A Treatise Against Lying, Treatise · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
Of the cauſes of Lying.
THE maine end of all my former diſcourſe §. 1. Of the outward cauſes of Lying, which are firſt the Divell.hath beene to inform the judgement in the true nature of a Lye, and to diſtinguiſh it from ſuch Truthes, as in outward ſhew and appearance may ſeeme to have ſome ſemblance of it, that ſo rightly diſcerning it, we may the better avoyde it: and yet not through our untaught zeale in ſhunning it, looſe our lawfull liberty in ſpeaking ſuch truthes as being cleare and candide inough in their owne nature, yet (like a faire greene tree neere unto a Smiths forge) are (as it were) dusked and obfuſcated with the ſulphureous ſmoke of lyes, by reaſon of their vicinity. For vertue dwelleth betweene its extreames, and the moſt unreconcileable enemies doe often border one upon another. And now in the next place according to my order propounded, I am to ſay ſomething of the cauſes of lying, the which are either outward in others, or inward and in our ſelves. The chiefe outward cauſe is the Divell, who as he is a lyer from the beginning and the father of lyes, ſo doth he beget children after his owne likeneſſe, and indeavoureth to make them as great lyers, as himſelfe. And as by his lyes at the firſt hee murthered Mankinde, ſo ever ſince hee maketh them murtherers of themſelves, by drinking dayly deepe draughts in this poyſoned cup of lying, which he putteth into their hands. Wherein alſo he ſheweth his deſperate malice againſt God himſelfe, in that not being able to reſiſt his Power, hee oppoſeth him as he is the God of Truth, gaineſaying what he ſaith, as wee ſee in his firſt tentation to our firſt Parents: For God having threatned death againſt them, if they did eate of the forbidden fruite, hee expreſſely contradicteth him, and ſaith, Yee ſhall Gen. 3. 4.not die at all. And when he cannot impeach or hurt him in himſelfe in regard of his moſt abſolute and perfect being, hee adventureth upon us, and as it is reported of a kinde of Serpent called the Panther, that hee ſo maligneth Man, that when hee cannot hurt him, hee will flye upon and bite his Picture: So this old Serpent the Divell bearing an inveterate malice againſt God, when he cannot revenge himſelfe upon him, he flyeth upon his Image, that hee may deface it, blotting out of it its created Truth and Righteouſneſſe, and ſtamping upon it his owne image of lyes and falſhood.
Another outward cauſe of lying is the World, §. 2. Of the ſecond outward cauſe of lying, which is the world.whether we underſtand it of the Perſons of worldly wicked men, or of Worldly things. For worldly Men are the common teachers of lyes, both by their precepts, ſetting up (as it were) a Schoole of falſhood, and inſtructing one another in thoſe cunning and politike arts of lying for advantage, and alſo by their practice; for the whole World lying in 1 John 5. 19.wickedneſſe (as the Apoſtle Iohn ſpeaketh) but yet not willing to have it diſcovered, doe tell lyes in 1 Tim. 4. 2.hypocriſie, as (Saint Paul foretelleth of the falſe teachers of the latter times) and commonly uſe the Art of lying to hide and diſguiſe their ſinfull courſes, not caring to commit any wickedneſſe, which by lyes they can keepe from comming to light, whereby they become precedents and examples to encourage one another in theſe wicked practices, which every one not reſtrained with the feare of God are apt to follow; partly becauſe being become ſo generall and univerſall, the cuſtome doth take away the conſcience of it, and the multitude of offenders, leaveth no place for ſhame, if they bee taken in the ſinne; and partly becauſe they ſee one another thrive by theſe lying Arts; ſo as they thinke with Dionyſius, that Divine providence favoureth their untruthes, ſeeing they are carried with ſo faire a gale of winde into the Port of their deſires. Yea worldly wicked men allure oftentimes one another with promiſes and rewards to afford mutually the helpe of a lye, when as it may advance their ends, and redound to their benefit and advantage; which if they refuſe, they become enemies (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh) becauſe Gal. 4. 16.they tell the Truth. And if they cannot intice them to ſwallow the hooke with theſe alluring baites of favour and friendſhip, they will not ſticke to drive them into their nettes with terrours and feares, watching all occaſions to doe them a miſchiefe, if they refuſe to ſatisfie their deſires. Finally, the things of the World, as honours, riches, and pleaſures, are by way of object the uſuall meanes to draw men to lying, there being no kinde of lyes which the ambitious, covetous and voluptuous, will baulke, when they thinke them advantagious for the obtaining of their preferments, wealth and carnall delights.
The inward Cauſe of lying is our owne corrupt §. 3. Of the inward cauſes of Lying, namely the fleſh and fleſhly luſts: and 1. Ignorance and forgetfulneſſe of God.fleſh and the ſinfull luſts thereof. For as the Devill is a lyar and the father of lyes, ſo the fleſh is a lyar and the mother of this baſtardly brood, who receiving from Sathan this ſinfull ſeed, doth nouriſh it in her fruitfull wombe, conceiving, breeding and bearing it, untill it bee ſo multiplyed that it hath filled the earth. Neither is our corrupt nature more prone unto any vice than unto this of lying, nor yet giveth more full ſwinge unto any without remorſe or checke of conſcience, than unto it, if it be ſimply conſidered in it ſelfe, or produce any advantage, and bee not made odious by ſome evill conſequents, or pernitious fruits which it bringeth to our neighbours or to our ſelves. And as the fleſh generally is the cauſe of lying, ſo is it in its particular luſts and the ſinfull fruits which it produceth. As firſt ignorance of God and his trueth, is a ſpeciall Cauſe of lying. For did we know and acknowledge Gods Omniſcience, whereby hee beholdeth all ſecrets, and taketh notice of not only the words of our mouthes, but alſo of the hidden thoughts of our hearts, and diſcerneth how they differ one from another; his omnipotence, whereby hee is able not onelyonly to kill the body of him that lyeth, as hee did Ananias and Sapphira, but alſo to caſt both body and ſoule into hell, and in the meane time to fruſtrate all our hopes and ends which we propound unto our ſelves in lying, either by detecting our untrueths, or by croſſing us in them, ſo as they ſhall not effect our deſires, but rather hinder them; and finally if wee did know that he is a God of trueth, who hateth and abhorreth lyes, and will according to his Word give lyars their portion in that lake which burneth Apoc. 21. 8.with fire and brimſtone, if they doe not prevent their juſt damnation by unfained repentance, wee would not take pleaſure in lyes, nor bee hyred to tell them with the baſe wages of worldly vanities. But it is our ignorance of theſe things that cauſeth us ſo eaſily to fall into this ſinne, when as Sathan or the World tempteth us unto it. And therefore the Prophet joyneth them together as the Cauſe and Effect: They bend (ſaith hee) their tongue like Jer. 9. ….their bow for lyes; but they are not valiant for the trueth upon the earth; for they proceed from evill to evill, and they know not me, ſaith the Lord. Another Cauſe is oblivion and forgetfulneſſe of God, for many that know Gods Nature and Attributes, and will acknowledge that he is omniſcient, omnipotent, juſt and true in all his Word and wayes, yet fall into this ſinne through forgetfulneſſe, not pondering and conſidering what they know, when they ſhould make uſe of it to keepe them from ſinning. And of this the Prophet Eſay ſpeaketh; Of whom (ſaith hee) hast thou beene affraid or feared, that thou Eſay 57. 11.hast lyed, and hast not remembred mee, nor laid it to thy heart?
A third Cauſe of lying is our inordinate and §. 4. A third Cauſe is immoderate feare of men.immoderate feare of men more than of God; the which the Prophet implyeth in the ſame words; Of whom hast thou beene affraid, that thou hast lyed, and hast not remembred me whom thou haſt more cauſe to feare than all men or devils? For they at the moſt can but kill the bodie, but God can alſo cast body and ſoule into hell. Neither is either man or devill Mat. 10. 28.ſo able to protect us againſt the ſtroke of Gods vengeance when wee ſpeake lyes, as hee is both able and willing to defend and preſerve us againſt all their might and malice whileſt wee make conſcience of ſpeaking the trueth; for according to his gracious promiſe, Hee ſhall cover us with his feathers, Pſal. 91. 4.and under his wings ſhall we trust, his trueth ſhall bee our ſhield and buckler. But becauſe men looke onelyonly unto the preſent and take care to avoid imminent danger, and live by ſenſe more than by faith, beholding the arme of fleſh ready to ſtrike them, and not the power of God which is all-ſufficient to protect them, nor ſeeing him that is inviſible; Therefore they make lyes their refuge, and hide Eſay 28. 15.themſelves under falſhood and vanitie. And this appeareth principally in the practiſe of inferiours, as children and ſervants, who having committed any fault, doe uſually colour and cover it with a lye, that ſo they may eſcape the diſpleaſure of their governors: whereas if they feared God more than men, they would bee much more fearefull to fall into his hands than theirs, ſeeing he is a conſuming Heb. 12. 24.Fire, who is able in his juſt wrath utterly to deſtroy them; and would rather chooſe to ſpeake the trueth though they loſt the favour of mortall men, than by lyes to looſe the favour of the immortall God: yea they would know that their greateſt ſafety would be in ſpeaking the trueth, ſeeing God the authour and lover of it, hath the hearts of all men in his hands, and can move ſuperiours to pardon what is done amiſſe; yea to love them more for their trueth and ingenuity, than to miſlike them for their faults and errours.
A fourth Cauſe of lying is carnall confidence and ſecurity, whereby men bleſſe themſelves in §. 5. A fourth Cauſe of Lying is Carnall Confidence and Security.this ſinfull courſe, preſuming that their lyes ſhall bee ſo cunningly contrived, and ſo boldly and impudently outfaced, that they ſhall never come to light; and that as they have long practiſed them and yet have eſcaped both the puniſhment of God and men, ſo they may ſtill goe on ſecurely in their ſinne without feare of danger. And of ſuch the Prophet Eſay ſpeaketh; Who had made a covenant with death, and an agreement with hell, promiſing unto Eſay 28. 1….themſelves, that when the overflowing ſcourge ſhould paſſe thorow, it ſhould not come unto them, becauſe they had made lyes their refuge, and hid themſelves under falſhood. And againe, they trust in vanitie and ſpeake lyes, hoping through their cleanly conveiance Chap. 54. 4.that they ſhall never be diſcovered. But the truth which they oppoſe is as a ſhining light, which will lay open all theſe hidden workes of darkeneſſe, and bring them at length to ſhame and puniſhment. And whereas they preſume that they ſhall ſtill eſcape becauſe having long lived in this ſinne they finde no hurt in it, nor have felt Gods hand in puniſhing of it, and ſo encourage themſelves to go on in their wickedneſſe, according to that of the Preacher, Becauſe ſentence against an evill worke is Eccleſ. 8. 11.not executed ſpeedily, therefore the heart of the ſonnes of men, is fully ſet in them to doe evill. Let them know that though they are reſpited, yet they are not remitted, and though the overflowing ſcourge hath Eſay 28. 18.paſſed over, and not yet whipped them, yet at laſt they ſhall as God hath threatned, be trodden downe by it, if they doe not prevent his judgement by true repentance: or though they ſhould wholly eſcape in this life, yet this is but cold comfort, if they conſider, that they are hereby hardened in their ſinne, that living and dying in it without remorſe, they may at laſt receive their full payment without merciemercy Apoc. 21. 8.in the world to come.
The laſt Cauſe of Lying (which I intend to §. 6. A fifth Cauſe of Lying is Covetouſneſſe.ſpeake of) is Covetouſneſſe, whereby men immoderately loving worldly wealth, will not ſtay Gods leiſure in the uſe of lawfull meanes for the compaſſing of their deſires; but reſolving to bee rich, and making all haſte in ſatisfying their greedy avarice, they leave no ſtone unmoved, no meanes untryed which may advance their ends. Amongſt the reſt they finde none more fitting for their purpoſe than this of Lying, as being a ſpeciall helpe whereby they are inabled to ſupplant and deceive one another, and to enrich themſelves by their neighbours ruines; eſpecially when they have any entercourſe of Trading, buying and ſelling, in which all manner of deceit is uſed to defraude one another, and all diſguiſed and hid with theſe lying arts. So that as Covetouſneſſe is the roote of all 1 Tim. 6. 10. Exod. 18. 21.evill, ſo eſpecially of lyes, and therefore when Iethro would deſcribe fit Magiſtrates, hee joyneth theſe together, that they muſt be ſuch as feare God, men of Truth and hating Covetouſneſſe; implying that covetous perſons cannot love the Trueth, ſeeing it is one of their chiefeſt arts in getting wealth, to make no other uſe of Truth, but that it may ſerve ſometimes for a ſhew to colour their lyes. In which regard if we would leave this Vice of Lying, wee muſt alſo forſake our Covetouſneſſe, which maketh men to make more haſte than good ſpeede that they may attaine unto riches. To which end let us conſider with the wiſe man, that treaſures of wickedneſſe profit nothing, but righteouſnes Prov. 10. 2.delivereth from death: That riches (thus gotten) will Prov. 11. 4not profit in the day of wrath; and that when this day commeth wee ſhall finde by experience, that it is better to be a poore man than a lyar; That wealth gotten Chap. 19. 20.by vanity ſhall be diminiſhed, whereas hee that getteth by honest labour, ſhall increaſe. Finally, that the Chap. 13. 11.getting of treaſures by a lying tongue, is a vanity toſſed Chap. 21. ….to and fro of them that ſeeke death.