A Treatise Against Lying, Treatise · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
Of the meanes to diſſwade us from Lying, and firſt, becauſe it is an hainous ſinne.
HAving ſpoken of the divers ſorts of lyes, §. 1. That Lying is an hainous ſin, proved by the Scriptures.and proved that they are all ſinnefull and unlawfull: It now followeth according to the order which I firſt propounded, that I ſet downe the meanes whereby we may be preſerved from this ſinne. The which are of two ſorts; the firſt is to ſhew the dangerouſneſſe and deſperateneſſe of this diſeaſe of lying, that ſo wee may with more earneſtneſſe deſire to be cured; and then the remedies which may further the cure. For ſo much doe men ſleight this ſickeneſſe of the ſoule, as though there were no danger in it; yea ſo farre are the moſt in love with it, ſo loath to leave it, and ſo willing to live and die in this diſeaſe, which in their carnall reaſon they finde ſo pleaſant and profitable, that in this, if in any other, the queſtion of our Saviour may be well propounded to our ſicke and impotent Patients; wilt thou bee made whole? For as thoſe that John 5. 6.are ſicke of a Lethargy delight in ſleeping, though it will bring aſſured death, and being rouzed out of it by their friends, are much diſpleaſed with them, becauſe they are diſturbed and diſquieted: ſo is it with the moſt men in this caſe, apprehending no danger, and ſenſually feeling delight in this ſickeneſſe, they love their diſeaſe and loath the remedies. That men therefore may not ſecurely ſleepe in this ſinne of Lying, as apprehending no danger, I will firſt ſhew the greatneſſe and hainouſneſſe of it in the ſight of God and all good men; that ſo all may be brought into a hatred and deteſtation of it, and then preſcribe ſome means which may ſtrengthen us againſt it. Concerning the former, though lying were but a ſmall ſin in it ſelfe, yet it were not ſmall unto us, if wee allow and approve it, love and delight in it, ſeeing it is joyned with preſumption and impenitency; neither (as one ſaith) is there any ſinne ſo veniall, which is not Auguſtinemade criminall, whilſt it pleaſeth and delighteth: But it is not ſo in Gods ſight, how lightly ſoever men eſteeme of it, as will eaſily appeare by the following diſcourſe. For the Apoſtle Paul ſetting downe a Catalogue of moſt hainous ſinners, as prophane perſons, parricides, murtherers, adulterers, 1 Tim. 1. 10.Sodomites, men-ſtealers and perjur'd perſons, doth ranke lyars in the reare of them; and the Apoſtle Iohn numbereth them with dogs, ſorcerers, Apoc. 22. 15.whore-mongers and idolaters, all which ſhall bee excluded out of the gates of the Heavenly Jeruſalem. And the Holy Ghoſt in the Hebrew tongue calleth a lye Aven, which alſo ſignifieth iniquity; implying that all lyes are iniquity, and that all iniquity is after a ſort included in a lye, ſeeing every ſinne is in this reſpect a lye, as it is committed againſt the Truth of God which forbiddeth it. And A lyer worſe than a theefe.howſoever men meaſuring the guilt of ſinnes by their profit and diſprofit, doe hang up theeves, and oftentimes laugh at lyars, yea even reward them if they be skilfull in their Art: yet is lying in it owne nature worſe than theeving, and a common lyar, than a common theefe; according to that of the ſonne of Syrach: A theefe is better than a man which Eccli. 20. 25.is accustomed to lye, and they both ſhall have destruction to heritage. For theft is committed immediately againſt men, but a lye againſt God, the God of Truth, and is therefore aggravated as being committed againſt a much more excellent Object. Theft ſpoyleth us of our worldly goods, and hurteth our eſtates, but lying exceedeth theft in theft, robbing us of a much more excellent jewell, even ſpirituall truth, which is the riches and ornament of the mind. Yea it depriveth both the liar and him that hearkneth unto lies of eternall ſalvatiō, ſeeing in this reſpect the theefe only hurteth himſelfe, but cannot hinder him from the fruition of bleſſednes whom he robbeth, though he taketh from him his earthly riches. Againe, the Law of God appointed that the theefe ſhould make ſatisfaction to him whom hee had wronged, by reſtoring unto him ſowre or five fold, and ſo by recompence made the fault in reſpect of men curable; but no ſatisfaction is appointed to bee made unto thoſe who are wronged by lying, there being for it no valuable recompence, ſeeing they are robbed of a Jewell Prov. 23. 23.above all price. Finally, lying is worſe than ſtealing as being the cauſe of it, and the chiefe incouragement which ſetteth the theefe on worke to commit his ſinne: for if men were reſolved to ſpeake nothing but truth, they would never ſteale, ſeeing when they are examined, they muſt confeſſe their offence, and receive deſerved puniſhment; but becauſe they hope to eſcape by hiding their ſinne with lyes, therefore they are imboldned to the committing of it. And yet I have ſaid nothing of the malignity of this ſinne and ſickeneſſe of the ſoule, more than is in theft, whereby it becommeth more contagious, infecting others with its poyſon; for whereas in ſtealing the theefe himſelfe onelyonly ſinneth, and not he that is robbed by him; in lying not onelyonly they ſinne who tell the lyes, but all they likewiſe who delight to heare them, and are too credulous in beleeving of them.
Yea not onelyonly the Scriptures, but even the Heathen writers, Poets and Philoſophers, by the light §. 2. Lying condemned as a great ſinne even by the Heathensof nature have in all ages condemned lying as an hainous and hatefull vice. Many of whoſe ſayings Stobaeus recordeth to this purpoſe: One ſaith that he is unhappy, who rather uſes lies though ſeemingly Euripides.good, than truthes when hee judgeth them evill. And againe; certainly it is a thing intolerable to tell lyes. Another telleth us, that he is equally his enemy as the gates of Hell, who conceaveth one thing in his minde, and ſpeaketh another thing with his mouth. And that Iupiter the great father foreign. Homer. Iliad. lib. 4. Phocyllides.who helpeth all, yet will not be helpfull unto lyars. Another perſwadeth thus; tell (ſaith hee) no lyes; but ſpeake all truthes: And againe, doe not hide one thing in thy heart, and utter another with thy tongue. Another affirmeth, that every prudent Cleobulus.and wiſe man hateth a lye. And the Philoſopher foreign.(as before was ſhewed) deriveth the Greeke word ſignifying a lye, from another which ſignifieth a thing diſhoneſt and worthy reprehenſion, becauſe every lye is of this nature. Finally, Plato in many foreign. Plato in Theat. lib. 2. de Repub.places condemneth lies and pleadeth for the truth. To thinke the truth (ſaith he) is honeſt, but a filthy and diſhoneſt thing to lye: And againe, a lye is odious not onelyonly to the gods, but alſo to men. And therefore if the Heathens could diſcover the fowlneſſe and deformities of this vice by the dimme light of nature; what a ſhame is it for us to bee ſo blinde in our underſtandings and ignorant, as not to diſcerne the uglineſſe of it, when as we have the cleare ſun-ſhine of the Goſpell, and the illumination of Gods Holy Spirit to guide and direct us.
But let us come more particularly to ſhew the §. 3. That Lying is oppoſite to Gods nature.haynouſneſſe of this vice, which will better bee cleared if we prove that it hath in it all relations of ſinne, as it is committed either againſt God, our neighbours, or our ſelves; and is not onelyonly a ſinne in it ſelfe, but alſo the cauſe and the effect of many other evills, both of ſinne and puniſhment, as it will appeare if wee examine ſome particulars. For firſt, lying is in this reſpect a great ſinne, becauſe it is contrary to God the chiefe goodneſſe, whether we conſider his Nature or his Perſons. In his Nature and Eſſence he is in and of himſelfe, and the fountaine of Being; and in this ſenſe it is moſt true that being, Truth, and Goodneſſe, are convertible and all one: He is not only True but Truth it ſelfe, and all other things are true in and for him. And thus he deſcribeth himſelfe; Mercifull, Gracious, Exod. 34. 6.Long-ſuffering, and aboundant in Goodneſſe and Truth. So Moſes in his ſong: He is a God of Truth, and without Deut. 32. 4.iniquitie, juſt and right is he. So Eſay: Hee that ſweareth in the Earth, ſhall ſweare by the God of Truth; Eſay 65. 16.yea hee is ſo eſſentially True, as that there is none true beſides him; according to that of the Apoſtle, Let GOD be True, but every man a lyar; and though Rom. 3. 4.it be at mans choyce to ſpeake the truth or to lye, yet truth being of Gods Eſſence, and the Truth of God, nothing but the True God, hence it followeth that God can no more deny the Truth, than deny Himſelfe. And therefore it is ſaid, that God is not a man that he ſhould lye, yea though he can doe Numb. 23. 19.all things, yet He cannot lye; yea that it is impoſsible Tit. 1. 2. Heb. 6. 18.for God to lye, which doth not argue any impotency in him, but perfection of Being, ſeeing if hee could lye, hee could alſo deny himſelfe and ſo not be, ſeeing Truth in him and Being are all one. And as the former places are affirmed of the whole Divine nature, and ſo primarily of God the Father, the Fountaine of Truth and Being; ſo other places teſtifie the like of the Sonne, namely that Hee is full of aJohn 1. 14.Grace and Trueth, and that all bverſ. 17.Grace and Trueth, come by him, yea that hee is the cJohn 14. 6.Way, the Truth and Life it ſelfe: And ſo alſo of the Holy Ghoſt, who is called the dJohn 14. 17.Spirit of Truth, yea, e1 John 5. 6.Truth it ſelfe, who proceedeth fJohn 15. 26.from the Father and the Sonne. And thoſe whom by regeneration hee maketh his Children, gJohn 16. 13.He leadeth into all Truth, and worketh in them all ſanctifying and ſaving Graces and Truth amongſt the reſt, which is therefore by the Apoſtle numbred among the hEph. 5. 9.fruits of the Spirit. In all which reſpects as it muſt needs follow, that Truth is a Vertue moſt acceptable unto God, as being according to his owne Likeneſſe, ſo alſo that thoſe beſt pleaſe him, who reſemble him in Truth, by loving, imbracing and ſpeaking it, approving themſelves hereby to bee his Children, becauſe they are like him, according to that of the Prophet Eſay, Surely they are my people, Children Eſa. 63. 8.that will not lye. To which purpoſe an Heathen Philoſopher ſpeaketh excellently, who being aſked Pythagoras.in what thing men were moſt like unto God, anſwered foreign. i. if they ſpeake the Truth. And in this reſpect their magi or magitians affirmed that their greateſt god whom they called Oromagden, Serm. 11.was in his body like unto the light; and in his mind or ſoule like unto truth, as Stobaeus recordeth it. And excellent to this uſe is the etymologie of the Greeke word foreign (by which they ſignifie Truth) which Iamblichus bringeth, ut foreign deducta ſit foreign, becauſe as the Greeke word ſignifying the Truth, ſo Truth it ſelfe is derived from the gods; although others give another Etymology deriving foreign from foreign, and the privative participle, becauſe the Truth cannot lye hid. Whereby it appeareth that as Truth is deare unto God, ſo a lye, which oppoſeth it, is a great ſinne and moſt odious unto him, ſeeing it oppoſeth himſelfe and his owne nature, who is a God of Truth; for hee who lyeth, denieth the Truth; and he who denieth it, denieth God himſelfe. Again, Truth which hath its exiſtence in the minde againſt which the lyar ſpeaketh, is of the Spirit of God, who is the Author of all Truth, and therefore what is it to lye, but to make the tongue ſpeake againſt the Truth ingraven in the minde by the Spirit, and conſequently to ſpeake againſt the Holy Spirit himſelfe who is the Lev. 6. 2.Author of it?
Secondly, by lying we ſin immediately againſt §. 4. That Lying is a breach of Gods Commandement.God, in that we breake and violate his Word and holy Commandements, which injoine us to ſpeake the Truth and not to lye, in any thing, nor at any time. For in the ninth Commandement under the name of bearing falſe witneſſe againſt our neighbour, as in the affirmative part hee requireth all Truth, ſo in the negative he forbiddeth all lyes and falſhood in thought, word and deede, even as under the name of murther, hee forbiddeth all the kindes and degrees of it; as anger, hatred, rayling, revenge, and under the name of Adulterer, all manner of filthineſſe and uncleanneſſe. And therefore raiſing of a falſe report by lying, and bearing Exod. 23. ….of falſe witneſſe againſt our Neighbours, are both joyned together and forbidden in the three and twentieth of Exodus. And that we may know that lyes in no kindes were ever tolerated; God hath ever inhibited and condemned them, both in the Law, Prophets, and in the Goſpell. In the Law, yee ſhall not lye one to another. So by the Prophet Levit. 19. 11.Zecharie: Speake yee every man the Truth to his neighbour; Zech. 8. ….and the Apoſtle Paul; Lye not one to another, ſeeing ye have put off the old man with his deeds. And Col 3. 9. Eph. 4. 29.to the Epheſians, Wherefore putting away lying, ſpeake every man truth with his neighbor. So that if we have any reſpect either to Law or Goſpell in yeelding obedience unto them, wee muſt ſpeake the Truth, and abhorre lying. Finally we ſinne immediately againſt God by ſuppreſſing truth and telling lyes; becauſe thereby we hinder and impeach his Glory, whileſt we hide our vices and faults from comming to light, and ſtoppe the courſe of Juſtice when it ſhould deſervedly proceede againſt us, to inflict upon us deſerved puniſhment, in the execution whereof, Gods glory is advanced, as Ioſuah implieth in his ſpeech to Achan; My ſonne, I pray thee Joſ. 7. 19.give Glory to the Lord God of Iſrael, and make confeſsion unto him, and tell me now what thou haſt done.
Secondly, by lying we ſinne hainouſly in many §. 5. That by lying we ſin greatly againſt our neighbours by corrupting their mindes and judgements with errors and untruthes.reſpects, againſt our neighbours generally and particularly. For firſt by lyes we corrupt and deprave their mindes and judgements, in putting downe Truth which ſhould raigne and rule in them to direct them rightly in all their courſes, and inthrone in the place of them falſe conceits and opinions, which are fit guides to miſleade them into all errours and ſinnes. Now if it bee a great wrong to blemiſh, deface and defile the bodies of our neighbours, then how much more to offer theſe injuries againſt their mindes, whileſt by our ſtrong deluſions wee make them to beleeve lyes? Secondly, Secondly, lyes are pernicious to all humane ſocieties in perverting order, and overthrowing all contracts.lyes are moſt pernicious to all humane Societies, and Common-wealths, by perverting that order which God hath appointed to bee amongſt them which is, that men converſing together ſhould by their words and ſpeeches impart and communicate their mindes and meanings one to another, for the good of all; whereas if lyes bee ſpoken in ſtead of Truth, there can nothing follow but confuſion, like that of Babel, whileſt ſpeaking one thing and thinking another, they cannot underſtand one anothers language, nor gueſſe at their meaning by their words, whereby the building of the State, and the worke and welfare of the Common-wealth is much hindred. For hereby all contracts, covenants, and intercourſe of dealings betweene man; which is (as it were) the life of the Cōmon-wealth, the foode that nouriſheth it, and chiefe meanes whereby it is maintained and inriched are quite overthrowne, when as men cannot give credit unto any thing that is ſpoken, nor truſt unto the performance of any promiſe, nor bee aſſured of any bargaine, ſeeing thoſe with whom they deale make no conſcience of lying, nor have any care to keepe their word further than feare of loſſe, or force of law compelleth them. The which as it is pernicious unto States and Common-wealths, in hindring their wealth and welfare, their livelyhood and well being in time of peace, ſo alſo it is no leſſe hurtfull in time of warre, when as Nations having experience of one anothers lyes and falſehood, being at enmity can conclude of no firme peace or truce, but take all advantages to worke one anothers ruine and utter deſtruction, becauſe they have little or no hope that any covenants betweene them wil be obſerved.
Thirdly, theſe lyes are the cauſes of all jealouſies §. 6. That lyes are the cauſes of jealouſies and ſuspicions betweene man and man.and ſuſpicions amongſt men, when as there being found no fidelity and truthin the ſpeaker, there can bee no faith and beleefe in the hearer; but having often found him faulty and faithleſſe, he dare no more truſt him upon his word or promiſe, and ſuſpitiō interpreting al that is ſpoken to the worſt, hee will not beleeve what hee ſaith, neither when he lyeth, nor when he ſpeaketh truth. And whereas it is the nature of faith, if it bee not abuſed to beleeve that which another ſpeaketh, becauſe nature hath given men words that they may bee ſignes and ſignifications, expreſſions and interpreters of the minde, when by lyes it is often fruſtrated, it cannot aſſent to what is ſpoken, but is turned to diffidence and unbeleefe. In which reſpect one being Demetrius apud Stobaeum.asked what evill befalleth them that tell lyes, anſwered this, that they were not beleeved when they ſpeake the truth. For we are apt to conceive that hee who hath often by lying deceived, is a lyar and deceiver ſtill; and therefore ſhun all dealings, familiarity and friendſhip with him: becauſe wee can have no aſſurance of his faith and truth. So that as faith betweene man and man receiveth a deadly wound by uſuall lying: So is it the bane of all true friendſhip, when we are jealous and diſtruſtfull one of another, and conſequently pernicious to humane ſocieties. For not onelyonly he that hath beene deceived diſtruſteth the lyar who hath falſified his faith, but alſo he who uſually lyeth diſtruſteth all others with whom he dealeth, meaſuring every ones ſhooe by his owne Laſt, and ſuſpecting all others as guilty of the ſame vice, whereof his owne conſcience accuſeth and condemneth himſelfe, to which purpoſe S. Chryſoſtome ſpeaketh: He that is a lyar (ſaith he) doth thinke Qui mendax eſt, neminem putat dicere veritatem, ne que ipſum Deum. In Math▪ 6. §. 7. That lying depriveth men of the end and uſe of ſpeach.that no man ſpeaketh the truth, no not God himſelfe.
Finally, this vice of lying depriveth men of the uſe and end of that excellent gift and property of ſpeech, which was given to man above all other creatures, that it might ſerve as a true interpreter to make knowne our mindes, and the ſecret thoughts of our hearts one to another, and not to lye and deceive, ſeeing it were better to ſay nothing than to lye, and to leave men to their owne uncertaine gueſſe, then by our untruthes certainly to deceive them and miſlead them into errours. So Saint Auguſtine, every one that lyeth doth ſpeake Omnis qui mentitur, contra id quod anima ſentit loquitur voluntate fallendi, &c. Auguſt. Enchir. ad Laurent. cap. 22.againſt that which he thinketh in his minde, with a will to deceive. Now words were therefore inſtituted, not that by them men ſhould deceive one another, but that every one might thereby make knowne his thoughts to others. And therefore to uſe words, that wee may deceive, and not for that end for which they were ordained, is a ſinne.
And as this ſinne of lying is pernicious to the §. 8. That lying is pernicious to every particular family.Common-wealth, ſo alſo unto every particular family where it raigneth, as being the common cauſe of all confuſion and diſorder, of all evills and miſchiefes which happen unto it. For as it bringeth Gods judgements upon thoſe families where it is tolerated, as the deſerved puniſhment of their ſin, ſo doe they ſuffer many evills from one another which are the effects of it. For if the Governours be ſuch as doe love and liſten after lyes, it maketh all the ſervants wicked, becauſe there will bee no Juſtice executed, no difference betweene well and ill-deſerving, no rewards for the one, nor puniſhments for the other, when as the innocent and faithfull ſhall by lyes be traduced and branded, and the faulty and faithleſſe, excuſed and commended. No marvell then if the governement become lame and much weakned, when as rewards and puniſhments, which are the ſinewes of it, are cut in ſunder, and if there bee no good governement; how can there be any true obedience? And this is that which Salomon obſerveth: If (ſaith hee) a Ruler Prov. 29. 12.hearken unto lyes, all his ſervants are wicked. Againe, if in a family there be no conſcience made of lying, all that live in it become negligent of their duetie, and are much emboldned to commit any fault, ſo it be not knowne, and to breake, burne, ſpoile, ſteale and looſe any thing that belongeth to their governours, when as they can by a lye deny or excuſe it; neither is there any feare of ſhame or puniſhment to reſtraine them; ſeeing they can by lying ſo ſhift and ſhuffle off the fault from one to another, that the maſter of the family cannot poſſibly diſcerne who is faulty or faultleſſe, and therefore is put to his choice, whether he will let the offender eſcape, or indanger himſelfe to puniſh the innocent; and ſo either to ſuffer evill in others, or to bee evill himſelfe, whileſt his ſeverity is not guided by knowledge and truth. And all this made David ſo out of love with lyars, that hee profeſſeth hee would not ſuffer one of them to dwell in his family. Hee that worketh deceit, ſhall not dwell in my houſe; hee that telleth Pſal. 101. 7.lyes ſhall not tarry in my ſight.