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.