9 Command. vpon the C ommandements. 1,03 further thanGod and a good confdence guided by his word may warrant vnto v.. But we in thefedaies eftecme not a thaw ofthat man or woman, that will not ilicke to lend vs an oth at any time,when we Land in need e, be the matter never fo falfe and foule. For he is nohiende, which is not euer afriendto feed our filthy humour with all wicked and wrongfullvfage ofhimfeife. But woe vnto vs wicked wretches for fo great and grieuous finne againtthe Lordand al fo our felues. Fordoe I not tremble and (hake euery ioynt ofme to preferre any mortal! man in loue before my God, and fo to become vnworthy of him for ruer ? Yet this I doe, when I dare doe for him what God forbiddeth me to doe for him , and I thinke not of it. Should an earthly bond ofearthly minds together worke a fearefull final confuuion both of bodic and foule in the flafhing flame of bottomlef e hel for euermorc without regard ? Yet this it dothto fprake vntrueth for my hiendes fauor whencommitted finne fhoulde reape a lull punifhment in this world , that bodic and foule might both remaine in comfort heereafter. I fay the ref ofGods reuengiag judgement vpon falfe witneffes , till I come to the end of the commaundement , and thus for the time pa(feouer this point. The next thing that your booke layeth downe is lying , another fowle breach of this commaundement,condemned ofGod, improoued by rea for, , and cfchewtd euer of all Gods children in fome meafure. Caftoff( faith the Apotle ) lyingandfpeak: the :erre,í, trueth emery manta his neighbour forroeare one anotherrmembers. Lord mho /hall dwell Ptaltn, t f,t a, in thy tabernacle, ( faith Dauid ) and who/hall rrfl vpon thy holy hail? Ewen her that walkrth vprightly , and fpeaketh the trnethfrom his hearte. In the lawe this was one property, Exod,t8, that was euer regarded in the choice ofa iudge namely , that hewas a true louer of trueth.Helpe Lord (againe in another place faith Dauid)for faith and trueth are peri/hcd Plal°'+t 1>t from among/i men. Againe, He thot rcI1ecI Ii taj/sal?not turne in my light. For this is aPralm.ter. finne that (hall Phut aman out ofthe heauenly Citie, the new Ierufalem as we may fee in S John ,and coupples him companion to whoreinatlers, themes, forcerers,and fuch Apoc. a IA, like. The reafons that improoue it are thefe. God is tructh, and therfore, if we looke 12,1 5. euer for any felow(hip with him,we muff frame our felues in meafure like veto his na- Reatoos. ture. Secondly, our tongues are giuen vs to expreffe, in truth what our hearts doe = thinke , and therfore to lie in anymatter or for any taufe, it is toabufc the good gift Abufus figai, of God my tongue and (peach to a quite contrary end. Thirdly,it is a perilous enemy 3 to peace and quietneffe. For of lies commech debate, contention and trite. Fourth- 4 ly, it breaketh,and in time taketh quite away that affiance and trull which isrequifite co bce in one man to another,and maketh themhang aloofe,fufpc6i, and bee traunge one to another. And lal}ly , it impaireth a mans owne good name and credire greatly q and mightily as any thing he canvfe. All which íhould deepely fnke into a Chri- tian heart, and make it hate fo foule a vice. All lying is iniquitic faith a godly father. Gregor. 17. All vntrueth is finne faith another. And it is not lawful! to lie though it could be for Moral Auguil.enchy- the praife of God. rid,Eps &8. Ruch. But 1ba teoften beard a kflialianoflyes, at[ometobemerrie lies made in jell, fame to bee lies orderlymade to doe my friend a pleafure inhis daunger and fome to be Ites of fpitemade to hurt others thereby ,I prayyou what thinkeyosa o f it ? An fm. For the fir[ fort manie goe about to ex tide them and to dimini(h ithe fault of them, becaufe they intend no mill to the parties to whome they are told. But we heard before what both Augttftme, and Cdregorie faid, namely,that all lying is finne, & yet it path a tronger checke than this. For ifwe make the bet of it we can,it is but an idle and fruitlelfe fpeech,whereofweknow we muff glue account. And againe , The Lordjhalldeftroythemall (faith thePfalme) that fpeakelies , adding no ditin&ionofMath.ra merle lies from the reh: & where the lawe dihinguifheth not,we may not dihingui(h. P"1.5.64 The lecond forte manygoe about to alkw and iullifìe, bringing in for warrant the lie of Rahab,ofAbraham,of the midwiues and fuch like,made for the fa fety of life. But touchingthem all and how manie moe foeucr as rosy be brought like vnto thefe , I anfwere as one fpeaketh particularly of Abraham, Tjen videtur =hi laborandum,omni- no vt ,4brahamumdefendamau: hemoenim fuir É7' nimio timore potuit labi : fit. That is, ithi*
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