Rome ruin'd by VVhite Hall, or, The papall crown demolisht

CHAP. XVIII. Treateth of their Equivocation, and mentall reservations, as also of a sort of Lyes, which they terme Mendatia jocosi, Lyes in merrement.

SECT. 1.

COusen German to this, is their position lately taken up by those Jesuites, is their Equivoca∣tion, and mentall reservations, by which they think it lawfull to dissemble with the Magi∣strate, and to delude him with their ambigu∣ous and equivocating answers; as if they be asked, Whether in such a place, as beyond the Seas (in France or Spaine) at such a time, when, and where, it is certaine they were, they will answer, that they were not, (under∣standing to themselves, secretly) to such an end, & purpose. The fals∣hood of those their deceitfull equivocations, doth directly appeare.

1. In thinking that if they hold the truth inwardly, in their heart, it were no matter if it were not alwayes in their mouthes; but a right Christian is known by this, He speaketh the truth in his boart, Psal. 15. 3. he having it both in his heart, and mouth.

2. By this device of theirs, they invert the order and nature

of things, making falshood truth, and truth falshood, they turne affirmatives into negatives; and contrariwise, as if it were all one to say, I was not in such a place, (with a mentall reser∣vation) as to say I was, by which meanes they make truth the patron of a lye.

3. If every man should take this licentious liberty, there should be no truth amongst men, nor certainty of any thing, all testimonies given in Evidence, all promises and contracts might justly be suspected, lest some secret condition or reservation might be understood; for who can trust him at any time, that thinketh it is lawfull to lye and dissemble sometimes; for whilst he applyeth himself when he lyeth, aptly to the time, he is to be held uncertain, when he speaketh the truth.

4. Whereof came this doubting and dissembling, but of feare, and a bad conscience; what needed the Martyrs by a plaine con∣fession of the truth, to have adventured and lost their lives, if they had held such a dissimulation, and equivocating lawfull; if it were lawfull to dissemble, why did not they?

SECT. 2.

Object. THey use this mentall reservation for the mainte∣nance of the Popes Catholick Faith, and for the dis∣covering of Heresie.

Ans. It were better that Heresie lay hid still, then that the verity should be indangered, but by that which they call Heresie, we worship the God of our Fathers, according to the direction of the Prophets, and holy men of God, and they the Hereticks themselves.

Obi. Our Saviour himself made use of such dealing, as in Mark 5. 30. where he made himself as ignorant who touched his cloathes, whereas he knew it well enough who touched them, as that they were touched. So Luke 24. 28. Christ made as though he would have gone further, and yet did not. Likewise Joh. 7. 8. he saith to his brethren, Ye goe up unto this feast, I will not yet goe up (whereas indeed he did goe up,) meaning, not with them.

Ans. These instances are thus answered by a Father. viz. that the first two instances are sigures of other things, as in that Christ made himself ignorant who touched him, therein the Gen∣tiles were prefigured, who were a people whom the Lord saith, ••e knew not. In the next Christ spake no untruth, for indeed he went further, even unto heaven. But we are not here put to such a straight to sinde out a Mistery, our Saviour in neither of those places dissembled; for dissimulation is a hiding and clokeing of the truth, but in both these places, Christ intended by this meanes to bring the truth to light. In the first, to try out the faith of the Woman that touched him, and in the other to make triall of the humanity and charity of his Disciples; as he did the like to Philip, Joh. 6. 6. to prove him; and in the third our Sa∣viour speaketh as he meant, sor he said, he would not goe up yet, or now, because his time was not come. So Joh. 2. 4. though he would not shew a Miracle, to turne water into wine at his Mo∣thers bidding, saying, My houre is not yet come; yet ere the feast was finished he did it. They may as well say here, that Christ did equivocate with his Mother; by this then that hath been said, it doth appeare what vaine shifts the Papists are driven unto, and how in all their dealings they hate the light, and as our Saviour saith, will not come to it least their deeds should be reproved.

SECT. 3. Christians ought both to beleeve with the heart, and confesse with the mouth.

Obj. A Christian is only bound to speake the truth to his neigh∣bour, but they who are of another religion, are not our neighbours; Jehu feigned himself a worshipper of Ball.

Ans. The Apostle requireth both to beleeve with the heart, and consesse with the tongue, Rom. 10. 10. and Peter denied Christ only with his mouth, and not with his heart, and yet he was faine to wash away his sins with teares; and though some truths may be hid from him that is not initiated into the Mistery of Religion, yet false things are not to be uttered; as for the

example of Jehu, he had not a right heart before God, and therefore his example in every respect is not to be justified; the example also is much unlike, for Jehu did not seeke his owne gaine, or propounded his owne safety, but did it in a zeale to Gods glory; whereas the other tendeth meerely to their owne safety, and the dishonour of God, spreading their Heresies by this meanes. Neither for the matter did Jehu speake untruly, for indeed he had a great Sacrifice for Ball, when he sacrificed his Priests, and in the rest he lyed not, but used a kind of outward dissimulation, which in Politick affaires (where the rule of cha∣rity is not broken, and Gods glory sought) is not unlawfull.

SECT. 4. Of their Mendatia jocosi, or lyes in merrement.

Obj. THere is also another sort of lyes, which are allowed by the Papists, which they terme Mendatia Jocosi, lyes in merre∣ment, and that they are tollerable, tum ex necessitate, both for necessity sake, because they are made for delight, and recreation, which is necessary, and, nulli nocent, for that they hurt no body.

Ans. Though recreation and delight be necessary, which we grant; for as rest is necessary for the body, so recreation is for the minde, yet there are other delights and recreations which* 1.1 may be used. There is no such necessity to jeast and make sport with telling of Lyes; David could say, That the Lawes of God was his delight. 2. Though none other be hurt, yet the lyar hurteth his owne Soule, because he speaketh not the truth; therefore this kinde of lying is not tollerable. 3. There is di∣versity of recreations, and also diversities of men, which are affected with such delights and recreations, which may be redu∣ced to these foure sorts.

1. Our Saviour needed no such delight or recreation at all,* 1.2 who as he is often read to have wept, so is he never found to have laughed; for whereas recreations and delights are to succour the infirmities of our Nature, Christ being God, could reare him∣selfe up from all such mortall defect as he would himself, without any help or supportation.

2. There is another sort of perfect men, who are given to heavenly Meditation, and their delight and recreation is not in such jeastings and merrements, but in holy exhortations, and ••haste communications.

3. There is another sort in another extreame, who are alto∣gether earthly minded; who when they will recreate themselves, turne them to their sports of iniquity; as unto eating, drinking, wantonnesse, lasciviousnesse.

4. There are others which are in the middle betwixt these two, which turne them to delights of a middle nature; which are neither spirituall, nor altogether carnall, but honest and seem∣ly* 1.3 recreations; but that no kinde of Lyes at all are tollerable, may appeare by these reasons ens••ing.

SECT. 5.

1. ONe reason may be taken from the nature of a Lye, the Law of God is truth, and whatsoever differeth from truth, doth transgresse the Law; therefore a Lye, which is a swarving, and declining from the truth, transgresseth the Law, and so consequently is sin.

2. By way of comparison with other sins, why should it be ra∣ther lawfull to lye then to commit Adultery, if it be not lawfull to doe the one, upon any occasion whatsoever, then neither the other also; for by Adultery the body chiefly is corrupted, but by making a lye principally the Soule.

3. Divers speciall cases may be propounded, wherein if lying were in any case to be tollerated, it should seeme to have the most just excuse, but not being allowed in these things, it is law∣full in none, viz.

1. That it is not lawfull to tell a Lye, and commit a lesse evill, to avoyd a greater evill; as if one had rather make a lye, and offer sacrifice to Idols, then to have his body de••iled, which was Origins case; for here the case is this, They which force a man to doe any unlawfull thing, threatning that they will doe worse, doe in a manner say thus; Fac tu male, ne nos faciamus, doe thou evill, to prevent us from doing evill; now whether is it better

to doe evill, or to suffer it to be done by another: this rule there∣fore ought to be held; We ought rather to shun our owne sinning then anothers. Again, it is not in sin as in matters of profit in the world, we call not that a lose, which is lost in hope of a greater gaine, but it is not so here; that it should be no sin that is ad∣mitted, lest a greater be committed.

2. Neither is it lawfull to tell a lye to save a mans life, for he that lyeth slayeth his owne Soule; and a man is not bound to slay his owne Soule, to save anothers temporall life. We must leave our temporall life for anothers eternall life, but to hazard our eternall life, for anothers temporall life, there is no reason. A∣gain, in sins we must more take heed of the commission of any fact of our owne, then the permission of another fact.

3. We are not to lye, for anothers everlasting Salvation; as if one in captivity not perfectly won unto the faith, who is not like to be brought unto the faith, unlesse the Keepers be deceived by some lye, and he delivered out of their hands; for a lye in this case is no more to be devised, then adultery to be committed; for if chastity be not to be violated, much lesse is verity: if then in these speciall cases, a lye is not to be admitted to avoyd a grea∣ter evill, as to save another mans life, to preserve the chastity of the body, nay not to save another mans Soule: then much lesse is it lawfull to make a lye in jeast to shew others sport, or to delight them.

4. If the examples be objected out of the Old Testament, as* 1.4 of Jacobs dissimulation with his Father Isaac, when he got the blessing, of the Midwifes excuse, of Rahabs lye made for the Spies received into her house, these answers are made.

SECT. 6.

1. EIther are they figuratively spoken, and so no lyes. 2. If lyes not to be imitated, for we must consider not what is expressed in fact, but what is signified in sence; for it is no lye in speech, when one word is put for another, as in Metaphors and other Tropes, neither is it in matter, when ••ne thing is signified by another.

2. Neither are they lyes which are mentioned in Scripture, if they be spoken figuratively, or if they were lyes they are not to be imitated, no more then was Davids murder and adultery.

3. They are condemned by way of comparison not absolutely.

4. Concerning the excuse of the Midwife and of Rahab, their fallacy was not rewarded in them, but their mercy, the benignity of their minde, not the iniquity of their lying.

Therefore by that straight charge and Commandement of God,* 1.5 Thou shalt not beare false witnesse, men are warned to take heed of lying, and speaking untruths under what pretence soever, and that for these foure causes.

1. Because lying maketh men like to the Devill, for as God is truth, and all that love the truth are the children of God; so they that use lying are the children of the Devill, for he is a lyar, and the father of lyes, Joh. 8. 44. he told the first lye that ever was made in the world, when he said to Eve, Ye shall not dye, &c.

2. Because humane society and intercourse is by this meanes dissolved, for how can one man trust another, if lying and disse••∣ling should be used; this reason the Apostle urgeth, Eph. 4. 25. Cast away lying, and let every man speake truth to his neighbour, for we are members one of another.

3. Because the lyar looseth his credit, that he cannot be belee∣ved, no not when he telleth the truth, as Eccle. 34. 4. Who can be cleansed by the uncleane, or what truth can be spoken of a lyar?

4. We must take heed of lying, for it destroyeth the soule, Wisd. 1. 11. The mouth that lyeth slayeth the soule.

SECT. 7. We ought not to conceale the truth.

AGain, as one ought not to lye, so ought he not to conceale the truth, either publickly or privately; as when one suffereth his neighbour to be overcome in judgement, where he by his testimony might deliver him.

To which purpose may be applyed the saying of the Wise-man, Prov. 24. 11. Deliver those that are drawne to death, and wilt tho•• not preserve those that are led to be slaine? And of this kinde

is that usuall negligence and over-sight of men, that privately doe not tell one another of their sins, which duty is reproved by the Law, Levit. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart, but thou shalt plainly rebuke thy neighbour, and suffer him not to sin; he then which suffereth his brother to sin, in drunken∣nesse, prophanesse, swearing, or whatsoever else, and holdeth his peace therein, offendeth against the rule of charity, and is found before God to be an hater of his brother. Upon which text one useth this Simile, for the further clearing of the point;

"If (saith he) thou shouldest see a man walking in the dark without taking heed, where thou knowest there is a pit, and holdest thy peace, what manner of one shouldest thou shew thy self?

The like is also when a man casteth himself headlong into vice, and vani∣e••h himself in thy hearing of his evill doings, and yet thou praisest him, and smilest to thy self.

Notes

• * 1.1

  No necessity to tell lyes.
• * 1.2

  Four so••••s of recreations belonging to foure sorts of men.
• * 1.3

  No kind•• o•• lyes tollerable.
• * 1.4

  Objections of l••••s in Scrip∣ture answered.
• * 1.5

  Four reasons why we ought not to l••e.