SERM. CXIV.

IN these words is the sinne specified, that would flow from those two evil causes named before, viz. Inconstancy, and corrupt principles. They that are led aside by these, must needs be liars, and perfidious persons, frothy and vain, to whom no credit is to be given. The Apostle there∣fore doth here remove the sinne of lying, or saying one thing, and doing another thing; for such an unfaithfull, false man, can never be serviceable unto God: by that uneven carriage of his, he maketh himself uncapable of bringing glory to God, and of edifying others.

Concerning the Greek expression, and the interpretation of it, there is great diversity amongst the learned: That which troubleth most, is the ge∣mination of those particulars, yea, yea, nay, nay. For we read it as a com∣mand and a duty, Matth. 5. 37. James 5. 12. That our communication ought to be yea, yea, nay, nay; whereas the Apostle doth here speak of it as a sinne. Some therefore do think that the gemination of the particle crept into the Text by the errour of the Scribes, who finding it used in other places, thought it should be here also; and they are the rather induced to this, because in the verse following, the Apostle doth not use the gemi∣nation, onely affirming, Yea and nay. Others they think that the Greek particle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which is a note of negation, should be supplied, making it to runne negatively, as if with me were not yea, yea, and nay, nay.

But there is no necessity of running unto these harsh remedies, for we may keep the gemination of the particles well enough, as intending there∣by a vehement affirmation, and a vehement negation. For so the Hebrews use to affirm vehemently, by doubling the word; And our Saviour often useth Amen, Amen; which custome also Heinsius saith is among the pro∣phane Greek Authours. And thus the sense will be very coherent, I doe not inconstantly and carnally purpose things; as if I should with great vehe∣mency affirme one thing at one time, and then with as great a vehemency deny it again at another time. But then we must acknowledge, that this differeth from those places above-mentioned, Matth. 5. and James 5. for there the latter Yea, and latter Nay, is the predicate in the Preposition; here it is the subject, and Nay, nay the predicate. In those places also there is a respect had to our speech, as opposite unto oaths; but here is denoted only truth and constancy in our affirmations. Chrysostome doth not read the words interrogatively, and thereupon hath a peculiar interpretation, implying the clean contrary to what we have said: For he maketh the meaning to be, as if Paul did deny he was constant, or ought to be unchangeable; he was not to have Yea, yea, nay, nay, but to be yea and nay, as occasion served, Page  531 because he was not at his own disposing, to go whither he would, but was wholly guided by the Spirit of God; and therefore when he attempted to preach in some places, the Spirit of God suffered him not. So that with this Authour, Paul's intention should be to remove from himself such a constancy, as if he were to dispose of himself, and to hold to his own re∣solutions, whereas he was wholly to follow the guide and motions of Gods Spirit. But this seemeth not so proper. The Apostle rather defends him∣self against the charge of lying and unfaithfull dealing; he was not Yea and nay. Hence some make the Latine word Naucus, that signifieth a vain, empty, trifling fellow, to come from the Greek words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but of this more in the following verse. Seeing then that Paul doth in this expression free himself from the crime of lying, and saying one thing, but doing the contrary, We may observe,

That lying, or contrariety between our words and words, or words and*actions, are not beseeming a Christian, neither are they consistent with god∣linesse.

A godly man can be no more godly and a liar, than godly and a drun∣kard, than godly and a prophane person. This sinne the Apostle maketh as a stream to flow from those two poisoned fountains of levity of mind, and a corrupt carnal heart. Now how inconsistent this is with the new man, and the work of grace, you have heard from Colos. 3. 9, Lie not one to another, seeing you have put off the old man with his deeds. To be yea and nay, is to be a lyar; and sometimes, as the Apostle supposeth here, we may be very vehement and earnest in our yea's and nayes, and then we are bold vehement lyars. I shall not enlarge my self concerning the whole Theological matter, that may be delivered about a lie, but speak so much as will be for our practical improvement of this truth. And

First, We are to take notice of this, That there may be a lie materiali∣ter and formaliter. That is a material lie, when we speak that which is * untruth; but yet we think it to be a truth, or else we would not speake it. But then that is formally a lie, when we affirm that to be true, which we know to be false; and this is directly and properly a lie. Some say, the former is Mendacium dicere; the other is Mentiri. Now this latter way of speaking untruths, is that which properly is called a lie; and men do then formally lie, when they speak that which their consciences doe tell them to be false; yet in some cases, when we speake those things that are untrue, though we thinke them to be so, we are not presently excused from sinne. For in many things, it behoveth us to have knowledge, and a right information, before we speak about them. Hence the false Pro∣phets are often called lyars, who it may be thought they spake what was true, being delivered up by the just judgement of God to believe a lie: and therefore we must take heed of rashnesse and suddennesse in our words, that we may alwayes speak that which is consonant to the truth, both materially as well as formally.

Secondly, We may distinguish of lies, as they doe of oaths, There are As∣sertory*lies, whereby we affirme things to be so and so; There are also Pro∣missory lyes, whereby we doe promise to doe such and such things, but after∣wards breake these engagements. And the Apostles speech may relate to both these kinds of lies, and both these are sinnes against the second Ta∣ble; either when we affirme any thing falsly, or perfidiously breake our promises. For seeing words are instituted to signifie our sense and minde to others, if we abuse them to other ends, we doe hereby destroy the end Page  532 of speech, and so as much as lieth in us overthrow all humane commerce and society. But in a Promissory lye, there is a further aggravation of the sinne, because hereby the rules of justice are broken; for by promise ano∣ther man cometh to have a right to the thing promised. The Corinthians in this Text, had a right to Paul's presence, when he had promised them. Now where grace is in a man, that doth so sanctifie him, that he taketh heed of every way of lying, whether in words or promises. It is true, Aristotle speaketh of this verity as a moral vertue: And there are some, who have (as it were) a natural justice, their words are as good as oaths, their promises are as good as bonds and bils. Some Heathens have been famous for such a truth in their conversation; but yet godlinesse ma∣keth a man keep from lying and falshood upon other grounds, then such natural just men; which is good to be observed. because many are so apt to build the comfort of their souls upon it. For

1. Such natural true men, they are so onely from the Principles of a natural conscience, not from the principles of sanctification within them. If you ask them, Why they doe it, or observe the ground, you shall see it is onely because the light of Nature instructeth them herein. And al∣though this be commendable, yet it is not enough to make it godlinesse in them; for what is done in a godly manner, ariseth from a principle of godlinesse, which is the new nature within a man. So that it is one thing to ab∣horre lying from a meer natural conscience; and another thing to do so from a supernatural light within them.

2. You may observe a difference in the motive, The godly man dareth not lie, because God forbiddeth, because it's a sinne that he abominateth; whereas the natural true man, never minds the Scripture; it is not from the word of God that he doth it, but because it is a laudable thing amongst men. They will greatly praise such a man, that is so constant; It's the glory of men they look at, not the command of God.

3. That such men are true and just, but not from a godly principle, is plaine, Because they doe not receive all other holy duties. The same God that hath commanded thee not to lie, not to deal falsely, hath also com∣manded thee not to be drunk; he hath commanded thee to sanctifie the Sab∣bath, to keep up Family-duties, to love those that are godly, and to de∣light in such: whereas many times none are more bitter enemies to the power of godlinesse, and the beauties of holinesse, then such natural, just and true men. Oh therefore that such would not stay in that! Thou doest well that thy words are sure, that thy speeches and actions are just; but doe not stay here, doe not thinke thou hast enough for Heaven. For though you doe all these, yet if you delight not in godlinesse, if you love not those that are holy men, if you cannot abide this strictnesse and precisenesse in religious duties, know that thou art but half a Christian yet, there are du∣ties of the first Table, as well as the second, and how greatly mayest thou charge thy soul with such sins, didst thou not put thy trust and hope in thy true and just dealings.

Thirdly, Divines do usually speak of a three-fold kind of lying, There is a pernicious lie, a sporting lie, and an officious lie.*

1. A pernicious lie is, when we speak that which is false to the hurt and da∣mage of another.

2. A sporting lie is, when we do in merriment affirm things that are false, only to please and delight.

3. An officious lie, or mendacium misericors, as some call it, a mercifull lie, is when we tell a lie, but it is for the good of another, to save him out of danger or death: such was Rahab's lie, and the lie of the Mid∣wives.Page  533 For though God rewarded them for the maine, yet it doth not follow he allowed their lie, but pardoned it. It is disputed by some, Whether this be a sinne, or no? And Luther is so farre from making it a sinne, that he speaketh of it as a duty (in Genes.) And Musculus also alloweth of it. Yea (Comment. in Johan. cap. 8.) he hath this strange di∣vision, Mendaciorum quaedam fuit licita & bona, quaedam excusabilia, quae∣dam levia, quaedam vitiosa, quaedam diabolica. But certainly, though sport∣ing and officious lies, are not so great sinnes as pernicious, yet they are all intrinsecally evil, and so cannot be made good for any advantage of the world. To lie that thou mayest deliver a man from death, is not lawfull, because of the Apostles Rule, We must not doe evil, that good may come thereof, Rom. 3. 8. Even as adultery and fornication may not be commit∣ted under any pretence whatsoever, no not by a woman, to save the life of her husband; of which case some speak of: So it is also with a lie, be∣ing a sinne intrinsecally, and of its own nature, and therefore can never be made good. Hence it is, that it is forbidden without any limitation to this lie, rather than another, Levit. 19. 11. even as stealing and dealing falsly are. Therefore Cassianus is of opinion, That it is lawfull to use a lie, as we doe Hellebore, to depell some grievous danger, and that the Pa∣triarchs for this end, did sometimes use lies, is wholly to be exploded. Plato was first the authour of this opinion, That Magistrates might use, Mendacio, ut medicamento, from whom Origen and his followers were infect∣ed in this point. But as we heard, every lie, is of its own nature a sinne, because as the Schoolmen say, It's Actus cadens supra indebitam mate∣riam. For words are naturally the signe of our meaning, and to use them otherwise is unnatural. And this should make us be the more wary in our ordinary sporting discourses. For how few do attend to this sinfulnesse of the tongue herein. But if of every idle word, a man shall give an ac∣count, then much more of every lying word, though it may seem no such great matter to us. It is certaine, the Martyrs thought no such lies law∣full, no though thereby they might have escaped cruel torments. Yea, they are blotted with ignominy in Antiquity, who either by favour or money would accept of a Certificate or Testimonial, that they had sacri∣ficed at the Altar, when indeed they had not, and thereby preserving them∣selves. But what gain is this to save a temporal life, and loose a spiritual life?

Fourthly, Whereas sinnes according to Divines are distributed into sinnes*of the heart, of the tongue, and of the hand; Cordis, oris & operis, Lying is a sinne of the tongue. So that as by the tongue we come to know the disease sometimes of the body that is within; so by the tongue we may discerne a sinfull, wicked heart. A lying tongue doth argue a deceitfull heart. So that as the pureness and foulness in the fountain doth quickly empty it self into the streams: Thus as the heart is either holily or sinfully affected, so it emptieth it self into the tongue and hands.

Hence in the fifth place, All those who would abstaine from the way of lying, must study the spiritual government of the tongue. Nature indeed * hath inclosed it with lips and teeth; but Grace must have a more power∣full and predominant curb over it. The Apostle James doth notably speak of the sinfulnesse of the tongue, James 3. 6. calling the tongue, though a little member, yet a world of iniquity, an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Certainly, the Apostles zeal discovered in that Chapter against a sinfull tongue, should make us with much diligence watch against it, especially in that it is so unru y, that no man can tame it. Now among many sinfull evils of the tongue, this of lying and falshood is not the least. So that he Page  534 who hath an holy, meek, just and faithfull tongue, is called by the Apo∣stle a perfect man, vers. 2. not but that he hath still much imperfection in him; onely we are so apt to sinne by that, to offend by that. What is in the heart, is so quickly in that, that the Christian hath arrived at a great proficiency in godlinesse, who hath this power over his tongue, Hence David, as sensible of this work above his own strength, maketh his earnest addresse in prayer unto God, Psal. 141. 3. Set a watch (O Lord) before my mouth, and keep the door of my lips. Grace must be the spiritual porter to watch the mouth, else such sins will come out thereat, that will both greatly offend God and man.

Hence in the sixth place, That this government of the tongue against lying or any other sin may be attained unto; it is necessary, *

1. To cleanse the heart, that is the original and source of all evil; and therefore it is in vain to heal the outwards, unlesse the inwards also be first purged. Therefore David in the fore-mentioned prayer, addeth another Petition to the former, Psal. 141. 4. Incline not my heart to any evil thing. Therefore when Solomon had first given that counsel, Chap. 4. 23. To keep the heart with all diligence, then he speaketh of the duties about the eyes, hands and feet. No man can in an holy manner keep his tongue from ly∣ing, cursing and swearing, with other sinnes thereof, unlesse he first endea∣vour that the inward frame of the heart be made pure and holy. The old man must be put off, and the new man put on, as the Apostle speaketh, and then we lay aside the way of lying.

In the next place, Let us consider, what are the causes of lying, of yea, and nay. I doe not mean the general ones, for the Text nameth them to * be inconstancy and a corrupt heart, but the particular ones. And

1. Some have a strong inclination and peculiar propensity to it; they love*and delight in telling of lies. Yea this lying disposition is noted to be the pro∣perty of some Countreys; as the Poet said of the Cretians, They were al∣wayes liars, Titus 1. 12. which witnesse the Apostle saith, is true. And no wonder at this, for the same Apostle maketh it the quality of every man by nature, and that wherein he doth oppose God, whose Attribute is truth, God is true, and every man a lyar, Rom. 3. 4. Seeing then the na∣ture of man is thus prone to it; and some have a more peculiar inclinati∣on to it; no wonder if lyes as well as oaths do make a Land mourn. Do we not see it in children, how they are more forward to lie than to speak? They come both together, only lying seemeth more natural.

A second cause of lying, is want of dependance upon God, as if he would not fulfill his promises without our lies, and unlawfull means that we * use. In this Rebecca failed, Genes. 27. 6, 7. though she knew of Gods pro∣mise to Jacob, yet because Isaac's affections were set upon Esau the elder brother, she saw no visible way how the promise should be accomplish∣ed, therefore she used lying and dissimulation; but though she got the bles∣sing for her sonne, yet many sad afflictions did befall both her and Jacob thereby.

3. Another cause is, The captivity and bondage that we are in by nature to*Satan; for he being 〈◊〉 lyar from the beginning, we imitate him, and follow our father in this particular. This our Saviour telleth the Jewes, John 8. 44. Ye are of your father the Devil; when he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own, for he is a lyar, and the father of it. Mark that the father of it, imply∣ing that by the Devil we are sollicited, and tempted to lies: and if there were no other consideration but this, it were enough to make us with Da∣vid, Psal. 119. 163. To abhorre the way of lying, because it cometh from the Devil, we thereby demonstrate the Devil to be working in us, to Page  535 move our tongues. And truly the name of a lie is a very reproachfull thing: How hardly can men endure the name of it, who yet are constant in the practice of it? So that the reproach, especially the cause from whence it cometh, may perswade us to leave it off, which is hell it self, we shall then quickly hear every man speaking truth with his neighbour.

4. An inordinate desire of profit and gain, doth many times put men upon*lying. They wil• commend and praise that, which in their conscience they know to be bad, and all to get a little profit. Thus Ananias and Saphira they lied to Paul, and all to reserve a little profit to themselves.

Lastly, A sinfull and immoderate fear, that many times provoketh to ly∣ing.* It was thus with Abraham and Isaac about their wives, they lied to save themselves out of dangers. And although David did abhorre the way of lying, yet we see him in several exigencies degenerate from his princi∣ples. It is true, in case of a mans life, to choose rather to die, than to tell a lie, must needs be an argument of heroical grace in a man: but we see in Peter, how difficult it is to abstain from lies, when thereby we can preserve our selves out of danger. So that if at any time we find the god∣ly overtaken with this sinne, we must not from thence conclude the lawful∣nesse of it, but rather bewail our pronenesse thereunto. For if those that are godly in an eminent manner are thus apt to fall, what shall the little Trees do, when the Cedars are so weak?

Use of Exhortation, To take heed of this sinne in a special manner, as being so reproachfull to a man, much more a Christian, so opposite to the Attribute of God, whose faithfulnesse and truth is so often celebra∣ted, that it is impossible for him to lie: Yea it cometh so immediately from the Devil, that there ought to be no communion with him in this thing. Never call any lie profitable, for it will not prove so at last: What if by it thou escape danger here, and be cast into Hell hereafter? What if thou gaine the world here, and lose thy soule hereafter? Will not this be a dreadfull and dismall lie to thee? Remember that place, Prov. 12. 19. The lying tongue is but for a moment. Hence Prov. 13. 5. A righteous man hateth lying. For that lying tongue is but for a moment, hereafter it will scorch in hell, it will burne in those eternal flames.