A Treatise Against Lying, Treatise · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Whether it bee lawfull to diſſemble the Truth.
BUt for the better clearing of this point §. 1. In what caſes it is lawfull to conceale and diſſemble the truth.let us further conſider whether it bee lawfull to ſuppreſſe, hide or diſſemble the Truth in whole or in part, and in what caſes it is lawfull or unlawful. For the underſtanding whereof, I will ſet downe this concluſion, that it is lawfull to conceale the Truth, (if it bee not masked with a lye) in whole or in part; when the Glory of God, the good of our neighbour either publike or private, and our owne good in particular doth require it; and utterly unlawfull when it is otherwiſe: for though it be not lawfull at any time to deny it, yet is it both lawfull and expedient to conceale it in ſuch caſes by our ſilence, or any other way which is not ſinnefull. And thus ought wee to conceale the truth in whole, if we be left to our ſelves and not neceſſitated to declare it, or in part if wee bee examined, making uſe of that part which wee reveale to bee as a cover or colour to hide that part which we conceale, which being diſcovered would impeach and hinder Gods Glory, or our owne and neighbours good. An example whereof wee have in Ieremie, who being examined by the Princes, The example of Jeremie.and asked what king Zedechiah, ſaid unto him, he confeſſeth the Truth in part, namely his ſupplication to the king, that hee would not ſend him backe to Ionathans houſe to die there; but concealed his counſell in adviſing him to yeeld up himſelfe and the Cittie into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, Jer. 38. 27.becauſe this diſcovery would not have conduced to the former ends, but onelyonly have exaſperated the Princes againſt both the King and Prophet, and cauſed them to croſſe this counſell, if he ſhould afterwards reſolve to follow it. Now if any except againſt this, that Ieremie might doe it through infirmity, and that therefore it is no preſident for us to The example of Samuel.follow, we have another example above all exceptions, namely of Samuel, who by God himſelfe 1 Sam. 16. 2.was appointed, by uttering one part of truth, to conceale the other, if the matter ſhould come to bee examincd, and to ſay (if his going to Ieſſe his houſe came to Sauls eare) that the end of his going was to offer ſacrifice, that ſo hee might hide from him the other part, which was the maine end of his going thither, namely to annoint David King in Sauls ſtead.
And thus (as Saint Auguſtine thinketh) Abraham §. 2. The ſpeach of Abraham in calling Sarah his ſiſter, examined.may bee acquitted of telling a lye, when hee ſaid that Sarah was his ſiſter, ſeeing ſhee was his neere kinſwoman, who according to the uſuall ſpeech of the Hebrewes were called ſiſters. Neither did he ſay; She is not my wife, but ſhe is my ſiſter, the which was no lye but the truth, being rightly underſtood. And ſo Abraham himſelfe excuſeth it, yet indeed ſhee is my ſister, ſhe is the daughter, that is, the Grandchilde of my Father, &c. Therefore (ſaith hee) Abraham concealed ſomething of the truth, but ſaid nothing that was falſe, when he concealed that ſhe was his wife, and ſaid that ſhee was his ſiſter. And it is not a lye when the truth is Non eſt mendacium, cum ſilendo abſconditur verum, ſed cum loquendo promitur falſū. Contra mendac. ad Conſent. lib. 2. cap. 10.concealed by ſilence, but when by ſpeaking wee utter that which is falſe: unto which might bee added that Abraham had no will to lye, nor deſire to deceive, but to preſerve his owne life, and the people with whom hee converſed, from the ſinne of murther. But (ſaving his better judgement) theſe reaſons alleadged doe not juſtifie Abraham as innocent, but onelyonly thus farre excuſe his fact, that it was a fault of infirmity into which feare, and not maliciouſneſſe thruſt him. For there is great difference betweene the fact of Ieremy and Samuel, and this of Abraham: ſeeing they concealed onelyonly one part of truth and acknowledged another; but he in the ſame ſpeech uttered (as I may ſay) a truth and untruth; a truth in the reality of it, but an untruth in his intention: a truth in ſome ſenſe, as himſelfe underſtood it, but not in that ſenſe wherein hee would have them to conceive it; for it was his purpoſe in ſpeaking it to make them falſly to thinke, that ſhee was onelyonly his ſiſter, and not his wife, or elſe it would not have ſecured him from that danger which he feared. And a ſpeech is not true, when as it is ſo in a reſerved ſenſe, but when it is ſo in that ſenſe wherein wee would have the hearer to take it. And ſo Abrahams ſpeech could not be true, but a plaine equivocation, which is no better than a lye, for in ſaying that ſhe was his ſiſter, his deſire was that they ſhould conceive that ſhee was not his wife. And though it were not Abrahams abſolute and free will to ly, yet it was his will by accident, as he thought himſelfe neceſſitated hereunto to ſave his life, and though it were not his principall and maine end to deceive by ſpeaking untruth, but to eſcape the danger of being killed; yet it was his next and mediate end which he uſed to advance the other. Neither doth Abrahams ſpeach to the King imply that hee was wholly faultleſſe, but rather the contrary. For if hee had ſpoken a cleare and ingenuous truth, in ſaying that ſhe was his ſiſter, why ſhould he excuſe it, that he did it not upon free choyce, but becauſe hee was neceſſitated thereunto being in danger of his life? And his ſaying that indeede ſhee was his ſiſter, tendeth not wholly to acquit him of all fault, but onelyonly to extenuate it, ſeeing ſhe was ſo truely in ſome ſenſe, though not in that where in he deſired that they ſhould underſtand him. Finally, Abimelech even by the light of nature diſcerned that notwithſtanding Abrahams excuſe, Sarah had equivocated in ſaying that ſhe was his ſiſter, and therefore Gen. 20. 16.reproved her for it, becauſe it was ſuch an untruth as had expoſed her to the danger of being defiled. But though it be unlawfull to lye or equivocate, yet it is lawful to conceale the truth, wholly by ſilence if we be not examined, or to conceale it in part if wee bee queſtioned, ſo that the other part which wee ſpeake be not onelyonly true in it ſelfe Non autem hoc eſt occultare veritatem, quod eſt proferre medacium, &c. Contra mendac. ad Conſentium lib. 2. cap. 10.and in our owne ſenſe, but alſo in his underſtanding to whom we utter it, or at leaſt as we deſire to have him underſtand it. And of this judgement is Saint Auguſtine himſelfe elſe where: It is not all one (ſaith he) to hide the truth, and to tell a lye; for although every one who lyeth deſireth to conceale what is true, yet not every one lyeth who willeth to conceale it. For very often we conceale things that are true, not by lying, but by our ſilence. Neither did our Lord lye when hee ſaid, I have many things to ſay unto you, but as yet yee cannot John 16. 12.beare them. He concealed truthes, but did not ſpeake untruthes, becauſe hee judged ſuch truthes as yet unfit for them to heare.
But let us examine this queſtion yet more fully §. 3. That the truth of Religion is to be confeſſed when wee are lawfully called thereunto.and diſtinctly, in what caſes the truth is to be ſpoken or concealed, and when the Glory of God and good of our neighbour, or our owne good, doth require the profeſſion of it; and when wee ſhould conceale and hide it by ſilence or otherwiſe. For the underſtanding whereof wee are to diſtinguiſh of truth, namely that it is either religious or civill. Religious truth is the truth of religion, or the doctrine of Faith; the which we are upon all occaſions to profeſſe being lawfully called thereunto, when the Glory of God, or good of our neighbour doth require it, according to that of the Apoſtle Peter; Sanctifie the Lord in your hearts, and be 1 Pet. 3. 15.ready alwayes to give an anſwer to every man that asketh you a reaſon of the hope that is in you, with meekeneſſe and feare. Neither is it enough to beleeve the truth and keepe it to our ſelves, but we muſt alſo openly profeſſe it: for as with the heart man beleeveth unto Rom. 10. 10.righteouſneſſe; ſo with the mouth confeſsion is made unto ſalvation, as the Apoſtle Paul telleth us. For if wee conceale the truth when wee are called to profeſſe it, we doe not onelyonly deny the truth, but alſo the Lord of Truth, who is the Author and Patrone of it, and whoſoever ſhall deny him before Math. 10. 33.men, him will he deny before his Father which is in Heaven. But when are wee called lawfully to make this confeſſion of truth? ſurely at all times when by our confeſſion wee may glorifie God, or benefit our neighbours. As when wee are called before a lawfull Magiſtrate and required an account of our faith, then wee muſt in no caſe ſuppreſſe the truth, though we confeſſe it with the danger of our lives: for he ſtandeth in Gods ſtead as his Deputy, and to hide or deny the truth before him is (as it were) to deny or hide it in Gods ſight and preſence. And then alſo God is glorified by our Chriſtian apology, when as wee will not ſhrinke from the truth whatſoever we ſuffer for it. So alſo we are bound to profeſſe the truth of our religion before private men, when as wee conceive that thereby wee ſhall glorifie God by propagating his Truth, and edifie them to whom wee confeſſe it. Otherwiſe if there be no cauſe why we ſhould conceive this hope, becauſe we know them to bee ſcorners and enemies of Gods true Religion, who would but deride it and our profeſſion, wee may, yea in Chriſtian diſcretion wee ought to conceale it, ſeeing we ſhall by our confeſſion diſhonor God by expoſing his Truth to contempt, and wrong our owne perſons by laying our ſelves open to ſcorne and deriſion, if not to the danger of their rage and violence. For which wee have our Saviour Chriſts Word for our warrant; Give not that which is Holy unto Dogs, neither cast yee your Pearles Math. 7. 6.before Swine, leſt they trample them under their feete, and turne againe and rent you.
Secondly, there is a civill truth which is exerciſed §. 4. That civill truth is to bee confeſſed, when Gods glory or our neighbours good doth require it.about the affaires of this life, the which alſo is to bee ſpoken and profeſſed, when the glory of God and our owne and neighbours good doth require it, or to bee hid and concealed when by the profeſſion of it God is diſhonoured and our ſelves and neighbours endammaged. Now if we further enquire when Gods glory and our owne and neighbours good doth require it to be ſpoken, and when it ought to be concealed, wee are to diſtinguiſh of it, either as it is to be ſpoken publikely before the lawfull Magiſtrate ſitting judicially upon the judgment ſeate, or privately to ordinary men in our common courſe of converſation. When wee are judicially called before the lawfull Magiſtrate, and required according to law to ſpeake the truth, we ought not to conceale it, whether it bee for us or againſt us. And for this wee have the ſame reaſon that we have for ſpeaking of religious truth; for the Magiſtrate ſitteth in the place of God as his Deputy to enquire and examine the truth, and therfore to deny or diſſemble it unto him in a legal maner inquiring after it, is (as it were) to deny and diſſemble it unto God himſelfe; the which in this reſpect is the more grievous ſinne, becauſe in courſe of law men are examined upon oath and are bound thereby to ſpeake not onelyonly the truth, but alſo the whole truth, in which they call God as Witneſſe to what they ſay, and ſo groſly abuſe his Majeſty being the God of truth, if they draw him, as much as in them lyeth, to countenance and confirme a lye. Secondly, hereby they tranſgreſſe in a high degree Gods expreſſe Commandement, by which as he forbiddeth us to beare falſe witneſſe in the negative part, ſo in the affirmative hee requireth that we ſpeake the truth to his glory and our neighbours good. Finally, wee ſinne againſt the common wealth and againſt all good policy, order and government, which cannot ſtand if in theſe legall Uterque reus eſt, & qui veritatem occultat, & qui mendacium dicit: quia & ille prodeſſe non vult, & ille nocere deſiderat. Ad Caſulanum.proceedings the truth ſhould bee denyed or ſuppreſſed. In all which reſpects Saint Augustine ſpeaketh fitly to our purpoſe; either of theſe are guilty and faulty, both hee that hideth the truth, and he that telleth a lye, becauſe the one denyeth to profit, and the other deſireth to hurt.
Upon which grounds and reaſons I conclude, §. 5. That the Truth muſt bee confeſſed before the Magiſtrate, when hee requireth it in a Legall manner.that being convented before a lawfull Magiſtrate, and by him examined, we are bound in conſcience to ſpeake the truth and whole truth, if he proceed legally and in judiciall manner, and demand of us ſuch things as we may anſwere unto piouſly, without diſhonouring God, and juſtly without any prejudice to the Church and Common-wealth, or wrong to any particular perſon. For if ſuch queſtions bee propounded as are not lawfully demanded, nor we bound by the Law of God and of the Common-wealth to anſwere, wee may in ſuch a caſe refuſe, and conceale the truth. So likewiſe when the diſcovery of it tendeth to Gods diſhonour, to the hindering or ſuppreſſing of his true religion, to the hurt and dammage of the Commonwealth, by betraying unto the enemy the ſecrets of State; or the delivering of the innocent into the hands of impious and unjuſt men that are in authority and ſeeke their ruine, and the taking away of their goods, liberties and lives, we are not bound to anſwere the truth of the things demanded, yea wee ought in ſuch caſes to hide and conceale it, though it bee with the extreame and imminent danger of our goods, liberties and life it ſelfe. As for example, when in the times of perſecution wee are examined by wicked tyrants; whom we know to be of our religion, or who were preſent with us and accompanied us in ſuch a place, and at ſuch a time in Gods divine Service, Prayer, and hearing of the Word; we ſhould in ſuch a caſe indure any loſſes and tortures, rather than betray them into their hands that ſeeke their lives. But though wee may not diſcover the ſecrets and counſells of the innocent when it tendeth to their hurt and ruine; yet wee may and ought to confeſſe, when wee are examined to reveale the faults and crimes of thoſe that are guilty and have offended againſt the Lawes of God or the Land, yea though wee have beene copartners with them in their wickedneſſe, and by ſolemne promiſe or oath have mutually bound our ſelves to ſecrecy, becauſe ſuch oathes and promiſes are unlawfull, as tending to Gods diſhonour, the hindring of Juſtice, the nouriſhing of Vice, and the great prejudice of Church and Common-wealth.
But here another queſtion commeth to bee reſolved; §. 6. Whether malefactours are bound in conſcience to confeſſe the truth, thogh it bee with the hezard of their lives.whether a man that is guilty of a fault or crime that concerneth his life, being examined in a Legall manner before a lawfull Magiſtrate, bee bound in conſcience to confeſſe the Truth, and ſo by accuſing himſelfe to indanger his life. To this I anſwere, that every one who is guilty is bound to teſtifie the Truth, if he be required by the lawfull Magiſtrate, though it bee with the hazard of his life, and ſinneth if he hide his fault with a lye; and better it is to expoſe the body to the danger of death by confeſſing the Truth, than by lying and ſinning to offend God, and caſt both ſoule and body into Hell. But yet men thus guilty are more or leſſe bound to confeſſe the truth and accuſe themſelves, and doe ſinne more or leſſe haynouſly by concealing it in divers caſes and conſiderations. For if the Judge having no evidence of Truth, nor competent witneſſes to cleare the cauſe, and direct him in giving a right ſentence, doth ſeriouſly examine the offendor, charging him upon his Conſcience to teſtifie the Truth that God may be glorified, when he his Deputy doth Juſtice; and if thus ſtrictly examining him, hee doth in ſome degree reſt upon his teſtimony for his direction and judgement, in ſuch a caſe the guilty perſon ſinneth greatly if he conceale the truth or hide his offence with a lye; for Judgement being the Lords, hee diſhonoureth him, that hindreth the execution of juſtice with a lye. And therefore Ioſuah thus ſtrictly examining Joſh. 7. 19.Achan in a waighty cauſe, willeth him to give Glory unto God by confeſſing the Truth, implying hereby that hee ſhould much diſhonour him if hee did otherwiſe. Beſides by concealing the truth and telling a lye in ſuch a caſe, he blindeth §. 7. Whether offenders at the barre are bound to plead guilty of thoſe crimes which are juſtly laid to their charge in our judiciary proceeding.and miſleadeth the Judge, and cauſeth him to pervert juſtice, and to pronounce an unrighteous ſentence.
But if (as it is in our judiciary proceeding) the queſtion bee asked, whether the offender at the Barre be guilty or not guilty, hee is not ſo ſtrictly bound as in the former caſe to confeſſe the Truth, nor ſinneth ſo much if hee doth conceale it. For in this caſe the Judge greatly regardeth not the teſtimony of the perſon arraigned, when he pleadeth not guilty, thereby to bee directed in paſſing his ſentence, but onelyonly in a Legall proceeding he demandeth this queſtion; that in a formall and orderly manner he may put himſelfe upon another tryall, namely of the Jewry, who are in no ſort directed by the offenders teſtimony, but by the teſtimony of competent witneſſes and evidence of reaſon. Neither doth our law in theſe criminall cauſes of life and death, binde an offender to accuſe himſelfe, nor inflicteth any puniſhment, if hee refuſeth to doe it. Yea rather if pleading not guilty he put himſelfe upon tryall of his Countrey, he hath a faire and ſometime favourable proceeding and iſſue, being often acquitted, when being guilty he hath deſerved puniſhment; whereas if he concealeth the truth by ſilence, and refuſing to put his cauſe upon tryall, doth condemne himſelfe as guilty, becauſe hee will not uſe the Legall forme in pleading not guilty, he hath no favour of law, but is adjudged to greater and more torturing puniſhment, than if he were found guilty by the Jewry, or his owne voluntary confeſſion. Againe, there is great difference betweene the offences which are confeſſed or concealed; for if in themſelves they are haynous and capitall, both by the morall Law of God, the law of Nature and Nations; as Treaſons, Parricides, Murthers and the like; for which every naturall Conſcience will condemne the offenders as worthy of death; then doe they much more haynouſly ſinne, if being examined by a lawfull Magiſtrate they conceale the Truth, and excuſe themſelves by telling lyes. Yea in ſuch caſes it is probably thought that if there were no other to bring theſe haynous crimes to light, they are bound in conſcience, that Juſtice may be executed, to diſcover and accuſe themſelves. But if the offences be ſuch as are not capitall by the morall Law, and the Law of Nations; but are onelyonly made ſo by the Poſitive lawes of particular Commonwealths, which admit rather of a particular miſchiefe, than a generall inconvenience, and reſpect in their puniſhments the univerſall good of the Common-wealth, more than the demerit of the offender; puniſhing with more ſeverity leſſe faults, which being through the diſpoſition of the people inclining thereunto, more commonly committed to the hurt and damage of the whole State, than greater offences which being rarely committed bring no ſuch prejudice; then is it much more tolerable and leſſe ſinnefull, when the offenders by pleading not guilty doe put themſelves in a Legall forme upon tryall of the Jury, in hope to be acquitted by their verdict, when the law affords them no favour upon their confeſſion. As for example, in the caſe of ſtealth and ſmall thefts which the Law of God puniſheth not with death, but reſtitution; yet is ſo puniſhed by poſitive lawes with all ſeverity, becauſe it is generally neceſſary that it ſhould ſo be for the preſervation of the Common-wealth, although in ſome particular caſes, there may bee a lawfull and conſcionable mitigation of puniſhment, which in Legall proceedings that reſpect the common good more than the preſervation or immunity of ſome private perſons, cannot bee ſo lawfully uſed by inferiour Magiſtrates, who are bound to judge according to law, if the offender confeſſe his fault and plead guilty: In ſuch a caſe I ſay, it is more excuſable if the truth bee concealed by ſuch a deniall, as is to be underſtood onelyonly as a forme in pleading, whereby he putteth himſelfe upon a Legall tryall, that he may have the favour of the law, for the remitting of his ſmall offence, and not as a reall, cordiall, and reſolute deniall of the truth: For when they plead not guilty, it is not much unlike in ſenſe, though different in words; as if they ſhould ſay, I will not diſcover my faults by acknowledging my ſelfe guilty and accuſe my ſelfe, ſeeing the law doth not require it, but I will for my purgation put my ſelfe upon tryall, and ſtand (upon the examining of witneſſes) to the verdict of the jury, to bee acquitted or condemned according to their evidence directing their Conſcience.
And thus I have ſhewed how it is lawfull or expedient §. 8. Of confeſſing or concealing the truth to private men.to confeſſe the truth when as wee are examined in a legall manner before a lawfull Magiſtrate: now concerning the confeſſing or concealing of it in our private converſation, the caſe is much different, ſeeing therein we have a liberty to utter or hide it from thoſe that have no authority to examine us, according as our occaſions ſhall require and Chriſtian prudence direct us. It is true that commonly and ordinarily we muſt ſpeake that truth with our tongues which our minds conceive, becauſe they were given us to this end that they ſhould be as faithfull Interpreters of our hearts to diſcover our thoughts one to another, but yet this is no farther required than as in our ſpeech we may be uſefull and profitable one to another. In which regard it is not onelyonly lawfull but very expedient that wee ſhould conceale the truth in many caſes from thoſe that have no authority to examine us of it. And thus wee may, yea ought to conceale ſuch ſecrets as are intruſted to our keeping, when as they are lawfull, as alſo the faults and infirmities of our neighbors, ſeeing love doth cover a multitude of ſins; yea to diſcover them when we are not neceſſitated thereunto by ſome great and neceſſary cauſe, doth not onelyonly ſhew want of love, but alſo of honeſty and juſtice, which requireth that wee ſhould doe unto others, as we would have them to doe unto us. And the like alſo may be ſaid of our owne faults and infirmities, which wee ought by all lawfull meanes to hide and conceale from all men, unleſſe it be to our ſpirituall Phyſicians, that they may the better cure us, or to our weake Patients troubled and afflicted in minde, that we may comfort and cure them, by making our ſelves examples unto them of the ſame infirmities wherewith they thinke none ſo troubled as themſelves. Otherwiſe, except it be in theſe and ſuch like caſes, it is not only permitted as lawfull, but required as expedient and neceſſary to hide and conceale our owne ſinnes and infirmities. For firſt whereas in the ninth Commandement in the affirmative part, God injoyneth us to uſe all good meanes, both by giving a true teſtimony and alſo by our ſilence whereby we may preſerve the good name of our neighbour, ſetting forth their virtues and good parts, and concealing their faults and failings; he requireth alſo the ſame at our hands for the preſerving of our owne fame and reputation, for charity begins at home, and the love of our ſelves is the rule of our love towards our neighbours. And whereas it may bee objected, that this Commandement injoyneth us to give a true teſtimony, whether it be with or againſt us; and that God requireth that every man ſhould ſpeake the truth to his neighbour; Zach. 8. 16.to this I anſwer, that affirmative precepts though they binde us alwaies to performe the duties commanded, yet not at all times, but when it is ſeaſonable and profitable for Gods glory, and our owne and neighbours good. And as the Prophet requireth that wee ſhould alwayes ſpeake the truth to our neighbour, ſo the Apoſtle teacheth how it Eph. 4. 15.muſt be ſpoken, namely in love. Secondly, the unneceſſary and unſeaſonable diſcovery of our owne faults and infirmities tendeth to Gods diſhonour, who as he is glorified when we bring forth much fruit, John 15. 8. Matth. 5. 16.and have the light of our holy lives ſhining before men: ſo is hee diſhonoured by our evill converſation, and his holy Name blaſphemed by thoſe that are without, when they diſcover our ſins and corruptions: for the vices and faults of the ſervants 1 Sam. 2. 30. 2 Sam. 12. 14.doe often redound to the diſcredit of the maſter. Thirdly, the diſcovery of our faults and failings, tendeth to the diſgrace of Gods true Religino which wee profeſſe, when men that are wtihout diſcover in us ſuch evill fruits, and to the diſcredit of our Chriſtians profeſſion, ſeeing they are apt to attribute them rather to our religion and profeſſion, than to our naturall corruption, and are willing through the ſides (as it were) of our fame and reputation, to wound the Goſpell. Fourthly, hereby we ſhall become ſcandalous and ſtones of offence to thoſe that are weake, and thoſe alſo that are not yet called; encouraging the one to fall into the ſame vices and ſinnes by our evill example, and diſcouraging the other from entring into the profeſſion of our religion, when as they heare us ſay well, but ſee that we doe no better. Laſtly, hereby we ſhall ſinne againſt our ſelves in blaſting and blemiſhing our good name with juſt aſperſions; and whereas it ſhould bee in higher eſteeme with us than great riches, and ſweeter than the moſt odoriferous Prov. 22. 1. Eccl. 7. 1.oyntment, wee ſhall deprive our ſelves of this pretious jewell by unneceſſary diſcovery of our faults and failings. Neither can wee, when we have once opened a breach, ſtay at our pleaſure the current and ſtreame of mens ſuſpitions; but when we have ſpoken much, they will bee apt to thinke that we could ſay more, ſeeing every one is naturally ſo favourable to himſelfe, that he will ſpeake the leaſt of that which he knoweth will tend to his prejudice and diſgrace.
And thus much of the ſecond queſtion whether it bee lawfull in whole or in part to conceale the §. 9. Of equivocations, and mentall reſervations.truth, and in what caſes it is to bee approved as good, or diſallowed as evill: unto which this Treatiſe would require that I ſhould adde a third, namely concerning equivocations and mentall reſervations, which are not onelyonly in continuall practice among the Papiſts, but alſo warranted and defended by their doctrine. But I ſhall not neede to ſpeake any thing in this point, ſeeing it is already fully and learnedly handled of late by a reverend Mr. Henry Maſon.Divine in this Citty. Only let me briefly ſet downe my judgement of it, namely that ſuch equivocations and mentall reſervations, are not onelyonly lyes, but in this reſpect of the worſt ſort; in that there lieth lurking in them the greateſt deceit, as being masked with the ſhew of truth. For not onelyonly that which is falſe is in them affirmed both in his ſenſe that ſpeaketh as he deſireth to be underſtood, and in his that heareth in ordinary underſtanding, but alſo it is done wittingly and willingly, and to this end that they may deceive and miſlead men into errour; which if it were allowed would prove moſt pernicious, ſeeing it would overthrow all ſocieties, and all contracts and dealings, publike betweene Common-wealths, and private, betweene Man and Man; ſeeing none could know how words or oathes are to bee underſtood, and conſequently could not beleeve one another in what is ſpoken. And as they are pernicious in theſe and many other reſpects unto other men; ſo in this regard moſt pernicious to themſelves; In that whereas other lyes are condemned by a naturall Conſcience, and ſo often repented of, theſe being maintained and defended as no ſinnes, are committed without remorſe, ſo that men live and dye in them without repentance.