A Christian Directory

Tit. 1. The General Directions.

§. 1. Direct. 1. UNderstand in general of what moment and concernment it is that the Tongue be well governed and used. For they that think words, are inconsiderable, will use them inconsiderately. The conceit that words are of small moment (as some say of Thoughts, that they are free ) doth cause men to use their Tongues as if they were free, saying, Our lips are our own: who is Lord over us? Psal. 12. 4.

§. 2. 1. The tongue of man is his glory: by which expressively he excelleth the brutes: And a wonderful work of God it is, that a man's tongue should be able to articulate such an exceeding number of words: And God hath not given man so admirable a faculty for vanity and sin: The nobler and more excellent it is, the more to be regarded, and the greater is the fault of them that do abuse it. Hilary compareth them to an ill Barber that cuts a man's face and so deformeth him, when his work was to have made him more neat and comely. So it is the Office of the tongue to be excellently serviceable to the good of others, and to be the glory of mankind: The shame therefore of its faults is the more inexcusable.

§. 3. 2. The tongue is made to be the Index or expresser of the mind: Therefore if the mind be regardable, the tongue is regardable. And if the mind be not regardable, the man is not regardable. For our Lord telleth us, that the Tree is known by its fruit: an evil Tree bringeth forth evil fruits: and out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. And Aristotle saith, that [ Such as a man is, such are his speeches, such his works, and such his life. Therefore by vain or sinful words you tell men the vanity and corruption of your minds.

§. 4. 3. Men's works have a great dependence on their words: Therefore if their deeds be regardable, their words are regardable. Deeds are stirred up, or caused by words. Daily experience telleth us the power of speech. A speech hath saved a Kingdom, and a speech hath lost a Kingdom. Great actions depend on them, and greater consequents.

§. 5. 4. If the men that we speak to be regardable, words are regardable. For words are powerful instruments of their good or hurt. God useth them by his Ministers for men's conversion and salvation: And Satan useth them by his Ministers for men's subversion and damnation. How many thousand souls are hurt every day by the words of others! Some deceived, some puffed up, some hardened, and some provoked to sinful passions! And how many thousand are every day edified by words! either instructed, admonished, quickened or comforted. Paul saith, The weapons of our warfare are mighty through God: And Pythagoras could say, that Tongues cut deeper than swords, because they reach even to the soul: Tongue- sins and duties therefore must needs be great.

§. 6. 5. Our Tongues are the Instruments of our Creators praise; purposely given us to speak good of his Name, and to declare his works with rejoicing. It is no small part of that service which God expects from man, which is performed by the Tongue; nor a small part of the end of our Creation: The use of all our highest faculties, parts and graces are expressively by the Tongue: Our Wisdom and Knowledge, our Love and Holiness are much lost as to the Honor of God, and the good of others, if not expressed. The tongue is the Lanthorn or Casement of the soul, by which it looketh out, and shineth unto others. Therefore the sin or duty of so noble an instrument are not to be made light of, by any that regard the honor of our Maker.

§. 7. 6. Our words have a great reflection and operation upon our own hearts. As they come from them, so they recoil to them, as in prayer and conference we daily observe. Therefore for our own good or hurt, our words are not to be made light of.

§. 8. 7. God's Law and Judgment will best teach you what regard you should have to words. Christ telleth you, that by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned, Matth. 12. 37. And it is words of Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which are the unpardonable sin, Jam. 3. 2. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able to bridle the whole body. v. 6. The tongue is a fire; a world of iniquity: so is the tongue amongst our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire of Hell: Jam. 1. 26. If any man among you seem to be Religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's Religion is vain. 1 Pet. 3. 10. For he that will love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. Matth. 12. 36. But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. The third Commandment telleth us, that God will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain. And Psal. 15. 1, 2, 3. Speaking the truth in his heart, and not backbiting with the tongue, is the mark of him that shall abide in God's Tabernacle, and dwell in his holy Hill. And the very work of Heaven is said to be the perpetual praising of God. Rev. 14. 11. Judge now how God judgeth of your words.

§. 9. 8. And some conjecture may be made by the judgment of all the world. Do you not care yourselves what men speak of you and to you? Do you not care what language, your children, or servants, or neighbors give you? Are not words against the King treasonable and capital as well as deeds? The wheel of affairs, or course of nature is set on fire by words, Jam. 3. 6. I may conclude then with Prov. 18. 21. Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and Prov. 21. 23. Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from trouble.

§. 10. Direct. 2. Understand well and remember the particular duties of the Tongue: For the mere restraint of it from evil is not enough: And they are these, 1. To glorify God by the magnifying of his Name: To speak of the praises of his Attributes and Works. 2. To sing Psalms of Praise to him, and delight our souls in the sweet commemoration of his excellencies. 3. To give him thanks for the mercies already received, and declare to others what he hath done for our souls and bodies, for his Church and for the world. 4. To pray to him for what we want, and for our brethren, for the Church, and for the conversion of his and our enemies. 5. To appeal to him and swear by his Name when we are called to it lawfully. 6. To make our necessary Covenants and Vows to him, and to make open profession of our belief, subjection and obedience to him, before men. 7. To preach his Word, or declare it in discourse, and to teach those that are committed to our care, and edify the ignorant and erroneous as we have opportunity. 8. To defend the truth of God by conference or disputation; and consute the false doctrine of deceivers. 9. To exhort men to their particular duties, and to reprove their particular sins, and endeavor to do them good as we are able. 10. To confess our own sins to God and man as we have occasion. 11. To crave the advice and help of others for our souls; and inquire after the will of God, and the way to salvation. 12. To praise that which is good in others, and speak good of all men, superiors, equals and inferiors, so far as there is just ground and cause. 13. To bear witness to the truth, when we are called to it. 14. To defend the cause of the just and innocent, and vindicate them against false accusers; and excuse those causes and persons that deserve excuse. 15. To communicate and convey to others the same good impressions and affections of mind, which God hath wrought on us, and not only the bare truths themselves which we have received. 16. Lastly, To be instruments of common converse; of expressing our mutual affections and respects, and transacting all our worldly business: for learning, arts, manufactures, &c. These are the Uses and Duties of the Tongue.

§. 11. Direct. 3. Understand and remember what are the sins of the Tongue to be avoided. And they are very many, and many of them very great: The most observable are these.

§. 12. 1. (Not to say anymore of the sins of omission; because it is easy to know them, when I have named the Duties, which are done or omitted), among the sins of Commission, the first that I shall name is Blasphemy, as being the greatest: which is the Reproaching of God: to speak contemptuously of God, or to vilify him, or dishonor him by the denying of his perfections, and to debase him by false Titles, Doctrines, Images, Resemblances, as likening him to man in any of our imperfections; anything that is a Reproaching of God is Blasphemy. Such as Rabshakeh used when he threatened Hezekiah; and such as Infidels and Heretics use, when they deny his Omnipresence, Omniscience, Government, Justice, particular Providence or Goodness: and affirm any evil of him, as that he is the author of sin, or false of his word, or that he governeth the world by mere deceit, or the like.

§. 13. 2. Another sin of the Tongue is false Doctrine, or teaching things false and dangerous as from God: If any falsely say, he had such or such a point by Divine Inspiration, Vision or Revelation, that maketh him a false Prophet. But if he only say falsely, that this or that Doctrine is contained in the Scripture, or delivered by tradition to the Church, this is but to be a false Teacher: which is a sin greater or less according to the aggravations hereafter mentioned.

§. 14. 3. Another of the sins of the Tongue is an opposing of Godliness indirectly, by false application of true Doctrine, and an opposing of godly persons for the sake of godliness, and cavilling against particular truths and duties of Religion: or indirectly opposing the Truth or duty under pretence of opposing only some controverted mode or imperfection in him that speaketh or performeth it: A defending of those points and practices which would subvert or undermine Religion: A secret endeavor to make all serious godliness seem a needless thing. There are many that seem Orthodox, that are impious and malicious opposers of that Truth in the application, which themselves do notionally hold, and positively profess.

§. 15. 4. Another great sin of the Tongue, is the profane deriding of serious Godliness, and the mocking, and jesting, and scorning at godly persons as such: or scorning at some of their real or supposed imperfections, for their piety sake, to make them odious, that piety through them might be made odious. When men so speak, that the drift and tendency of their speech, is to draw men to a dislike of Truth or holiness! and their mocks or scorns at some particular opinion, or practice, or more, doth tend to the contempt of Religion in the serious practice of it: When they mock at a Preacher of the Gospel, for some expressions or imperfections, or for truth itself, to bring him and his doctrine into contempt: or at the Prayers and Speeches of Religious persons to the injury of Religion.

§. 16. 5. Another great sin of the Tongue, is unjustly to Forbid Christ's Ministers to preach his Gospel, or speak in his Name; or to stand up against them and contradict, resist and hinder them in the preaching of the truth: and as Gamaliel calls it, to fight against God, Acts 5. 39. Yet thus they did by the Apostles, v. 40. When they had called the Apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the Name of Jesus, and let them go. So Acts 4. 18, 19. And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all, nor teach in the Name of Jesus: But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye; for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. 1 Thess. 2. 15, 16. Who b • th killed the Lord Jesus, and their own Prophets, and have persecuted us: and they please not God and are contrary to all men: Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins always: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. As Dr. Hammond Paraphraseth it, [ And this generally is the ground of their quarrel to us, that in spite of their prohibition, we preach to the Gentiles —]

§. 17. 6. Another sin of the Tongue, is Profane swearing either by God or by Creatures: And also all light and irreverent use of the Name and Attributes of God, of which more afterwards.

§. 18. 7. Much more is Perjury or F • rswearing a most heinous sin, it being an appealing to God, the author and defender of Truth, to bear witness to an untruth, and to judge the offender; and so a craving of Vengeance from God.

§. 19. 8. Lying also is a great and common sin of the Tongue: of which more anon.

§. 20. 9. Another sin of the Tongue, is hypocritical dissembling, which is worse than mere lying: when men's tongues agree not with their hearts, but speak good words in prayer to God, or conference with men, to cover evil intentions or affections, and to represent themselves to the hearers as better than they are.

§. 21. 10. Another is Ostentation or proud boasting, either of men's wit, and learning, or greatness, or riches, or honor, or strength, or beauty, or parts, or piety, or anything that men are proud of. As the faithful do make their boast in God, (Psal. 34. 2. Psal. 44. 8.) and in the Cross of Christ, by which they are crucified to the world, (Gal. 6. 14.) So the covetous boast themselves in the multitude of their riches, Psal. 49. 6. and the workers of iniquity boast themselves against the righteous, and the proud do triumph and speak hard things, Psal. 94. 2, 3, 4. Even against the Lord do they boast, in their boasting against his people, Ezek. 35. 13. So far as Pride prevaileth with men, they are apt to boast themselves to be somebody, Acts 5. 36. Either openly as the more foolish do, or cunningly by the help of fair pretences, as the more ingenious proud ones do.

§. 22. 11. Another sin of the Tongue, is unseasonable speaking of common things when holy things should be preferred; as on the Lord's day, or at the time of public worship, or when the company, occasion or opportunity call for holy speeches: Worldlings are talking as Saul of their Asses, when they should talk of a Kingdom, 1 Sam. 9. & 10. To speak about your Callings and common affairs is lawful, so it be moderately and in season: But when you talk all of the world and vanity, and never have done, and will scarce have any other talk in your mouths, and even on God's day will speak your own words, (Isa. 58. 13.) this is profane and sinful speaking.

§. 23. 12. Another common sin of the Tongue, is a tempting and persuading others to sin, enticing them to gluttony, drunkenness, wantonness, sornication, or any other crime: as men that not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them, Rom. 1. 32. This is to be the instruments and servants of the Devil, and most directly to do his work in the world. The same I may say of unjust excusing, extenuating or defending the sins of others, or commanding, alluring, affrighting or encouraging them thereto.

§. 24. 13. Another is, a carnal manner of handling the sacred things of God; as when it is done with lightness, or with unsuitable curiosity of words, or in a ludicrous toyish manner, especially by the Preachers of the Gospel themselves; and not with a style thats grave and serious, agreeable to the weight and majesty of the truth.

§. 25. 14. Another is an imprudent, rash and slovenly handling of holy things: when they are spoken of so ignorantly, unskilfully, disorderly or passionately, as tendeth to dishonor them, and frustrate the desired good success.

§. 26. 15. Another sin of the tongue is the reviling or dishonoring of superiors: When Children speak unreverently and dishonourably to, or of their Parents, or Subjects of their Governors, or servants of their Masters, either to their faces, or behind their backs. 2 Pet. 2. 10. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignities, Jud. 8.

§. 27. 16. Another is, the imperious contempt of inferiors, insulting over them, provoking and discouraging them; Ephes. 6. 4. Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath.

§. 28. 17. Another sin of the Tongue is Idle talk and multitude of useless words: a babbling loquacity, or unprofitableness of speech: when it is speech that tendeth to no edification, nor any good use for mind or body or affairs.

§. 29. 18. Another sin is Foolish talk, or jesting in levity and folly, which tendeth to possess the minds of the hearers with a disposition of levity and folly, like the speakers: Ephes. 5. 4. Foolish talking and jesting are things not convenient. Honest mirth is lawful; and that is the best which is most sanctified, as being from a holy principle, and about a holy matter, or to a holy end: as Rejoicing in the Lord always, Phil. 4. 4. If any be merry let him sing Psalms, Jam. 5. 13. But such a light and frothy jesting as is but the vent of habitual levity by idle words is not allowable. But especially those persons do most odiously abuse their tongues and Reason, who counterfeit idiots or fools, and use their wit to cover their jeasts with a seeming folly, to make them the more ridiculous, and make it their very profession to be the jeasters of great men. They make a trade of heinous sin.

§. 30. 19. Another sin is Filthy speaking, Ephes. 5. 4. Obscene and ribbald talk; which the Apostle calls corrupt or rotten communication, Ephes. 4. 29. when wanton filthy minds do make themselves merry with wanton filthy speeches: This is the Devils preparative to whoredom and all abominable uncleanness: For when the tongue is first taught to make a sport of such filthy sins, and the ear to be delighted in it, or be indifferent to it, there remaineth but a small step to actual filthiness.

§. 31. 20. Another sin of the tongue is cursing; when men wish some mischief causelessly or unwarrantably to others: If you speak but in passion or jest, and desire not to them in your hearts the hurt which you name, it is nevertheless a sin of the tongue, as it is to speak blasphemy or treason in a passion or in jest: The tongue must be ruled as well as the heart. But if really you desire the hurt which you wish them, it is so much the worse: But it is worst of all, when passionate factious men will turn their very prayers into cursings, calling for fire from Heaven, and praying for other men's destruction or hurt; and pretending Scripture examples for it; as if they might do it unwarrantably, which others have done in other cases in a warrantable manner.

§. 32. 21. Slandering is another sin of the tongue: when out of malice and ill will, men speak evil falsely of others to make them odious or do them hurt: Or else through uncharitable credulity, do easily believe a false report, and so report it again to others; or through rashness and unruliness of tongue, divulge it, before they try it, or receive either just proof, or any warrantable call to mention it.

5. 33. 22. Another sin is Backbiting and venting ill reports behind men's backs, without any warrant: Be the matter true or false, as long as you either know it not to be true, or if you do, yet vent it to make the person less respected, or at least without a sufficient cause, it is a sin against God, and a wrong to men.

§. 34. 23. Another sin is rash censuring, when you speak that evil of another, which you have but an uncharitable surmise of; and take that to be probable which is but possible, or that to be certain which is but probable against another.

§. 35. 24. Another sin is Railing, reviling, or passionate provoking words, which tend to the diminution of charity, and the breach of peace, and the stirring up of discord, and of a return of railing words from others, contrary to the Love and patience and meekness and gentleness which becometh Saints.

§. 36. 25. Another sin is cheating, deceiving over-reaching words: when men use their tongues to defraud their Neighbors in bargaining for their own gain.

§. 37. 26. Another sin of the tongue is false witness-bearing, and false accusing; a sin which cries to God for vengeance, who is the justifier of the innocent.

§. 38. 27. Another sin of the tongue is the passing an unrighteous sentence in judgment: when Rulers absolve the guilty or condemn the just, and call evil good and good evil, and say to the Righteous, Thou art wicked, Prov. 24. 24.

§. 39. 28. Another sin of the Tongue is Flattery; which is the more heinous by how much more hurtful: And it is most hurtful, 1. When it tendeth to delude men in the greatest things, even the state of their souls; The flattery of a Preacher that deceiveth men as in the name of Christ, is of all other flattery the most pernicious: To make the unregenerate believe that they are regenerate, and the ungodly to believe that they are Godly, and the unjustified to believe that they are justified, and the Children of Satan to believe that without Conversion they may be saved; to make a worldling, a swearer, a glutton, a drunkard, a fornicator, a formal hypocrite, or a ha • er of holiness, believe that such as he may come to Heaven without the sanctifying renewing work of the Holy Ghost, this is the most eminent service of the Devil that the Tongue of any man can do him, except it be the very open opposers of Religion: As the Devil useth more to flatter men to Hell, than to frighten them thither, so do his Ministers and instruments. And all doctrines of Libertinism and looseness, which warrant men to do evil and to neglect a holy life, are of the two a more dangerous way of flattery, than that which consisteth but in mis-application. Thus also carnal friends do use to flatter a sinner into presumption and false hopes, when they see him convinced of his sin and misery, and say, [Trouble not yourself, God is merciful, and you have lived well, and been a good neighbor, and done nobody harm, and if such as you be not saved, God help a great many.] Thus when a convinced sinner is striving to get out of the Devils snares, the servants of Satan rock him asleep again by false and flattering speeches and deceit. 2. Flattering is pernicious when it tendeth to the hurt of many: as when Rulers are deceived and perverted by it to the destruction of the people and themselves. Prov. 26. 28. A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it, and a flattering mouth worketh ruin See, 1 Thes. 2. 5. Ezek. 12. 24. Psal. 12. 2, 3.

§. 40. 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. 1. 22. See Psal. 22. 7. & 44. 13. & 79. 4. especially when sinners scorn at the reproofs and counsels of the godly, and cast them all back into their •• ces with contempt: For he that reproveth a scorner getteth himself a blot, Prov. 9. 7, 8. A scorner l • veth not one that reproveth, Prov. 15. 12.

§. 41. 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 many others are the sins of the Tongue to be avoided. No wonder if there be yet more, for the Tongue is [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] a world of iniquity, Jam. 3. 6.

§. 42. Direct. 4. 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. 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 but to a very inconstant obedience: when you ever so little lose the reins its 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 an hypocritical reformation. A vain, a proud, a worldly, a wanton, a malicious or ungodly heart will condemn you, though the tongue were 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 honor 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, endeavor before hand 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. Stirr up within you the Love of God, and the Love of holiness and truth, and a love to 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 its always full of water.

§. 43. Direct. 5. Labor 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 is a continual storehouse 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, Matth. 13. 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. 37. 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. 10. 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. 15. 2. The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright; but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. Prov. 14. 3. In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride; but the lips of the wise shall preseve them. Prov. 18. 6, 7. A fools lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes. A fools 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's easily or quickly done: It's very true: And therefore it's 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. 2. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; so that thou incline thine ear to wisdom, and apply thy heart to understanding; yea if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for unstanding; If thou se • kest her as silver and searchest for her as for hidden treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God: For the Lord giveth wisdom, &c.—

§. 44. Direct. 6. In the mean time learn to be silent till you have learnt 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. Those that will needs talk of things which they understand not, do use either to speak evil of them, (as Iud. 10.) when they are good, or to speak evilly of them, be they good or bad. He that cannot hold his tongue well cannot speak well. There is a time to keep silence, and a time to speak, Eccles. 3. 9. Amos 5. 13. There is a time so evil that the prudent should keep silence. At such a time Nihil aeque proderit quam quiescere, & minimum cum aliis loqui & plurimum secum, saith Seneca: It's 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 then 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 his 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.

§. 45. Direct. 7. Take heed of hasty rashness in your speech; and use deliberation, especially in great or in doubtful things. Think before you speak: It's 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 mis-understanding, or a disability to speak fi • lie and safely without fore-thoughts, there hasty speaking without deliberation (especially in weighty things) must be avoided. Prov. 29. 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. 5. 1, 2. 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.) Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything 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 fools 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.

§. 46. Direct. 8. 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. 15. 1. so anger causeth grievous words. Be not hasty in thy spirit to he angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools, Eccles. 7. 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. 14. 16, 17. The fool rageth and is confident: He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly. Prov. 21. 19. It is better to dwell in the Wilderness than with a contentious angry woman. Prov. 29. 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's good counsel, Prov. 22. 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.

§. 47. Direct. 9. 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.

§. 48. Direct. 10. Accordingly (besides your aforesaid general preparations) be prepared particularly for these 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 Traveler will carry such necessaries still with him as in his travail 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. 12. 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 defense 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 word of the spirit, which is the word of God, Ephes. 6. 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, thoroughly furnished to every good work, 2 Tim. 3. 17.

§. 49. Direct. 11. Continually walk as in the presence of God and as under his Government and Law, and as those that are passing on to Judgment. 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?

§. 50. Direct. 12. 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, Psal. 141. 3, 4. 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.

§. 51. Direct. 13. 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's 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, Jam. 3. Make it therefore your study and work; and watch it continually.

§. 52. Direct. 14. 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 your selves, 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, Psalm 39. 1, 2, 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. —Psalm 35. 28. My tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long. Psal. 71. 24. Psal. 119. 172. My tongue shall speak of thy word. Psalm 45. 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 it is altogether known to God. Psalm 139. 4.

§. 53. Direct. 15. 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.

§. 1. 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. 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 negatition 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.

§. 2. 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 as God is sworn by, is to idolize it, and to ascribe to it the properties of God. (Of which more anon.) 2. It is necessary to a just oath, that the matter be true as it is assert • ry 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 are 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.

§. 3. And oath is an equivocal word, taken sometimes for that which is formally so, as before described; and sometime 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 sometime the bare form of words, and sometime the words and desire signified by them: And as the word sacrament is sometime taken for the external signs only, and sometime for the signs with the mutual covenanting and actions signified. ) Here it may be questioned.

§. 4: 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.

§. 5. 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 Ecclesiae, 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 use the external form of an oath, and that which before men, is an oath, to the wrong of his name and honor 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.

§. 6 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: 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 honor and admire God as appearing in his works; to give that worship or honor to our Parents and Rulers as his Officers, which is ultimately terminated in God ) just so it is 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; 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 honor, 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 proved sufficiently by disproving all the pretenses 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 à 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. 24. 2. & 14. 22. Apoc. 10. 5. were not commanded and yet lawful: of which more anon. • . 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. 10.) 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 Pareus 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 Pareus ibid. as used in the Palatinate is such, of lifting up three fingers, H • die no • juramus, digitis tribus dextrae 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. 14. & 24.

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 pleased 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, Luk. 24. 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 Ianuar. 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 hatt 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 savoreth of the Romish superstition.

Answ. 1. 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 pretense 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. 24. 2.

Object. But Pareus, &c. in Gen. 24. 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 Pareus 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 God's 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 practiced 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. 2. Our Common-Law Commissions, that give authority to examine persons, direct it to be done super sacramenta sua per sancta Dei evangelia fideliter prestanda: And in the form of Administrations in Ecclesiastical Courts the words are Ad sancta Dei Evangelia rite & 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 Kings Law that first made it: (He hath no Law that hath no Government,) but the Kings 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 39. 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 the just, and to bear all the punishments 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 as 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 bruitishness be a Virtue): Nor because any call them by the name of Ceremonies (else that name might be put on anything 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 lives 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 offense). So I fear Christ would not take it well of me if I presume to make or use another Symbole or Tessera of Christianity, Especially with so much of a Covenanting Sacramental Nature. But whats 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 honor to be strict in my opinions, as dishonor 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 Turks 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 Infidels or Idolaters 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.

§. 7. 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 Lye, 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, jeastingly, 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. 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 jears and scorns at Religion, or make Play-books, or Stage-plays with such profane contemptuous jears, is one of the greatest villainies that man's tongue can be guilty of against his Maker. (Of which anon.)

§. 8. IV. Direct. 1. 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. 1. 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 honor God more: To make light of God is inconsistent with Godliness, if it be in a predominant degree: for they are directly contrary.

§. 9. Direct. 2. 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 mayest know it, consider of these following aggravations.

§. 10. 1. Consider who that God is whom thou abusest: 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 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.

§. 11. 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 honor him? Art thou not a Worm, unable to resist him? Can • e 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 irreverent 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?

§. 12. 3. Dost thou not sometime pray by that Name which thou profanely swearest by? If not, thou seemest utterly to renounce God, and art a miserable wretch indeed: But it thou do, what an 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?

§. 13. 4. Think man, what use thou wilt have for that Holy Name in thy distress, which thou now abusest? When sickness and death cometh, 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 nor fear lest it should be then thy terror, to remember on thy death-bed when thou art calling upon God, O this is the Name that I was wont to swear by, or to take in vain.

§. 14. 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?

§. 15. 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?

§. 16. 7. Consider how unworthily thou requitest God, for giving thee thy tongue and speech. He gave thee this noble faculty to honor him by: And is this thy thanks, to use it to dishonor him, by swearing and taking his Name in vain?

§. 17. 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.

§. 18. 9. Thou forgettest how tender and jealous God hath shown himself to be, of the honor of his holy Name; and what terrible threatenings he hath denounced against the prophaneners of it, and what judgments he hath executed on them, Lev. 19. 12. Ye shall not swear by my Name falsely: neither shalt thou profane the Name of thy God: I am the Lord. So Lev. 18. 21. And of the Priests it is said, Lev. 21. 6. They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the Name of their God. So Lev. 22. 2. & v. 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. 28. 58, 59. If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this Law that are written in this Book, that thou mayest 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. 4. 5. Psal. 99. 6. The place of his public Worship, is called, The place where he putteth or recordeth his Name, Exod. 20. 24. Deut. 12. 5, 11, 21. Isa. 29. 23. They shall sanctify my Name, and sanctify the holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel. Isa. 48. 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 two Sons were slain, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh unto me, and before all the people I will be glorified, Lev. 10. 3. So Lev. 24. 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.

§. 19. 10. Dost thou not use to say the Lord's Prayer, and therein, Hallowed be thy Name, Matth. 6. 9. 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?

§. 20. 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.

§ 21. 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?

§. 22. 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.

§. 23. 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 honor, 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 gracelesness.

§. 24. 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 wilt quickly have enough of it, and find what it was for stubble, to appeal to the consuming fire, Heb. 12. 29.

§. 25. Direct 3. 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?

§. 26. Direct. 4. Write over thy doors or bed, where thou mayest oft read it, the third Commandment, or some of these terrible passages of holy Scripture, Matth. 5. 34, 35, 36, 37. I say unto you, swear not at all: neither by Heaven—Nor by the Earth—Nor by thy Head—But let your communication be yea, yea, nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these, cometh of evil. Jam. 5. 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. 5. 3. Everyone that sweareth shall be cut off. Jer. 23. 10. Because of swearing the Land mourneth, Hos. 4. 2. Think well on such Texts as these.

§. 27. Direct. 5. Love God and honor him as God, and thou canst not thus despise and abuse his Name. Thou wilt reverence and honor 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.

§. 28. Direct. 6. 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.

§. 1. 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. 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 • ound partly in a Clock, or Watch, or Weather-cock or a Seamans 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.)

§. 2. 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 speakers 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.

§. 3. 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.

§. 4. 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 endeavor the Cure of every man's ignorance or error 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 Kings 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 sometime is the deceiver of himself, and not the speaker, when the speaker is not bound to reveal anymore to him: But by the later 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 Lye is, and may resolve the ordinary doubts that are used to be raised about our speaking truth or falsehood. As,

§. 5. Quest. 1. Am I bound to speak the Truth to everyone that asketh me?

Answ. You are not bound to speak at all in every case to everyone that asketh you: And he that is silent, speaketh not the truth.

§. 6. Quest. 2. Am I bound to speak the Truth to everyone 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.

§. 7. Quest. 3. Am I bound to speak all the Truth, when ever 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: 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.

§. 8. Quest. 4. 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 no 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.

§. 9. Quest. 5. 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.

§. 10. Quest. 6. 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.

§. 11. Quest. 7. But though it be a sin, it remaineth doubtful, whether it be a lie?

Answ. This is but liss de nomine, a Controversy about the Name and not the Thing. As long as we are agreed that is a sin against God, and to be avoided, whether you call it a Lye, or by another name, is no great matter. But I think it is to be called a Lye: Though I know that most definers follow Cicero, and say that a Lye 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 Lye.

§. 12. Quest. 8. 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, not withstanding you pretend a Figure to verify them.

§. 13. Quest. 9. Must my words be used by me in the common sense, or in the hearers 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.

§. 14. Quest. 10. 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. 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 or 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 an 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 fore-know 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 fore-knew 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. 14. 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 it 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.

§. 15. Quest. 11. 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 be deceived: A Patients 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 is it 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.

§. 16. I conclude then, that [ A Lye 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 à 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 a 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: 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 men's: 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 willful 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 faith, 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.

§. 17. You see then that there are two degrees of Lying. 1. The grossest is the speaking of a known falsehood with a p • rpose to deceive. 2. The other is the speaking falsely through culpable ignorance, error or inconsiderateness.

§. 18. Direct. 1. 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 someone be greatly wronged by it: But it is not forbidden by God only because it wrongeth others, but it hath all this evil in i • .

§ 19. 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 the 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.

§. 20. 2. Lying is the enemy and destr • yer of Truth: And Truth is a thing Divine, of unspeakable excellency and use. It is God's instrument by which he maketh man 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 unmand 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 Q •• d verum, simplex, sincerum{que} est, id naturae bominis 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. Iamblichus could say, that as Light naturally and constantly accompanyeth the Sun, so Truth accompanyeth God and all that follow him. Epaminondas is praised for that he would not Lye, no not in jest. Pomponius At • icus 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 Counselor. He knoweth not what use man's understanding or his tongue were made for, that knoweth not the excellency of Truth. Let a Pilate only ask as a stranger what is Truth? Joh. 18. 38. as Pharaoh asked, who is the Lord? For this end Christ himself came into the world to bear witness to the Truth, and everyone that is of the Truth will hear him, Joh. 18. 37. He is the Truth, Joh. 14. 6. and full of Grace and Truth, Joh. 1. 14. Grace and Truth came by him, Joh. 1. 17. His spirit is given to guide his servants into the Truth, Joh. 16. 13. and to sanctify them by the truth, Joh. 17. 19. that knowing the truth, it might make them free, Joh. 8. 32. The fruit of the spirit is in all truth, Ephes. 5. 9. His Ministers can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth, 2 Cor. 13. 8. Truth is the girdle that must gird our loins, Ephes 6. 14. The Church is the pillar and ground of Truth, 1 Tim. 3. 15. The faithful are they that believe and know the Truth, 1 Tim. 4. 3. Speaking the truth in Love, is the way of the Churches growth and edification, Ephes. 4. 15. Repentance is given men, to the acknowledging of the Truth, that they may escape out of the power of the Devil, 2 Tim. 2. 25, 26. The dullards are they that are never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, 2 Tim. 3. 7. They are men of perverse minds that resist the Truth, 2 Tim. 3. 8. They that receive not the Truth in the Love of it cannot be saved, 2 Thes. 2. 10. All they are damned that believe not the Truth, 2 Thes. 2. 12, 13. You see what Truth is in the judgment of God and all the sober world. Therefore a Lye 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.

§. 21. 3. You may the easilier perceive this by considering, that other faults of the tongue, as idle talk, sw • aring 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.

§. 22. 4. Lying is a vice which maketh us most unlike to God. For he is called the God of truth, Psal. 31. 5. Deut. 32. 4. All his ways are mercy and truth, Psal. 25. 10. His judgment is according to truth, Rom. 2. 2. It is impossible for God to lie, Heb. 6. 18. Tit. 1. 2. His word is the word of truth, Psal. 119. 43. Col. 1. 5. 2 Tim. 2. 15. Jam. 1. 15. 2 Cor. 6. 7. And who shall dwell in his Tabernacle, but th • se that speak the truth in their hearts, Psal. 15. 2. The disconformity of the soul to God then, being its greatest d • formity, in things wherein it is made to be conform 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 cons • lation in any of his promises. Therefore that which maketh us so unlike to the true and holy God, must needs be odious.

§. 23. 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, Joh. 8. 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 Devils sins. Therefore sure there is an intrinsical evil and odiousness in a lie. It was Satan that filled the hearts of Ananias and Sapphira to Lye to the Holy Ghost, Act. 5. 3. To change the Truth of God into a lie, and to make God a liar are therefore the most odious sins, Rom. 1. 25. 1 Joh. 5. 10. because it is a feigning him to be like the Devil: And should we make our selves like him then by the same vice? If you love not the Devils sin and image, love not a lie.

§. 24. 6. Lying destroyeth human converse, and bringeth most pernicious confusion into the affairs of mankind. I • 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 Lyes 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: 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 it's 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.

§. 25. 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 s • ared Conscience that tollerateth one, will easily be brought to bear the other.

§. 26. 8. There is a partiality in the Lyar 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. ] 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.

§. 27. 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 Lyar 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 Lye? If thou wouldst be believed, speak that which is to be believed.

§. 28. 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 Lyar gets this by Lying that nobody will believe him when he speaks the truth. ] How shall I know that he speaketh true today 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 labor is washed off with a little sweat: the craftyest lie cannot stand before the truth; but is transparent to him that nearly looketh into it; everything that is covered is soon uncovered: shadows pass away; and the native color of things remaineth: It is a great labor to keep hidden long. No man can long live under water: he must needs come forth, and show the face which he concealed. At the farthest God in the day of judgment will lay open all.

§. 29. Direct. 2. If you would avoid lying take heed of guilt. 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 is 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.

§. 30. Direct. 3. Fear God more than man, if you would not be Liars. 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 thousand fold greater danger, and that no hurt that you escape by it can possibly be half so great as the hurt it bringeth. It's as foolish a course as to cure the tooth-ach by cutting off the head.

§. 31. Direct. 4. Get down your Pride and overmuch 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 endeavors 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 honorable among strangers by a lie. He that wanteth Learning, Degrees, or anything that he would be proud of, will endeavor 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 honor 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 over-value it, nor prefer it before their souls, nor seek it by unlawful means. Avoid shame by well-d • ing 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's 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 sc • pe the shame: And it's 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.

§. 32. Direct. 5. 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's contrarily the common road to hatred: Libere & sine adulatione veritatem praedicantes, & gesta pravae vitae 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 favor with men. Veritatem semper inimicitiae persequuntur. 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 foelicis hominis potentum{que} 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. Jerome 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, Quod{que} gravissimum est, quia humilitatis a • benevolentiae loco ducitur, ita fit utqui 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 sugered kind of enmity: And therefore he will not be long 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. 59.) 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. And think not that any man's greatness or favor 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 deciever of others. Be not the servants of men, if you would be true, 1 Cor. 7. 23.

§. 33. Direct. 5. Love not Covetousness if you would not be liars. 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. Rupêre foedus, impius lu • ri furor, & ira praeceps. Sen. Hip. He that loveth money better than God and Conscience, will for money displease God and Conscience, by this or any other sin.

§. 34. Direct. 7. Learn to trust God if you would not be liars. 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?

§. 35. Direct. 8. 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 b • rk 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 behooveth you if you would not be liars yourselves, to take heed of reporting anything they say. These Spiders will weave a Web of the Air, or out of their own bowels.

§. 36. Direct. 9. 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. l. 1.) Nihil est temeritate turpius, nec qui • quam tam indiguum sapientis gravitate aut constantiâ, quam aut falsum sentire, aut quod non satis explorate perceptum sit & cognitum sine ulla dubitatione defendere. Nothing is more unseemly than temerity: nor anything 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.

§. 37. Direct. 10. 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.

§. 38. Direct. 11. Get a tender Conscience, and walk as in the sight and hearing of God, and as one that is passing to his judgment. A feared Conscience dare venture upon lies or anything: but the fear of God is the souls 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.

§. 39. Direct. 12. 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 frightneth them into lies to save themselves, as indulgence and connivence doth encourage them to it. Make them oft read such Texts as these: Lev. 19. 11. Ye shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie one to another. Psal. 15. 2. He that speaketh the truth from his heart, &c. Isa. 63. 8. He said, surely they are my people; Children that will not lie; so he was their Savior. John. 8. 44. The Devil is a liar and the father of it: Rev. 21. 27. & 22. 15. There shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth—or maketh a lie—For without are dogs—and whoever loveth and maketh a lie. Psal. 63. 11. The mouth of him that speaketh lies shall be stopped. Psal. 101. 11. He that speaketh lies shall not tarry in my sight. Prov. 19. 5, 9. A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape. (shall perish. 9.) Prov. 29. 12. If a Ruler hearken to lies all his servants are wicked. So Psal. 31. 18. & 52. 3. Psal. 119. 163. I hate and abhor lying, but thy Law do I love. Prov. 13. 5. A righteous man hateth lying. Ephes. 4. 25. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another: q. d. A man would not lie to deceive his own members: no more should we to deceive one another. In a word, where the Love of God and man prevaileth, there truth prevaileth: but where self-love, partiality and carnal selfinterest prevail, there lying is a household servant, and thought a necessary means to these ends.

But because Lying is so common and so great a sin, and many cases occur about it daily, though I think what is said offereth matter enough to answer them, I shall mention some more of them distinctly, to help their satisfaction who cannot accommodate general answers to all their particular cases.

Quest. 1. Is frequent known lying a certain sign of a graceless state, that is, a mortal sin, proving the sinner to be in a state of damnation?

Answ. The difficulty of this case doth no more concern Lying, than any other sin of equal malignity. Therefore I must refer you to those places where I have opened the difference between Mortal reigning sins and Infirmities. At present take this brief solution. 1. It is a thing of too great difficulty to determine just how many acts of a great sin, may consist with a present state of grace, (that is▪ of right by Covenant to Heaven.) 2. All sin which consisteth with an habitual predominant Love of God and Holiness, consisteth with a state of Life, and no other. 3. He that seldom or never committeth such external crimes, and yet Loveth not God and Heaven and Holiness above all the pleasures and interests of the flesh, is in a state of death. 4. It is certain that his Love to God and Holiness is not predominant, whose carnal Interest and Just hath ordinarily in the drift and tenor of his life, more power to draw him to the willful committing of known sin, than the said Love of God and Heaven and Holiness have to keep him from it. For his servants men are whom they obey, whether it be sin unto death, or obedience unto righteousness. 5. Therefore the way to know whether sin be mortified or mortal is, 1. By feeling the true bent of the will, whether we Love or hate it. 2. By observing the true bent and tenor of our lives, whether God's Interest in us, or the contrary, be predominant when we are ourselves, and are tempted to such sins. 6, He that will sin thus as oft as will stand with saving gr • ce, shall never have the assurance of his sincerity, or the peace or comfort of a sound believer, till he repent and lead a better life. 7. He that in his sin retaineth the spirit of Adoption, or the Image of God, or habitual divine Love, hath also Habitual and Virtual Repentance for that very sin, before he actually Repenteth: Because he hath that Habitual Hatred of it, which will cause actual Repentance, when he is composed to act according to his predominant habits. 8. In the mean time the state of such a sinner is, neither to be unregenerate, Carnal, unholy as he was before Conversion, and so to lose all his Right to Life; nor yet to have so full a Right as if he had not sinned: But a bar is put in against his claim, which must be removed before his Right be full, and such as is ripe for present possession. 9. There are some sins which all men continue in while they live. As defect in the degrees of faith, hope, love, &c. vain thoughts, words, disorder, passions, &c. And these sins are not totally involuntary: Otherwise they were no sins. Yea the Evil is prevalent in the will against the Good, so far as to commit those sins, though not so far as to vitiate the bent of heart or life. 10. There are some sins which none on earth do actually Repent of, viz. Those that they know not to be sins; and those that they utterly forget, and those faults which they are guilty of just at the time of dying. 11. In these cases Virtual or Implicite or Habitual Repentance doth suffice to the preventing of damnation. As also a Will to have lived perfectly sufficeth in the case (of continued imperfections). 12. Things work not on the Will as they are in themselves, but as they are apprehended by the understanding: And that which is apprehended to be either of doubtful evil, or but a little sin and of little danger, will be much less resisted, and ofter committed, than sins that are clearly apprehended to be great. Therefore where any sort of Lye is apprehended thus as of small or doubtful evil, it will be the oftener committed. 13. If this apprehension be wrong and come from the predominancy of a carnal or ungodly heart, which will not suffer the understanding to do its office, nor to take that to be evil which he would not leave, then both the Judgment and the Lye are mortal and not mortified pardoned sins. 14. But if this misapprehension of the understanding do come from natural impotency, or unavoidable want of better information, or only from the fault of a vicious inclination, which yet is not predominant, but is the remnant of a vice which is mortified in the main, then neither the error nor the often lying, is a mortal but a mortified sin. As for instance, If false Teachers (as the Jesuits) should persuade a justified person, that a lie that hurteth no man, but is officious is but a venial or no sin, it is possible for such a person often to commit it, though he err not altogether innocently. 15. Though it is true that all good Christians should not indulge the smallest sin, and that true Grace will make a man willing to forsake the least, yet certain experience telleth us, that some constant sinning (aforenamed) doth consist with grace in all that have it upon earth; And therefore that Lesser sins (as thoughts, passions ) are not resisted so much as greater be; and therefore that they are more indulged and favored, or else they would not be committed. No good men rise up with so great and constant watchfulness, against an idle thought or word, or a disorder in prayer, &c. as they do against a heinous sin.

He that would have this and and all such Cases resolved in a word, and not be put on trying the Case by all these distinctions, must take another Casuist, or rather a Deceiver instead of a Resolver; For I cannot otherwise resolve him.

Quest. 2. Is it not contrary to the light of Nature, to suffer e. g. a Parent, a King, my Self, my Country, rather to be destroyed, than to save them by a harmless lie?

Answ. No: Because, 1. Particular good must give place to common. And if once a Lie may pass for Lawful in cases where it seemeth to be good, it will overthrow human converse, and debauch man's nature and the world.

2. And if one evil may be made a means for good, it will infer that other may be so too, and so will confound good and evil, and leave vicious man to take all for good which he thinks will do good. That is not to be called a harmless Lie, which is simply evil, being against the Law of God, against the order of nature, the use of human faculties, and the interest and converse of the sociable world.

3. The error of the objectors chiefly consisteth in thinking that nothing is further hurtful and morally evil than as it doth hurt to some men in corporal respects. Whereas that is evil, which is against the universal Rule of Rectitude, against the will of God, and against the nature and perfection of the agent; much more if it also tend to the hurt of other men's souls, by giving them an example of sinning.

4. And, though there may sometimes be some human probability of such a thing, yet there is no certainty that ever it will so fall out, that a Lie shall save the Life of • ing, Parent or yourselves. For God can open the eyes of that enemy whom you think to blind by a lie, and cause him to know all the truth, and so take away that Life, which you thought thus to have saved.

5. And there are lawful means enough to save your lives when it is best for you to save them. That is, Obey God, and trust him with your lives, and he can save them without a lie if it be best: And if it be not, it should not be desired.

6. And if men did not erroneously over-value Life, they would not think that a Lie were necessary for it. When it is not necessary to Live, it is not necessary to Lie for Life. But thus one sin brings on another: when carnal men over-value Life itself, and set more by it than by the fruition of God in the Glory of Heaven, they must needs then over-value any means which seemeth necessary to preserve it. See Job 13. 7, 8, 9. 10. Prov. 13. 17. Rom. 6. 15. & 3. 7, 8, 9. Psal. 5. 7. Hos. 4. 2. John. 8. 44. Rev. 21. 27. & 22. 15. Col. 3. 9. 1 John. 2. 21.

7. Yet as to the degree of evil in the sin I easily grant (with Augustine Enchirid. ) that Multum interest quo animo & de quibus quisque menti • tur: Non enim ita peccat qui consulendi, quomodo ill qui nocendi voluntate mentitur: nec tantum nocet qui viatorem mentiendo in adversum iter mittit, quantum is qui viam vitae mendacio fallente depravat.

Object. Are not the Midwives rewarded by God for saving the Israelitish children by a lie?

Answ. I need not say with Austin, The fact was rewarded, and the Lie pardoned; For there is no such thing as a lie found in them. Who can doubt but that God could strengthen the Israelitish women to be delivered without the Midwives: And who can doubt but when the Midwives had made known the Kings murderous command, that the women would delay to send for the Midwives till (by the help of each other▪) the children were secured? Which yet is imputed to the Midwives, because they confederated with them, and delaid to that end. So that here is a dissembling and concealing part of the truth, but here is no lie that can be proved.

Object. But Heb. 11. 31. & Jam 2. Rahab is said to be justified by faith and works, when she saved the Spies by a lie.

Answ. 1. It is uncertain whether it was a lie, or only an equivocation, and whether her words were not true of some other men that had been her guests. But suppose them a lie (as is most like) the Scripture no more justifieth her lie than her having been an harlot. It is her believing in the God of Israel, whose works she mentioned that she is commended for, together with the saving of the Spies with the hazard of her own life. And it is no wonder if such a woman in Jericho had not yet learned the sinfulness of such a lie as that.

Object. But at least it could be no mortal sin, because, Heb. 11. 31. & Jam. 2. say she was justified.

Answ. It was no mortal sin in her (that is, a sin which proveth one in a state of death,) because it had not those evils that make sin mortal: But a lie in one that doth it knowingly, for want of such a predominancie of the authority and Love of God in the soul, as should prevail against the contrary motives, habitually, is a mortal sin, of an ungodly person. It is pernicious falsehood and soul delusion in those Teachers, that make poor sinners think that it is the smallness of the outward act or hurt of sin alone, that will prove it to be, as they call it, Venial, or mortified, and not mortal.

Quest. 3. Is deceit by Action Lawful, which seemeth a Practical lie? And how shall we interpret Christ's making as if he would have gone farther, Luk. 24. 28. and David's feigning himself mad, and common stratagems in war, and doing things purposely to deceive another.

Answ. 1. I have before proved that all Deceiving another is not a sin, but some may be a duty: As a Physician may deceive a Patient to get down a medicine, to save his life, so he do it not by a lie.

2. Christ's seeming to go farther was no other, than a lawful concealment or dissimulation of his purpose, to occasion their importunity: For all dissimulation is not evil, though lying be. And the same may be said of lawful stratagems as such.

3. David's case was not sinful as it was mere dissimulation to deceive others for his escape. But whether it was not a sinful distrust of God, and a dissimulation by too unmanly a way, I am not able to say, unless I had known more of the circumstances.

Quest. 4. Is it lawful to tempt a child or servant to lie, merely to try them?

Answ. It is not lawful to do it without sufficient cause, nor at any time to do that which inviteth them to lie, or giveth any countenance to the sin, as Satan and bad men use to tempt men to sin by commending it, or extenuating it. But to lay an occasion before them barely to try them (as to lay money or wine or other things in their way, to know whether they are thieves or addicted to drink, that we may the better know how to cure them; and so to try their veracity) is not unlawful. For, 1. The sin is virtually committed when there is a Will to commit it, though there should be no temptation or opportunity. 2. We do nothing which is either a commendation of the sin, or a persuading to it, nor any true cause either Physical or Moral; but only an occasion: 3. God himself who is more contrary to sin than any creature, doth thus by trial, administer such occasions of sin to men that are viciously disposed, as he knoweth they will take; And his common mercies are such occasions. 4. God hath nowhere forbidden this to us: We may not do evil that good may come by it: but we may do good when we know evil will come of it by men's vice. 5. It may be a needful means to the cure of that sin, which we cannot know till it be thus detected.

Quest. 5. Is all equivocation unlawful?

Answ. There is an equivocating which is really Lying; As when we forsake the usual or just sense of a word, and use it in an alien unusual sense, which we know will not be understood, and this to deceive such as we are bound not to deceive.

But there is a use of equivocal words which is lawful and necessary: (For human language hath few words which are not of divers significations) As, 1. When our equivocal sense is well understood by the hearers, and is not used to deceive them, but because use hath made those words to be fit; as all metaphors are equivocal, and yet may be used. 2. When the equivocal sense is the most usual or obvious, and if it be not understood, it is through the hearers fault or extraordinary dullness. 3. When a Robber, or usurping Tyrant, or any cruel enemy that hath no authority to do it, shall seek to ensnare my life by questions, I may lawfully answer him in such doubtful words as purposely are intended to deceive him, or leave him ignorant of my sense, so be it they be not lies or false in the ordinary usage of those words. 4. And to such a person I may answer doubtfully when it is apparent that it is a doubtful answer, and that I do it as professing that I will answer him no more particularly nor plainly, but will conceal the rest.

Quest. 6. Whether all mental reservation be unlawful?

Answ. This needeth no other answer than the former. If the expressed words be a Lie, the mental reservation will not make them justifiable as a truth. But if the expressed words of themselves be true, then the mental reservation may be lawful, when it is no more than a concealment of part of the truth in a case where we are not bound to reveal it.

But of both these cases I must refer the Reader to what I have said about Vows, Tom. 3. Chap. 5. Tit. 2. without which he will not know my meaning.

Quest. 7. May Children, Servants or Subjects, in danger, use words which tend to hide their faults?

Answ. 1. When they are bound not to hide the fault, they may not: Which is, 1. When due obedience or, 2. the greater good which will follow, require them to open it.

2. When they are not bound to open it, they may hide it by just means, but not by Lies or any evil. In what cases they may hide a fault by just means, I shall here say no more to.

Quest. 8. May I speak that which I think is true, but am not sure?

Answ. If you have a just call, you may say you think it is true; but not flatly that it is so.

Quest. 9. May I believe and speak that of another, by way of news, discourse or character, which I hear reported by godly credible persons, or by many?

Answ. 1. The main doubt is when you have a call to speak it, which is answered after Tom. 4. at large.

2. You may not so easily believe and report evil of another as good.

3. You must not believe ill of another any further than evidence doth constrain you: Yet you may believe it according to the degree of evidence or credibility; and make use of the report for just caution or for good; But not to defame another, upon uncertainty, or without a call.

4. The sin of Receiving, and spreading false reports of others upon hearsay, is now so common among those that do profess Sobriety and Religion, that all men should take heed of it in all company, as they would do of the Plague in an infectious time: And now it is so notorious that false news and slanders of others are so common, neither good men's words, nor common fame, will allow you, (or excuse you,) to believe or report any evil of another, till you are able to prove that it is your duty: But all Christians should join in Lamenting and reproving this common uncharitable sin.

Tit. 4. Special Directions against Idle talk, and Babling.

§. 1. Direct. 1. UNderstand well what is idle talk: For many take that to be vain which is not, and many take not that to be vain which is. I shall therefore open this before I go any further.

§. 2. The judgment of infidels and impious men here are of little regard: 1. Some of them think prayer to be but vain words, because God knoweth our wants and hearts▪ Job. 22. 2▪ 3. and our service is not profitable to him: As if he had bid us seek him in vain, Isa. 45. 19. These I have elsewhere confuted. 2. Others think frequent preaching vain, and say as the Infidels of Paul, Act. 17. 18. What will this Babbler say: and as Pharaoh, Exod. 5. 9. Let them not regard vain words! But God saith Deut. 32. 46, 47. Set your hearts to all the words which I testify among you—for it is not a vain thing for you, because it is your life —3. Some carnal wretches think all vain in God's service, which is spiritual, and which they understand not, or which is above the reach of a fleshly mind. 4. And some think all vain in Preaching, Conference, Writing or Prayer, which is long. But Christ spake no vain words when he prayed all night, Luk. 6. 12. Nor are we bid pray in vain, when we are bid pray continually, instantly and importunately. 1 Thes. 5. 17. Act. 6. 4. Luk. 18. 1, 2. Nor did Paul speak idly when he preached till midnight, Act. 20. Godliness is not vain which is profitable to all things, 1 Tim. 4. 8. Indeed as to their own salvation the wicked may make our preaching vain: but the word of God returneth not empty. The oblations of the disobedient are vain, Isa. 1. 13. and the prayer of the wicked abominable to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is his delight, Prov. 15. 8. 4. Some think all preaching vain of that which they know already, whereas they have most need to hear of that, lest they condemn themselves by sinning against their knowledge. 2 Pet. 1. 12, 13. Rom. 14. 22. 6. Some think it vain if the same things be often preached on, or repeated, (see Phil. 3. 1.) though yet they never received and obeyed them: Or if the same words be oft repeated in prayer, though it be not from emptiness or affectation but fervency: Mark 14. 39. Psalm 136. & 119. 7. Unbelievers think our boasting in God is vain, 2 King. 18. 20. 8. And some malicious adversaries charge it on Ministers as Preaching in vain, whenever the hearers are not converted: See Heb. 4. 2. Gal. 5. 2. & 3. 4. & 4. 11. Isa. 53. 1.

§. 3. On the other side many that are godly mistake in thinking, 1. That all talk is vain which is not of absolute necessity to some great use and end. 2. And that all mirth and pleasant discourse is vain. Whereas the Holy Ghost saith, Prov. 17. 22. A merry heart doth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit drieth the bones: Prov. 15. 13. A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance; but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. Gen. 26. 8. King Abimelech saw Isaac sporting with Rebekah his wife: Laughing (as the Hebrew is) or playing (as the Chaldee, and Samaritan, and Sept.) or jesting (as the Syriac Arabic and Vulgar Latin.)

§. 4. Observe these qualifications and your mirth and sporting talk will not be idle. 1. Let it be such and so much as is useful to maintain that