Observations Divine and Moral, Chapter 13
CAP. XIII. Of Truth, and Falshood.
TRuth is either naturall, or morall. Naturall Truth stands first in the conveniencie, and Scaliger.agreement of the notions of the mind with the thing conceaved; and secondly, of the means of manifesting it (especially speech) with the thing to be manifested. Morall Truth stands in the conveniencie, and agreement of a person with himself: namely of his heart with his tongue, and speech. The same consideration is to be had of Truths contrarie, in its kind; which is Falshood. Whereupon also it comes, that a man may sin, and speak falsly not onelyonly in speaking that which he knows, or may know to be false, for what end soever he speak it, yea though it be, that he may not deceav: but also inAustin. speaking that which is true, in it self (if he know it not) that he might, or so as he may deceav by it.
All truth, by whomsoever spoken, is of God, and of his Ambrose. Iohn 15.Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, in some its manner and degree of working. Whereupon it followeth, that nothing true in right reason, and sound Phylosophy, is, or can be false in Divinitie. The truth in the inferiour facultie is subordinate to that in the superiour, in all things; and comes short of it in many things; but can in nothing be contrarie unto it; seeing God, and his Spirits work, cannot be contrarie to himself▪ I ad, though the truth be uttered by the Divel himself, yet is it originally of God. When he speaks a ly, he speaks of Iohn 8.himself; but when he speaks the truth, he speaks of God; who so far useth, or rather abuseth him, as to utter, and professe that which he hateth.
We ought to reverence excellent men, but the truth more, asEusebius. Aristotle. Dionisius said of Nepos; and Aristotle of Plato, and Socrates. And good reason, seeing a main cause of our reverencing of men is their knowledg, and profession of the truth. No prescription (say the Lawyers) lies against theTertullian. King: say we, with the Father, against the truth: which, by the Verdict of a great King himself, and his Nobles with him, is greater then the King; no space of time, no patronage Ezra 3.of person; no priviledg of place, from which blind, or simple custom commonly getting footing, and growing into use by succession, is brought to coap with truth it self: and that the most violently, where the persons are the most bruitish, and godlesse. But our Lord Christ called himself Truth, not Custom: neither is Falshood, Errour, or Heresie convinced by Noveltie, but by Truth. This Truth is alwayes the same whilst The God of Truth is in Heaven; what entertainment soeverCicero. it finde with men, upon Earth: It is alwayes praiseworthy, though no man praise it; and hath no reason, or just cause to be ashamed, though it oft go with a scratcht face. They that fight against it are like the Floods beating upon the strong Rocks, which are so much the more miserably dashed in pieces, by how much they are the more violently carried. Though Fire and Sword assault it, yet will it not be killed, or dy: and though by violence it be buried quick, yet will it rise again; and if not before, yet when all Flesh shall rise again; and when Truth, which was first, and before Falshood, and Errour, shall be last, and abide for ever.
We must love, and attain to the knowledg of the Truth in our selvs, First; Lest we be Clouds without rain promising that to others, which we our selvs want: and must in our places, afterwards make manifestation, and profession of it: and not be like the grave, insatiable in receaving in, and barren in returning any thing back: but must be alwayes readie, as we see hope of doing good, to propagate it: like the Phylosopher, who being found fault with for disputing with all that he met with, wished that the bruit beasts also could understand him, that he might impart something even to them: yea in our kind, like God himself, that gives wisdom to all that asks it of him; andIames 1. Iohn 1. to Christ the Lord that Word of God, and true Light) which inlightens everie one that comes into the World: and sometimes, even, when we see no hope of doing good, if dutie bind us, though hope fail us; that so the non-proficients Austin.may have cause rather to complain of themselvs, for not learning; then of us, for not manifesting the truth unto them. And albeit all truth is not to be spoken at all times: (A Prov. 29fool uttereth all his mind; but a wise man keeps it in for afterwards) yet nothing not true at any time, or for any cause. He that hath but a right Philosophicall spirit, and is but morally honest, would rather suffer many deaths, then call a Pin a Point, or speak the least thing against his understanding▪ or perswasion.
A man in pleading for the Truth may shew his judgment, and understanding best in the matter: but his grace, and godlinesse in the manner; when he handles a good cause well, and the Lords cause after the Lords manner. Sometimes men pretend Gods Truth, and zeal for it, when indeed they make their pleas for Truth serv onelyonly for hackneys, for their lusts to ride on, whither they would have them: Sometimes men seriously intend Truth, and yet mingle both with their good intention, and (it may be) true assertion also, such their personall corruptions, and distempers, as Christ looseth more by their inordinatenesse that way, then he gaines both by their sound knowledg, and fervent zeal of, and for his Truth.
The most account a ly more shamefull, then sinfull: and therefore make it a matter of great disgrace, to take the ly, specially in the hearing of others; and yet make it no matter of conscience to make the ly before God, and his Angels. Ah foollish People, thus to honour your selvs, and other vile men (your likes) more then God himself, and the Angels with him: and with all, base in your Pryde; who will rather bear the ly at your own mouth then at an others. When a man speakes against his knowledg, his own heart tels his tongue it lyeth: which to put up quietly, argues both a gracelesse, and an abject spirit. Whereas both grace, and true courage also may be shewen in bearing the ly at an others mouth, by overcoming such indignation, and anger ryseing thereat, as is harder to conquer then a Citty.
The Divell is the father of lyes: which whilst they, in theIohn▪ 8. womb of whose heart he begets them, impute to other, and better causes mooveing them thereunto; they are but like harlots, who for theyr credits sake, father theyr bastards upon honest men. Many things even good, may occasion lying (as all good, may do all evill) but no thing can bring it forth, and cause it, save the womb of our own corrupt heart imprignated by the divell. Now if both by the Law of God, and light of nature, it be an abhominable confusion, for a woman to lie down before a beast; what is it for man or woman to prostituteLevit. 18. themselvs to Sathan for the gendring of so misshapen a monster, as a ly is? And very rightly is a ly called monstrous, considering both the divels kindes, of which it comes, and also the disproportion in it, often between the speach, and the thing spoken; and alwayes between the tongue, and heart of the speaker. Neyther doth the goodnes of the meaning, though never so good, excuse the evill of the doing, when as a ly is told. He that tels a ly for God, is an accepter of persons, and God wil surely reprove Iob. 13. 1 Iohn. 3 Rom. 3.him, saith Iob. And no marvayl. Since his own heart condemnes him, God which is greater then his heart, and knoweth all things, will condemn him much more. And if a ly told, that through it the truth of God may more abound to his glory, procure just condemnation; what may they expect that use to ly for meaner, though good ends? He that tels a ly for a good end, puts the Divell into Gods service▪ which neyther his truth needs, nor his holynes will endure, but he that tels a ly for an evill purpose (as the most do to cover preceeding evils, which they are more ashamed to confesse, then to practise) helps therein the Divell in his own businesse. But whosoever loves, and makes a ly hath no right to the tree of life, nor shall enter Revel. 22the gates into the holy City, but shall remayn without, with dogs, and sorcerers, and Whoremongers, and Murderers, and Idolaters, we see with whom the Lord ranks lyers, what reckning soever the world makes of them, or they of themselvs.
He that tels one ly is not onelyonly the more prone to tell another, and so a third (which is common to all evill doers) but (for the most part) necessitated so to do for the covering of the former; as beggars cover one patch with another; and that a lesser with a greater, and often a simple ly with a false oath, as was Peters case. Besides, he that is once taken in a manifest ly will hardly escape suspition when he speaks the truth, that I may not say with one that he deservs not to be trusted, no not in that wherein he desires you would not trust him. Neyther doth he wrong himself alone for after time, but others also,Plautus. who speak the truth. By somes lying, others when they speake Bernard.truely, are not credited: specially such as have any conformity with them in other things, that is oft seen in effect, which is said of the Host, that being once deceaved by one that held his hat before his eyes, when he gave thanks, at meat, would never trust any afterwards that used that fashion.