A view of the threats and punishments recorded in the Scriptures, alphabetically composed with some briefe observations upon severall texts / by Zachary Bogan ...

Lying* 1.1 threatned, and punished.

1. With not prevailing (at the least) as in false witnesse and slander, when men speak

one thing, and know the contrary. A false witnesse (or, a witnesse of lyes) shall perish, but the man that heareth, speaketh constantly, (or speaketh to prevaile* 1.2, & conquer in his cause.) Prov. 21. 28.

2 Discovery in a little time. The Lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment, Prov. 12. 19.

3 Being put to silence, (at the lest:) Let the lying lips be put to silence, Ps: 31. 18. Per∣haps it is meant, by putting them inter silen∣tes, or causing them to be silent in the grave by death: as in the verse next before.

3 Gods Hatred: as in flattery, when men speak one thing, and doe the contrary. Lying lips are abomination to the Lord, but they that deale truly, are his delight. Prov; 12. 22.

4 The Hatred of Men, refusing to admit such as are guilty of it, either into their ser∣vice or societie. He that worketh deceit, shall not dwell in my house; he that telleth LIES, shall not tarry in my sight, Ps: 101. 7.

5 A Curse, and perpetuall bondage. The Gibeonites, for saying, they came from a farre country, when they did not, (Josh 9. 9.) were thus punished by Joshua. Now therefore yee are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen and hewers of wood, and drawers of water for the house of my God. Josh. 9. 23.

6 Leprosy, both in the Lyer himselfe, and in his posterity after him: as in Gehazi (Eli∣sha's Servant,) who partly for covetousnesse, in running after Naaman the King of Syria, for money for his Masters curing his leprosy, (when his Master had refused it) whereby he disgraced his Master▪ but, (as some think) especially for telling him, He went no whither; was thus threatened by the Prophet his Ma∣ster, The leprosy therefore of Naaman, shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever 2 Kings 5, 27, compared with v: 22, 23, 25.

7 Many sad and bitter punishments: as in the Prophets, among the Jewes: who for com∣mitting adultery, and walking in lies, (which God cals 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a horrible thing;) are thus threatened, I will feed them with worme∣wood, and make them drinke the water of gall, Jer: 23, 15, compared with the 14. Whether there were in this speech, an allusion to that bitter water, which the woman dranke, that was suspected of adultery, Num: 5. 18. (there being mention made before of com∣mitting adultery) I know not; but it may seeme probable, because as it was said of such a woman, that if she were guilty, she should be a curse among the people: so those Prophets, (especially Zedekiah, and Ahab) became a curse among the Jewes. Whereby I meane not, that they were cursed by them, (neither

is this the meaning of that expression, so of∣ten * 1.3 used in the Prophets:) but that their condition was so bad, that the people, when they cursed any body, used to expresse it, by wishing that he were, as such men were; as you may see it explained, Jerem. 29. 22. The Lord make the like Zedekiah, and like Ahab, &c. 'Tis almost the same, as to become a Proverb, an expression usuall also in Scripture, Ezek. 14, 8, &c. Even as Irus, or Troy, became a proverb; being proverbially applied, to signifie a poore man, or a misera∣ble place. Now though this allusion be ad∣mitted, because of what is before spoken of Adultery, v. 14. (They commit adultery, and walke in lies, &c:) so that the punishment shall looke aside to that sinne; yet methinkes, the punishment threatened, seemes to look back more directly upon the sin of lying, by way of retaliation: as if God had resolved, that seeing those Prophets, especially abused their mouths, and their tongues to lying: those same parts of theirs, should be chiefly punished, viz. in eating, and drinking the bitterest things that could be gotten, wormewood, and wa∣ter of gall. In the ninth chapter verse 15▪ you have the same manner of threat to all the Jewes; & there the maine sinne complai∣ned of is Lying: as you may see v. 5. The Septuagint in that place translate for, worme∣wood,

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉* 1.4, necessities, (a word used like∣wise in the singular number in the same sense, both in the Apocrypha, and in the new Testament, as Tob 3. 6. Bar. 7. 37. Luk. 21. 23.) And here they translate 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, sorrows, or griefes: In both places, they use the word, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) which signifies, to feed by little and a little at a time, as one would children: Whereby the punishment is very much ag∣gravated. To swallow downe a bitter thing at once▪ is not so much: but, to take it by de∣grees; and to be long in taking it, is a great torture. To conclude even by our English expression of feeding with wormewood, &c. can hardly be lesse signified, then a long con∣tinuance of many bitter evills, or a longcapti∣vity.* 1.5 See the expressions of Devouring by bitter destruction Deut: 32. 24. God's w••i••••ng bitter things against Job▪ c. 13, 26, and the vi∣sion of the Star called Wormwood, Rev. 8. 11.

8 Destruction. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing, Ps. 5. 6. and that unavoy∣dable. A false witnesse shall not be unpunish∣ed, and he that speakes Lies shall not escape, Prov: 19. 5, see v. * 9. Ananias, and Sap∣phira,

saying they had but so much, for the possession which they sold, whereas they had more, (wherein they did not only lie to, but by lying endeavored to deceive, the holy Ghost: for so much 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in the accusative case, will import) were both threatened by Peter, with sudden death; & accordingly fell down, as soon as he had done speaking, Acts 5. 3, 5, 9, 10. Shemaiah, and Hananiah, for ma∣king the People to trust in a Lie, Jer: 28. & c. 29. Ahab and Zedekiah, for prophecying a Lie, c. 29, v. 21, were punished with death. (See the chapter of False-teachers.) And here I cannot but say somwhat of one grand Lyar more; (for somuch the name imports, which the Jewes have given him; viz. Bar Cosiba, i. e. the Sonne of a Lie.) He fained himself to be that Star, spoken of by Balaam Num: 24. 17. And therefore at first, the Jewes, (as long as they took him for the true Messias) called him Bar Cochba, i. e. the Son of the Starre. The number of those that believed this lie, was very great;* 1.6 inso∣much that after a while, having slaughtered many thousands of the heathen, especially of the Romans in Africa and elsewhere; he cau∣sed himselfe to be crowned King in Bitter, a City in Arabia. But his kingdome was short; for after a few months, Adrianus, be∣ing sent thither by Trajan the Emperour,

wonne the city by violence, & slew both the Impostour, and forty hundred thousand men of the Jewes. This happened about two and fifty yeares, after the the destruction of Jeru∣salem* 1.7.

9 Exclusion out of the holy Jerusalem. There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abo∣mination, or maketh a lye, Rev. 21. 27. Without are doggs, &c. and whosoever loveth & maketh a lye, Ch. 22. 15.

The greatnesse; and the hurtfulnesse of this sinne may be yet further gathered out of the Scriptures.

First from the words of David, Psal. 120. 3. For if we translate in the vocative case, What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue? he seemes to speake, as if the sinne were so great, that he could not tell what punishment he could name bad enough for it. If, what will be gi∣ven, &c. and what will be done, &c. as if he could not expresse, but admir'd the great∣nesse of the punishment, which he thought would be inflicted for it. If in the nomina∣tive case (which better accords with other translationsa 1.8 and with the Hebrew it selfe) thus, What shall a false tongue give thee, or what shall it adde unto thee, (that is, profit thee* 1.9) he seemes to mean (according to the

usuall force of such expressions in the He∣brew) a positive affirmation of the clean con∣trary, viz: that it would be both unprofitable, and exceeding hurtfull.

Secondly, By Gods aggravating the wic∣kednesse of such as commit other sinnes, by complaining of this. They have taken of the accursed thing, and have also stollen and dis∣sembled also (speaking of Achan) Josh 7. 11. Dissembled•• or lyed So the originall 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Stollen and dissembled also•• Marke the gra∣dation. And therefore ch. 22. 20▪ where we render, commit a trespasse in the accursed thing;* 1.10 he Chaldee paraphrast saies, lyed a lye. So likewise in Ezekiel Chap. 17. 20. (where complaint is made of Pharoah's breaking his promise to help the Jewes) that which we render, for his trespasse which he hath trespas∣sed against me; the paraphrase renders for his lye which he hath lyed:* 1.11 and the word in the Hebrew is the same in both these places.

3 By God's aggravating so much as he does, the punishment of other sinnes, when this is joyned with them. If a man had ta∣ken, or detain'd ought of his neighbours; he was to restore it againe. but if he had ly••d, (and denied it with an oath) he was to adde a fifth part more to it, Lev 6. 5 And they say, that, whereas at the offering of o••her offe∣rings, only a generall confessiō of sins sufficed;

at the offering of the oblation for this sin, a particular confession of the sinne, and a par∣ticular acknowledgement of deserving death (which the creature offered, suffered for thē) was required. If you say the punishment was not aggravated for lying; but for lying with an oath, or swearing falsly: I have only this to answer, that I believe the contrary, because in Num: 5. 6. you have the same punishment without mentioning any oath: for it is said, only, If a man or woman shall commit any sin: which the Chaldes Paraphrase renders, shall lye a lye, as in the places before quoted▪ which I doe not alleage to prove, that spea∣king falsely is as bad as swearing falsely; but only to shew how much a sinne is aggrava∣vated by denying it, though it be not with an oath: in regard of the hurt & deceit there∣by wrought; which may be all as much. And therefore Cicero* 1.12 (a heathen) could say, that the Gods were as angry for lying, as for per∣jurie; and had provided the same punishments. I could wish we were as carefull against ly∣ing, as the Jewes would seeme to be: who have a saying in their Talmud, that none must say to a child, I will give thee such a thing, if ••e mean not to give it him; for feare of teaching him to LYE. But I may say of them also not∣withstanding

this, that they are not so care∣full against Lying, as they should be; if they forbid it only to a Jew, & allow it to a hea∣then; as they say they doe: just as the Pa∣pists doe, to any, whom they please to call Hereticks. They may seem to have encou∣ragement, from those words in Ecclus 7. 12. devise not a lye against thy brother, &c. But I am confident, (to use the expression there * 1.13 used) wh••soever thus* 1.14 ploweth, upon what ground soever it be, his harvest will be no∣thing but his own cutting down to be burnt in everlasting fire.

Notes

• * 1.1

  See False witnesse.
• * 1.2

  Aquila, Symmach▪ and Theo∣dotion ren∣der Le Netzah 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: by which though they mean in aeternum, for ever (as they doe Ps 49. 7. &c) yet they may as well mean, ad victoriam: to prevaile (or as we say) to the last. that which holds lon∣gest, pre∣vailes.
• * 1.3

  Chap. 24. 9. c. 15. 18. c. 26. 6.
• * 1.4

  Chrys: 2 Cor. 6. Paraphrasp it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉▪ i. e. una∣voida•• ••e evils, wee render, ne∣cessities. The Chal∣dee word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is like it in sense, and sound. See Chal•• par.
• * 1.5

  Where, for, he that speaketh Lies; in the Hebrew it is••h that bloweth Lies, as if he ment to Kindle a fi••e: he Se••. rende•• it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he that will kindle, or burn wickednes, as if his tongue did not only set other things on fire, but were a fire it selfe: as James saith it is, c. 3, 6. perhaps it ••s rather a Metaphore from venemous creatures, (the poyso•• of Aspes, being under such mens lips, Ro. 3. 13.) of whō Vir∣gil says, inspirant venenū, that they hisse, or blow forth their poyson.
• * 1.6

  Buxtorf says there was one Rabbi A∣l••••ibha who had 24000 D••••ciples that adhe∣red to him.
• * 1.7

  See Bux torf. Syn. Jud▪ c. 36
• a 1.8

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and another▪ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c.
• * 1.9

  or bring unto thee as a fruit or reward the Hebre•• I••s••ph (〈◊〉〈◊〉 adde) is often so use▪ as Prov. 3. 2. &c,
• * 1.10

  Sehekar Scikra.
• * 1.11

  * Ma••hhal Mahhal.
• * 1.12

  In Orat. pro Q. Ro∣scio Co∣moedo. Qu•• semel •• ve∣ritate de∣flexit, hic non majo∣re religio∣ne ad per∣juriū quā ad menda∣ciū perdu∣ci consue••vit. prop••terea quae poe••a à diis im∣mortalibu perjur••, haec eaden mendaci constitu∣ta est. no•• enim ex pactione verborū quibus jus jurandum comprehenditur sed ex perfidiâ & malitiâ per quā infidiae tenduntur alicui, dii im••mortales hominibus ir••sci & succensere consuerunt▪
• * 1.13

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.14

  So the Hebrew word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is used Pr. 3. 29. In Ps. 129. 3. we translate it Plowed. (The Plowers plowed upon my back) as if it were meant of aration rather then exa••ation. Aq and Thood. translate 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and I know not but it may very well be inter∣preted of this manner ••f plowing by backbiting, and slanderous ly∣ing upon a man. For so we say in English, and so the Greek in that apo∣cryph••ll place but now quoted properly soundeth; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, upon thy brother, or against ••im behind his back.