, and unto our selves most pernicious both in respect of our soules and bodies, in this life [Page 152] and the life to come. For the reason why men are so apt to commit this sin, is because they so much slight it, as though it were no sinne at all, or if it bee any, yet so small and veniall, that it may well passe among humane frailties and infirmities; by which also wee have little dammage, seeing it is so common amongst men, that the multitude of offenders taketh away the shame, and maketh it seeme to bee no sinne; and on the other side brin­geth with it so much seeming profit and benefit, that it doth much overballance all the evils which doe accompany it. All which false conceits will easily vanish, if we throughly weigh and consider the manifold and great evils of this sinne which I have formerly discovered; and contrariwise the excellency of Trueth, and the innumerable bles­sings that it bringeth to those who love and embrace it both in this world and the world to come.

Secondly, let us consider that wee are alwayes §. 2. That wee consider that we are alwaies in Gods sight. in Gods sight and presence, who is omniscient, and searcheth and knoweth the very secrets of our hearts, and taketh notice when wee lye, what di­stance and disagreement there is betweene our mindes and tongues; and omnipotent also to pu­nish those sinnes which is all-seeing eye discove­reth; and most true, as well in his threatnings as promises, so that hee will not let Lyars goe unpu­nished, seeing hee hath threatned to destroy them Psal. 5. 6. Apoc. 21. 8. and cast them into hell. And therefore what will it advantage the Lyar, though hee can so cunningly coine his lyes that they will for a time goe currant amongst men; if his Lord and Soveraigne disco­vereth his falsity and treason? What if hee can [Page 153] tell his tale so smoothly that the standers by will acquit him as innocent, when as the Judge himselfe seeth his guilt and sinne? So Augustine, Thou Mentiri Deo potes; fallere non potes, &c. In Euang. Jo­hannis. Tract. 26 maist lye unto God, but thou canst not deceive him. For he knoweth what thou dost; hee seeth thee inwardly, inwardly hee beholdeth, exami­neth and judgeth thee; inwardly hee either dam­neth or crowneth thee.

Thirdly, let us consider that Trueth rather than §. 3. The third meanes is to con­sider that Truth is the best and readiest way to attain our ends. lyes is a better and more likely meanes to attaine unto our ends, either of obtaining some benefit desired, or of escaping some punishment feared. For the events and issues of all things are in Gods hand: hee it is that by his blessing conferreth be­nefits, and in his just judgement inflicteth punish­ments, and the hearts of all men are at his dispo­sing, either to like or dislike us, to favour and fur­ther us for our good, or to bee the instruments of his justice to doe us hurt: For they are all but tooles in the hand of the great Worke-man, by whom he effecteth what hee will, according to his good pleasure. Now then which is the likelier way for the compassing of our desires, either in the obtaining of good or the avoiding of evill, to please God by speaking Trueth, or to offend him by telling lyes, seeing all things are at his dispo­sing?

Lastly, let us meditate and consider that there will come a Day of Judgement when the secrets §. 4. The fourth meanes is to me­ditate on the Day of Judge­ment. of all shall bee disclosed, and whatsoever is done in the darke shall bee brought to light. At which Day we shall all appeare before Christs Tribunall, to give a reckoning of all that wee have done in 1 Cor. 6. 9. [Page 154] the flesh, yea to give an account of every idle word Matth. 12. 36. as our Saviour speaketh, and how much more of lyes, whereby wee have dishonoured God, and hurt both our neighbours and our selves. Now if it were a great shame to have all our lyes written in our foreheads, or if they bee not large enough, to have them published in the market place, and set up upon every poste and pillar in the street; then what shame and confusion shall cover their faces, when as they shall bee discovered at this dreadfull Day in the presence of Men and Angels, and when as Sathan finding his marke and image upon Lyars shall owne them for his children, and carry them with him to inherit their patrimony in that Lake which burneth with fire and brim­stone?

And these are the meanes which respect medi­tation: §. 5. Of the meanes which respect affection and action; first, that wee worke our hearts to a love of Truth. the meanes which respect affection and acti­on are divers; the first is that we worke our hearts to the love of the Truth; by considering the beau­ty, excellency, profit and necessity of it; whereof it will come to passe that wee shall so esteeme it that wee will purchase it at the dearest prices, but not sell it at any rate, according to that of the wise man, Buy the Trueth, but sell it not. And if we love Prov. 23. 23. and highly esteeme the Trueth, then will wee hate lyes as opposite unto it, and then will wee delight and rejoyce in it as in a precious jewell. But if we will not receive it with love and delight, God will leave us to the vanity of our mindes, the corrupti­on of vile affections, and unto strong delusions 2 Thes. 2. 11. both to make, beleeve and delight in lyes.

The second meanes is that wee set a carefull [Page 155] watch over our lippes and tongue, that wee doe §. 6. The second meanes is that we set a watch ouer our tongues. not speake vainely, nor rashly and unadvisedly. For commonly in many words there are some un­trueths, and they that are rash in their words, speake oftentimes they know not what, and for want of consideration, at unawares speake lyes in stead of Trueth, and having once spoken them, they will stand to what they have said for their credits sake, and to tell a second lye to make the former seeme trueth. And therefore if we would avoid Lying, wee must with David, looke carefully to our wayes, and keepe our mouthes, as with a bridle, Psal. 39. 1. that we sinne not with our tongues.

The third meanes is, That we mortifie our car­nall §. 7. The third meanes is that we mortifie our carnall lusts which are the causes of Lying. and worldly Lusts, which are the common Causes of Lying, as first and principally carnall and inordinate feare, whereby we feare men more than God, and so become more carefull to please them, that they may favour and reward us, and to avoid their anger and displeasure that they may not hurt or punish us, than to please God or avoid his wrath who hath all power in his hand to reward or pu­nish us both in this life or the life to come. And this moveth men to tell Lyes, because they looke onely to the present and not to eternity; and chuse rather thereby to hazard their soules and bodies to everlasting destruction, than to suffer temporary evils, or to endanger themselves to present punishments. And therefore if we would avoid Lying, let us mortifie this carnall feare, and consider for this end, how much more fearefull it is to fall into the hands of the everliving God, who is a consuming Fire, than into the hands of [Page 156] mortall men, who when they have done their worst, can but punish or kill the body, whereas he Matth. 10. 28. is able to cast body and soule into hell, as our Savi­our speaketh. Secondly, wee must if wee would avoid Lying, mortifie our carnall love of the world and earthly things, whereby wee are ordinarily tempted to the committing of this sin. For who doth not see that they who set their hearts immo­derately on riches, are ready upon all occasions to lye and deceive that they may get and encrease their wealth? and that they who dotingly affect honours, make no scruple to supplant others by their Lyes and machievellian policies and deceits that they may raise themselves by their ruine.

The fourth meanes is that we bee more carefull §. 8. The fourth meanes is that we be more care­full to flie sinne than the punish­ment due unto it. to flie sinne, than the punishment due unto it, and to avoid Lying than the evils of smart and shame that doe accompany it. For what is the reason which moveth men so often to fall into this sin of Lying? but because they make no conscience of sinne, and when they have committed it, and expect disgrace or punishment, if it should come to light, they use all their lying Arts to hide it, facing and out-facing the Trueth, that their faults may not be discovered, nor they punished according to their demerits. Whereas if men should labour in all things to keepe a good conscience, they would not feare to have what they doe knowne unto any; and if they walked in the wayes of innocency, they would not feare to goe in the wayes of Trueth. And therefore if we would not lye, wee must carefully avoid the doing of any thing, which being done, if we be examined, we are not willing to confesse: [Page 157] or if through frailty and infirmity we have failed in our duty, let us rather acknowledge our fault, than hide and excuse it by a lye; and chuse rather to undergoe the penalty and punishment, than to free our selves from it by committing sinne. To which end let us consider, that sinne is the grea­test evill, as being an offence against an infinite Ju­stice and Majestie, provoking an infinite wrath, and so deserving as the due merit of it an infinite and everlasting punishment. And therefore what is all the shame and punishment of this world unto which wee shall indanger our selves by acknow­ledging our faults, and confessing the Truth; in comparison of Gods wrath, which is a consuming fire, and which by lying wee kindle against us, and those everlasting Torments in the flames of Hell?

The fifth meanes is to use all our lawfull indea­vour §. 9. The fifth meanes that we with all lawfull indeavour shun poverty. for the preventing of poverty, and to get such a sufficiency and competency of estate, as that we may have wherewith to provide necessaries for our selves and those that belong unto us, and to supply craving and pressing wants when they im­portune us. For as the immoderate love and de­sire of riches and aboundance, is a strong tentation to draw men to this sinne of lying (as I have shew­ed) so the feare of want, and the sense and smart of penury, is no lesse potent and powerfull, to make them leave truth and to tell lyes, when they seeme helpefull for the bettering of their estate. And this wee finde by dayly experience; for who seeth not that lyes, (above all sorts of men) are most fre­quently used among them that are of poorest con­dition, [Page 158] being necessitated hereunto by their pinch­ing wants and penury? And this the wise Agur well knew, who having intreated God to remove Prov. 30. 8. farre from him vanity and lyes, prayeth in the next place that he would give unto him neither poverty nor riches, but feede him with foode convenient for him: because as they who desire abundance, commonly use lying, that they may get and increase their wealth; so they that live in want and misery, doe as usually fall into this sinne of lying, that they may supply their necessities and free themselves from the smart of penury. In which respect those that will avoide this sinne of lying, must doe their best to preserve themselves from extreame poverty; and to this end use all good providence in getting and keeping a sufficient competency of estate, and all industry, diligence and painefulnesse in the du­ties of their particular callings, craving Gods bles­sing upon their labours, who onely giveth power to get riches; and except he build the house, they labour in Prov. 10. 22. Deut. 8. 18. Psal. 127. 1. vaine that build it. For as the Apostle speaketh of stealing, so I may say the same of lying; let him that lyed lye no more, but rather let him labour working Eph. 4. 28. with his hands the thing that is good, that hee may have to give to him that needeth, seeing it is no lesse possi­ble to avoide lying than stealing, if through negli­gence in our callings wee fall into want and pe­nury.

The last and chiefe meanes is fervent and effe­ctuall §. 10. The sixth meanes is effe­ctuall Prayer. prayer unto God, that he will fill our hearts with Grace and Trueth, and with his Holy Spirit leade and guide us in it; that hee will worke an high esteeme and love of Truth in us, and an utter [Page 159] detestation of lying, which is so dishonourable un­to him, and pernicious unto us, and that hee will set a watch before our mouthes and keepe the doore of our Psal. 141. 3. lippes, that no lyes may issue out of them: wherein we have David for our example, who prayeth ear­nestly, that God would remove from him the way of lying, in which hee was apt to walke, if he should Psal. 119. 29. be left unto his naturall corruption, as hee had di­vers times found by woefull experience; and also the wise Agur, who prayeth fervently that God would remove farre from him vanity and lyes, the which (it seemeth) hee so much detested, that hee could not indure the very neighbor-hood of them. Neither is it inough that we use the former means, unlesse God by his blessing give such vertue and power unto them, that they may preserve us from this sinne; nor with David that we resolve to looke to our wayes, and keepe our mouthes with a bridle, that wee offend not with our tongues: (for as the Apostle Iames telleth us, The tongue is a fire, and a world of ini­quity, Jam. 3. 6, 8. and an unruly evill, which no man can tame) un­lesse the Lord joyne with us and give us helpe, by Judg. 12. 6. setting also his Watch before our mouthes, and keeping the doore of our lippes, that no lying and lisping Sibboleth may passe out of them, nor any speech which bringeth not with it the Watch-word of Trueth.

CHAP. XVI.

ANd thus having through Gods graci­ous §. 1. The first use, that wee have Truth in high esteeme. assistance handled the pointes, which in the beginning of this Trea­tise I propounded, and shewed the na­ture of this vice, what it is, the causes and kindes of it, with the meanes whereby we may bee preserved from this common infection, or cu­red if we bee tainted with it; it now followeth in the last place, that I adde a word or two by way of use. And first, seeing Truth is such an excellent Vertue and precious Jewell, let this move us high­ly to prise and dearely love it, and following the wise mans counsell, let us buy it though it cost us Prov. 23. 23. deare, but never sell it at any rate. For though it may seeme at the first sight that we have much da­mage and disadvantage by it, and that by speaking the simple truth wee make our selves a prey to the crafty, who have great helpe by their lyes to cir­cumvent and deceive us; that wee have much losse in our trading and bargaining, buying and selling when wee are restrained in our liberty of lying, whilest that others that make no conscience of it, have many helpes and advantages thereby to fur­ther their ends, and advance their gaine: And fi­nally, that wee shall by confessing the Truth, when we have offended, incurre much displeasure, and expose our selves to the hard opinions of those that [Page 161] are set over us, yea oftentimes to rigour and pu­nishment; whereas others more faulty by the helpe of their Iyes doe frame such excuses, that they are acquitted as blamelesse, held in good esteeme, yea sometimes praysed and rewarded as innocent and well deserving: yet let us rest assured that by lo­ving and speaking Truth, wee shall finde our selves gainers in the end. For first Truth it selfe is such an unvaluable Jewell, that it is sufficient to inrich its owners by it selfe, and to make full amends for all the inconveniences, disadvantages, losses and punishments which they have by it; seeing it is ac­companied with the inward peace of a good con­science, and Spirituall joy in the assurance of Gods Love and our Salvation. Besides it will make us acceptable unto God, who is in himselfe alone All-sufficient to reward our loving and im­bracing of Truth in obedience to his Comman­dement; and to recompence abundantly all incon­veniences and disadvantages which we have by it. For he is infinitely wise, and knoweth how to up­hold us in our simplicity and Truth against all the cunning machinations of crafty Machiavells: He Psal. 24. 1. is infinitely rich, as being the Lord and Owner of Heaven and Earth, and therefore able abundantly to recompence all losses which wee have by spea­king Truth and shunning lyes, and to give us suffi­cient riches by honest meanes, and together with them such inward joy and peace, that wee shall ex­perimentally say with the Psalmist, A little that a Psal. 37. 1 [...] ▪ righteous man hath, is better than the riches of many wicked; and with the wise man: Better is a little with Prov. 16. [...] ▪ righteousnesse, than great revenewes without right. Fi­nally, [Page 162] by his Power and Providence he ruleth our rulers, and so disposeth of their hearts, that they will as much like us for our truth and simplicity, when we acknowledge our faults, as mislike us for the committing of them; and spare us for our in­genuity, rather than punish our defects and failings: or otherwise if they inflict upon us as much or much more than we have deserved, if wee beare it with meekenesse and patience, we shall have more peace and comfort in our suffrings than we should have had, if wee had prevented and escaped them by telling of lyes. In which respects let us not on­ly Jer. 9. 3. stand for the Truth, but be valiant also in defen­ding and preserving of it; seeing all that wee can doe or suffer, is not comparable unto those benefits which we shall receive by it.

Secondly, seeing it hath beene shewed and pro­ved §. 2. The second use is that wee abborre lyes. to the convincing of all mens Consciences not wilfully blinde, that lying is a most odious vice, dishonourable unto God, and pernicious to our selves and neighbours; let us not upon any pretence of pleasure or profit bee allured to like or love it; or if wee have formerly beene overtaken with it, yet let us not continue in it, but rise out of this sinne by unfained repentance. For howsoever heretofore our ignorance might make it the more excusable, because wee did not know that it is so odious unto God, so hainous in it selfe and perni­cious unto us; yet now that the light of Truth hath laid it open in its owne colours and shape, if we still make no conscience of committing it, nor lay it to heart to bewaile, hate and turne from it by unfai­ned repentance, wee shall be left unexcusable, and [Page 163] sinning against the light of our owne knowledge, wee shall hereby aggravate our sinne, and increase our punishment.

Finally, seeing this vice is so hatefull and abomi­nable, §. 3. The third use is that Ma­gistrates should indeavour by all meanes to sup­presse this vice. and bringeth with it so many and great evils, both to private Persons, and to all Families and Societies, Church and Common-wealth, and af­ter this life hellish misery, and eternall condemna­tion: Let this moove all men in their severall pla­ces and callings to use their best indeavours to sup­presse this vice, and to amend and reforme it both in themselves and others. And first, Magistrates should be perswaded to doe all they can to discoun­tenance this vice by making good lawes against it; and seeing them duely executed, because it is no lesse dangerous to a State, than any other vices, as being an incourager to all wickednesse, and the co­lour and cover which doth conceale and hide it. And therefore as Plato thought those Common­wealthes most miserable, which abounded with Lawyers and Physitians, because in them conten­tions and suites, sickenesses and diseases abound al­so; so may it much more truely bee spoken, that those States and Kingdomes are most miserable, in which lyes are most frequent without controule or punishment, because it argueth plainely the a­bounding of all other vice, seeing their chiefe use is to cover all other sinne, and incourage to all wickednesse, whilst they promise to hide it. But especially it must be the care of Governors and Ru­lers to stoppe their eares to tale-bearers and lyars, because it is the receivers that make theeves; and if they had no eare to listen unto lyes, men would [Page 164] have no tongues to tell them; if they with their countenance, (as a North winde the raine) would drive them away, they would quickely leave their Prov. [...]. lying, and labour to regaine their favour by spea­king of Truth, whereas If a Ruler hearken unto lyes, Prov. 29. 12. all his servants are so wicked as to tell them; if the King will be made glad with wickednesse, and the Princes Hos. 7. 3. with lyes; those that are about them will to their uttermost skill use all their lying Arts to please and delight them.

But though the care of reforming this vice §. 4. The fourth use is, that wee doe our best to prevent this sin in others. ought to be chiefly in Rulers and Magistrates, yet not in them onely; but every Christian ought to doe his best to maintaine and nourish Trueth, and to suppres this Vice of lying both in himselfe and others. Especially it concernes every man to take heed, that hee so carry himselfe in his entercourse and dealings, that he be not a cause or occasion unto his neighbor of falling into this sin. And because it is most frequently cōmitted in buying and selling, the Seller labouring to raise his commodity by telling untrueths, and the Buyer to pull downe the price by dispraising it, therefore let us not only watch over our owne tongues that wee doe not offend, but also avoid all occasions whereby our neighbour with whom we deale may fall into this sinne. Now this is done when as wee doe not in driving our bargaine, delight in using many words which are seldome free from lyes, but take a plaine and faire course in our asking and offering with all convenient sparingnesse of speech. And as the Seller is not by his lavish prayses to draw on the Buyer to speake worse of the commodity than ei­ther [Page 165] it deserves, or he thinkes, so let not the Buyer by his dispraises, moove the Seller to use untrue commendations, that hereby hee may dazle his eyes, and allure him to a better liking. And as the one must not aske at the first excessive prices for his wares, from which height he doth not usually descend to his selling price, but (as it were) by the steps and staires of lyes and untruthes, so must not the other by too much hucking and niggardly of­fers as much under the just price, move him to the practice of his lying arts and eloquence; nor by di­strusting his words when he speaketh truth, occasi­on him to further the bargaine by speaking lyes, because he seeth that the one is beleeved as well as the other.

To conclude all that I have to say in this dis­course, §. 5. Tbat go­vernours of Fa­milies should doe their best to sup­presse or reforme this vice in their inferiours. seeing this vice of lying is so sinnefull and pernicious, let Parents and Governours of Fami­lies use their best care and indevour in the educati­on of their children, and governement of their ser­vants, to suppresse and reforme it by all good meanes, that those under their charge be not tain­ted and poysoned with it. And to this end they must make themselves in all their speeches exam­ples of truth unto their inferiours, and such as hate and shunne lyes. In which respect I have much misliked and condemned their practise which make no scruple of telling lyes to their little chil­dren, either by promising unto them that which they meane not to performe, that hereby they may allure them to doe what they would have them; or by skaring them with bug-beares and faise frights, that they may make them leave their [Page 166] crying, or doing other things amisse, whereby they usually loose their credit and authority with them, so that they doe not beleeve them when as they are serious in speaking truth; and withall poyson Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit odo­rem Testa diu. Horat. their tender natures which in themselves are too apt to receive any sinnefull impression, and make them apt and ready to follow their evill example, and so by custome habituate them unto it, that they can hardly bee brought to leave it when they come to riper age. Another meanes is to make it one part of their chiefest care in observing their Children and Servants, that they may finde them out in their lyes, unto which by naturall corrupti­on they are so much inclined, and taking them with the manner, to rebuke and discountenance them in their sinne, shewing them the hainousnes of it by Gods Word, and the punishments which are threatned against them that are guilty of it. And if all this will not reclaime them, they must adde to their instructions and rebukes seasonable correcti­ons, and shew themselves more ready and willing to remit or tenderly to chastize their faults com­mitted against themselves, than their sin of lying, whereby they deny or excuse them which is com­mitted against God. Finally, if we would have our inferiours to confesse the truth when they are faul­ty and guilty, and not use lyes and false excuses, we must in our government avoid too much rigor and cruelty in our corrections, which out of feare and infirmity will move inferiours to hide their faults with lyes, and so to hazard their soules rather than indure bodily smart, and rather to presume on Gods mercy for the forgivenes of their sins, than [Page 167] to confesse them to such governors as are so cruell, that they can expect from them no pardon of their fault, nor moderation in their punishments: where­as if they would leave unto them some hope of fin­ding mercy upon their confession and promise of amendment, if they would not alwayes deale with them in severity and strictnesse of justice, but par­don some faults because they are sleight and venial, and some of an higher nature, because of their in­genuity and truth, which moveth them by an hum­ble acknowledgement to submit themselves to their pleasure, and to rely upon their mercy, they would not be so apt to make lyes their refuge, espe­cially if they knew that they are so odious to their governours, that they will, if they be discovered, inflict upon them more certaine and severe punish­ment. And as rigour and cruelty must be shunned in correction: so also injustice and indiscretion, whereby men make no difference of faults, but pu­nish with as much severity triviall and small over­sights, as great and pernicious offences; infirmities and unwilling slips and faylings, as voluntary and wilfull negligences. For when the delinquent doth not lye under any great guilt, nor in his conscience is convinced that hee hath deserved much blame, and yet knowing in respect of his governours in­discretion, that hee shall fare as ill as if hee were more faulty; this causeth him to make no scruple to prevent and escape his punishment by lyes: and because these light faults happen often, and so the offender is put often to his lying shifts, at last cu­stome will bring an habite, and imbolden him to use lying excuses to hide his greater faults, as well [Page 168] as his lesser faylings. The like care must bee used by Superiours in their corrections, that they avoid all rashnesse and furious passion; for if they come masked and disguised under this terrible vizard and fall to execution before they have duely exa­mined and judged, they put the offender into a sud­den fright, and not being able to see the face of his Father or Master, whilest it is covered with this rash rage and tyranny, for very feare hee denyeth the faults which he hath committed, before he well knoweth what hee speaketh, and having once said it, hee out-faceth the Trueth, and stoutly stan­deth to his first lye, being ready to backe it with another; lest if the Truth should come to light he should incurre more displeasure, and draw upon himselfe double punishment, both for his fault and falshoode in hi­ding it with his lyes.