V E R. 25. Epbeflanr, Chap. 4.. they bothdiffer from truth *like, though theone hath acute charity then the other, t ioh. 2. at. No lye uof the truth. 2. That which is in the natureevil!, cannot be bettered by the end: now a lye is in the nature evil!, againft truth, perverting the natural! ufeof words; ftealthis a thing bad ih nature, becaufé against juftice; nowifonewouldbuild a Churchwith that he ftealeth, hisstealth can- not hence be juftified. 3. TheScripture indefinitelyreproveth and condemneth lying; ex- cepting no kinde. 4. Ifone might lye for anything, then for Gods caufe : but lobdoth Phewplainly that one maynot fpeak deceitfully for Gods advantage, lob r3.7, ,9. Will yefpeake wickedlyfor Gods defence,andtalkedeceitfully for Gods (wife ? will ye accept hieperfone or willye contend for God: Is it web' that hefhouldfeeke ofyou willyou make a lye for him as one lyeth f or a man ? S. Laftly, if the Scripture maketh every idle word condemnable, much more every lyingword, chat. 12. 36. Thistherefore doth reprove many amongus withwhom thisvice is pp..:. frequent; In publique, howmany doe profecute lying fuites a How many for advantage deny this or that which their confcicnce know- eth inprivate e Howmany doe counfell lyes; fly I am not within, when I would not be fpoken with; fay loch a one fens you : In con. traits, covenants, the buyerand feller, throne difpraifing, the other over- reaching: Incovenants, promifing without any care ofperfor- mance, which is adouble breach, both of truth and fidelity: In com- mon difeourfe, men telling this or that, often drop in fomcthing they know morethen thematter: men will deny that which they have for feareor fhame,like Sarah who denyed fhedid laugh : menaffirme falfe- hoods in their talkeofothers, in praife,difpraife; of themfelves many braggingof things they havenot; many complaining as if they were not able to beare the charges on them, when they goe us neere the wind as their neighbours; diffembling their eftate; as many richmen, deale with them for any thing to good ufe, and they are thus poore, have had fuch loffes,areat fuch charges, &c. thus this viceaboundeth. But we mutt take heedeofit, it is ofthe devill;theheathen have deteft- ed a lyer, holding him as hateful! as hell gates, that would affirme one thing and thinkeanother. But you will fay, How may we overcome this a R./44'X Firít, fince out the caufe, and take that away, for fome lyes are erief grounded in pride, as the boafterslye : force in covetoufneffe, as the MeanestÓ cure lye inbargaining, indiffembling ones eftate : force in feare, as that of a lying difpo- Tuon. denying : tome in the vanity of our natures, as that in telling a thing otherwife then I know ir, without any purpofe any way. Wemutt la- bour againft the caufe, and the difeale will Toone ceafe, when the ground is removed. Secondly, we mutt accuftomeour felves to fewwords, Prov.Wbere there are many words there willbe iniquity; and it is juft with God that idle 54<í
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=