CHAP.i.12 . 246 They that are enlightened b1 grace mint much more ab- horre ir. ioh.8.4g. Coloff.;.S. AgainR offici- ous lies fo cal- led, Lie in ieE, lic in carnal. c_4 Commentarie vpon the fo extolled truth,in word,in praE2ife,as oallother vertues it was fayned tobe the onely daughter of Iupiter,as whóm moil neerely it refembled. vfe. How fhould wewho would be. reputedGods children , abhorre that praélife, which euen the bones of men are afhamed of? (hall the fparklesofnaturall light make the natural! confcience of a Heathen, and graceieffe man accule him of this finde ; and (hall not the cleare light of grace force the confçiences ofprofeffed Chrillians to reprooue them? Is it iuflly reputeda difgrace to common men tobe taken with a lie,how difgracefull (hould it be toChritlian men ? (hall the Heathen profeffe truth to refembleGod fo expreffely,as that it is his deare &only daugh- ter, and (hall Chriflians who find in the Scriptures the whole image of God, flyled by the title, and comprehended veder the nameof truth,in their pra6tife fcarce expreffe it as a part of that image? And yet howma- ny Chriflians are behindeuen millions of the Heathen, who although they be commandedeuerie man to fpeuke truth to his neighbour, yet fhame theynot todefend that they may lie and forfweare too for the aduantage ofthemfeluesand others : and therefore they fay, that though they dif- like hurtful! lyes, yet fee theynot but they may ( as they doe) lie in iell, or for the good of their neighbour, efpecially to faue his life:for this,fay they, hurteth none, nor is againfl the law ofcharitie ; and they finde it commended to them in the pra&ife ofthe Midwiu 1, to faue the male in- fants ofthe Hebrewes; ofRahab to faue the Spies; and Michol, and Iona- than to faue Dauid fromSmile fury ; and in the doElrine and writiuoi of Tonicofthe Fathers, as Origen, Jerome, who in regard of the profitable ends, held thefe no Canes. To all which in fewwords I anfwer,i. Thar euery lie is hurtful! whe- ther in iell, or earneft, for euill or for good; becaufe it is an enemie to truth, and againa theninth commandement, t. For jetting or (porting lyes, the threatning is generali, Pfalm.5.6. Thou !halt defleoy them that fpeakelyes: vntruthes may not be fpoken, although they benot thought: and, Prot,. 6. Thou}halt deflroythe lying tongue: he excepteth not, if it be not in £port , or for a good ende. Ann manyof the Heathen them - felues law the fillineffe and folly ofthis !lift : we reade of the Lacede- monians,that they would not fuller their 'awes tobe gainfaid in ielf;and yet the law of the Lordmay be controlled, and gainefaid in iefl ofChri- ftians. When Thefpis the fin flageplayer was asked, if he were not a- (hamed tovtter fo many lies in fuch aworthy audience, he aufwered; he did it in fporr. But wife Solon replyed , Ifwe approoue and commend this fporr, we !hall finde it in earnefl in our contraes and affaires : and cute fo by Gods iull iudgerment it befalls Chriflians, whovfing to lie in (port , got an habit of lying in earne(l: and by his idling lyes, rai- feth
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