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MEDITATIONS ON PROV. 14. VERS: 5. 6. 7. 8.
A true witnesse will not lie: but a false witnesse speaketh lies.
THE righteous man knowing that his tongue was giuen to him speak the truth, wil make conscience of a lie euen in* 1.1 the least things. But if the matter be of more weight, or if it come into the place of iudgement, then hee will much more heartily abhorre all lying and deceitfulnes: yea, then he will not bee brought to speake any thing whereof hee hath not a certaine ground. As for the vngodly, it is not so with them: for they hauing no care of trueth in light and common matters▪ doe soone cast off all care & conscience euen in greatest and most waightie causes. This agreeth with the saying of our Sauiour Christ, Luke 16. 10. He that is faithfull in the least, he is faithfull also in much. Which may be thus particularly applied: he that for conscience sake doth speake the truth in common and small matters, he will also speake the truth in matters of great importance: and he that is not ashamed of a lie in his priuate dealing, hee will also without shame beare false witnesse before the Iudge. Here then wee be taught in the least things, to inure our tongues to speake the Trueth: So shall wee be better preserued from false witnesse bearing: for the Lord would not haue vs to dallie with sinne. Therefore in his righteous iudgement, he doth leaue men that make no conscience of a lie, and suffereth them to fall, and to offend in some open and knowne trueth. Againe, whereas men take great libertie in lying, if the matter be secret and vn∣knowne; * 1.2 the Lord doth hate this hollownes and hypocrisie of men, and doth often bring it to light, that by the sorrow for, and shame of that sinne, (if it be possible) they may be caused to make greater conscience of a lie for euer after. Therefore if we would not haue the Lord to punish our lesser frailties with greater sinnes: if we would not haue him to pu∣nish our secret sinnes and faults, with open and notorious offences, then let vs bee afraide to tell a lye in the very lightest and most secret causes. But if this will not at all moue vs, yet let vs bee ouercome with the consideration of those fruites which will come of true speaking, specially let vs consider of these two. First, the loue of the Trueth doth breede and beget in vs a great and singular comfort, when wee see that herein wee resemble our heauenly Father, who is the God and author of Trueth. Secondly, the loue of the trueth is a speciall helpe to reuoke vs from sinne. For as the lyer can so cloake his sinne, and set such a colour vpon it that no man can accuse him; no admonition or rebuke can take hold vpon him, no threatning feare him: So the sillie soule that in simple truth doth con∣fesse his sinne, is open vnto rebukes and holy censures, his heart lieth naked before the word, which doubtles will worke effectually to reclaime him from sinne.
The second thing which we must learne out of these words is this: that albeit we must speake the trueth at all times, and in all places: yet must we be especially carefull so to doe* 1.3 when we be called as witnesses before the iudgement seate. For the whole state and order of iudgement doth depend vpon the witnesse: so that the Questmen, the Iudge, and all, doe proceed either falsly or truly, according as the testimonie of the witnesse is either false