EpilleofS. Pahl to Titus. Ci AP.I. t s s feth a fu(pition ofhis words, that he cannot bebeleeued, be he neuer in fuch earneft. 3. For officious lies, fo called, there can be no fuch, becaufe in euery lie, Tome office or duck is violated. But they hurt no man : yes , if they hurt not another, they hurt a mans (elfe many waits: againe, if they hurt not the parties for whom, yet they hurt the parties to whom theyare told, who are abu fed, andvrged tobelceue a lie: and were not this, yet they hurt and preiudice the truth, which ought co preuaile. But the end of them isgood. Yea, but that which is euill in the nature, and conlli- sol. tution, may neuer be admitted , let the end be neuer fogood which is pretended. The leaft euill may not becommitted for the greaten good: to helpe man, we may not hurt God. Afofes would rather be blotted out of Gods booke, then God fhould be dilhonoured.Nay, we may noc tell the leaf} lie, for Gods greatel glorie, and much leffe for mans good. lob t3.9, To. Willyou makea lieforhim, as oneliethfor 4man ; furey he will re- prooeseyou. And if a he would make to Godsglorie,yet he is not vnrigh- teous to leauc it vnpunifhed, Rom.3.7. But they be not again}} charity. Yes, for charicie reioycerh in truth: and if they werenot, yet are they di- retily againf} pietie, which two 'cuing friends may admit no diuorce. q.. For the examplesalleadged, and all of that kind : wemuf} dif}inguifh berweene the faCls of the faithful!, and the manner of them. The fadls of fatting thechildren, and fpies, &c. was commendable, and argued the feare of God, and loue of his children : but the manner ofputting thefe in execution, was neuer approoued in the Scriptures , although the faCls thernfelues were. Neither is it ftrange, that faith and finne fhould com- bate together in the fame a&ion, in thiscondition of the infirmitie and impetfeéiionof thedearei Saints of God, vntill that perfect come. 5. The very heathens condemned all diflonance and difleut between heart and tongue,thoughts and (peaches, the one wherof wasbellowed on vs by God to exprcfle theother. Let vs therefore whoprofeffe the loue and feareof the Lord, Phew our (clues to be of the remnantof grad, by this, in that we neitherdoe iniquitie, nor fpeakeyes, nor bauea deceirfnlltongsre foundin our menthes. And to helpe our feint's in this dutie,meditate on chele reafons. t. All falfhood and lycsare drreéily again(i God himfelfe , who is truth it felfe: fo as by them a man becotnmethmoli vnlike vnto God, and moli like to the deuill, who is the fatherand firfi founder of them. 2. That therfore the lyer caf}eth himfelfe into thegulfe of Gods difpleafure, fee- ing as he hateth all theworkes of the deuill, fo bath he teflified fpeciall hatred again}} this. A lying tongue is one of the fixe things which the Lord hateth, and is abhomination vinohim, Prou.t 2.22. and therefore 2.3 doch 247 There canbe no officious lie, becaufe euery lit is againfl foi neoffice $e dulie. obie&. Ohic& Sol. t.cer.r3.6.. The PerGí law for the third lie inioyoed a man perpetuali fr. levice Zeph.333. Reafons rovrge truth of }peach. t a
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