DIRECTIONS FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE TONGUE.[474]
_Tit._ 1. _The General Directions._
_Direct._ I. Understand in general of what moment and concernment it
is, that the tongue be well governed and used. For they that think
words are inconsiderable, will use them inconsiderately. The conceit
that words are of small moment (as some say of thoughts, that they are
free) doth cause men to use their tongues as if they were free,
saying, "Our lips are our own: who is lord over us?" Psal. xii. 4.
[Sidenote: The greatness of the sins and duties of the tongue.]
1. The tongue of man is his glory;[475] by which expressively he
excelleth the brutes; and a wonderful work of God it is, that a man's
tongue should be able to articulate such an exceeding number of words:
and God hath not given man so admirable a faculty for vanity and sin;
the nobler and more excellent it is, the more to be regarded, and the
greater is the fault of them that do abuse it. Hilary compareth them
to an ill barber that cuts a man's face and so deformeth him, when his
work was to have made him more neat and comely. So it is the office of
the tongue to be excellently serviceable to the good of others, and to
be the glory of mankind; the shame therefore of its faults is the more
unexcusable.
2. The tongue is made to be the index or expresser of the mind;
therefore if the mind be regardable, the tongue is regardable. And if
the mind be not regardable, the man is not regardable. For our Lord
telleth us, that the tree is known by its fruit; an evil tree bringeth
forth evil fruits: and "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth
speaketh."[476] And Aristotle saith, that "such as a man is, such are
his speeches, such his works, and such his life."[477] Therefore by vain
or sinful words you tell men the vanity and corruption of your minds.
3. Men's works have a great dependence on their words; therefore if
their deeds be regardable, their words are regardable. Deeds are
stirred up or caused by words. Daily experience telleth us the power
of speech. A speech hath saved a kingdom, and a speech hath lost a
kingdom. Great actions depend on them, and greater consequents.
4. If the men that we speak to be regardable, words are regardable. For
words are powerful instruments of their good or hurt. God useth them by
his ministers for men's conversion and salvation; and Satan useth them
by his ministers for men's subversion and damnation. How many thousand
souls are hurt every day by the words of others! some deceived, some
puffed up, some hardened, and some provoked to sinful passions! And how
many thousand are every day edified by words! either instructed,
admonished, quickened, or comforted. Paul saith, 2 Cor. x. 4, "The
weapons of our warfare are mighty through God." And Pythagoras could
say, that "tongues cut deeper than swords, because they reach even to
the soul." Tongue sins and duties therefore must needs be great.
5. Our tongues are the instruments of our Creator's praise, purposely
given us to "speak good of his name," and to "declare his works with
rejoicing."[478] It is no small part of that service which God expects
from man, which is performed by the tongue; nor a small part of the
end of our creation: the use of all our highest faculties, parts, and
graces, are expressively by the tongue: our wisdom and knowledge, our
love and holiness, are much lost as to the honour of God, and the good
of others, if not expressed. The tongue is the lantern or casement of
the soul, by which it looketh out, and shineth unto others. Therefore
the sin or duty of so noble an instrument is not to be made light of,
by any that regard the honour of our Maker.
6. Our words have a great reflection and operation upon our own
hearts. As they come from them, so they recoil to them, as in prayer
and conference we daily observe. Therefore for our own good or hurt,
our words are not to be made light of.
7. God's law and judgment will best teach you what regard you should
have to words. Christ telleth you, that by "your words you shall be
justified, and by your words you shall be condemned," Matt. xii. 37.
And it is words of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which are the
unpardonable sin. James iii. 2, "If any man offend not in word, the
same is a perfect man, and able to bridle the whole body." Ver. 6,
"The tongue is a fire; a world of iniquity: so is the tongue amongst
our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the
course of nature, and it is set on fire of hell." James i. 26, "If any
man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but
deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain." 1 Pet. iii. 10,
"For he that will love life and see good days, let him refrain his
tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile." Matt. xii.
36, "But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak,
they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." The third
commandment telleth us, that "God will not hold him guiltless that
taketh his name in vain." And Psal. xv. 1-3, "Speaking the truth in
his heart, and not backbiting with the tongue," is the mark of him
that shall abide in "God's tabernacle, and dwell in his holy hill."
And the very work of heaven is said to be the perpetual "praising of
God," Rev. xiv. 11. Judge now how God judgeth of your words.
8. And some conjecture may be made by the judgment of all the world.
Do you not care yourselves what men speak of you and to you? Do you
not care what language your children, or servants, or neighbours give
you? Are not words against the king treasonable and capital, as well
as deeds? The "wheel of affairs or course of nature is set on fire by
words," James iii. 6. I may conclude then with Prov. xviii. 21, "Death
and life are in the power of the tongue:" and Prov. xxi. 23, "Whoso
keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from trouble."
[Sidenote: The duties of the tongue.]
_Direct._ II. Understand well and remember the particular duties of the
tongue; for the mere restraint of it from evil is not enough; and they
are these: 1. To glorify God by the magnifying of his name; to speak of
the praises of his attributes and works. 2. To sing psalms of praise to
him, and delight our souls in the sweet commemoration of his
excellencies. 3. To give him thanks for the mercies already received,
and declare to others what he hath done for our souls and bodies, for
his church and for the world. 4. To pray to him for what we want, and
for our brethren, for the church, and for the conversion of his and our
enemies. 5. To appeal to him and swear by his name when we are called to
it lawfully. 6. To make our necessary covenants and vows to him, and to
make open profession of our belief, subjection, and obedience to him,
before men. 7. To preach his word, or declare it in discourse, and to
teach those that are committed to our care, and edify the ignorant and
erroneous as we have opportunity. 8. To defend the truth of God by
conference or disputation; and confute the false doctrine of deceivers.
9. To exhort men to their particular duties, and to reprove their
particular sins; and endeavour to do them good as we are able. 10. To
confess our own sins to God and man as we have occasion. 11. To crave
the advice and help of others for our souls; and inquire after the will
of God, and the way to salvation. 12. To praise that which is good in
others, and speak good of all men, superiors, equals, and inferiors, so
far as there is just ground and cause. 13. To bear witness to the truth,
when we are called to it. 14. To defend the cause of the just and
innocent, and vindicate them against false accusers; and excuse those
causes and persons that deserve excuse. 15. To communicate and convey to
others the same good impressions and affections of mind, which God hath
wrought on us, and not only the bare truths themselves which we have
received. 16. Lastly, to be instruments of common converse; of
expressing our mutual affections and respects, and transacting all our
worldly business: for learning, arts, manufactures, &c. These are the
uses and duties of the tongue.[480]
[Sidenote: The sins of the tongue.]
_Direct._ III. Understand and remember what are the sins of the tongue
to be avoided. And they are very many, and many of them very great:
the most observable are these:
1. (Not to say any more of the sins of omission; because it is easy to
know them, when I have named the duties, which are done or omitted,)
among the sins of commission, the first that I shall name is, blasphemy,
as being the greatest; which is the reproaching of God: to speak
contemptuously of God, or to vilify him, or dishonour him, by the
denying of his perfections, and to debase him, by false titles,
doctrines, images, resemblances, as likening him to man in any of our
imperfections; any thing that is a reproaching of God is blasphemy. Such
as Rabshakeh used when he threatened Hezekiah; and such as infidels and
heretics use, when they deny his omnipresence, omniscience, government,
justice, particular providence or goodness; and affirm any evil of him,
as that he is the author of sin, or false of his word, or that he
governeth the world by mere deceit, or the like.
2. Another sin of the tongue is, false doctrine, or teaching things
false and dangerous as from God. If any falsely say, he had such or
such a point by divine inspiration, vision, or revelation, that maketh
him a false prophet. But if he only say falsely, that this or that
doctrine is contained in the Scripture, or delivered by tradition to
the church, this is but to be a false teacher; which is a sin greater
or less according to the aggravations hereafter mentioned.
3. Another of the sins of the tongue is, an opposing of godliness
indirectly, by false application of true doctrine, and an opposing of
godly persons for the sake of godliness, and cavilling against
particular truths and duties of religion; or indirectly opposing the
truth or duty under pretence of opposing only some controverted mode
or imperfection in him that speaketh or performeth it: a defending of
those points and practices which would subvert or undermine religion:
a secret endeavour to make all serious godliness seem a needless
thing. There are many that seem orthodox, that are impious and
malicious opposers of that truth in the application, which themselves
do notionally hold, and positively profess.
4. Another great sin of the tongue is, the profane deriding of serious
godliness, and the mocking, and jesting, and scorning at godly persons
as such; or scorning at some of their real or supposed imperfections,
for their piety sake, to make them odious, that piety through them
might be made odious. When men so speak, that the drift and tendency
of their speech is to draw men to a dislike of truth or holiness; and
their mocks or scorns at some particular opinion, or practice, or
mode, doth tend to the contempt of religion in the serious practice of
it. When they mock at a preacher of the gospel, for some expressions
or imperfections, or for truth itself, to bring him and his doctrine
into contempt; or at the prayers and speeches of religious persons, to
the injury of religion.
5. Another great sin of the tongue is, unjustly to forbid Christ's
ministers to preach his gospel, or speak in his name; or to stand up
against them and contradict, resist, and hinder them in the preaching
of the truth; and, as Gamaliel calls it, "to fight against God," Acts
v. 39. Yet thus they did by the apostles; ver. 46, "When they had
called the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should
not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go." So Acts iv. 18, 19,
"And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all, nor
teach in the name of Jesus; but Peter and John answered and said unto
them, Whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto you
more than unto God, judge ye; for we cannot but speak the things which
we have seen and heard." 1 Thess. ii. 15, 16, "Who both killed the
Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they
please not God, and are contrary to all men. Forbidding us to speak to
the gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway:
for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost." As Dr. Hammond
paraphraseth it, "And this generally is the ground of their quarrel to
us, that in spite of their prohibition we preach to the gentiles."----
6. Another sin of the tongue is, profane swearing, either by God or by
creatures: and also all light and unreverent use of the name and
attributes of God, of which more afterwards.
7. Much more is perjury or forswearing a most heinous sin, it being an
appealing to God, the author and defender of truth, to bear witness to
an untruth, and to judge the offender; and so a craving of vengeance
from God.
8. Lying also is a great and common sin of the tongue: of which more
anon.
9. Another sin of the tongue is, hypocritical dissembling, which is
worse than mere lying: when men's tongues agree not with their hearts,
but speak good words in prayer to God, or conference with men, to
cover evil intentions or affections, and to represent themselves to
the hearers as better than they are.
10. Another is, ostentation or proud boasting, either of men's wit
and learning, or greatness, or riches, or honour, or strength, or
beauty, or parts, or piety, or any thing that men are proud of.[481]
As the faithful "do make their boast in God," Psal. xxxiv. 2; xliv. 8,
and in the "cross of Christ," by which "they are crucified to the
world," Gal. vi. 14; so the covetous "boast themselves in the
multitude of their riches," Psal. xlix. 6, and the "workers of
iniquity boast themselves against the righteous, and the proud do
triumph and speak hard things," Psal. xciv. 2-4. "Even against the
Lord," do they boast, in their boasting against his people, Ezek.
xxxv. 13. So far as pride prevaileth with men, they are apt to "boast
themselves to be somebody," Acts v. 36. Either openly, as the more
foolish do, or cunningly by the help of fair pretences, as the more
ingenious proud ones do.
11. Another sin of the tongue is, unseasonable speaking of common
things when holy things should be preferred; as on the Lord's day, or
at the time of public worship, or when the company, occasion, or
opportunity call for holy speeches: worldlings are talking, as Saul,
of their asses, when they should talk of a kingdom, 1 Sam. ix. x. To
speak about your callings and common affairs is lawful, so it be
moderately and in season; but when you talk all of the world and
vanity, and never have done, and will scarce have any other talk in
your mouths, and even on God's day will "speak your own words," Isa.
lviii. 13, this is profane and sinful speaking.
12. Another common sin of the tongue is, a tempting and persuading
others to sin, enticing them to gluttony, drunkenness, wantonness,
fornication, or any other crime; as men that "not only do the same,
but have pleasure in them that do them," Rom. i. 32. This is to be the
instruments and servants of the devil, and most directly to do his
work in the world. The same I may say of unjust excusing, extenuating,
or defending the sins of others, or commanding, alluring, affrighting,
or encouraging them thereto.
13. Another is, a carnal manner of handling the sacred things of God,
as when it is done with lightness, or with unsuitable curiosity of
words, or in a ludicrous, toyish manner, especially by the preachers
of the gospel themselves; and not with a style that is grave and
serious, agreeable to the weight and majesty of the truth.
14. Another is, an imprudent, rash, and slovenly handling of holy
things; when they are spoken of so ignorantly, unskilfully,
disorderly, or passionately, as tendeth to dishonour them, and
frustrate the desired good success.[482]
15. Another sin of the tongue is, the reviling or dishonouring of
superiors; when children speak unreverently and dishonourably to or of
their parents; or subjects of their governors; or servants of their
masters, either to their faces, or behind their backs. "They are not
afraid to speak evil of dignities," 2 Pet. ii. 10; Jude 8.
16. Another is, the imperious contempt of inferiors, insulting over
them, provoking and discouraging them. Eph. vi. 4, "Fathers, provoke
not your children to wrath."
17. Another sin of the tongue is, idle talk and multitude of useless
words; a babbling loquacity, or unprofitableness of speech; when it is
speech that tendeth to no edification, nor any good use for mind, or
body, or affairs.
18. Another sin is, foolish talk, or jesting in levity and folly,
which tendeth to possess the minds of the hearers with a disposition
of levity and folly like the speakers. Eph. v. 4, "Foolish talking and
jesting are things not convenient." Honest mirth is lawful; and that
is the best which is most sanctified, as being from a holy principle,
and about a holy matter, or to a holy end: as "rejoicing in the Lord
always," Phil. iv. 4. "If any be merry let him sing psalms," James v.
13. But such a light and frothy jesting, as is but the vent of
habitual levity by idle words, is not allowable. But especially those
persons do most odiously abuse their tongues and reason, who
counterfeit idiots or fools, and use their wit to cover their jests
with a seeming folly, to make them the more ridiculous, and make it
their very profession to be the jesters of great men. They make a
trade of heinous sin.
19. Another sin is, "filthy speaking," Eph. v. 4; obscene and ribald
talk; which the apostle calls "corrupt or rotten communication," Eph.
iv. 29; when wanton, filthy minds do make themselves merry with
wanton, filthy speeches. This is the devil's preparative to whoredom
and all abominable uncleanness; for when the tongue is first taught to
make a sport of such filthy sins, and the ear to be delighted in it,
or be indifferent to it, there remaineth but a small step to actual
filthiness.
20. Another sin of the tongue is, cursing; when men wish some mischief
causelessly or unwarrantably to others. If you speak but in passion or
jest, and desire not to them in your hearts the hurt which you name, it
is nevertheless a sin of the tongue, as it is to speak blasphemy or
treason in a passion or in jest; the tongue must be ruled as well as the
heart. But if really you desire the hurt which you wish them, it is so
much the worse. But it is worst of all, when passionate, factious men
will turn their very prayers into cursings, calling for fire from
heaven, and praying for other men's destruction or hurt; and pretending
Scripture examples for it; as if they might do it unwarrantably, which
others have done in other cases in a warrantable manner.
21. Slandering is another sin of the tongue; when out of malice and
ill will, men speak evil falsely of others to make them odious or do
them hurt: or else through uncharitable credulity, do easily believe a
false report, and so report it again to others; or through rashness
and unruliness of tongue, divulge it, before they try it, or receive
either just proof, or any warrantable call to mention it.
22. Another sin is, backbiting and venting ill reports behind men's
backs, without any warrant. Be the matter true or false, as long as
you either know it not to be true, or if you do, yet vent it to make
the person less respected, or at least without a sufficient cause, it
is a sin against God, and a wrong to men.
23. Another sin is, rash censuring, when you speak that evil of
another, which you have but an uncharitable surmise of; and take that
to be probable which is but possible, or that to be certain which is
but probable against another.[483]
24. Another sin is, railing, reviling, or passionate, provoking words,
which tend to the diminution of charity, and the breach of peace, and
the stirring up of discord, and of a return of railing words from
others, contrary to the love, and patience, and meekness, and
gentleness which become saints.
25. Another sin is, cheating, deceiving, overreaching words; when men
use their tongues to defraud their neighbours, in bargaining for their
own gain.
26. Another sin of the tongue is, false witness-bearing, and false
accusing; a sin which cries to God for vengeance, who is the justifier
of the innocent.
27. Another sin of the tongue is, the passing an unrighteous sentence
in judgment: when rulers absolve the guilty or condemn the just, and
call evil good and good evil, and say to the righteous, "Thou art
wicked," Prov. xxiv. 24.
28. Another sin of the tongue is, flattery; which is the more heinous
by how much more hurtful. And it is most hurtful, 1. When it tendeth
to delude men in the greatest things, even the state of their souls.
The flattery of a preacher that deceiveth men as in the name of
Christ, is of all other flattery the most pernicious; to make the
unregenerate believe that they are regenerate, and the ungodly to
believe that they are godly, and the unjustified to believe that they
are justified, and the children of Satan to believe that without
conversion they may be saved; to make a worldling, a swearer, a
glutton, a drunkard, a fornicator, a formal hypocrite, or a hater of
holiness, believe that such as he may come to heaven without the
sanctifying, renewing work of the Holy Ghost; this is the most eminent
service of the devil that the tongue of any man can do him, except it
be the very open opposers of religion. As the devil useth more to
flatter men to hell, than to frighten them thither, so do his
ministers and instruments. And all doctrines of libertinism and
looseness, which warrant men to do evil and to neglect a holy life,
are of the two a more dangerous way of flattery, than that which
consisteth but in misapplication. Thus also carnal friends do use to
flatter a sinner into presumption and false hopes, when they see him
convinced of his sin and misery, and say, Trouble not yourself; God is
merciful, and you have lived well, and been a good neighbour, and done
nobody harm, and if such as you be not saved, God help a great many.
Thus when a convinced sinner is striving to get out of the devil's
snares, the servants of Satan rock him asleep again, by false and
flattering speeches and deceit. 2. Flattering is pernicious when it
tendeth to the hurt of many; as when rulers are deceived and perverted
by it to the destruction of the people and themselves.[484] Prov.
xxvi. 28, "A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it, and a
flattering mouth worketh ruin." See 1 Thess. ii. 5; Ezek. xii. 24;
Psal. xii. 2, 3.
29. Another sin is, a jeering, mocking, deriding, or scorning at
others, either for their infirmities of body or mind, or for their
virtues, or through envy and malice, or pride, or a custom of
deriding, scornful speech. "Scorners delight in scorning," Prov. i.
22. See Psal. xxii. 7; xliv. 13; lxxix. 4. Especially when sinners
scorn at the reproofs and counsels of the godly, and cast them all
back into their faces with contempt; for he that "reproveth a scorner
getteth himself a blot," Prov. ix. 7, 8. "A scorner loveth not one
that reproveth," Prov. xv. 12.
30. Another tongue sin is, idolatry or false worship; the praise of
idols, or praying to them, or making songs, or speeches, or disputes
for them; as also the false worship of the true God. These among
others are the sins of the tongue to be avoided. No wonder if there
be yet more, for the "tongue is ὁ κοσμος της αδικιας, a world of
iniquity," James iii. 6.
_Direct._ IV. When you have thus understood the duties and sins of the
tongue, and the greatness of them, the next thing which you must be most
careful and diligent about is, that you keep all that upon the heart
which should be upon the tongue, and keep the heart clean from that
which the tongue must be kept clean from.[485] The principal work must
be about the heart; for "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth
speaketh." 1. The tongue will be no other way effectually governed; if
the heart be upon the world, the tongue will most commonly be upon the
world; you may force it a little against your hearts, but it will be to
a very unconstant obedience; when you ever so little loose the reins it
is gone. If the heart be proud, the tongue will speak proudly; if the
heart be lustful, or vain, or malicious, the words will ordinarily be so
too. 2. Or if you can force the tongue to go against the heart, it is
but a hypocritical reformation. A vain, a proud, a worldly, a wanton, a
malicious or ungodly heart will condemn you, though the tongue was
forced to speak humbly, chastely, patiently, or piously. Therefore if
you would overcome the vanity, or worldliness, or wantonness, or any
other corruption of your speech, first set yourselves to overcome the
same corruption in your hearts, and to revive and actuate the contrary
graces. And if you would use your tongues to the honour of God, and the
edification of men, wind up the spring of those holy affections which
must be as water to the mill. It is the use of the tongue to express the
mind: and it is the use of holy speech to be the expression of a holy
mind. And do you think to express that which you have not? Will you make
a duty of a lie? If you would speak of Christ or heaven with
seriousness, see that your hearts are seriously set upon Christ and
heaven. When you go into any company where you should speak for God, and
for the hearers' good, endeavour beforehand to get a deep impression on
your hearts of those attributes or truths of God which you would
express; and to revive the sense of that upon yourselves which you would
make others sensible of. Stir up within you the love of God, and the
love of holiness and truth, and a love of the souls of them you speak
to; and then you will be as a conduit which runs as soon as the cock is
turned, because it is always full of water.
_Direct._ V. Labour for understanding in the matters on which you should
discourse. Ignorance denieth provision for discourse, or furnisheth you
only with chaff and vanity, and maketh you so speak as that it were
better to say nothing. Knowledge and wisdom are continual storehouses of
good and profitable talk: such as the "scribe instructed to the kingdom
of heaven, that bringeth out of his treasure things new and old," Matt.
xiii. 52. When a man understandeth the matter which he is to speak of,
he is furnished to speak understandingly of it to others, and to defend
it against gainsayers. Psal. xxxvii. 30, 31, "The mouth of the righteous
speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment: the law of his God
is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide." Prov. x. 31, 32, "The
mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom; but the froward tongue shall be
cut out: the lips of the righteous know what is acceptable; but the
mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness." Wise men are never
unprovided for wise speech; but the mouth of fools bewrayeth their
folly. Prov. xv. 2, "The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright; but
the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness." Chap. xiv. 3, "In the mouth
of the foolish is a rod of pride; but the lips of the wise shall
preserve them." Chap. xviii. 6, 7, "A fool's lips enter into contention,
and his mouth calleth for strokes. A fool's mouth is his destruction,
and his lips are the snare of his soul." But you will say, To tell us
that we should get wisdom, is a word soon spoken, but not a thing that
is easily or quickly done. It is very true; and therefore it is as true,
that the tongue is not easily well used and governed; for men cannot
express the wisdom which they have not, unless it be by rote: therefore
you must take Solomon's counsel, Prov. ii. 1-6, "My son, if thou wilt
receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; so that thou
incline thine ear to wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for
understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as
for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and
find the knowledge of God: for the Lord giveth wisdom," &c.--
_Direct._ VI. In the mean time learn to be silent till you have
learned to speak. Let not your tongues run before your wits; speak not
of that which you do not well understand, unless as learners, to
receive instruction. Rather of the two speak too little than too
much.[486] Those that will needs talk of things which they understand
not, do use, either to speak evil of them, (as Jude 10,) when they are
good; or to speak evil of them, be they good or bad. He that cannot
hold his tongue well, cannot speak well. Eccles. iii. 9, "There is a
time to keep silence, and a time to speak." Amos v. 13, "There is a
time so evil, that the prudent should keep silence." At such a time
_Nihil æque proderit quam quiescere, et minimum cum aliis loqui et
plurimum secum_, saith Seneca: It is then the best way to be quiet,
and to say little to others, and much to yourselves. You have two ears
and one tongue; hear twice and speak once; we oftener repent of
speaking than of being silent. Few words are quickly answered for. To
be wary and sparing of your speech doth not only avoid abundance of
contention, danger, and repentance, but also procureth you a
reputation of wisdom. Plutarch saith well, that _Pauca loquentibus
paucis legibus opus est_: There needs but few laws for them that speak
but few words. When one said to the cynic, when he was much silent, If
thou art a wise man, thou dost foolishly; if thou be a fool, thou dost
wisely. He answered, _Nemo stultus tacere potest_, A fool cannot hold
his tongue; and he that cannot hold his tongue cannot hold his peace.
Pythagoras's counsel in this agreeth with Christ's, _Aut sile, aut
affer silentio meliora_, Either be silent, or say something that is
better than silence. It was a wise answer of him that being asked whom
covetous landlords and whom covetous lawyers hated most; did answer to
the first, Those that eat little and sweat much; (for they usually
live long, and so their leases are not soon expired;) and to the
second, Those that speak little and love much; for such seldom make
any work for lawyers. Two things are requisite in the matter of your
speech; that it be somewhat needful to be spoken, and that it be a
thing which you understand. Till then be silent.
_Direct._ VII. Take heed of hasty rashness in your speech; and use
deliberation, especially in great or in doubtful things.[487] Think
before you speak: it is better to try your words before you speak them
than after; a preventing trial is better than a repenting trial; but
if both be omitted, God will try them to your greater cost. I know, in
matters that are thoroughly understood, a wise man can speak without
any further premeditation, than the immediate actuating of the
knowledge which he doth express; but when there is any fear of
misunderstanding, or a disability to speak fitly and safely without
forethoughts, there hasty speaking without deliberation (especially in
weighty things) must be avoided: Prov. xxix. 20, "Seest thou a man
that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him."
Especially take heed in speaking either to God in prayer, or in the
name of God, or as from God in preaching or exhortation, or about the
holy matters of God in any of thy discourse; Eccles. v. 1, "Keep thy
foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear
than to offer the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they
do evil:" that is, watch thyself in public worship, and be forwarder
to learn of God and to obey him, as sensible of thy ignorance and
subject to his will, than to offer him thy sacrifice (as if he stood
in need of thee) while thou neglectest or rejectest his commands. Ver.
2, 3, "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to
utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth:
therefore let thy words be few. For a dream cometh through multitude
of business, and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words:" that
is, come to God as an obedient learner and a receiver, and not as a
giver; and therefore be readier to hear what he hath to command thee,
than to pour out many words before him, as if he would accept and hear
thee for thy babbling. If loquacity and forwardness to talk many
undigested words be a sign of folly among men, how much more when thou
speakest to God that is in heaven!
_Direct._ VIII. Keep a holy government over all your passions, (as
aforesaid,) and especially try all those words with suspicion which
any passion urgeth you to vent. For passion is so apt to blind the
judgment, that even holy passions themselves must be warily managed,
and feared, as you carry fire among straw or other combustible matter.
As "grievous words stir up anger," Prov. xv. 1; so anger causeth
grievous words. "Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger
resteth in the bosom of fools," Eccles. vii. 9. To govern the tongue
when you are in any passion, (either love, or fear, or grief, or
anger,) is like the governing of a ship in storms and tempests, or the
managing of a horse that is fierce and heated. Prov. xiv. 16, 17, "The
fool rageth and is confident: he that is soon angry dealeth
foolishly." Chap. xxi. 19, "It is better to dwell in the wilderness
than with a contentious, angry woman." Chap. xxix. 22, "An angry man
stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression."
There is no ruling the tongue if you cannot rule the passions:
therefore it is good counsel, chap. xxii. 24, "Make no friendship with
an angry man, and with a furious man thou shalt not go; lest thou
learn his way, and get a snare to thy soul."
_Direct._ IX. Foresee your opportunities of profitable discourse, and
your temptations to evil speeches. For we are seldom thoroughly
prepared for sudden, unexpected accidents. Consider when you go forth,
what company you are like to fall into, and what good you are like to
be called to, or what evil you are likest to be tempted to: especially
consider the ordinary stated duties and temptations of your daily
company and converse.
_Direct._ X. Accordingly (besides your aforesaid general preparations)
be prepared particularly for those duties and those temptations: carry
still about with you some special preservatives against those
particular sins of speech which you are most in danger of; and some
special provisions and helps to those duties of speech, which you may
be called to: as a surgeon will carry about with him his instruments
and salves which he is like to have use for, among the persons that he
hath to do with; and as a traveller will carry such necessaries still
with him, as in his travels he cannot be without. If you are to
converse with angry men, be still furnished with patience and firm
resolutions to "give place to wrath," Rom. xii. 19. If you are to
converse with ignorant, ungodly men, go furnished with powerful,
convincing reasons, to humble them and change their minds. If you are
to go amongst the cavilling or scorning enemies of holiness, go
furnished with well-digested arguments, for the defence of that which
they are likest to oppose, that you may shame and stop the mouths of
such gainsayers. This must be done by "the Sword of the spirit, which
is the word of God," Eph. vi. 17. Therefore be well acquainted with
the Scripture, and with particular plain texts for each particular
use: by them the "man of God is complete, throughly furnished to every
good work," 2 Tim. iii. 17.
_Direct._ XI. Continually walk as in the presence of God, and as under
his government and law, and as those that are passing on to
judgment.[488] Ask yourselves, whatever you say: 1. Whether it be fit
for God to hear? 2. Whether it be agreeable to his holy law? 3.
Whether it be such speech as you would hear of at the day of judgment?
If it be speech unmeet for the hearing of a grave and reverend man,
will you speak it before God? Will you speak wantonly, or filthily, or
foolishly, or maliciously, when God forbiddeth it, and when he is
present and heareth every word, and when you must certainly give
account to him of all?
_Direct._ XII. Pray every morning to God for preservation from the sins
of speech that you are liable to that day. Commit the custody of your
tongues to him; not so as to think yourselves discharged of it, but so
as to implore and trust his grace. Pray as David, "Set a watch, O Lord,
before my mouth; keep the door of my lips; incline not my heart to any
evil thing: and that the words of your mouth and the meditations of your
heart, may be acceptable to him," Psal. cxli. 3, 4; xix. 14.
_Direct._ XIII. Make it part of your continual work, to watch your
tongues. Carelessness and negligence will not serve turn in so
difficult a work of government. James telleth you that to tame and
rule the tongue, is harder than to tame and rule wild beasts, and
birds, and serpents: and as the ruling of a horse by the bridle, and
of a ship that is driven by fierce winds: and that the "tongue is an
unruly evil: and that he that offendeth not in word, is a perfect man,
and able also to bridle the whole body," James iii. Make it therefore
your study and work, and watch it continually.
_Direct._ XIV. Call your tongues daily to account, and ask yourselves,
what evil you have spoken, and what good you have omitted, every day;
and be humbled before God, in the penitent confession of the sin which
you discover, and renew your resolution for a stricter watch for the
time to come. If your servant be every day faulty, and never hear of it,
he will take it as no fault, and be little careful to amend: nay, you
will remember your very ox of his fault when he goeth out of the furrow,
by a prick or stroke, and your horse when he is faulty, by a spur or
rod. And do you think if you let yourselves, even your tongues, be
faulty every day, and never tell them of it, or call them to account,
that they are ever like to be reformed, and not grow careless and
accustomed to the sin? Your first care must be for preventing the sin,
and doing the duty; saying, as David, Psal. xxxix. 1-3, "I said, I will
take heed to my ways, that I offend not with my tongue; I will keep my
mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me: I was dumb with
silence, I held my peace." Psal. xxxv. 28; lxxi. 24, "My tongue shall
speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long." Psal.
cxix. 172, "My tongue shall speak of thy word." Psal. xlv. 1, "My tongue
is as the pen of a ready writer." But your next care must be, to repent
of the faults which you commit, and to judge yourselves for them, and
reform: remembering that "there is not a word in your tongues, but is
altogether known to God," Psal. cxxxix. 4.
_Direct._ XV. Make use of a faithful monitor or reprover. We are apt,
through custom and partiality, to overlook the faults of our own speech.
A friend is here exceeding useful. Desire your friend therefore to watch
over you in this: and amend what he telleth you of; and be not so
foolish as to take part with your fault against your friend.
_Tit._ 2. _Special Directions against profane Swearing,
and using God's name unreverently and in vain._
[Sidenote: What an oath is.]
I. To swear is an affirming or denying of a thing, with an appeal to
some other thing or person, as a witness of the truth, or avenger of
the untruth, who is not producible as witness or judge in human
courts. An affirmation or negation is the matter of an oath: the
peculiar appellation is the form. It is not every appeal or
attestation that maketh an oath.[489] To appeal to such a witness as
is credible and may be produced in the court, from a partial,
incredible witness, is no oath. To appeal from an incompetent judge,
or an inferior court, to a competent judge, or higher court, is no
swearing. To say, I take the king for my witness, or I appeal to the
king, is not to swear by the king; but to say, I take God to witness,
or I appeal to God as the judge of the truth of what I say, is to
swear by God. But to appeal to God as a righteous Judge, against the
injustice or cruelty of men, without relation to his attesting or
judging any affirmation or negation of our own, is no swearing by him,
because there wanteth the matter of an oath. An oath is an appeal to
some supernatural or higher and more terrible power, than that of the
court or person we swear to, to make our testimony the more credible,
when other evidences of certainty or credibility are wanting. So that
a legal testimony or appeal are not swearing.
[Sidenote: What is a lawful oath.]
Swearing is either just and lawful, or sinful and abusive. To a just
and lawful oath it is necessary, 1. That it be God alone ultimately
that we swear by; because no witness and avenging judge above human
courts can be appealed to but God: and therefore to swear by any
creature properly and in the sense that God is sworn by, is to idolize
it, and to ascribe to it the properties of God.[490] (Of which more
anon.) 2. It is necessary to a just oath, that the matter be true as
it is assertory or negative; and also if it be promissory, that the
matter be, 1. Honest and lawful, 2. and possible. And where any one of
these is wanting, it is unlawful. 3. It is needful that there be an
honest end; for the end is a principal ingredient in all moral good
and evil. 4. It is needful that it be done upon a sufficient call and
honest motives, and not unnecessarily or without just reason. 5. And
the manner and circumstances must be lawful.
An oath is an equivocal word, taken sometimes for that which is
formally so, as before described; and sometimes for that which is but
the matter and expressive form without any real intent of swearing.
Or, an oath is taken either for the whole human act completely,
containing the words signifying and the purpose signified; or else for
the outward sign or words alone. (As the word prayer signifieth
sometimes the bare form of words, and sometimes the words and desire
signified by them. And as the word sacrament is sometimes taken for
the external signs only, and sometimes for the signs with the mutual
covenanting and actions signified.) Here it may be questioned,--
_Quest._ Whether it be swearing or not, which is frequently used by
ignorant, careless people, who use the words or form of an oath, in
mere custom, not knowing what an oath is, nor having any thought or
purpose of appealing to God, or to the creature by which they swear.
The reason of the doubt is, because it seemeth to be but the matter or
external part of an oath; and it is the form that specifieth and
denominateth. He that should ignorantly speak the words of an oath in
Latin or Greek, while he understandeth not the language and intendeth
no such thing, doth not swear.
[Sidenote: How far the intent of the swearer (as of the baptizer or
baptized to baptism) is necessary to the being of an oath.]
_Answ._ 1. In the full and properest sense of the word, it is before God
no oath if there be no intent of confirming your speech by an appeal to
God, or to that which you swear by. As a ludicrous washing and using the
words of baptism, is no true baptism, no more than a corpse is a man.
(And thus it is true which the papists say, that the intention of the
baptizer is necessary to the being of baptism; that is, it is necessary
to the being of sacramental administration to the baptizer himself,
before God, that he really intend to baptize; and it is necessary to the
being of baptism before God in the person baptized, that he himself if
at age, or those that have power to dedicate him to God if he be an
infant, do really intend it; and it is necessary to the being of the
external ordinance _in foro ecclesiæ_, before the church, that both the
baptizer and baptized do profess or seem to intend it.) 2. But if you
use such words as are the ordinary form of an oath in a language which
you understand, so as the hearers may justly suppose you to understand
it, it is an oath, _coram hominibus_, before men, and in the latter
narrower sense of the word. And it shall be obligatory and pleadable
against you in any court of justice by those you swear to; yea, and God
himself doth take you thereby to be obliged thus to men: and if it be a
profane, causeless swearing, men must call it an oath; for they see not
the heart; even as they must take him to be baptized that professeth to
intend it; and _in foro humano_, it is so indeed: and God himself will
account you a sinner, even one that useth the external form of an oath,
and that which before men is an oath, to the wrong of his name and
honour, and to the scandal of others. And it will not excuse you that
you knew not that it was an oath, or that you knew not the nature of an
oath, or that you rashly used it, not considering that it was an oath;
for you were bound to have known and to have considered; you should have
done it, and might have done it if you would. But if they were words
which you could not know to have been the form or expressions of an
oath, but the hearers might perceive that you meant no such thing, but
something else, then you are excusable, if you had just cause to use
them.
[Sidenote: How far swearing by creatures is a sin.]
II. As to the case of swearing by creatures, how far it is sinful; it
is just like the case of worshipping images, or by images. He that
worshippeth an image or any creature as God, and ultimately
terminateth his worship in it, doth commit direct and full
idolatry;[491] which is so much the greater sin, by how much the baser
the thing is which he idolizeth. But if he make the image or creature
but his medium of that worship which should be immediately offered to
God, in whom it is ultimately terminated, then it is not gross
idolatry, but it is false and forbidden worship of the true God. But
if the creature be made but the medium of that worship which God would
have offered him by a medium, then it is lawful so to use or worship
it (as to honour and admire God as appearing in his works; to give
that worship or honour to our parents and rulers as his officers,
which is ultimately terminated in God). Just so is it in the case of
swearing; for swearing is a part of the worship of God. He that
sweareth by any creature as a god, or as the avenger of those that by
falsehood elude the judgment of man, doth commit idolatry in it;[492]
as Julian did when he swore by the sun (which he praised by his
orations and worshipped as God). But he that only sweareth so by a
creature, as to intend God ultimately as the witness and avenger, but
yet so as that the creature only is named, or so named as hath an
appearance of idolatry, or tendeth to entice the mind from God, or
scandalously to obscure his honour, or in any other forbidden way,
doth swear by the true God intentionally, but in a sinful manner. But
he that directly sweareth by God, (upon a just call,) and by the
creature (or nameth the creature rather) but in a just, and clear, and
inoffensive subordination to God, is excusable. So we use to lay our
hands on the Bible and thus to swear, So help me God, and the contents
of this book. Thus on great occasions many good men in their writings
to clear themselves from some calumny have said, I call God, and
angels, and men to witness. Many in naming creatures intend rather a
curse than a swearing by the creature: as, If it be not so, let God
destroy me by this fire, or this water, &c.
_Quest._ Is it lawful to lay hands on the book and kiss it in swearing
as is done in England?
_Resp._ To take an oath as imposed in England with laying the hand on
the Bible and kissing it, is not unlawful.
_Proved_ 1. That which is not forbidden by God is lawful (before God).
But so to take an oath is not forbidden by God----Therefore, &c. The
minor will be sufficiently proved by disproving all the pretences of a
prohibition. The major needeth no proof.
2. If it be forbidden it is either, 1. As an act in worship not
commanded, and so will-worship. 2. Or as a significant ceremony in
worship not commanded. 3. Or as an uncommanded significant ceremony,
which hath in itself some forbidden matter or manner. But it is not
forbidden in any of these respects; therefore not at all.
I. Not as an act not commanded in worship; for _a quatenus ad omne valet
consequentia_, then all acts in worship not commanded would be unlawful,
which is false: for, 1. The acts used in swearing, Gen. xxiv. 2; xiv.
22; Apoc. x. 5, were not commanded and yet lawful; of which more anon.
2. God hath not commanded what tune to sing a psalm in, what division to
make of the Bible into chapters and verses, whether to use a written or
a printed Bible, what words, what method, what particular text to
choose, what translation to use, with many such like.
II. Not as a significant ceremony not commanded; for then all such
should be forbidden, which is not true. For, 1. Abraham's swearing by
lifting up the hand, (and so the angels, Apoc. x.) and Abraham's servant
by putting his hand under the thigh, were significant ceremonies. And he
that will say they were commanded must prove it. The contrary may well
by us be supposed, 1. Because no such law is notified in Scripture, and
here _non apparere_ and _non esse_ are equal, because of the perfection
of God's laws. 2. Because it is mentioned, as Paræus and other
commentators note, as some accustomed rite, and so dependeth not on any
particular precept to Abraham alone as a prophet. 3. Because it is not
one but several sorts of swearing rites that are mentioned, lifting up
the hand, and putting it under the thigh.
2. Almost all christians take some uncommanded significant ceremony in
swearing to be lawful. The ceremony mentioned by Paræus, ibid. as used
in the Palatinate, is such, of lifting up three fingers, _Hodie nos
juramus, digitis tribus dextræ sublatis, invocantes vindicem S.
Trinitatem_. The English annotations tell you that the customs of
countries are very various in this point, yet most agree in adding
some outward attestation of action or gesture to words in taking of an
oath, to make it better remembered and more regarded, than bare words
of affirmation, promise, or imprecation. And Josephus (cited by
Grotius) tells us it was then the custom among the Jews to swear by
this ceremony of putting the hand under the thigh (whether in token of
subjection, or because it was the place of the sword, the instrument
of revenge, as Grotius and others, or in expectation of the promised
seed, as the fathers thought). And the case of Joseph's adjuration
shows it. Vid. Perer. in Gen. xiv. and xxiv.
3. An action of another part of the body is no more forbidden to
express the mind by, than of the tongue. God never said, you shall no
way express your minds in things sacred or civil, but by the tongue. A
change of the countenance may express it; a frown, or a pleasant look.
(_Index animi vultus._) Paul did lift up the hand to the Jews when he
would speak for himself; Christ made as if he would have gone further,
Luke xxiv. Words are not natural signs, but invented and arbitrary in
particulars, though the power of speaking words so invented and
learned be natural. If it be lawful to use significant words, not
commanded in worship, it is lawful to use significant actions (under
due regulation). Therefore all the ancient churches, without one
contradictor that ever I read of, did use many such. Though Augustine,
Ep. ad Januar. sadly complaineth that then they were grown to an
oppressive number; yet he never speaketh against the thing itself. To
stand up at the creed is a significant expression of consent, which
not only all the churches else, but the old non-conformists never
scrupled, nor do the present as far as I can learn: whether to sit,
stand, or kneel, at singing psalms, is left at liberty. To put off the
hat is a significant ceremony or act in worship, not commanded in
itself, nor used of old for the same signification as now. And where
the covering of the head doth signify reverence, it is better than to
be bare. In one country custom maketh standing up, in another sitting
and hanging down the head, in another kneeling, in another
prostration, to be the sign of reverence, which accordingly may be
used in God's service. When covenants between God and the people are
renewed, consent may lawfully be expressed either by standing up or by
holding up the hand, (by which suffrages in things sacred were used to
be given,) or by subscribing, or by voice. For God hath commanded us
the expressing of consent, reverence, &c., but left the word, gesture,
or expressing sign to liberty. He that affirmeth that God hath left no
other signification of our minds in sacred things to our liberty, but
tied us to words alone, must prove what he saith (which he must do
against Scripture, against nature, and against all the judgment and
custom of all Christ's churches and of the world).
III. If laying the hand on the book and kissing it be unlawful for any
special matter or manner forbidden more than other significant acts,
it is for some of the reasons named by you: which now I will answer.
I. _Object._ It savoureth of the Romish superstition. _Answ._ I. Not
at all; prove that if you can. 2. Superstition is the feigning of
things to be pleasing or displeasing to God which are not, and using
or disusing them accordingly; whatever be the etymology of the word,
_Superstitum cultus_, or _supra statutum_, &c. it is certain that the
common use of it among heathens (as Plutarch at large) and christians
was, for an erroneous, undue fear of God, thinking this or that was
displeasing or pleasing to him, to be done or to be avoided, which was
not so, but was the conceit of a frightened, mistaking mind. Therefore
to say that God is displeased with this signification of the mind,
when it is not so, nor can be proved, is superstition. And this is not
the solitary instance of Satan's introducing superstition under
pretence of avoiding superstition. 3. The sense of the law is to be
judged of by the law, and by the notorious doctrine and profession of
the law-makers and of the land; which here renounceth the
superstitious use of it. But I confess I was more afraid that the
papists had too much derogated from the Scripture, than given too much
to it. And they profess that they swear not by a creature. Vid. Perer.
ubi sup. in Gen. xxiv. 2.
_Object._ But Paræus, &c. in Gen. xxiv. 2, saith, _Non absque
superstitione fit cum super crucifixum aut codicem Evangelii digitis
impositis juratur, ut fit in Papatu_. _Answ._ 1. But that same act
which _in Papatu_ is superstitious because of superstitious conceits
and ends, is not so in all others that have none such. 2. It is no new
thing to be quick in accusing our adversaries: but Paræus addeth not a
syllable of proof; and if he had, it must have been such as touched
not us, or else invalid.
_Object._ Some good men have scrupled it. _Answ._ 1. Ten thousand to
one such have not scrupled it. 2. They are not our gods nor law. 3.
The quakers and the old anabaptists (and they say Origen) scrupled,
yea, condemned all swearing, or all imposed oaths. And if we avoid all
as sin which some good men have scrupled, we shall make superstition a
great part of our religion: and when on the same grounds we have but
practised all as duty, which some good men have taken for duty, we
shall quite out-go the papists. He that readeth Beda, Boniface, and
abundance such pious writers, will soon see, that godly or fanatical
religious persons, dreams, visions, strict opinions, confident
assertions, and credulous believing one another, with the hope of
improving such things against pagans and Jews, for christianity,
brought in almost all the legends and superstitions of the papists.
II. _Object._ Our common-law commissions, that give authority to
examine persons, direct it to be done _supra sacramenta sua per sancta
Dei evangelia fideliter præstanda_: and in the form of administrations
in ecclesiastical courts the words are, _Ad sancta Dei evangelia rite
et legitime jurati_: whether these forms do not infer that in their
first use, (at least,) persons either swore by the evangelists or
offended in that mode of swearing; and our common-law calls it a
corporal oath, from touching the book.
_Answ._ 1. To know the sense of our present law it is not necessary
that we know the sense of the first users of the form. For the law is
not now the king's law that first made it, (he hath no law that hath
no government,) but the king's law that now reigneth, and beareth his
sense. 2. To justify our obedience to a law, it is not necessary that
we prove every phrase in that law to be fitly expressed. 3. But
examine it well, and try whether it be not also fit and laudable.
1. There are three things conjoined in the oaths in question: 1. A
testimony assertory, or a promise. 2. An oath. 3. An imprecation. The
assertory testimony here is the first thing intended; and the oath and
imprecation are but as a means to make that testimony or promise
valid. 2. The published doctrine of England, in the thirty-nine
articles, the book of ordination, &c. is, that the holy Scriptures
contain all things necessary to salvation, as being God's law or rule
of our faith and life. All our duty to God is there commanded; all the
promises on which we hope are there contained; all the punishments
which the perjured or any sinner must feel and should fear, are there
threatened. Therefore, 3. The laying on the hand and kissing the book,
is an action directly related to the imprecation, and not to the oath,
but only by consequence, as the imprecation is subservient to the
oath, as the oath is to the assertion. So that this is the plain
paraphrase of the whole: I do believe that God the Ruler of all the
world, is the Judge of secrets which are above man's judgment, the
Searcher of hearts, and the hater and avenger of perjury, according to
this his holy word by which he governeth us; and to this God I appeal
as to the truth of this my testimony, consenting myself, to lose all
the benefit of his promises to be just, and to bear all the punishment
here threatened to the perjured, if I lie.
And what could be said more fitly, 1. To own the protestant doctrine
that the Scripture is God's perfect word; that the evil to be feared,
and the good to be hoped for, is all there contained, and is all the
fulfilling of that word? 2. And to put the word in its due
subordination to God? And our ordinary form of swearing showeth this,
So help you God, and the contents of this book. Whether you will call
this swearing upon or by the gospel, or call it a corporal oath, or a
spiritual oath, is only _de nomine_, and is nothing to the matter thus
truly described. _Sacramentum_ signifieth the oath itself, and _Ad
sancta evangelia_ is a fit phrase: or if _super sacramenta_ signify
the two sacraments of the gospel, it can mean no more than, As one
that by the reception of the sacrament, doth profess to believe this
gospel to be true, I do renounce the benefits of it, if I lie; and in
this sense it hath been some men's custom to receive the sacrament
when they would solemnly swear.
III. _Object._ Some seem to object against kissing the book, as having
the greater appearance of giving too much to it, or putting some
adoration on it; and because this ceremony of kissing is held to be of
later date than laying on the hand.
_Answ._ The ceremony signifieth that I love and approve the gospel,
and place the hope of my salvation in it. And the public doctrine of
the kingdom before cited, showeth us a full exposition what we ascribe
to it. But as some scrupulous brethren in Scotland gratify the papists
by rejecting the oath of supremacy, which is the most thorny hedge
against them, and this while they cry out against popery; so others
would gratify the papists, by suggesting that we give too much to the
Bible, and adore it; when the very sum of England's protestantism, is
their just ascribing to the holy Scriptures its sufficiency as to all
things necessary to salvation. Thus Satan undoeth still by overdoing.
IV. _Object._ Laying on the hand, and kissing the book, seem of the same
nature with the cross in baptism, and other significant ceremonies; and
an oath is part of the worship of God; therefore not to be taken, with
these ceremonies, or else will seem to justify the other.
_Answ._ 1. Significant words, gestures, or actions are not therefore
evil, because they are significant (unless brutishness be a virtue); nor
because any call them by the name of ceremonies (else that name might be
put on any thing by an enemy to deprive us of our liberty). Therefore I
can judge of no ceremony by that general name alone, till it be named
itself in specie. 2. Of the cross in baptism, see my "Disputations of
Church Government," of Ceremonies, written long ago. There are these
notorious differences in the case: 1. The cross is an image used in
God's worship; though not a permanent, yet a transient image, and used
as an image of the cross of Christ, though but in water or oil. And God
hath more specially forbidden images used in his worship, than he hath
done a professing significant word, gesture, or action, which is no
image, nor used as such. 2. The cross seemeth to be a third sacrament of
the covenant of grace, while it is used as a symbol of christianity, and
a dedicating sign (as the canon calleth it) by which, before the church,
there is made a solemn self-obligation, as sacramentally, to renounce
the devil, the world, and the flesh, and manfully to fight under
Christ's banner, as his faithful servants and soldiers, to our life's
end; implying our trust and hope in Christ crucified for the benefits of
his death. So that if it be not a complete third sacrament, it hath so
much of that which is proper to a sacrament, (like the _sacramentum
militare_, whence the name came into the church,) that for my part, I
dare not use it, though I presume not to censure those that do, nor to
condemn all other uses of the cross, which the ancients abounded in, as
sudden, particular, professing signs, much below this solemn covenanting
use. And as I think the king would not take it well, when he hath made
the star the badge of the knights of the garter, if any subject will
presume to make another _symbolum ordinis_, though yet many a
significant gesture or act may be used without offence; so I fear Christ
would not take it well of me if I presume to make or use another symbol
or _tessera_ of christianity, especially with so much of a covenanting
sacramental nature. But what is this to things or gestures significant
of no such kind? You see then the difference of these cases.
But if you were able to prove the cross as harmless as the swearing
ceremony, I would be for the cross, and not against the laying the
hand on the book, and kissing it. For, 1. I am not of their mind that
form their judgment of other particulars to suit with their
preconceived opinions of things of the same rank or quality; nor make
the interest of my former conceptions to be the measure of my after
judging. 2. Nor do I think it so great an honour to be strict in my
opinions, as dishonour to be superstitious, and to add to God's law,
by saying that he forbiddeth what he doth not, or to be affectedly
singular in denying lawful things, with a "touch not, taste not,
handle not," &c. Nor do I esteem him to be the wisest, best, or
holiest person, who is narrowest or strictest in his opinions, but who
is rightest; nor him that maketh most things to be sins, but him that
committeth least sin, which is such indeed; nor him that maketh most
laws to himself and others, but him that best obeyeth God's laws.
_Quest._ 1. May one that scrupleth thus swearing himself, yet,
commissioned, give an oath thus to another that scrupleth it not?
_Answ._ 1. If the thing be, as is proved, lawful, his scruple will not
make him innocent in neglecting the duty of his place. 2. If the
substance of the oath were lawful, and only the mode or ceremony were
sinful, as suspected, then, (1.) If the commissioner must himself
particularly command that mode, it were unlawful for him to do it.
(2.) But if he only command, and give the oath as an oath, leaving the
mode, without his approbation or command, to the taker and the law, he
may so give the oath: and thus christians in all ages have taken it
for lawful to make covenants even with infidels and idolaters, and to
take a Turk's oath by Mahomet, when it is only the oath that we
demand, and the mode is his own, which we had rather be without, and
give no approbation of. And if a king may thus demand an infidel's or
idolater's oath, (as God himself doth men's duty, when he knoweth that
they will sin in doing it,) much more may one do so, in case of a
doubtful ceremony, which he is neither the author nor approver of. But
I think this in question, is lawful, fit, and laudable.
[Sidenote: How God's name is taken in vain.]
III. As to the case of taking God's name in vain, which for brevity I
join with swearing, it is done, 1. Either in the grossest and most
heinous sort; 2. Or in a lower sort. 1. The grossest sort of taking
God's name in vain, is by perjury; or calling him in for witness to a
lie. For among the Jews, vanity and a lie, were words frequently taken
in the same signification. 2. But the lower sort of taking God's name
in vain, is when it is used lightly, unreverently, contemptuously,
jestingly, or without just cause; and in these also there is
profaneness and a very great sin, which is aggravated according to the
degree of the contempt or profanation.[493] It is a great sin
unreverently in common talk to make a by-word of saying, O Lord, or O
God, or O Jesus, or God help us, or Lord have mercy on us, or God send
this or that, or any way to take God's name in vain; but to use it in
jeers and scorns at religion, or make play-books or stage-plays with
such profane contemptuous jeers, is one of the greatest villanies that
man's tongue can be guilty of against his Maker. (Of which anon.)
IV. _Direct._ I. For the avoiding of all this profaneness in swearing
and taking the name of God in vain, the first direction must be this
general one, to use all the directions given in chap. i. for a wicked
man's attaining true conversion; and withal to observe how great an
evidence this sin is of a graceless, ungodly, miserable soul. For it
is supposed to be an ordinary or frequent sin, and therefore to have
no effectual principle in the heart which is against it; and therefore
to have the principal room in the will; and therefore to be unrepented
of (as to any saving, renewing repentance): if thou hadst any true
grace, it would teach thee to fear and honour God more: to make light
of God is inconsistent with godliness, if it be in a predominant
degree; for they are directly contrary.
_Direct._ II. Get thy heart sensible of the intrinsic evil of thy sin.
It would never be so easily and familiarly committed by thee, if thou
didst not think it small. That thou mayst know it, consider of these
following aggravations.[494]
1. Consider who that God is whom thou abusest.[495] Is he not the
great and terrible Majesty, that made the world, and upholdeth it, and
ordereth it by his will? the Governor and Judge of all the earth,
infinitely excelling the sun in glory? a God most holy, and in
holiness to be mentioned? And wilt thou make a by-word of his dreadful
name? Wilt thou profanely swear by this holy name? and use the name of
thy God as thou wouldst scarce use the name of thy father or thy king?
Wilt thou unreverently and contemptuously toss it like a foot-ball?
Dost thou know no more difference between God and man? Know God, and
thou wilt sooner tremble at his name, than thus unreverently abuse it.
2. Consider who thou art that thus venturest to profane the holy name of
God. Art thou not his creature and his subject, bound to honour him? Art
thou not a worm, unable to resist him? Can he not tread thee into hell,
or ruin thee, and be avenged on thee with a word or less? He need to say
no more, but Thus I will have it, to execute his vengeance on the
greatest of his enemies: if he will it, it will be done. And art thou
then a person fit to despise this God, and abuse his name? Is it not a
wonder of condescension in him, that he will give leave to such worms as
we to pray to him, and to praise and worship him, and that he will
accept it at our hands? and yet canst thou venture thus to slight him
and despise him? I have oft heard the same impious tongue reproach the
prayers of the godly, as if they were too bold and familiar with God,
and pleading against long or often praying, because man must not be so
bold with God, and persuading others that God accepts it not, which yet
itself was bold familiarly to swear by his name, and use it lightly and
in common talk. And indeed God's servants must take heed of rude and
unreverent boldness even in prayer. How much more then is the boldness
of thy profaning God's holy name to be condemned? Must they take heed
how they use it in prayer and praise, and darest thou abuse it by oaths,
and curses, and vain speech?
3. Dost thou not sometimes pray by that name which thou profanely
swearest by? If not, thou seemest utterly to renounce God, and art a
miserable wretch indeed; but if thou do, what a hypocrite dost thou
show thyself to be in all thy prayers, that takest on thee to
reverence that name of God, which thou canst toss unreverently, and
swear and curse by when thou art off thy knees. It is part of Bishop
Hall's character of the hypocrite, that he boweth to the name of
Jesus, and sweareth by the name of God, and prayeth to God at church,
whom he forgets or sweareth by the rest of the week. Doth not thy
conscience gripe thee for this hypocrisy, when in thy prayers thou
thinkest of this abuse of God?
4. Think, man, what use thou wilt have for that holy name in thy
distress, which thou now abusest. When sickness and death come, then
thou wilt cry, Lord, Lord! then the name of God will be called on
more reverently. And darest thou now make a foot-ball of it? Dost thou
not fear lest it should be then thy terror, to remember on thy
death-bed, when thou art calling upon God, Oh this is the name that I
was wont to swear by, or to take in vain?
5. Remember that millions of glorious angels are magnifying that great
and holy name, which thou art profaning and taking in vain. And dost
thou not wonder that they do not some of them become the executioners
of the vengeance of God against thee? and that the earth doth not open
and swallow thee up? Shall a worm on earth be tossing that holy name,
or swearing by it profanely, which a world of glorious angels are
magnifying?
6. Consider that thou art more impious than they that profane things
hallowed and consecrated to God. Was Belshazzar punished with the loss
of kingdom and life, for carousing in the vessels of the sanctuary?
Wouldst thou think him to be profane that should make a stable of the
church, and should feed his swine with the communion cup? And dost
thou not know that the name of God himself hath a higher degree of
holiness, than any place or utensils of his worship have? and
therefore that it is a greater profaneness to abuse his name, than to
abuse any of these? Doth not thy tongue then condemn thee of
hypocrisy, when thou wouldst exclaim against any that should thus
profane the church, or font, or communion cup, or table, and yet
thyself dost ordinarily profane the very holy name of God, and use it
as a common name?
7. Consider how unworthily thou requitest God, for giving thee thy
tongue and speech. He gave thee this noble faculty to honour him by;
and is this thy thanks, to use it to dishonour him, by swearing and
taking his name in vain?
8. Thy infectious breath corrupteth others. It tendeth to bring God
into common contempt among his own creatures, when they hear his name
contemptuously spoken of.
9. Thou forgettest how tender and jealous God hath showed himself to be,
of the honour of his holy name; and what terrible threatenings he hath
denounced against the profaners of it, and what judgments he hath
executed on them.[496] Lev. xix. 12, "Ye shall not swear by my name
falsely: neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord."
So Lev. xviii. 21. And of the priests it is said, Lev. xxi. 6, "They
shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God." So
Lev. xxii. 2, 31, 32, "Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do
them: I am the Lord: neither shall ye profane my holy name, but I will
be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the Lord which hallow
you." Deut. xxviii. 58, 59, "If thou wilt not observe to do all the
words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayst fear
this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD, then the Lord will
make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed; great plagues
and of long continuance; and sore sicknesses and of long continuance."
Worshipping God and trusting in him is called, a "walking in his name,"
and "calling upon his name." See Mic. iv. 5; Psal. xcix. 6. The place of
his public worship is called, "The place where he putteth or recordeth
his name," Exod. xx. 24; Deut. xii. 5, 11, 21. Isa. xxix. 23, "They
shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall
fear the God of Israel." Isa. xlviii. 11, "For how should my name be
polluted? and I will not give my glory to another." God telleth Moses,
and Moses telleth Aaron when his sons were slain, "I will be sanctified
in them that come nigh unto me, and before all the people I will be
glorified," Lev. x. 3. So Lev. xxiv. 10, 14, a man that in striving with
another blasphemed and cursed, was stoned to death. And in the third
commandment, it is terrible enough that God saith, "The Lord will not
hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain."
10. Dost thou not use to say the Lord's prayer, and therein, "Hallowed
be thy name," Matt. vi. 9. Luke xi. 2: and wilt thou profane that name
which thou prayest may be hallowed? Is it hallowing it, to swear by
it, and use it unreverently and vainly in thy common talk? Or will God
endure such hypocrisy as this, or regard such hypocritical prayers?
11. Thy customary swearing is an uncharitable accusation of the hearers,
as if they were so incredulous, that they would not believe a man
without an oath, and so profane, that they delight in the profanation of
the name of God; which is the grief of every honest hearer.
12. Thou accusest thyself as a person suspected of lying, and not to
be believed; for among honest men a word is credible without an oath.
Therefore if thou were but taken for an honest man, thy bare word
would be believed. And by swearing, thou tellest all that hear thee,
that thou supposest thyself to be taken for a person whose word is not
to be believed. And what need hast thou to tell this so openly to
others if it be so?
13. And by swearing thou declarest the suspicion to be true, and that
indeed thou art not to be believed: so far art thou from making thy
sayings more credible by it. For he that hath so little conscience and
fear of God, as to swear profanely, can hardly be thought a person
that makes any conscience of a lie. For it is the same God that is
offended by the one as by the other. A swearer warranteth you to
suspect him for a liar.
14. Both swearing and taking God's name in vain, are the greater sins,
because you have no stronger a temptation to them. Commonly they bring
no honour, but shame: they bring no sensual pleasure to the senses, as
gluttony, and drunkenness, and uncleanness do; and usually they are
committed without any profit to entice men to them. You get not the
worth of a penny by your sin; so that it is hard to find what draweth
you to it, or why you do it, unless it be to show God that you fear
him not, and unless you intend to bid defiance to him, and do that
which you think will offend him, in mere despite. So that one would
think a very little grace might serve to cure such a fruitless sin:
and therefore it is a sign of gracelessness.
15. How terribly dost thou draw God's vengeance upon thyself! Cursing
thyself is a begging for vengeance: profane swearing is a profane,
contemptuous appeal to the judgment of God. And darest thou, even in
thy sins, appeal to the judgment of God? Dost thou fear it no more? To
this judgment then thou shalt go! But thou will quickly have enough of
it, and find what it was for stubble to appeal to the "consuming
fire," Heb. xii. 29.
_Direct._ III. Remember God's presence, and keep his fear upon thy
heart, and remember his judgment to which thou art hastening, and keep
a tender conscience, and a watch upon thy tongue, and then thou wilt
easily escape such a sin as this. Darest thou abuse God's name before
his face?
_Direct._ IV. Write over thy doors or bed, where thou mayst oft read
it, the third commandment, or some of those terrible passages of holy
Scripture: Matt. v. 34-37, "I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither
by heaven,--nor by the earth,--nor by thy head,--but let thy
communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than
these, cometh of evil." James v. 12, "Above all things, my brethren,
swear not, neither by the heavens, neither by the earth, nor any other
oath; but let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into
condemnation" (or hypocrisy, as Dr. Hammond thinks it should be read).
Zech. v. 3, "Every one that sweareth shall be cut off." Jer. xxiii.
10, "Because of swearing the land mourneth." Hos. iv. 2. Think well on
such texts as these.
_Direct._ V. Love God, and honour him as God, and thou canst not thus
despise and abuse his name. Thou wilt reverence and honour the name of
that person that thou lovest, and reverencest, and honourest. It is
atheism and want of love to God, that makes thee so profane his name.
_Direct._ VI. Punish thyself after every such crime with such a
voluntary mulct or penalty as may help to quicken thy observation and
remembrance. If none execute the law upon thee, (which is twelve pence
an oath,) lay more on thyself, and give it to the poor. Though you are
not bound to do justice on yourselves, you may medicinally help to
cure yourselves, by that which hath a rational aptitude thereto.
_Tit._ 3. _Special Directions against Lying and
Dissembling._
[Sidenote: What truth is.]
That you may know what lying is, we must first know what truth is, and
what is the use of speech. Truth is considerable, 1. As it is in the
things known and spoken of. 2. As it is in the conception or knowledge
of the mind. 3. As it is in the expressions of the tongue. 1. Truth in
the things known is nothing but their reality; that indeed they are
that which their names import, or the mind apprehendeth them to be:
this is that which is called both physical and metaphysical
truth.[497] 2. Truth in the conception or knowledge of the mind, is
nothing else but the agreement or conformity of the knowledge to the
thing known; to conceive of it truly, is to conceive of it as it is;
mistake or error is contrary to this truth. 3. Truth as it is in the
expressions is indeed a twofold relation. (1.) The primary relation is
of our words or writings to the matter expressed. And so truth of
speech is nothing but the agreeableness of our words to the things
expressed; when we speak of them as they are. (2.) The secondary
relation of our words is to the mind of the speaker; for the natural
use of the tongue is to express the mind as well as the matter: and
thus truth of speech is nothing but the agreeableness of our words to
our thoughts or judgments. Truth as it is the agreement of thoughts or
words to the matter, may be called logical truth. And this is but the
common matter of moral or ethical truth, which may be found partly in
a clock, or watch, or weathercock, or a seaman's chart. The agreement
of our words to our minds, is the more proper or special matter of
moral truth; the form of it as a moral virtue is its agreement to the
law of the God of truth. And as the _terminus_ entereth the definition
of relations, so our words have respect to the mind of the hearer or
reader, as their proper _terminus_; their use being to acquaint him,
1. With the matter expressed; 2. With our minds concerning it.
Therefore it is necessary to the logical truth of speech, that it have
an aptitude rightly to inform the hearer; and to the ethical truth,
that it be intended by the speaker really to inform him, and not to
deceive him. (Supposing that it is another that we speak to.)
You see then that to a moral truth all these things are necessary: 1.
That it be an agreement of the words with the matter expressed (as far
as we are obliged to know the matter). 2. That it be an agreement of
the words with the speaker's mind or judgment. 3. That the expressions
have an aptitude to inform the hearer of both the former truths. 4.
That we really intend them to inform him of the truth, so far as we
speak it. 5. That it be agreeable to the law of God; which is the rule
of duty, and discoverer of sin.
In some speeches the truth of our words as agreeing to the matter and to
the mind is all one, viz. when our own conception or judgment of a thing
is all that we assert. As when we say, I think, or I believe, or I judge
that such a thing is so. Here it is no whit necessary to the truth of my
words, that the thing be so as I think it to be, (for I affirm it not to
be so,) but that indeed I think as I say I think. But that our words and
minds agree, is always and inseparably necessary to all moral truth.
[Sidenote: How far we are bound to speak the truth.]
We are not bound to make known all that is true, (for then no man must
keep a secret,) much less to every man that asketh us. Therefore we
are not bound to endeavour the cure of every man's error or ignorance
in every matter; for we are not bound to talk at all to every man. And
if I be not bound to make known the truth at all, or my mind at all, I
am not bound to make known all the truth, or all that is in my mind;
no, not to all those to whom I am bound to make known part of both. If
I find a man in an ignorance or error which I am not bound to cure,
(nay, possibly it were my sin to cure it; as to open the secrets of
the king's counsels or armies to his enemies, &c.) I may and must so
fit my speech to that man, even about those matters, as not to make
him know what he should not know either of the matter or of my mind; I
may either be silent, or speak darkly, or speak words which he
understandeth not, (through his own imperfection,) or which I know his
weakness will misunderstand; but I must speak no falsehood to him.
Also there is a great difference between speaking so as not to cure
the ignorance or error of the hearer, which I found him in, and so
speaking as to lead him into some new error; I may do the former in
many cases, in which I may not do the latter. And there is great
difference between speaking such words, as in the common use of men
are apt to inform the hearers of the truth, though I may know, that
through some weakness of their own they will misunderstand them, and
be deceived by them; and the speaking of words which in common use of
men, have another signification than that which I use them to. By the
former way, the hearer sometimes is the deceiver of himself, and not
the speaker, when the speaker is not bound to reveal any more to him;
but by the latter way the speaker is the deceiver. Also there is great
difference to be made between my speaking to one to whom it is my duty
to reveal the truth, and my speaking to a man to whom I am not bound
to reveal it; yea, from whom my duty to God, and my king or country,
bind me to conceal it. By these grounds and distinctions you may know
what a lie is, and may resolve the ordinary doubts that are used to be
raised about our speaking truth or falsehood. As,
_Quest._ I. Am I bound to speak the truth to every one that asketh
me? _Answ._ You are not bound to speak at all in every case to every
one that asketh you; and he that is silent, speaketh not the truth.
_Quest._ II. Am I bound to speak the truth to every one that I answer
to? _Answ._ Your answer may sometimes be such as signifieth but a
denying to answer, or to reveal what is demanded of you.
_Quest._ III. Am I bound to speak all the truth, whenever I speak part
of it? _Answ._ No: it is God's word that must tell you when, and how
much you must reveal to others[498] and if you go as far as God
alloweth you, it followeth not, that therefore you must go further. A
soldier taken by the enemy may tell the truth when he is asked in
things that will do no harm to his king and country; but he must
conceal the rest, which would advantage the enemy against them.
_Quest._ IV. Is it always a sin to speak a logical falsehood; that is,
to speak disagreeably to the thing which I speak of? _Answ._ Not
always: for you may sometimes believe an untruth without sin. For you
are to believe things according to their evidence and appearance.
Therefore if the deceit be unavoidably caused by a false appearance or
evidence, without any fault of yours, it is not then your fault to be
mistaken. But then your expressions must signify no more certainty
than you have, nor any more confidence than the evidence will warrant.
When you say, such a thing is so; the meaning must be but, I am
persuaded it is so; for if you say, I am certain it is so, when you
are not certain, you offend.
_Quest._ V. Is it always a sin to speak falsely or disagreeably to the
matter, when I know it to be false? that is, Is it always a sin to speak
contrary to my judgment or mind? _Answ._ Yes: for God hath forbidden it,
and that upon great and weighty reasons, as you shall hear anon.
_Quest._ VI. Is it a sin when I speak not a known untruth, nor
contrary to my opinion, nor with a purpose to deceive? _Answ._ Yes: it
is oft a sin when there is none of this. For if it be your duty to
know what you say, and to deliberate before you speak, and your duty
to be acquainted with the truth or falsehood which you are ignorant
of, and your duty to take heed that you deceive not another
negligently, and yet you neglect all these duties, and by a culpable
ignorance and negligence deceive both yourselves and others, then this
is a sin, as well as if you knowingly deceived them.
_Quest._ VII. But though it be a sin, it remaineth doubtful whether it
be a lie. _Answ._ This is but _lis de nomine_, a controversy about the
name and not the thing. As long as we are agreed that it is a sin
against God, and to be avoided, whether you call it a lie, or by
another name, is no great matter. But I think it is to be called a
lie: though I know that most definers follow Cicero, and say that a
lie is a falsehood spoken with a purpose to deceive; yet I think, that
where the will is culpably neglective of not deceiving, an untruth so
negligently uttered deserveth the name of a lie.
_Quest._ VIII. Must my words, to free them from falsehood, be always
true in the proper, literal sense? _Answ._ No. Augustine's
determination in this case is clear truth, _Quod figurate dicitur non
est mendacium, (i. e. eo nomine)_. To speak ironically, metonymically,
metaphorically, &c. is not therefore to lie. For the truth of words
lying in that aptitude to express the thing and mind, which is suited
to the intellect of the hearers, they are true words that thus
express them, whether properly or figuratively; but if the words be
used figuratively, contrary to the hearers, and the common sense of
them, with a purpose to deceive, then they are a lie, notwithstanding
you pretend a figure to verify them.
_Quest._ IX. Must my words be used by me in the common sense, or in
the hearer's sense? _Answ._ No doubt but so far as you intend to
inform the hearer, you are to speak to him in his own sense. If he
have a peculiar sense of some word, differing from the common sense,
and this be known to you, you must speak in his peculiar sense. But if
it be in a case that you are bound to conceal from him, the question
is much harder. Some think it an untruth and sinful to speak to him in
words which you know he will use to his own deceit. Others think that
you are not bound to fit yourselves to his infirmity, and speak in his
dialect contrary to common sense; and that it is not your fault that
he misunderstandeth you, though you foresee it, where it will not
profit him to understand you, nor yourselves are obliged to make him
understand you, but the contrary: the next will open this.
_Quest._ X. Is it lawful by speech to deceive another, yea, and to
intend it, supposing it be by truth? _Answ._ It is not a sin in all
cases, to contribute towards another man's error or mistake.[499] For,
1. There are many cases in which it is no sin in him to mistake, nor
any hurt to him: therefore to contribute to that which is neither sin
nor hurt, is of itself no sin: yea, there are some cases in which an
error (though not as such) may be a duty; as, to think charitably and
well of a hypocrite, as long as he seemeth to be sincere. Here if by
charitable reports I contribute to his mistake, it seemeth to be but
my duty. For as he is bound to believe, so I am bound to report the
best while it is probable. 2. There are many cases in which a man's
ignorance or mistake may be his very great benefit; his life or estate
may lie upon it; and I may know that if he understood such or such a
thing, he would make use of it to his ruin. 3. There are many cases in
which a man's innocent error is necessary to the safety of others, or
of the commonwealth. 4. It is lawful in such cases to deceive such men
by actions; as an enemy by military stratagems, or a traitor by signs
which he will mistake. And words of truth which we foreknow he will
mistake, not by our fault, but by his own, do seem to be less
questionable than actions which have a proper tendency to deceive. 5.
God himself hath written and spoken those words which he foreknew that
wicked men would mistake and deceive themselves by; and he hath done
those works, and giveth those mercies, which he knoweth they will turn
to a snare against themselves. And his dominion or prerogative cannot
here be pleaded to excuse it, if it were unholy. And in this sense (as
to permitting and occasioning) it is said, Ezek. xiv. 9, "And if the
prophet be deceived, I the Lord have deceived that prophet." Yet must
we not think with Plato, that it is lawful to lie to an enemy to
deceive him. For, 1. All deceit that is against charity or justice is
sinful. 2. And all deceit that is performed by a lie. As Augustine
saith, There are some lies which are spoken for another's safety or
commodity, not in malice, but in benignity, as the midwives to
Pharaoh.--These lies are not commended in themselves, but in the
deceit (or charity) of them. They that thus lie will deserve (that is,
be in the way) to be at last delivered from all lying. There is also a
lying in jest, which deceiveth not; because he that is spoken to,
knoweth it to be spoken in jest. And these two sorts are not
faultless; but the fault is not great. A perfect man must not lie to
save his life.--But it is lawful to silence the truth, though not
speak falsely. In Psal. and in Enchirid. he saith, _Mihi non
absurdum_, &c. It seemeth not absurd to me that every lie is a sin;
but it is a great matter or difference, with what mind and in what
matters a man lieth. Some think a physician may lie to entice his
patient to take a medicine to save his life: he may lawfully deceive
him by hiding a medicine, and by true speeches and dark, which he
thinketh will be misunderstood; but not by falsehood.
_Quest._ XI. Wherein lieth the proper vice of lying? Is it in deceiving?
or in speaking falsely? or in speaking contrary to the thoughts? _Answ._
It is the aggravation of a lie, that it be an injurious deceit. But the
malignity of the sin doth not consist in the mere deceit of another
man's intellect: for, as is said, it may be a great benefit to many men
to be deceived: a patient's life may be saved by it, when his physician
findeth it necessary to his taking a medicine, which without deceit he
will not take. And so children and weak-headed people must be used. Now
such a charitable deceit, as such, can be no sin. Therefore the common
nature of a lie consisteth not, only, in the purpose of deceiving, but
in the speaking falsely, contrary to the mind: else it would follow,
either that all deceit is sin, or that all lying or false speaking is
lawful, where the deceit of another is charitable or lawful: which are
neither of them to be granted. Yet it is not every untruth that is a
lie. Some schoolmen distinguish between _mentiri_ (as being _contra
mentem ire_) and _mendacium dicere_; as if to tell a lie were not always
to lie, because not contrary to the mind. But then by _mendacium_ they
mean no more than _falsum_.
[Sidenote: What a lie is.]
[Sidenote: How sin is voluntary.]
I conclude then, that a lie is the voluntary asserting of a falsehood.
And the more it tendeth to the injury of another, the more it is
aggravated; but it is one thing to be injurious, and another thing to be
a lie. When I name a falsehood, I mean that which is apt to deceive the
hearer. So that it is necessary to the being of a lie, that it be
deceitful, though the purpose of deceiving be found only in the more
explicit sort of lies; for _falsum dicitur a fallendo_, it were not
false, if it were not deceitful, or apt to deceive. For an unapt or
figurative expression which hath a right sense as used by the speaker
and hearer, is no falsehood. In one language a double negative
affirmeth; and in another a double negative is a more vehement kind of
denial; and yet neither is to be called by the others an untruth. By
asserting, I mean any expression that maketh the falsehood our own, as
distinct from an historical narration; for it is not lying to repeat a
lie, as only telling what another said. By voluntary, I mean not only
that which is done knowingly, upon actual will and deliberate choice, or
consent; but also that which is done _ex culpa voluntatis_, by the fault
of the will, and is to be imputed to the will.[500] For it is of great
necessity to observe this about every sin, that whereas we truly say,
that all sin is voluntary, and no further sin than voluntary; yet by
voluntary, here, is not meant only that which is actually willed; but
all that the will is guilty of. For it is true that Austin saith, _Ream
linguam non facit nisi rea mens_, The tongue is not made guilty, but by
a guilty mind. But then it must be known, that the mind or will is
guilty of forbidden omissions as well as actions: and so it is a lie or
voluntary untruth, when the mind and will do not restrain the tongue
from it when they ought. As, 1. When a man erreth or is ignorant through
wilful sloth or negligence, and so speaketh falsely when he thinks it
true; this is a culpable falsehood, and so a lie; because he might have
avoided it and did not: and this is the case of most false teachers and
heretics. So, also, if a man will through passion, custom, or
carelessness, let his tongue run before his wits, and speak falsely for
want of considering or heeding what he saith, this is a culpable
untruth, and a lie, and it is voluntary; because the will should have
prevented it and did not; though yet there was no purpose to deceive.
You see then that there are two degrees of lying. 1. The grossest is
the speaking of a known falsehood, with a purpose to deceive. 2. The
other is the speaking falsely through culpable ignorance, error, or
inconsiderateness.
_Direct._ I. Be well informed of the evil of the sin of lying; for the
common cause of it is, that men think that there is no great harm in it,
unless some one be greatly wronged by it: but it is not forbidden by God
only because it wrongeth others, but it hath all this evil in it.
1. Lying is the perverting of man's noble faculties, and turning them
clean contrary to their natural use. God gave man a tongue to express
his mind, and reveal the truth; and lying doth monstrously turn it to
the hindering of the mind and truth, yea, to the venting of the
contrary to both. And as it is the evil of drunkenness to be a
voluntary madness or corruption of so noble a faculty as reason, so it
is the fault of lying, to be corrupting, perverting, and deforming
both of the mind and tongue; and by confusion, a destroying of God's
work and creature as to its proper use.[501]
2. Lying is the enemy and destroyer of truth: and truth is a thing
divine, of unspeakable excellency and use. It is God's instrument by
which he maketh men wise, and good, and happy. Therefore if he should
not make strict laws for the preservation of so excellent a thing as
truth, he should not secure the happiness of the world. As to the
securing of men's lives it is not enough to make a law that you shall
not kill men without just cause (though that be all that the law
intendeth to attain); for then every man being left to judge, would
think there were just cause whenever his passion or interest told him
so; but the law is, You shall not kill at all without the judgment of
the magistrate: so, if the law against lying did intend no more than
the securing men from the injuries of error and deceit, yet would it
not have been a sufficient means, to have said only, You shall not
injure men by lying; for then men would have judged of the injury by
their own interests and passions; but much more is it needful to have
a stricter law, when truth itself is the thing that God intendeth to
secure, as well as the interest of men. In the eyes of christians, and
heathens, and all mankind that have not unmanned themselves, there
appeareth a singular beauty and excellency in truth. Aristotle could
say, that the nature of man is made for truth. Cicero could say, that
_Quod verum, simplex, sincerumque est, id naturæ hominis
accommodatissimum est_: Verity and virtue were ever taken as the
inseparable perfections of man. Pythagoras could say, that to love
truth and do good, were the two things that made man likest to God,
and therefore were his two most excellent gifts. Plato could say,
that truth was the best rhetoric and the sweetest oration. Epictetus
could say, that truth is a thing immortal, eternal, of all things most
precious; better than friendship, as being less obnoxious to blind
affections. Jamblichus could say, that as light naturally and
constantly accompanieth the sun, so truth accompanieth God and all
that follow him. Epaminondas is praised for that he would not lie, no
not in jest. Pomponius Atticus was so great a hater of a lie, that all
his friends were desirous to trust him with their business, and use
him as their counsellor. He knoweth not what use man's understanding
or his tongue were made for, that knoweth not the excellency of
truth.[502] Let a Pilate only ask as a stranger, "What is truth?" John
xviii. 38, as Pharaoh asked, "Who is the Lord?" "For this end Christ
himself came into the world, to bear witness to the truth, and every
one that is of the truth will hear him," John xviii. 37. "He is the
truth," John xiv. 6, and "full of grace and truth," John i. 14. "Grace
and truth came by him," John i. 17. His Spirit is given to "guide his
servants into the truth," John xvi. 13, and to "sanctify them by the
truth," John xvii. 19, that "knowing the truth, it might make them
free," John viii. 32. "The fruit of the Spirit is in all truth," Eph.
v. 9. His ministers can "do nothing against the truth, but for the
truth," 2 Cor. xiii. 8. "Truth" is the "girdle" that must "gird our
loins," Eph. vi. 14. The "church" is the "pillar" and "ground of
truth," 1 Tim. iii. 15. The faithful are "they that believe and know
the truth," 1 Tim. iv. 3. "Speaking the truth in love," is the way of
the churches' growth and edification, Eph. iv. 15. "Repentance" is
given men, "to the acknowledging of the truth, that they may escape
out of the power of the devil," 2 Tim. ii. 25, 26. The dullards are
they that are "never able to come to the knowledge of the truth," 2
Tim. iii. 7. "They are men of perverse minds that resist the truth," 2
Tim. iii. 8. "They that receive not the truth in the love of it cannot
be saved," 2 Thess. ii. 10. All they "are damned that believe not the
truth," 2 Thess. ii. 12, 13. You see what truth is in the judgment of
God and all the sober world. Therefore a lie, that is contrary to
truth as darkness to light, must be equally odious as truth is
amiable: no wonder therefore if it be absolutely forbidden of God.
3. You may the easier perceive this by considering, that other faults of
the tongue, as idle talk, swearing, and such like, are forbidden, not
only because they are a hurt to others, but for the intrinsical evil in
the thing itself: great reason therefore that it should be so in this.
4. Lying is a vice which maketh us most unlike to God. For he is
called the "God of truth," Psal. xxxi. 5; Deut. xxxii. 4. All his
"ways" are "mercy and truth," Psal. xxv. 10. His "judgment is
according to truth," Rom. ii. 2. "It is impossible for God to lie,"
Heb. vi. 18; Tit. i. 2. His word is the "word of truth," Psal. cxix.
43; Col. i. 5; 2 Tim. ii. 15; Jam. i. 15; 2 Cor. vi. 7. And who shall
"dwell in his tabernacle," but those that "speak the truth in their
hearts," Psal. xv. 2.[503] The disconformity of the soul to God, then,
being its greatest deformity, in things wherein it is made to be
conformed to him, it may hence appear that lying is an odious sin.
And this may the easilier appear, if you consider, what a case the
world were in if God could lie, and were not of undoubted truth: we
should then be sure of nothing; and therefore could have no sure
information by his word, no sure direction and guidance by his
precepts, and no sure consolation in any of his promises. Therefore
that which maketh us so unlike to the true God, must needs be odious.
5. Lying is the image or work of the devil, and liars are his children
in a special sort: for Christ telleth us that he "abode not in the
truth, for there is no truth in him; when he speaketh a lie he
speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it," John
viii. 44. The proud, the malicious, and the liars, are in a special
sort the children of the devil; for these three are in Scripture in a
special manner made the devil's sins.[504] Therefore sure there is an
intrinsical evil and odiousness in a lie. It was Satan that filled the
hearts of Ananias and Sapphira to lie to the Holy Ghost, Acts v. 3. To
change the "truth of God into a lie," and "to make God a liar," are
therefore the most odious sins, Rom. i. 25; 1 John v. 10; because it
is a feigning him to be like the devil: and should we make ourselves
like him then by the same vice? If you love not the devil's sin and
image, love not a lie.
6. Lying destroyeth human converse, and bringeth most pernicious
confusion into the affairs of mankind. If truth be excluded, men
cannot buy and sell, and trade, and live together. It would be
sufficient to destroy their rational converse if they had no tongues;
but much more to have false tongues: silence openeth not the mind at
all; lying openeth it not when it pretendeth to open it, and falsely
representeth it to be what it is not. And therefore though you say,
that your lies do no such hurt; yet seeing this is the nature and
tendency of lying as such, it is just and merciful in the righteous
God, to banish all lying by the strictest laws:[505] as the whole
nature of serpents is so far at enmity with the nature of man, that we
hate and kill them though they never did hurt us, because it is in
their nature to hurt us; so God hath justly and mercifully condemned
all lying, because its nature tendeth to the desolation and confusion
of the world; and if any indulgence were given to it, all iniquity and
injustice would presently like an inundation overwhelm us all.
7. Lying tendeth directly to perjury itself. It is the same God that
forbiddeth them both: and when once the heart is hardened in the one,
it is but a step further to the other. Cicero could observe, that he
that is used to lie, will easily be perjured. A seared conscience that
tolerateth one, will easily be brought to bear the other.
8. There is a partiality in the liar that condemneth himself, and the
sin in another, which in himself he justifieth; for there is no man
that would have another lie to him. As Austin saith, I have known many
that would deceive, but never any that would be deceived.[506] If it
be good, why should not all others lie to thee? If it be bad, why wilt
thou lie to others? Is not thy tongue under the same law as theirs?
Dost thou like it in thy children and in thy servants? If not, it
should seem much worse to thee in thyself, as thou art most concerned
in thy own actions.
9. Judge what lying is by thy own desire and expectation to be
believed. Wouldst thou not have men believe thee, whether thou speak
truth or not? I know thou wouldst; for the liar loseth his end if he
be known to lie, and be not believed. And is it a reasonable desire or
expectation in thee to have men to believe a lie? If thou wouldst be
believed, speak that which is to be believed.
10. Lying maketh thee to be always incredible, and so to be useless or
dangerous to others; for he that will lie doth leave men uncertain
whether ever he speak truth, unless there be better evidence of it
than his credibility. As Aristotle saith, A liar gets this by lying,
that nobody will believe him when he speaks the truth. How shall I
know that he speaketh truth to-day who lied yesterday? unless open
repentance recover his credibility. Truth will defend itself, and
credit him that owneth it at last; but falsehood is indefensible, and
will shame its patrons. Saith Petrarch excellently, As truth is
immortal, so a fiction and lie endureth not long: dissembled matters
are quickly opened; as the hair that is combed and set with great
diligence is ruffled with a little blast of wind; and the paint that
is laid on the face with a deal of labour, is washed off with a little
sweat: the craftiest lie cannot stand before the truth; but is
transparent to him that nearly looketh into it; every thing that is
covered is soon uncovered: shadows pass away; and the native colour of
things remaineth: it is a great labour to keep hidden long. No man can
live long under water; he must needs come forth, and show the face
which he concealed.[507] At the furthest God at the day of judgment
will lay open all.
_Direct._ II. If you would avoid lying, take heed of guilt.[508]
Unclean bodies need a cover; and are most ashamed to be seen.
Faultiness causeth lying; and lying increaseth the fault. When men
have done that which they are afraid or ashamed to make known, they
think there is a necessity of using their art to keep it secret. But
wit and craft are no good substitute for honesty; such patches make
the rent much worse. But because the corrupted heart of man will be
thus working and flying to deceitful shifts, prevent the cause and
occasion of your lying. Commit not the fault that needs a lie.
Avoiding it is much better than hiding it, if you were sure to keep it
never so close. As indeed you are not; for commonly truth will come to
light. It is the best way in the world to avoid lying, to be innocent;
and do nothing which doth fear the light: truth and honesty do not
blush, nor desire to be hid. Children and servants are much addicted
to this crime: when their folly, or wantonness, or appetites, or
slothfulness, or carelessness hath made them faulty, they presently
study a lie to hide it with; which is to go to the devil to entreat
him to defend or cover his own works. But wise, and obedient, and
careful, and diligent, and conscionable children and servants, have
need of no such miserable shifts.
_Direct._ III. Fear God more than man, if you would not be liars.[509]
The excessive fear of man is a common cause of lying; this maketh
children so apt to lie, to escape the rod; and most persons that are
obnoxious to much hurt from others, are in danger of lying to avoid
their displeasure. But why fear you not God more, whose displeasure is
unspeakably more terrible? Your parents or master will be angry, and
threaten to correct you; but God threateneth to damn you; and his
wrath is a consuming fire: no man's displeasure can reach your souls,
and extend to eternity: will you run into hell to escape punishment on
earth? Remember, whenever you are tempted to escape any danger by a
lie, that you run into a thousandfold greater danger, and that no hurt
that you escape by it, can possibly be half so great as the hurt it
bringeth. It is as foolish a course as to cure the tooth-ache by
cutting off the head.
_Direct._ IV. Get down your pride, and over-much regard of the thoughts
of men, if you would not be liars. Pride makes men so desirous of
reputation, and so impatient of the hard opinion of others, that all the
honest endeavours of the proud are too little to procure the reputation
they desire, and therefore lying must make up the rest. Shame is so
intolerable a suffering to them, that they make lies the familiar cover
of their nakedness. He that hath not riches, hath pride, and would be
thought somebody, and therefore will set out his estate by a lie. He
that hath not eminency of parentage and birth, if he have pride will
make himself a gentleman by a lie. He that is a contemptible person at
home, if he be proud, will make himself honourable among strangers by a
lie. He that wanteth learning, degrees, or any thing that he would be
proud of, will endeavour by a lie to supply his wants: even as wanton
women by the actual lie of painting, would make themselves beautiful,
through a proud desire to be esteemed. Especially he that committeth a
shameful crime, if he be proud will rather venture on a lie than on the
shame. But if your pride be cured, your temptation to lying will be as
nothing; you will be so indifferent in matters of honour or reputation,
as not to venture your souls on God's displeasure for it: not that any
should be impudent, or utterly regardless of their reputation; but none
should overvalue it, nor prefer it before their souls, nor seek it by
unlawful means. Avoid shame by well-doing, and spare not: (only see that
you have a higher end.) Seneca saith, There are more that abstain from
sin through shame, than through virtue or a good will: it is well when
virtue is so much in credit, and vice in discredit, that those that have
not the virtue would fain have the name, and those that will not leave
the vice, would escape the shame; and it is well that there are human
motives to restrain them that care not for divine ones. But as human
motives cause no saving virtues; so devilish and wicked means are far
from preventing any pernicious hurt, being the certain means to procure
it.[510]
_Direct._ V. Avoid ambition, and human, unnecessary dependence, if you
would avoid lying. For the ambitious give up themselves to men; and
therefore flattering must be their trade; and how much of lying is
necessary to the composition of flattery, I need not tell you. Truth
is seldom taken for the fittest instrument of flattery. It is
contrarily the common road to hatred: _Libere et sine adulatione
veritatem prædicantes, et gesta pravæ vitæ arguentes, gratiam non
habent apud homines_, saith Ambrose. They that preach truth freely and
without flattery, and reprove the deeds of a wicked life, find not
favour with men. _Veritatem semper inimicitiæ persequuntur_:[511]
Hatred is the shadow of truth, as envy is of happiness. When
Aristippus was asked why Dionysius spake so much against him, he
answered, for the same reason that all other men do; intimating that
it was no wonder if the tyrant was impatient of truth and plain
dealing, when it is so with almost all mankind: they are so culpable,
that all but flatterers seem to handle them too hard, and hurt their
sores. And herein lieth much of the misery of great men, that few or
none deal truly with them, but they are flattered into perdition:
saith Seneca, _Divites cum omnia habent, unum illis deest; scilicet
qui verum dicat: si enim in clientelam fælicis hominis potentumque
perveneris, aut veritas aut amicitia perdenda est_: One thing rich men
want when they have all things, that is, a man to speak the truth: for
if thou become the dependant or client of prosperous or great men,
thou must cast away (or lose) either the truth or their
friendship.[512] Hierom thought that therefore Christ had not a house
to put his head in, because he would flatter nobody, and therefore
nobody would entertain him in the city. And the worst of all is, that
where flattery reigneth, it is taken for a duty, and the neglect of it
for a vice: as Hieron. (ad Cel.) saith, _Quodque gravissimum est, quia
humilitatis ac benevolentiæ loco ducitur, ita fit ut qui adulari
nescit, aut invidus aut superbus reputetur_, i. e. And, which is most
grievous, because it goes for humility and kindness, it comes to pass
that he that cannot flatter is taken to be envious or proud. But the
time will come, that the flatterer will be hated even by him that his
fallacious praises pleased. Deceit and lies do please the flattered
person but a while; even till he find the bitterness of the effects,
and the fruit have told him that it was but a sugared kind of enmity:
and therefore he will not long be pleased with the flatterer himself.
Flattery ever appeareth at last, to be but _perniciosa dulcedo_, as
Austin calls it. Saith the same Austin, (in Psal. lix.) There are two
sorts of persecutors, the opposer (or dispraiser) and the flatterer:
but the tongue of the flatterer hurteth more than the hand of the
persecutor.[513] And think not that any man's greatness or favour will
excuse thee or save thee harmless in thy lies; for God that avengeth
them is greater than the greatest. Saith Austin, (li. de Mendac.)
_Quisquis autem esse aliquod genus mendacii, quod peccatum non sit
putaverit, decipiet semetipsum turpiter, cum honestum se deceptorem
arbitretur aliorum_, i. e. Whoever thinks that there is any kind of
lie that is no sin, he deceiveth himself foully, whilst he thinks
himself an honest deceiver of others. "Be not the servants of men," 1
Cor. vii. 23, if you would be true.
_Direct._ VI. Love not covetousness, if you would not be liars.[514] A
lie will seem to a covetous man an easy means to procure his gain, to
get a good bargain, or put off a cracked commodity for more than it is
worth. _Rupere fœdus, impius lucri furor, et ira præceps._ Sen. Hip.
He that loveth money better than God and conscience, will for money
displease God and conscience, by this or any other sin.
_Direct._ VII. Learn to trust God, if you would not be liars.[515] For
lying is the practice of him that thinks he must provide and shift for
himself. Even Abraham's and Isaac's equivocation, (saying their wives
were their sisters,) and David's feigning himself mad, proceeded from
some distrust in God: they would not have thought it necessary so to
shift for their lives, if they had fully trusted God with their
lives. Gehazi's covetousness and lying did both proceed from a want of
confidence in God. If a man were confident of God's protection, and
that he had better stand to God's choice in all things than his own,
what use could he think he hath for lying, or for any sinful shift?
_Direct._ VIII. Be not too credulous of bad reports, if you would not
be liars. Malice is so mad, and so unconscionable a sin, and the
tongues of men are commonly so careless of what they say, that if you
easily believe evil, you do but easily believe the devil, and thereby
make yourselves his servants in divulging malicious lies. You think
because they are spoken by many, and spoken confidently, you may
lawfully believe or report what you hear. But this is but to think
that the commonness of liars, and their malice and impudence, will
warrant you to follow them, even because they are so bad. Will you
bark and bite because that dogs do so? If a man be stung with an
adder, you should help to cure him, and not desire yourselves to sting
him: selfish, and interested, and malicious, and partial, factious
persons, are so commonly liars, and impudent in their lies, that it
behoveth you, if you would not be liars yourselves, to take heed of
reporting any thing they say. These spiders will weave a web of the
air, or out of their own bowels.[516]
_Direct._ IX. Be not rash in speaking things before you have tried them.
Consider what you say, and know before you speak. Is it not a shame when
you have spoken falsely, to come off with saying, I thought it had been
true? But why will you speak upon thought, and not stay till you better
understood the case? If the matter required such haste in speaking, you
should have said no more than, I think it is so. "Prove all things," and
then "hold that which is good," and assert that which is true. Saith
Cicero, de Nat. Deor. 1. 1. _Nihil est temeritate turpius, nec quicquam
tam indignum sapientis gravitate aut constantia, quam out falsum
sentire, aut quod non satis explorate perceptum sit et cognitum, sine
ulla dubitatione defendere_: Nothing is more unseemly than temerity: nor
any thing so unworthy the gravity or constancy of a wise man, than
either to hold a falsehood, or confidently to defend that which is not
received and known upon sufficient trial.[517]
_Direct._ X. Foresee that which is like to entrap you in a lie, that
you may prevent it. Let not the occasion and temptation surprise you
unprepared. Foresight will make the temptation easy to be overcome,
which unforeseen will be too strong for you.
_Direct._ XI. Get a tender conscience, and walk as in the sight and
hearing of God, and as one that is passing to his judgment.[518] A
seared conscience dare venture upon lies or any thing; but the fear of
God is the soul's preservative. What makes men lie, but thinking they
have to do with none but men? For they think by a lie to deceive a
man, and hide the truth; but if they remembered that they have most to
do with God, and that he is always present who cannot be deceived, and
that his judgment will bring all secret things to light, and detect
all their lies before all the world, they would not hire a torn and
dirty cloak at so dear a rate, for so short a time. No wonder if men
are liars that fear not God, and believe not the day of judgment.
_Direct._ XII. To save others from lying as well as yourselves, be
sure to watch against it in your children, and wisely help them to see
the evil of it. For children are very prone to it; and unwise
correction frighteneth them into lies to save themselves, as
indulgence and connivance do encourage them to it. Make them oft read
such texts as these: Lev. xix. 11, "Ye shall not steal, nor deal
falsely, nor lie one to another." Psal. xv. 2, "He that speaketh the
truth from his heart," &c.[519] Isa. xxxvi. 8, "He said, Surely they
are my people; children that will not lie; so he was their Saviour."
John viii. 44, "The devil is a liar, and the father of it." Rev. xxi.
27; xxii. 15, "There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that
defileth--or maketh a lie--For without are dogs--and whoever loveth
and maketh a lie." Psal. lxiii. 11, "The mouth of him that speaketh
lies shall be stopped." Psal. ci. 11, "He that speaketh lies shall not
tarry in my sight." Prov. xix. 5, 9, "A false witness shall not be
unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape" (shall
perish). Prov. xxix. 12, "If a ruler hearken to lies all his servants
are wicked:" so Psal. xxxi. 18; lii. 3. Psal. cxix. 163, "I hate and
abhor lying, but thy law do I love." Prov. xiii. 5, "A righteous man
hateth lying." Eph. iv. 35, "Wherefore putting away lying, speak every
man truth with his neighbour, for we are members one of another:" q.
d. A man would not lie to deceive his own members; no more should we
to deceive one another. In a word, where the love of God and man
prevaileth, there truth prevaileth; but where self-love, partiality,
and carnal self-interest prevail, there lying is a household servant,
and thought a necessary means to these ends.
But because lying is so common and so great a sin, and many cases
occur about it daily, though I think what is said offereth matter
enough to answer them, I shall mention some more of them distinctly,
to help their satisfaction who cannot accommodate general answers to
all their particular cases.
_Quest._ I. Is frequent known lying a certain sign of a graceless state,
that is, a mortal sin, proving the sinner to be in a state of damnation?
_Answ._ The difficulty of this case doth no more concern lying, than any
other sin of equal malignity. Therefore I must refer you to those places
where I have opened the difference between mortal, reigning sins, and
infirmities. At present take this brief solution. 1. It is a thing of
too great difficulty, to determine just how many acts of a great sin may
consist with a present state of grace (that is, of right by covenant to
heaven). 2. All sin which consisteth with an habitual, predominant love
of God and holiness, consisteth with a state of life, and no other. 3.
He that seldom or never committeth such external crimes, and yet loveth
not God, and heaven, and holiness above all the pleasures and interests
of the flesh, is in a state of death. 4. It is certain that this love to
God and holiness is not predominant, whose carnal interest and lust hath
ordinarily in the drift and tenor of his life, more power to draw him to
the wilful committing of known sin, than the said love of God, and
heaven, and holiness have to keep him from it. For his servants men are,
whom they obey, whether it be sin unto death, or obedience unto
righteousness, Rom. vi. 16. 5. Therefore the way to know whether sin be
mortified, or mortal, is, (1.) By feeling the true bent of the will,
whether we love or hate it. (2.) By observing the true bent and tenor of
our lives, whether God's interest in us, or the contrary, be predominant
when we are ourselves, and are tempted to such sins. 6. He that will
sin thus as oft as will stand with saving grace, shall never have the
assurance of his sincerity, or the peace or comfort of a sound believer,
till he repent and lead a better life. 7. He that in his sin retaineth
the spirit of adoption, or the image of God, or habitual divine love,
hath also habitual and virtual repentance for that very sin, before he
actually repenteth; because he hath that habitual hatred of it, which
will cause actual repentance, when he is composed to act according to
his predominant habits. 8. In the mean time the state of such a sinner
is, neither to be unregenerate, carnal, unholy, as he was before
conversion, and so to lose all his right to life; nor yet to have so
full a right as if he had not sinned: but a bar is put in against his
claim, which must be removed before his right be full, and such as is
ripe for present possession. 9. There are some sins which all men
continue in while they live. As defect in the degrees of faith, hope,
love, &c.; vain thoughts, words, disorder, passions, &c. And these sins
are not totally involuntary; otherwise they were no sins. Yea, the evil
is prevalent in the will against the good, so far as to commit those
sins, though not so far as to vitiate the bent of heart or life. 10.
There are some sins which none on earth do actually repent of, viz.
those that they know not to be sins; and those that they utterly forget;
and those faults which they are guilty of just at the time of dying. 11.
In these cases, virtual, or implicit, or habitual repentance doth
suffice to the preventing of damnation. As also a will to have lived
perfectly sufficeth in the case of continued imperfections.[520] 12.
Things work not on the will as they are in themselves; but as they are
apprehended by the understanding: and that which is apprehended to be
either of doubtful evil, or but a little sin and of little danger, will
be much less resisted, and ofter committed, than sins that are clearly
apprehended to be great. Therefore, where any sort of lie is apprehended
thus, as of small or doubtful evil, it will be the ofter committed. 13.
If this apprehension be wrong, and come from the predominancy of a
carnal or ungodly heart, which will not suffer the understanding to do
its office, nor to take that to be evil which he would not leave, then
both the judgment and the lie are mortal, and not mortified, pardoned
sins. 14. But if this misapprehension of the understanding do come from
natural impotency, or unavoidable want of better information, or only
from the fault of a vicious inclination, which yet is not predominant,
but is the remnant of a vice which is mortified in the main; then
neither the error nor the often lying is a mortal, but a mortified sin.
As, for instance, If false teachers (as the Jesuits) should persuade a
justified person, that a lie that hurteth no man, but is officious, is
but a venial or no sin, it is possible for such a person often to commit
it, though he err not altogether innocently. 15. Though it is true that
all good christians should not indulge the smallest sin, and that true
grace will make a man willing to forsake the least, yet certain
experience telleth us, that some constant sinning (aforenamed) doth
consist with grace in all that have it upon earth; and therefore that
lesser sins, as thoughts, passions, are not resisted so much as greater
be; and therefore that they are more indulged and favoured, or else they
would not be committed. No good men rise up with so great and constant
watchfulness against an idle thought or word, or a disorder in prayer,
&c. as they do against a heinous sin.
He that would have this and all such cases resolved in a word, and
not be put on trying the case by all these distinctions, must take
another casuist, or rather a deceiver instead of a resolver: for I
cannot otherwise resolve him.
_Quest._ II. Is it not contrary to the light of nature, to suffer, e.
g. a parent, a king, myself, my country, rather to be destroyed, than
to save them by a harmless lie?