Volume 1 / Part 8 — CHAPTER IX (continued 2)

Quest. VIII. Must my words, to free them from falsehood, be always true in the proper, literal sense? Answ. No. Augustine's determination in this case is clear truth, Quod figurate dicitur non est mendacium, (i. e. eo nomine). To speak ironically, metonymically, metaphorically, &c. is not therefore to lie. For the truth of words lying in that aptitude to express the thing and mind, which is suited to the intellect of the hearers, they are true words that thus express them, whether properly or figuratively; but if the words be used figuratively, contrary to the hearers, and the common sense of them, with a purpose to deceive, then they are a lie, notwithstanding you pretend a figure to verify them.

Quest. IX. Must my words be used by me in the common sense, or in the hearer's sense? Answ. No doubt but so far as you intend to inform the hearer, you are to speak to him in his own sense. If he have a peculiar sense of some word, differing from the common sense, and this be known to you, you must speak in his peculiar sense. But if it be in a case that you are bound to conceal from him, the question is much harder. Some think it an untruth and sinful to speak to him in words which you know he will use to his own deceit. Others think that you are not bound to fit yourselves to his infirmity, and speak in his dialect contrary to common sense; and that it is not your fault that he misunderstandeth you, though you foresee it, where it will not profit him to understand you, nor yourselves are obliged to make him understand you, but the contrary: the next will open this.

Quest. X. Is it lawful by speech to deceive another, yea, and to intend it, supposing it be by truth? Answ. It is not a sin in all cases, to contribute towards another man's error or mistake.[499] For, 1. There are many cases in which it is no sin in him to mistake, nor any hurt to him: therefore to contribute to that which is neither sin nor hurt, is of itself no sin: yea, there are some cases in which an error (though not as such) may be a duty; as, to think charitably and well of a hypocrite, as long as he seemeth to be sincere. Here if by charitable reports I contribute to his mistake, it seemeth to be but my duty. For as he is bound to believe, so I am bound to report the best while it is probable. 2. There are many cases in which a man's ignorance or mistake may be his very great benefit; his life or estate may lie upon it; and I may know that if he understood such or such a thing, he would make use of it to his ruin. 3. There are many cases in which a man's innocent error is necessary to the safety of others, or of the commonwealth. 4. It is lawful in such cases to deceive such men by actions; as an enemy by military stratagems, or a traitor by signs which he will mistake. And words of truth which we foreknow he will mistake, not by our fault, but by his own, do seem to be less questionable than actions which have a proper tendency to deceive. 5. God himself hath written and spoken those words which he foreknew that wicked men would mistake and deceive themselves by; and he hath done those works, and giveth those mercies, which he knoweth they will turn to a snare against themselves. And his dominion or prerogative cannot here be pleaded to excuse it, if it were unholy. And in this sense (as to permitting and occasioning) it is said, Ezek. xiv. 9, "And if the prophet be deceived, I the Lord have deceived that prophet." Yet must we not think with Plato, that it is lawful to lie to an enemy to deceive him. For, 1. All deceit that is against charity or justice is sinful. 2. And all deceit that is performed by a lie. As Augustine saith, There are some lies which are spoken for another's safety or commodity, not in malice, but in benignity, as the midwives to Pharaoh.—These lies are not commended in themselves, but in the deceit (or charity) of them. They that thus lie will deserve (that is, be in the way) to be at last delivered from all lying. There is also a lying in jest, which deceiveth not; because he that is spoken to, knoweth it to be spoken in jest. And these two sorts are not faultless; but the fault is not great. A perfect man must not lie to save his life.—But it is lawful to silence the truth, though not speak falsely. In Psal. and in Enchirid. he saith, Mihi non absurdum, &c. It seemeth not absurd to me that every lie is a sin; but it is a great matter or difference, with what mind and in what matters a man lieth. Some think a physician may lie to entice his patient to take a medicine to save his life: he may lawfully deceive him by hiding a medicine, and by true speeches and dark, which he thinketh will be misunderstood; but not by falsehood.

Quest. XI. Wherein lieth the proper vice of lying? Is it in deceiving? or in speaking falsely? or in speaking contrary to the thoughts? Answ. It is the aggravation of a lie, that it be an injurious deceit. But the malignity of the sin doth not consist in the mere deceit of another man's intellect: for, as is said, it may be a great benefit to many men to be deceived: a patient's life may be saved by it, when his physician findeth it necessary to his taking a medicine, which without deceit he will not take. And so children and weak-headed people must be used. Now such a charitable deceit, as such, can be no sin. Therefore the common nature of a lie consisteth not, only, in the purpose of deceiving, but in the speaking falsely, contrary to the mind: else it would follow, either that all deceit is sin, or that all lying or false speaking is lawful, where the deceit of another is charitable or lawful: which are neither of them to be granted. Yet it is not every untruth that is a lie. Some schoolmen distinguish between mentiri (as being contra mentem ire) and mendacium dicere; as if to tell a lie were not always to lie, because not contrary to the mind. But then by mendacium they mean no more than falsum.

What a lie is.

How sin is voluntary.

I conclude then, that a lie is the voluntary asserting of a falsehood. And the more it tendeth to the injury of another, the more it is aggravated; but it is one thing to be injurious, and another thing to be a lie. When I name a falsehood, I mean that which is apt to deceive the hearer. So that it is necessary to the being of a lie, that it be deceitful, though the purpose of deceiving be found only in the more explicit sort of lies; for falsum dicitur a fallendo, it were not false, if it were not deceitful, or apt to deceive. For an unapt or figurative expression which hath a right sense as used by the speaker and hearer, is no falsehood. In one language a double negative affirmeth; and in another a double negative is a more vehement kind of denial; and yet neither is to be called by the others an untruth. By asserting, I mean any expression that maketh the falsehood our own, as distinct from an historical narration; for it is not lying to repeat a lie, as only telling what another said. By voluntary, I mean not only that which is done knowingly, upon actual will and deliberate choice, or consent; but also that which is done ex culpa voluntatis, by the fault of the will, and is to be imputed to the will.[500] For it is of great necessity to observe this about every sin, that whereas we truly say, that all sin is voluntary, and no further sin than voluntary; yet by voluntary, here, is not meant only that which is actually willed; but all that the will is guilty of. For it is true that Austin saith, Ream linguam non facit nisi rea mens, The tongue is not made guilty, but by a guilty mind. But then it must be known, that the mind or will is guilty of forbidden omissions as well as actions: and so it is a lie or voluntary untruth, when the mind and will do not restrain the tongue from it when they ought. As, 1. When a man erreth or is ignorant through wilful sloth or negligence, and so speaketh falsely when he thinks it true; this is a culpable falsehood, and so a lie; because he might have avoided it and did not: and this is the case of most false teachers and heretics. So, also, if a man will through passion, custom, or carelessness, let his tongue run before his wits, and speak falsely for want of considering or heeding what he saith, this is a culpable untruth, and a lie, and it is voluntary; because the will should have prevented it and did not; though yet there was no purpose to deceive.

You see then that there are two degrees of lying. 1. The grossest is the speaking of a known falsehood, with a purpose to deceive. 2. The other is the speaking falsely through culpable ignorance, error, or inconsiderateness.

Direct. I. Be well informed of the evil of the sin of lying; for the common cause of it is, that men think that there is no great harm in it, unless some one be greatly wronged by it: but it is not forbidden by God only because it wrongeth others, but it hath all this evil in it.

1. Lying is the perverting of man's noble faculties, and turning them clean contrary to their natural use. God gave man a tongue to express his mind, and reveal the truth; and lying doth monstrously turn it to the hindering of the mind and truth, yea, to the venting of the contrary to both. And as it is the evil of drunkenness to be a voluntary madness or corruption of so noble a faculty as reason, so it is the fault of lying, to be corrupting, perverting, and deforming both of the mind and tongue; and by confusion, a destroying of God's work and creature as to its proper use.[501]

2. Lying is the enemy and destroyer of truth: and truth is a thing divine, of unspeakable excellency and use. It is God's instrument by which he maketh men wise, and good, and happy. Therefore if he should not make strict laws for the preservation of so excellent a thing as truth, he should not secure the happiness of the world. As to the securing of men's lives it is not enough to make a law that you shall not kill men without just cause (though that be all that the law intendeth to attain); for then every man being left to judge, would think there were just cause whenever his passion or interest told him so; but the law is, You shall not kill at all without the judgment of the magistrate: so, if the law against lying did intend no more than the securing men from the injuries of error and deceit, yet would it not have been a sufficient means, to have said only, You shall not injure men by lying; for then men would have judged of the injury by their own interests and passions; but much more is it needful to have a stricter law, when truth itself is the thing that God intendeth to secure, as well as the interest of men. In the eyes of christians, and heathens, and all mankind that have not unmanned themselves, there appeareth a singular beauty and excellency in truth. Aristotle could say, that the nature of man is made for truth. Cicero could say, that Quod verum, simplex, sincerumque est, id naturæ hominis accommodatissimum est: Verity and virtue were ever taken as the inseparable perfections of man. Pythagoras could say, that to love truth and do good, were the two things that made man likest to God, and therefore were his two most excellent gifts. Plato could say, that truth was the best rhetoric and the sweetest oration. Epictetus could say, that truth is a thing immortal, eternal, of all things most precious; better than friendship, as being less obnoxious to blind affections. Jamblichus could say, that as light naturally and constantly accompanieth the sun, so truth accompanieth God and all that follow him. Epaminondas is praised for that he would not lie, no not in jest. Pomponius Atticus was so great a hater of a lie, that all his friends were desirous to trust him with their business, and use him as their counsellor. He knoweth not what use man's understanding or his tongue were made for, that knoweth not the excellency of truth.[502] Let a Pilate only ask as a stranger, "What is truth?" John xviii. 38, as Pharaoh asked, "Who is the Lord?" "For this end Christ himself came into the world, to bear witness to the truth, and every one that is of the truth will hear him," John xviii. 37. "He is the truth," John xiv. 6, and "full of grace and truth," John i. 14. "Grace and truth came by him," John i. 17. His Spirit is given to "guide his servants into the truth," John xvi. 13, and to "sanctify them by the truth," John xvii. 19, that "knowing the truth, it might make them free," John viii. 32. "The fruit of the Spirit is in all truth," Eph. v. 9. His ministers can "do nothing against the truth, but for the truth," 2 Cor. xiii. 8. "Truth" is the "girdle" that must "gird our loins," Eph. vi. 14. The "church" is the "pillar" and "ground of truth," 1 Tim. iii. 15. The faithful are "they that believe and know the truth," 1 Tim. iv. 3. "Speaking the truth in love," is the way of the churches' growth and edification, Eph. iv. 15. "Repentance" is given men, "to the acknowledging of the truth, that they may escape out of the power of the devil," 2 Tim. ii. 25, 26. The dullards are they that are "never able to come to the knowledge of the truth," 2 Tim. iii. 7. "They are men of perverse minds that resist the truth," 2 Tim. iii. 8. "They that receive not the truth in the love of it cannot be saved," 2 Thess. ii. 10. All they "are damned that believe not the truth," 2 Thess. ii. 12, 13. You see what truth is in the judgment of God and all the sober world. Therefore a lie, that is contrary to truth as darkness to light, must be equally odious as truth is amiable: no wonder therefore if it be absolutely forbidden of God.

3. You may the easier perceive this by considering, that other faults of the tongue, as idle talk, swearing, and such like, are forbidden, not only because they are a hurt to others, but for the intrinsical evil in the thing itself: great reason therefore that it should be so in this.

4. Lying is a vice which maketh us most unlike to God. For he is called the "God of truth," Psal. xxxi. 5; Deut. xxxii. 4. All his "ways" are "mercy and truth," Psal. xxv. 10. His "judgment is according to truth," Rom. ii. 2. "It is impossible for God to lie," Heb. vi. 18; Tit. i. 2. His word is the "word of truth," Psal. cxix. 43; Col. i. 5; 2 Tim. ii. 15; Jam. i. 15; 2 Cor. vi. 7. And who shall "dwell in his tabernacle," but those that "speak the truth in their hearts," Psal. xv. 2.[503] The disconformity of the soul to God, then, being its greatest deformity, in things wherein it is made to be conformed to him, it may hence appear that lying is an odious sin. And this may the easilier appear, if you consider, what a case the world were in if God could lie, and were not of undoubted truth: we should then be sure of nothing; and therefore could have no sure information by his word, no sure direction and guidance by his precepts, and no sure consolation in any of his promises. Therefore that which maketh us so unlike to the true God, must needs be odious.

5. Lying is the image or work of the devil, and liars are his children in a special sort: for Christ telleth us that he "abode not in the truth, for there is no truth in him; when he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it," John viii. 44. The proud, the malicious, and the liars, are in a special sort the children of the devil; for these three are in Scripture in a special manner made the devil's sins.[504] Therefore sure there is an intrinsical evil and odiousness in a lie. It was Satan that filled the hearts of Ananias and Sapphira to lie to the Holy Ghost, Acts v. 3. To change the "truth of God into a lie," and "to make God a liar," are therefore the most odious sins, Rom. i. 25; 1 John v. 10; because it is a feigning him to be like the devil: and should we make ourselves like him then by the same vice? If you love not the devil's sin and image, love not a lie.

6. Lying destroyeth human converse, and bringeth most pernicious confusion into the affairs of mankind. If truth be excluded, men cannot buy and sell, and trade, and live together. It would be sufficient to destroy their rational converse if they had no tongues; but much more to have false tongues: silence openeth not the mind at all; lying openeth it not when it pretendeth to open it, and falsely representeth it to be what it is not. And therefore though you say, that your lies do no such hurt; yet seeing this is the nature and tendency of lying as such, it is just and merciful in the righteous God, to banish all lying by the strictest laws:[505] as the whole nature of serpents is so far at enmity with the nature of man, that we hate and kill them though they never did hurt us, because it is in their nature to hurt us; so God hath justly and mercifully condemned all lying, because its nature tendeth to the desolation and confusion of the world; and if any indulgence were given to it, all iniquity and injustice would presently like an inundation overwhelm us all.

7. Lying tendeth directly to perjury itself. It is the same God that forbiddeth them both: and when once the heart is hardened in the one, it is but a step further to the other. Cicero could observe, that he that is used to lie, will easily be perjured. A seared conscience that tolerateth one, will easily be brought to bear the other.

8. There is a partiality in the liar that condemneth himself, and the sin in another, which in himself he justifieth; for there is no man that would have another lie to him. As Austin saith, I have known many that would deceive, but never any that would be deceived.[506] If it be good, why should not all others lie to thee? If it be bad, why wilt thou lie to others? Is not thy tongue under the same law as theirs? Dost thou like it in thy children and in thy servants? If not, it should seem much worse to thee in thyself, as thou art most concerned in thy own actions.

9. Judge what lying is by thy own desire and expectation to be believed. Wouldst thou not have men believe thee, whether thou speak truth or not? I know thou wouldst; for the liar loseth his end if he be known to lie, and be not believed. And is it a reasonable desire or expectation in thee to have men to believe a lie? If thou wouldst be believed, speak that which is to be believed.

10. Lying maketh thee to be always incredible, and so to be useless or dangerous to others; for he that will lie doth leave men uncertain whether ever he speak truth, unless there be better evidence of it than his credibility. As Aristotle saith, A liar gets this by lying, that nobody will believe him when he speaks the truth. How shall I know that he speaketh truth to-day who lied yesterday? unless open repentance recover his credibility. Truth will defend itself, and credit him that owneth it at last; but falsehood is indefensible, and will shame its patrons. Saith Petrarch excellently, As truth is immortal, so a fiction and lie endureth not long: dissembled matters are quickly opened; as the hair that is combed and set with great diligence is ruffled with a little blast of wind; and the paint that is laid on the face with a deal of labour, is washed off with a little sweat: the craftiest lie cannot stand before the truth; but is transparent to him that nearly looketh into it; every thing that is covered is soon uncovered: shadows pass away; and the native colour of things remaineth: it is a great labour to keep hidden long. No man can live long under water; he must needs come forth, and show the face which he concealed.[507] At the furthest God at the day of judgment will lay open all.

Direct. II. If you would avoid lying, take heed of guilt.[508] Unclean bodies need a cover; and are most ashamed to be seen. Faultiness causeth lying; and lying increaseth the fault. When men have done that which they are afraid or ashamed to make known, they think there is a necessity of using their art to keep it secret. But wit and craft are no good substitute for honesty; such patches make the rent much worse. But because the corrupted heart of man will be thus working and flying to deceitful shifts, prevent the cause and occasion of your lying. Commit not the fault that needs a lie. Avoiding it is much better than hiding it, if you were sure to keep it never so close. As indeed you are not; for commonly truth will come to light. It is the best way in the world to avoid lying, to be innocent; and do nothing which doth fear the light: truth and honesty do not blush, nor desire to be hid. Children and servants are much addicted to this crime: when their folly, or wantonness, or appetites, or slothfulness, or carelessness hath made them faulty, they presently study a lie to hide it with; which is to go to the devil to entreat him to defend or cover his own works. But wise, and obedient, and careful, and diligent, and conscionable children and servants, have need of no such miserable shifts.

Direct. III. Fear God more than man, if you would not be liars.[509] The excessive fear of man is a common cause of lying; this maketh children so apt to lie, to escape the rod; and most persons that are obnoxious to much hurt from others, are in danger of lying to avoid their displeasure. But why fear you not God more, whose displeasure is unspeakably more terrible? Your parents or master will be angry, and threaten to correct you; but God threateneth to damn you; and his wrath is a consuming fire: no man's displeasure can reach your souls, and extend to eternity: will you run into hell to escape punishment on earth? Remember, whenever you are tempted to escape any danger by a lie, that you run into a thousandfold greater danger, and that no hurt that you escape by it, can possibly be half so great as the hurt it bringeth. It is as foolish a course as to cure the tooth-ache by cutting off the head.

Direct. IV. Get down your pride, and over-much regard of the thoughts of men, if you would not be liars. Pride makes men so desirous of reputation, and so impatient of the hard opinion of others, that all the honest endeavours of the proud are too little to procure the reputation they desire, and therefore lying must make up the rest. Shame is so intolerable a suffering to them, that they make lies the familiar cover of their nakedness. He that hath not riches, hath pride, and would be thought somebody, and therefore will set out his estate by a lie. He that hath not eminency of parentage and birth, if he have pride will make himself a gentleman by a lie. He that is a contemptible person at home, if he be proud, will make himself honourable among strangers by a lie. He that wanteth learning, degrees, or any thing that he would be proud of, will endeavour by a lie to supply his wants: even as wanton women by the actual lie of painting, would make themselves beautiful, through a proud desire to be esteemed. Especially he that committeth a shameful crime, if he be proud will rather venture on a lie than on the shame. But if your pride be cured, your temptation to lying will be as nothing; you will be so indifferent in matters of honour or reputation, as not to venture your souls on God's displeasure for it: not that any should be impudent, or utterly regardless of their reputation; but none should overvalue it, nor prefer it before their souls, nor seek it by unlawful means. Avoid shame by well-doing, and spare not: (only see that you have a higher end.) Seneca saith, There are more that abstain from sin through shame, than through virtue or a good will: it is well when virtue is so much in credit, and vice in discredit, that those that have not the virtue would fain have the name, and those that will not leave the vice, would escape the shame; and it is well that there are human motives to restrain them that care not for divine ones. But as human motives cause no saving virtues; so devilish and wicked means are far from preventing any pernicious hurt, being the certain means to procure it.[510]

Direct. V. Avoid ambition, and human, unnecessary dependence, if you would avoid lying. For the ambitious give up themselves to men; and therefore flattering must be their trade; and how much of lying is necessary to the composition of flattery, I need not tell you. Truth is seldom taken for the fittest instrument of flattery. It is contrarily the common road to hatred: Libere et sine adulatione veritatem prædicantes, et gesta pravæ vitæ arguentes, gratiam non habent apud homines, saith Ambrose. They that preach truth freely and without flattery, and reprove the deeds of a wicked life, find not favour with men. Veritatem semper inimicitiæ persequuntur:[511] Hatred is the shadow of truth, as envy is of happiness. When Aristippus was asked why Dionysius spake so much against him, he answered, for the same reason that all other men do; intimating that it was no wonder if the tyrant was impatient of truth and plain dealing, when it is so with almost all mankind: they are so culpable, that all but flatterers seem to handle them too hard, and hurt their sores. And herein lieth much of the misery of great men, that few or none deal truly with them, but they are flattered into perdition: saith Seneca, Divites cum omnia habent, unum illis deest; scilicet qui verum dicat: si enim in clientelam fælicis hominis potentumque perveneris, aut veritas aut amicitia perdenda est: One thing rich men want when they have all things, that is, a man to speak the truth: for if thou become the dependant or client of prosperous or great men, thou must cast away (or lose) either the truth or their friendship.[512] Hierom thought that therefore Christ had not a house to put his head in, because he would flatter nobody, and therefore nobody would entertain him in the city. And the worst of all is, that where flattery reigneth, it is taken for a duty, and the neglect of it for a vice: as Hieron. (ad Cel.) saith, Quodque gravissimum est, quia humilitatis ac benevolentiæ loco ducitur, ita fit ut qui adulari nescit, aut invidus aut superbus reputetur, i. e. And, which is most grievous, because it goes for humility and kindness, it comes to pass that he that cannot flatter is taken to be envious or proud. But the time will come, that the flatterer will be hated even by him that his fallacious praises pleased. Deceit and lies do please the flattered person but a while; even till he find the bitterness of the effects, and the fruit have told him that it was but a sugared kind of enmity: and therefore he will not long be pleased with the flatterer himself. Flattery ever appeareth at last, to be but perniciosa dulcedo, as Austin calls it. Saith the same Austin, (in Psal. lix.) There are two sorts of persecutors, the opposer (or dispraiser) and the flatterer: but the tongue of the flatterer hurteth more than the hand of the persecutor.[513] And think not that any man's greatness or favour will excuse thee or save thee harmless in thy lies; for God that avengeth them is greater than the greatest. Saith Austin, (li. de Mendac.) Quisquis autem esse aliquod genus mendacii, quod peccatum non sit putaverit, decipiet semetipsum turpiter, cum honestum se deceptorem arbitretur aliorum, i. e. Whoever thinks that there is any kind of lie that is no sin, he deceiveth himself foully, whilst he thinks himself an honest deceiver of others. "Be not the servants of men," 1 Cor. vii. 23, if you would be true.

Direct. VI. Love not covetousness, if you would not be liars.[514] A lie will seem to a covetous man an easy means to procure his gain, to get a good bargain, or put off a cracked commodity for more than it is worth. Rupere fœdus, impius lucri furor, et ira præceps. Sen. Hip. He that loveth money better than God and conscience, will for money displease God and conscience, by this or any other sin.

Direct. VII. Learn to trust God, if you would not be liars.[515] For lying is the practice of him that thinks he must provide and shift for himself. Even Abraham's and Isaac's equivocation, (saying their wives were their sisters,) and David's feigning himself mad, proceeded from some distrust in God: they would not have thought it necessary so to shift for their lives, if they had fully trusted God with their lives. Gehazi's covetousness and lying did both proceed from a want of confidence in God. If a man were confident of God's protection, and that he had better stand to God's choice in all things than his own, what use could he think he hath for lying, or for any sinful shift?

Direct. VIII. Be not too credulous of bad reports, if you would not be liars. Malice is so mad, and so unconscionable a sin, and the tongues of men are commonly so careless of what they say, that if you easily believe evil, you do but easily believe the devil, and thereby make yourselves his servants in divulging malicious lies. You think because they are spoken by many, and spoken confidently, you may lawfully believe or report what you hear. But this is but to think that the commonness of liars, and their malice and impudence, will warrant you to follow them, even because they are so bad. Will you bark and bite because that dogs do so? If a man be stung with an adder, you should help to cure him, and not desire yourselves to sting him: selfish, and interested, and malicious, and partial, factious persons, are so commonly liars, and impudent in their lies, that it behoveth you, if you would not be liars yourselves, to take heed of reporting any thing they say. These spiders will weave a web of the air, or out of their own bowels.[516]

Direct. IX. Be not rash in speaking things before you have tried them. Consider what you say, and know before you speak. Is it not a shame when you have spoken falsely, to come off with saying, I thought it had been true? But why will you speak upon thought, and not stay till you better understood the case? If the matter required such haste in speaking, you should have said no more than, I think it is so. "Prove all things," and then "hold that which is good," and assert that which is true. Saith Cicero, de Nat. Deor. 1. 1. Nihil est temeritate turpius, nec quicquam tam indignum sapientis gravitate aut constantia, quam out falsum sentire, aut quod non satis explorate perceptum sit et cognitum, sine ulla dubitatione defendere: Nothing is more unseemly than temerity: nor any thing so unworthy the gravity or constancy of a wise man, than either to hold a falsehood, or confidently to defend that which is not received and known upon sufficient trial.[517]

Direct. X. Foresee that which is like to entrap you in a lie, that you may prevent it. Let not the occasion and temptation surprise you unprepared. Foresight will make the temptation easy to be overcome, which unforeseen will be too strong for you.

Direct. XI. Get a tender conscience, and walk as in the sight and hearing of God, and as one that is passing to his judgment.[518] A seared conscience dare venture upon lies or any thing; but the fear of God is the soul's preservative. What makes men lie, but thinking they have to do with none but men? For they think by a lie to deceive a man, and hide the truth; but if they remembered that they have most to do with God, and that he is always present who cannot be deceived, and that his judgment will bring all secret things to light, and detect all their lies before all the world, they would not hire a torn and dirty cloak at so dear a rate, for so short a time. No wonder if men are liars that fear not God, and believe not the day of judgment.

Direct. XII. To save others from lying as well as yourselves, be sure to watch against it in your children, and wisely help them to see the evil of it. For children are very prone to it; and unwise correction frighteneth them into lies to save themselves, as indulgence and connivance do encourage them to it. Make them oft read such texts as these: Lev. xix. 11, "Ye shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie one to another." Psal. xv. 2, "He that speaketh the truth from his heart," &c.[519] Isa. xxxvi. 8, "He said, Surely they are my people; children that will not lie; so he was their Saviour." John viii. 44, "The devil is a liar, and the father of it." Rev. xxi. 27; xxii. 15, "There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth—or maketh a lie—For without are dogs—and whoever loveth and maketh a lie." Psal. lxiii. 11, "The mouth of him that speaketh lies shall be stopped." Psal. ci. 11, "He that speaketh lies shall not tarry in my sight." Prov. xix. 5, 9, "A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape" (shall perish). Prov. xxix. 12, "If a ruler hearken to lies all his servants are wicked:" so Psal. xxxi. 18; lii. 3. Psal. cxix. 163, "I hate and abhor lying, but thy law do I love." Prov. xiii. 5, "A righteous man hateth lying." Eph. iv. 35, "Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour, for we are members one of another:" q. d. A man would not lie to deceive his own members; no more should we to deceive one another. In a word, where the love of God and man prevaileth, there truth prevaileth; but where self-love, partiality, and carnal self-interest prevail, there lying is a household servant, and thought a necessary means to these ends.

But because lying is so common and so great a sin, and many cases occur about it daily, though I think what is said offereth matter enough to answer them, I shall mention some more of them distinctly, to help their satisfaction who cannot accommodate general answers to all their particular cases.

Quest. I. Is frequent known lying a certain sign of a graceless state, that is, a mortal sin, proving the sinner to be in a state of damnation?

Answ. The difficulty of this case doth no more concern lying, than any other sin of equal malignity. Therefore I must refer you to those places where I have opened the difference between mortal, reigning sins, and infirmities. At present take this brief solution. 1. It is a thing of too great difficulty, to determine just how many acts of a great sin may consist with a present state of grace (that is, of right by covenant to heaven). 2. All sin which consisteth with an habitual, predominant love of God and holiness, consisteth with a state of life, and no other. 3. He that seldom or never committeth such external crimes, and yet loveth not God, and heaven, and holiness above all the pleasures and interests of the flesh, is in a state of death. 4. It is certain that this love to God and holiness is not predominant, whose carnal interest and lust hath ordinarily in the drift and tenor of his life, more power to draw him to the wilful committing of known sin, than the said love of God, and heaven, and holiness have to keep him from it. For his servants men are, whom they obey, whether it be sin unto death, or obedience unto righteousness, Rom. vi. 16. 5. Therefore the way to know whether sin be mortified, or mortal, is, (1.) By feeling the true bent of the will, whether we love or hate it. (2.) By observing the true bent and tenor of our lives, whether God's interest in us, or the contrary, be predominant when we are ourselves, and are tempted to such sins. 6. He that will sin thus as oft as will stand with saving grace, shall never have the assurance of his sincerity, or the peace or comfort of a sound believer, till he repent and lead a better life. 7. He that in his sin retaineth the spirit of adoption, or the image of God, or habitual divine love, hath also habitual and virtual repentance for that very sin, before he actually repenteth; because he hath that habitual hatred of it, which will cause actual repentance, when he is composed to act according to his predominant habits. 8. In the mean time the state of such a sinner is, neither to be unregenerate, carnal, unholy, as he was before conversion, and so to lose all his right to life; nor yet to have so full a right as if he had not sinned: but a bar is put in against his claim, which must be removed before his right be full, and such as is ripe for present possession. 9. There are some sins which all men continue in while they live. As defect in the degrees of faith, hope, love, &c.; vain thoughts, words, disorder, passions, &c. And these sins are not totally involuntary; otherwise they were no sins. Yea, the evil is prevalent in the will against the good, so far as to commit those sins, though not so far as to vitiate the bent of heart or life. 10. There are some sins which none on earth do actually repent of, viz. those that they know not to be sins; and those that they utterly forget; and those faults which they are guilty of just at the time of dying. 11. In these cases, virtual, or implicit, or habitual repentance doth suffice to the preventing of damnation. As also a will to have lived perfectly sufficeth in the case of continued imperfections.[520] 12. Things work not on the will as they are in themselves; but as they are apprehended by the understanding: and that which is apprehended to be either of doubtful evil, or but a little sin and of little danger, will be much less resisted, and ofter committed, than sins that are clearly apprehended to be great. Therefore, where any sort of lie is apprehended thus, as of small or doubtful evil, it will be the ofter committed. 13. If this apprehension be wrong, and come from the predominancy of a carnal or ungodly heart, which will not suffer the understanding to do its office, nor to take that to be evil which he would not leave, then both the judgment and the lie are mortal, and not mortified, pardoned sins. 14. But if this misapprehension of the understanding do come from natural impotency, or unavoidable want of better information, or only from the fault of a vicious inclination, which yet is not predominant, but is the remnant of a vice which is mortified in the main; then neither the error nor the often lying is a mortal, but a mortified sin. As, for instance, If false teachers (as the Jesuits) should persuade a justified person, that a lie that hurteth no man, but is officious, is but a venial or no sin, it is possible for such a person often to commit it, though he err not altogether innocently. 15. Though it is true that all good christians should not indulge the smallest sin, and that true grace will make a man willing to forsake the least, yet certain experience telleth us, that some constant sinning (aforenamed) doth consist with grace in all that have it upon earth; and therefore that lesser sins, as thoughts, passions, are not resisted so much as greater be; and therefore that they are more indulged and favoured, or else they would not be committed. No good men rise up with so great and constant watchfulness against an idle thought or word, or a disorder in prayer, &c. as they do against a heinous sin.

He that would have this and all such cases resolved in a word, and not be put on trying the case by all these distinctions, must take another casuist, or rather a deceiver instead of a resolver: for I cannot otherwise resolve him.

Quest. II. Is it not contrary to the light of nature, to suffer, e. g. a parent, a king, myself, my country, rather to be destroyed, than to save them by a harmless lie?

Answ. No. Because, 1. Particular good must give place to common. And if once a lie may pass for lawful in cases where it seemeth to be good, it will overthrow human converse, and debauch man's nature and the world.

2. And if one evil may be made a means for good, it will infer that others may be so too, and so will confound good and evil, and leave vicious man to take all for good which he thinks will do good. That is not to be called a harmless lie, which is simply evil, being against the law of God, against the order of nature, the use of human faculties, and the interest and converse of the sociable world.

3. The error of the objectors chiefly consisteth in thinking that nothing is further hurtful and morally evil, than as it doth hurt to some men in corporal respects. Whereas that is evil, which is against the universal rule of rectitude, against the will of God, and against the nature and perfection of the agent; much more if it also tend to the hurt of other men's souls, by giving them an example of sinning.

4. And though there may sometimes be some human probability of such a thing, yet there is no certainty that ever it will so fall out, that a lie shall save the life of king, parent, or yourselves. For God can open the eyes of that enemy whom you think to blind by a lie, and cause him to know all the truth, and so take away that life, which you thought thus to have saved.

5. And there are lawful means enough to save your lives when it is best for you to save them. That is, obey God, and trust him with your lives, and he can save them without a lie, if it be best: and if it be not, it should not be desired.

6. And if men did not erroneously overvalue life, they would not think that a lie were necessary for it. When it is not necessary to live, it is not necessary to lie for life. But thus one sin brings on another: when carnal men overvalue life itself, and set more by it than by the fruition of God in the glory of heaven, they must needs then overvalue any means which seemeth necessary to preserve it. See Job xiii. 7-10; Prov. xiii. 17; Rom. vi. 15; iii. 7-9; Psal. v. 7; Hos. iv. 2; John viii. 44; Rev. xxi. 27; xxii. 15; Col. iii. 9; 1 John ii. 21.

7. Yet as to the degree of evil in the sin, I easily grant (with Augustine, Enchirid.) that Multum interest quo animo et de quibus quisque mentiatur: non enim ita peccat qui consulendi, quomodo ille qui nocendi voluntate mentitur: nec tantum nocet qui viatorem mentiendo in adversum iter mittit, quantum is qui viam vitæ mendacio fallente depravat.

Object. Are not the midwives rewarded by God for saving the Israelitish children by a lie?

Answ. I need not say with Austin, "The fact was rewarded, and the lie pardoned;" for there is no such thing as a lie found in them. Who can doubt but that God could strengthen the Israelitish women to be delivered without the midwives? And who can doubt but when the midwives had made known the king's murderous command, that the women would delay to send for the midwives, till, by the help of each other, the children were secured? Which yet is imputed to the midwives, because they confederated with them, and delayed to that end. So that here is a dissembling and concealing part of the truth, but here is no lie that can be proved.

Object. But, Heb. xi. 31, and James ii. 25, Rahab is said to be justified by faith and works, when she saved the spies by a lie.

Answ. It is uncertain whether it was a lie, or only an equivocation, and whether her words were not true of some other men that had been her guests. But suppose them a lie, (as is most like,) the Scripture no more justifieth her lie, than her having been a harlot. It is her believing in the God of Israel, whose works she mentioned, that she is commended for, together with the saving of the spies with the hazard of her own life. And it is no wonder if such a woman in Jericho had not yet learned the sinfulness of such a lie as that.

Object. But at least it could be no mortal sin, because, Heb. xi. 31, and James ii. 25, say she was justified.

Answ. It was no mortal sin in her, (that is, a sin which proveth one in a state of death,) because it had not those evils that make sin mortal: but a lie in one that doth it knowingly, for want of such a predominancy of the authority and love of God in the soul, as should prevail against the contrary motives habitually, is a mortal sin, of an ungodly person. It is pernicious falsehood and soul delusion in those teachers, that make poor sinners think that it is the smallness of the outward act or hurt of sin alone, that will prove it to be, as they call it, venial, or mortified, and not mortal.

Quest. III. Is deceit by action lawful, which seemeth a practical lie? and how shall we interpret Christ's making as if he would have gone farther, Luke xxiv. 28; and David's feigning himself mad, and common stratagems in war, and doing things purposely to deceive another?

Answ. 1. I have before proved that all deceiving another is not a sin, but some may be a duty: as a physician may deceive a patient to get down a medicine to save his life, so he do it not by a lie.

2. Christ's seeming to go farther was no other than a lawful concealment or dissimulation of his purpose, to occasion their importunity: for all dissimulation is not evil, though lying be. And the same may be said of lawful stratagems as such.

3. David's case was not sinful, as it was mere dissimulation to deceive others for his escape. But whether it was not a sinful distrust of God, and a dissimulation by too unmanly a way, I am not able to say, unless I had known more of the circumstances.

Quest. IV. Is it lawful to tempt a child or servant to lie, merely to try them?

Answ. It is not lawful to do it without sufficient cause, nor at any time to do that which inviteth them to lie, or giveth any countenance to the sin, as Satan and bad men use to tempt men to sin, by commending it, or extenuating it. But to lay an occasion before them barely to try them (as to lay money, or wine, or other things in their way, to know whether they are thieves or addicted to drink, that we may the better know how to cure them; and so to try their veracity) is not unlawful. For, 1. The sin is virtually committed when there is a will to commit it, though there should be no temptation or opportunity. 2. We do nothing which is either a commendation of the sin, or a persuading to it, or any true cause either physical or moral; but only an occasion. 3. God himself, who is more contrary to sin than any creature, doth thus, by trial, administer such occasions of sin to men that are viciously disposed, as he knoweth they will take; and his common mercies are such occasions. 4. God hath no where forbidden this to us: we may not do evil that good may come by it; but we may do good when we know evil will come of it by men's vice. 5. It may be a needful means to the cure of that sin, which we cannot know till it be thus detected.

Quest. V. Is all equivocation unlawful?

Answ. There is an equivocating which is really lying: as when we forsake the usual or just sense of a word, and use it in an alien, unusual sense, which we know will not be understood, and this to deceive such as we are bound not to deceive.

But there is a use of equivocal words which is lawful and necessary: (for human language hath few words which are not of divers significations.) As, 1. When our equivocal sense is well understood by the hearers, and is not used to deceive them, but because use hath made those words to be fit; as all metaphors are equivocal, and yet may be used. 2. When the equivocal sense is the most usual or obvious, and if it be not understood, it is through the hearer's fault or extraordinary dulness. 3. When a robber, or usurping tyrant, or any cruel enemy, that hath no authority to do it, shall seek to insnare my life by questions, I may lawfully answer him in such doubtful words, as purposely are intended to deceive him, or leave him ignorant of my sense, so be it they be not lies or false in the ordinary usage of those words. 4. And to such a person I may answer doubtfully, when it is apparent that it is a doubtful answer, and that I do it as professing that I will answer him no more particularly nor plainly, but will conceal the rest.

Quest. VI. Whether all mental reservation be unlawful?

Answ. This needeth no other answer than the former. If the expressed words be a lie, the mental reservation will not make them justifiable as a truth. But if the expressed words of themselves be true, then the mental reservation may be lawful, when it is no more than a concealment of part of the truth, in a case where we are not bound to reveal it.

But of both these cases I must refer the reader to what I have said about vows, part iii. chap. v. tit. 2, without which he will not know my meaning.

Quest. VII. May children, servants, or subjects, in danger, use words which tend to hide their faults?

Answ. 1. When they are bound not to hide the fault, they may not: which is, 1. When due obedience, or, 2. The greater good which will follow, require them to open it.

2. When they are not bound to open it, they may hide it by just means, but not by lies or any evil. In what cases they may hide a fault by just means, I shall here say no more to.

Quest. VIII. May I speak that which I think is true, but am not sure?

Answ. If you have a just call, you may say you think it is true; but not flatly that it is so.

Quest. IX. May I believe and speak that of another, by way of news, discourse, or character, which I hear reported by godly, credible persons, or by many?

Answ. 1. The main doubt is when you have a call to speak it, which is answered after, part iv. at large.

2. You may not so easily believe and report evil of another as good.

3. You must not believe ill of another any further than evidence doth constrain you; yet you may believe it according to the degree of evidence or credibility; and make use of the report for just caution or for good; but not to defame another, upon uncertainty, or without a call.

4. The sin of receiving and spreading false reports of others upon hearsay, is now so common among those that do profess sobriety and religion, that all men should take heed of it in all company, as they would do of the plague in an infectious time. And now it is so notorious that false news and slanders of others are so common, neither good men's words, nor common fame, will allow you (or excuse you) to believe or report any evil of another, till you are able to prove that it is your duty; but all christians should join in lamenting and reproving this common uncharitable sin.

Tit. 4. Special Directions against Idle Talk, and Babbling.

Direct. I. Understand well what is idle talk; for many take that to be vain which is not, and many take not that to be vain which is. I shall therefore open this before I go any further.

What is not idle talk.

The judgment of infidels and impious men here are of little regard. 1. Some of them think prayer to be but vain words, because God knoweth our wants and hearts, Job xxii. 2,3, and our service is not profitable to him: as if he had bid us "seek him in vain," Isa. xlv. 19.[521] These I have elsewhere confuted. 2. Others think frequent preaching vain, and say as the infidels of Paul, Acts xvii. 18, "What will this babbler say;" and as Pharaoh, Exod. v. 9, "Let them not regard vain words;" but God saith, Deut. xxxii. 46, 47, "Set your hearts to all the words which I testify among you——for it is not a vain thing for you, because it is your life." 3. Some carnal wretches think all vain in God's service, which is spiritual, and which they understand not, or which is above the reach of a fleshly mind.[522] 4. And some think all vain in preaching, conference, writing, or prayer, which is long. But Christ spake no vain words when he "prayed all night," Luke vi. 12. Nor are we bid to pray in vain, when we are bid "pray continually, instantly, and importunately," 1 Thess. v. 17; Acts vi. 4; Luke xviii. 1, 2. Nor did Paul speak idly when he preached till midnight, Acts xx. Godliness is not vain "which is profitable to all things," 1 Tim. iv. 8. Indeed as to their own salvation the wicked may make our preaching vain; but the word of God returneth not empty. The oblations of the disobedient are vain, Isa. i. 13, and the "prayer of the wicked, abominable to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is his delight," Prov. xv. 8. 5. Some think all preaching vain, of that which they know already, whereas they have most need to hear of that, lest they condemn themselves by sinning against their knowledge, 2 Pet. i. 12, 13; Rom. xiv. 22. 6. Some think it vain if the same things be often preached on, or repeated, (see Phil. iii. 1,) though yet they never received and obeyed them; or if the same words be oft repeated in prayer, though it be not from emptiness or affectation but fervency, Mark xiv. 39; Psal. cxxxvi.; cxix. 7. Unbelievers think our boasting in God is vain, 2 Kings xviii. 20; Isa. xlix. 4, 5. 8. And some malicious adversaries charge it on ministers as preaching in vain, whenever the hearers are not converted. See Heb. iv. 2; Gal. v. 2; iii. 4; iv. 11; Isa. liii. 1.

On the other side many that are godly mistake in thinking, 1. That all talk is vain which is not of absolute necessity to some great use and end.[523] 2. And that all mirth and pleasant discourse is vain. Whereas the Holy Ghost saith, Prov. xvii. 22, "A merry heart doth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit drieth the bones." Prov. xv. 13, "A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance; but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken." Gen. xxvi. 8, King Abimelech saw Isaac sporting with Rebekah his wife: laughing, (as the Hebrew is,) or playing, (as the Chaldee, and Samaritan, and Septuagint,) or jesting (as the Syriac, Arabic, and vulgar Latin).

Observe these qualifications, and your mirth and sporting talk will not be idle. 1. Let it be such and so much as is useful to maintain that cheerfulness of mind and alacrity of spirits, which is profitable to your health and duty; for if bodily recreations be lawful, then tongue recreations are lawful when they are accommodate to their end. 2. Let your speech be savoury, seasoned with salt, and not corrupt and rotten communication: jest not with filthiness or sin. 3. Let it be harmless to others: make not yourselves merry with the sins or miseries of other men. Jest not to their wrong. 4. Let it be seasonable, and not when another frame of mind is more convenient, nor when graver or weightier discourse should take place. 5. Let it be moderate and not excessive, either wasting time in vain, or tending to habituate the mind of the speakers or hearers to levity, or to estrange them from things that should be preferred. 6. See that all your mirth and speech be sanctified by a holy end; that your intent in all be to whet your spirits and cheer up and fit yourselves for the service of God, as you do in eating and drinking, and all other things. 7. And mix (with cautelous reverence) some serious things, that the end and use be not forgotten, and your mirth may not be altogether as empty and fruitless as that of the unsanctified is. Sporting, pleasant, and recreating talk is not vain, but lawful upon these conditions. 8. Still remembering that the most holy and profitable discourse must be most pleasant to us, and we must not, through a weariness of it, divert to carnal mirth, as more desirable, but only to natural honest mirth as a necessary concomitant to exhilarate the spirits.[524]

What is idle talk. The sorts of it.

Idle or vain words, then, are such as are unprofitable and tend not to do good.[525] I here forbear to speak of those idle words which are also worse than vain, as mentioned before among the sins of the tongue. Idle words are, 1. Either simply such which tend to no good at all. 2. Or comparatively such; which are about some small or inconsiderable good, when you should be speaking of greater things: the former sort are always idle, and therefore always sinful; the latter sort are sometimes lawful in themselves, that is, when greater matters are not to be talked of: in its season it is lawful to speak about the saving of a penny, or a point, or a pin; but out of season, when greater matters are in hand, this is but idle, sinful talk.

Also there is a great deal of difference between now and then an idle word, and a babbling, prating custom, by which it becometh the daily practice of some loose-tongued persons, so that the greater part of the words of all their lives are merely vain.

The particular kinds of idle talk are scarce to be numbered. Some of them are these.

1. When the tongue is like a vagrant beggar or masterless dog, that is never in the way, and never out of the way, being left to talk at random about any unprofitable matter that comes before it; and such will never want matter to talk of; every thing they see or hear is the subject of their chat; and one word begetteth occasion and matter for another, without end.

2. Another sort of idle talk is the vain discourses (by word or writing) of some learned men, in which they bestow an excessive multitude of words about some small impertinent thing; not to edify, but to show their wit:[526] which Seneca reprehends at large.

3. Another sort of idle talk is vain and immoderate disputings, about the smaller circumstances of religion, or frequent discourses about such unedifying things while greater matters should be talked of. "But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law, for they are unprofitable and vain," Tit. iii. 9. "Now the end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: from which some having swerved, have turned aside unto vain jangling, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm," 1 Tim. i. 5-7. "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and opposition of sciences falsely so called; which some professing, have erred concerning the faith," 1 Tim. vi. 20, 21. "But shun profane and vain babblings; for they will increase unto more ungodliness," 2 Tim. ii. 16. "There are many unruly and vain talkers," &c. Tit. i. 10, 11.

4. Another sort of idle talk is the using of a needless multitude of words, even about that which is good and necessary in itself, but might better be opened in a briefer manner.[527] Even in preaching or praying words may be vain; which is when they are not suited to the matter and the hearers: for you must note that the same words are necessary to one sort of hearers, which are vain as to another sort. And therefore as ministers must take heed that they suit their manner of speech to their auditors, so hearers must take heed lest they censoriously and rashly call that vain which is unnecessary to them, or such as they: there may be present many ignorant persons that the preacher is better acquainted with than you: and the ignorant lose that which is concisely uttered: they must have it at large, in many words, and oft repeated, or else they understand it not, or remember not that which they understand. But yet a real excess of words even about holy things must be avoided. "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few: for a dream cometh through the multitude of business, and a fool's voice is known by the multitude of words."[528] Two causes of idle words in prayer must be avoided: 1. Emptiness and rashness. 2. Affectation: that is, (1.) Affectation to words, as if you should be heard for saying so many words over and over, (as the papists in their Jesus Psalter say over the name Jesu nine times together, and those nine times, fifteen times over, besides all their repetitions of it, in the petitions themselves between.[529] So in the titles of the blessed Virgin, in her Litany, p. 525.) Hypocrites in all ages and religions have the same trifling way of devotion; as Christ showeth of the very heathen that used this way: "But when ye pray use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking: be ye not therefore like unto them," Matt. vi. 7. (2.) There is an affectation of length that causeth idle words in prayer; when men think that it is for the honour of their parts to spend so much time, and speak so long together, or when their superstitious consciences in secret tie them to hold on so long, and have not matter or affection answerable to fill up the time, no marvel if it be filled up with words that are too much guilty of vanity.

5. Another kind of idle talk is that which is purposely contrived to humour idle fancies, and recreate vicious minds, and pass away men's precious time: such are abundance of love-books, romances, plays, and play-books; volumes of vanity, and hours full of studied vanity (and worse): and such is much of the talk of feigned fools and jesters: vices which I can hardly express so odious as I apprehend them.

6. Another sort is a custom of inordinate jesting: this vein or disposition is so strong in some, that when they have a list to vent a jest, they cannot hold, but out it must come whatever it cost, and be it never so frivolous and vain, Eph. v. 4.

7. Another sort is foolish talk, that hath not wit enough to make it edifying, Eph. v. 4. And among idle talkers how much of it is foolish! How weary would it make a man to hear the talk of many babblers! How insipid is it! How sottish! Like the talk of a mad-man, or a drunken man, or a man in his sleep: it is far pleasanter not only to hear a bird chirp, but a swine grunt, than to hear much of their discourse. See Prov. x. 14; xii. 11; xxviii. 19; 1 Pet. ii. 15; Prov. xv. 2, 14.

The aggravations of it.

Direct. II. Understand also the aggravations of idle words; which of them are the greatest sins, that they may be most carefully avoided. Though all idle words are sins, yet all are not equally sinful: the worst are such as these that follow.

1. When idle words are frequent, multiplied, and made their common talk and custom: which is the case of some men, but of abundance of loquacious women; whose natural disposition inclineth them thereto. One that hath but little wit, and much self-conceitedness, and passion, will have a torrent of words for a drop of sense.[530] If they meet but with a person so patient and idle as to give them the hearing, they will sit a whole hour together with you, yea, many hours, to tell you first how the affairs go between them and their husbands, or children, or servants; and then talk of their cattle, house, or land; and then tell you of news, and enter into a long discourse of other men's matters, which they neither understand nor have any thing to do with: and next they talk of the weather; and then of the market, what is cheap and what is dear; and then they tell you what this body said to them, and what the other body said; and then they tell you a story of the old times, and how the world is changed, and how much better the former times were than these: then they tell you what wrong such a one did them, and what he said of them, and how bad this or that man is, and what they said or did amiss; and what the report of the country is of such and such: then they tell you what clothes such a one wears, and how fine and gallant such a one is, and who keepeth a good house, and who is niggardly and sparing: then they tell you what meat was at such and such a table or feast; and if they be at meat, they have something to say about every dish, and every sort of meat or drink; especially news takes up much of their discourse.[531] And it is well if in all this, the sermon of the preacher, or his prayer, or his life, be not brought in to fill up the empty places of the discourse; and it may be the king and his council, and his laws, and his doings, shall be defiled by these parrots' unreverend prattlings, as well as meaner things and persons: so that, as Theophrastus saith, he that would not fall into a fever, let him run from them in all the haste he can. I should rather think it would cast one into the scurvy, if weariness be so great a symptom of it as they say. He that hath nothing to do in this world, nor any thing to do for the world to come; and that hath no use for his time, or wit, or tongue, or hands, but waketh as he sleepeth, and liveth as he must lie when he is dead; he that hath neither master, work, nor wages, but thinks he is made to see leaves wag, or hear flies buzz; let him choose such a companion, and let him sit and hear such people chat. For my part, I can easilier endure to have them call me morose, or proud, or uncivil, or any thing; nay, I had rather be digging, or ploughing, or ridding kennels, than endure the tediousness of their discourses.[532] Dionysius sent one to be put to death, for finding fault with his poetry; but called him again to try him once more; and the man rose up in the midst of his recitation, saying, Come, let me go to the gibbet, as choosing to die rather than to be so wearied. I am not so impatient; but I should be glad if I could sleep well while I am tied to such company. And if I had one to send to school that were sick of the talking evil, the morbus loquendi, I would give (as Isocrates required) a double pay to the schoolmaster willingly, one part for teaching him to hold his tongue, and the other half for teaching him to speak. I should think many such men and women half cured, if they were half as weary of speaking as I am of hearing them. He that lets such twattling swallows build in his chimney, may look to have his pottage savour of their dung. Nay, though they may have some learning and goodness to season their discourse, their too much loquacity will make one's stomach turn against it; and the surfeit may make some queazy stomachs distaste even the more wholesome food. Pompey was so weary of Tully's talkativeness, that he wished he had been on Cæsar's side, for then he would have feared me, (saith he,) whereas now his familiarity wearieth me.

2. It is an aggravation of the sin of loquacity and idle talk, when it is done in a proud, self-conceitedness of your own wit, with an unmannerly contempt of others. This is the case of abundance that have not the manners or patience to stay till another man hath done his speech. They think others so long that their list will not hold till they come to the end. Yea, many pretended learned men and disputants have this disease, that without any shame, or respect to order, or their own reputation, they are in such haste to answer, and talk themselves, that they cut off the speech of others in the midst, as if they should say, Hold your tongue, and let me speak that am wiser. And their excuse is, You are so long that I shall forget half before you come to the end. But if it be in a disputation or about great matters, it is usually much more to the advantage of the truth and hearers, to speak all that necessarily must be considered together, in a continued speech: for the parts of truth have such a dependence one upon another, like the members of a body, or the wheels of a watch, that they are not understood disjunctly, half the sense of them being respective to the other parts. Therefore to deliver it (in such cases) by fragments, and chopping of words, and frequent interruptions one of another, is to chat or contend, and not to open the truth with the clearness and gravity which it requireth. These, therefore, that accuse others of speaking too long, to excuse their uncivil interruptions, may take their answer from Augustine, Absit ut multiloquium deputem quando necessaria dicuntur, quantalibet sermonum multitudine ars prolixitate dicantur. The huge volumes of Augustine, Chrysostom, Suarez, Calvin, yea, Tostatus himself, are seldom accused of idle words. If you depute to each their equal share of time, a composed discourse is fitter and spareth time better, than interrupting altercations and exchange of words; and if your memory cannot hold all that is said, either take notes, or crave the help of some repetition, or answer the part which you do remember.

3. Idle talk is worst when it is about holy things, and tendeth to profane them: when men unreverently babble about the Scriptures, or controversies of religion; or when by fluent tongues men design the increase of some faction, or propagating of some error, or the setting forth their parts. Saith Hierom, (ad Nepot.) Verba volvere et apud imperitum vulgus admirationem sui facere, indoctorum hominum est: nihil tam facile quam vilem plebem et indoctam, volubilitate linguæ decipere, quæ quicquid non intelligit, plus miratur. Profane loquacity is the worst kind of loquacity.

4. Idle words are the greater sin when they are magnified and justified, and taken to be lawful, if not some excellent thing. As some unhappy scholars that spend whole days and months about some trivial, unnecessary studies, while Christ, the wisdom of God, (or the subject of divine philosophy,) is neglected:[533] he that heareth some of their supposed critical curiosities, would say with Paul, "The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vain," 1 Cor. iii. 20. And if he compare their lives with their studies, perhaps he will remember, "They became vain in their imaginations; their foolish hearts were darkened, and professing themselves wise, they became fools," Rom. i. 21.

5. Idle words are an aggravated sin, when they are studied, and pompously set forth at great labour and cost, as a matter to be gloried in; as in plays and romances: worse than tobacco-houses where men sell smoke. The pleasure, the love, the labour, the cost, the time, the deceit, the temptation, the impenitency, are the great aggravations of this sin.

The sinfulness of much idle talk.

Direct. III. Understand and consider the mischief of the sin of babbling, idle talk. For the common cause of it is, that men take it to be so small a sin, that they think there is no danger in it; and therefore they fear it no more than a scratched finger.

1. (Besides the general evil mentioned tit. 1. direct. i.) consider that much idle talk is a multitude of sins. Though one idle word were never so small a sin, yet when it cometh to hundreds and thousands, and is your daily, hourly custom, all set together cannot be small. Many thousand pence is more than one shilling or pound. And your frequent custom of idle talk, may amount to a greater sinfulness, than Noah's once drunkenness, or David's once adultery, or Peter's once denying Christ. If a swearer should swear as oft, or a liar lie as oft, or a thief steal as oft as many women (and men too) speak idly, what monsters should we take them for!

2. Idle talk excludeth all the good discourse and edifying speech that should have been used all that time.[534] We have many greater uses for our tongues: you have your business to talk of, and your God, and your souls, and your duties, and your sins, and the life to come to talk of! Oh how many great and necessary things! And will you shut out all this edifying speech, by your idle chat? Will you hinder others as well as yourselves?

3. Idle talk is a sinful consumer of time: you have greater business to spend your hours in: if you saw what a world you are ready to go to, and saw how near you are to it, you would think yourselves that you had greater business than idle chat, to spend your time in. Do you know what you lose in losing all those hours?

4. Idle talk corrupts the hearers' minds, and tendeth to make them light, and vain, and empty, even as good discourse doth tend to make them good. Why do you talk to others, but to communicate your sense and affections to them by your words? And for all that many take it for a little sin, I am sure it is not a little hurt that it doth. If men were not used to be entertained with so much vain discourse, they could not tell how to keep better things from their minds or mouths; nor would their thoughts be so habituated to vanity; nor would they make such returns of idle words; whereas one vain discourse begets another, and it is a multiplying and very infectious sin.

5. As your tongues are misemployed, so your wits and minds are dishonoured by vain talk. Even good words will grow contemptible when they are too cheap and common. A fiddler at the door goes but for a rogue, though music and musicians be honoured: whoever took a talkative babbler for a wise man? He that is logophilus is seldom philologus, much less philosophus.[535] As Demosthenes said to a prater, If thou knewest more, thou wouldst say less. They seldom go for men of action and virtue that talk much; they that say much, usually do little: women, and children, and old folks, are commonly the greatest talkers (I may add, mad folks). Livy noteth, that soldiers that prate and brag much, seldom fight well; and Erasmus noteth, that children that quickly learn to speak are long in learning to go. It is not the barking cur that biteth. Let it be the honour of a parrot to speak much, but of a man to speak wisely. The mobility of their tongues (an honour common to an aspen leaf) is all their honour, that can multis verbis pauca dicere, say a little in a great many of words; but multa paucis, much in few words, is the character of the wise, unless when the quality of the auditors prohibiteth it: and qui sunt in dicendo brevissimi, if the auditors can bear it, shall be accounted the best speakers. I am not of his mind that said, He oft repented speaking, but never repented silence. But, except they be ministers, few men have so much cause to repent of silence as of speech. Non quam multa, sed quam bene, must be the christian's care. As one said of philosophy, I may much more say of religion, that though an orator's excellency appeareth only in speaking, yet the philosopher's (and the christian's) appeareth as much in silence.

6. Where there is much idle talk, there will be much sinful talk. Prov. x. 19, "In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise." There are lies, or backbitings, or meddling with other folks' matters, or scurrilous jests, if not many such sins that go along with a course of idle talk: it is the vehicle in which the devil giveth his most poisonous draughts. Saith Lipsius, It is given to praters, non multa tantum sed male; to speak ill, as well as to speak much.

7. Vain words hinder your own edification. Who knoweth if you would hold your tongues, but some one would speak wiselier, that might do you good?[536]

8. And you weary the hearers (unless they are strangely patient) when you intend to please them (or else you might as well talk all that by yourself). It is scarce manners for them, unless you be much their inferiors, to tell you they are weary to hear you, and to entreat you to hold your tongues; but you little know how oft they think so: I judge of others by myself; I fly from a talkative person, as from a bed that hath fleas or lice: I would shut my doors against them, as I stop my windows against the wind and cold in winter. How glad am I when they have done, and gladder when they are gone! Make not yourselves a burden to your company or friends, by the troublesome noise of an unwearied tongue.

9. Many words are the common causers of contention. Some word or other will fall that offendeth those that hear it; or else will be carried to those that are absent, and made the occasion of heart-burnings, rehearsals, brawls, or law-suits. There is no keeping quietness, peace, and love, with talkative prattlers; at least not long.

10. Are you not sensible what pride and impudency is in it, when you think yourselves worthiest to speak? As if you should say, You are all children to me; hold your tongues, and hear me speak! If you had christian humility, and modesty, you would in honour prefer others before yourselves, Rom. xii.

10. You would think yourselves unworthiest to speak, (unless the contrary be very evident,) and desire rather to hear and learn. As Heraclitus being asked, Why he alone was silent in the company, answered, That you may talk; so when you talk above your parts, it is as if you told the company, I talk that all you may be silent.

11. It is a voluntary sin and not repented of. For you may easily forbear it if you will; and you wilfully continue in it; and therefore impenitency is your danger.

12. Lastly, consider how unprofitable a sin it is; and how little you have to hire you to commit it. What get you by it? Will you daily sin against God for nothing?

Direct. IV. If you would not be idle talkers, see that your hearts be taken up with something that is good; and that your tongues be acquainted with and accustomed to their proper work and duty.[537] An empty head and heart are the causes of empty, frothy, vain discourse. Conscience may tell you when your tongues run upon vanity, that at that time there is no sense of sin or duty, or the presence of God upon your hearts; no holy love; no zeal for God: but you are asleep to God and all that is good; and in this sleep you moither and talk idly of any thing that cometh into your mind. Also you make not conscience of speaking of that which is good, or else it would keep out vanity and evil. Remember what abundance of greater matters you have to talk of! You have the evil of sin, the multitude and subtilty of temptations, and the way of resisting them, to talk of; you have your faults to lament, your evidences to inquire after, your mercies thankfully to open, the greatness and goodness, and all the attributes of God to praise; you have all the works of God to admire, even all the creatures in the world to contemplate, and all God's admirable providences and government to observe; you have the mystery of redemption, the person, and office, and life, and miracles, and sufferings, and glory, and intercession, and reign of Christ to talk of; and all the secret sanctifying operations of the Holy Ghost; and all the ordinances of God, and all the means of grace, and all our duties to God and man, and all the holy Scripture; besides death and judgment, and heaven and hell, and the concernments of the church of God, and the case of the persons you speak to, who may need your instruction, exhortation, admonition, reproof, or comfort: and is not here work enough to employ your tongues, and keep them from idle talk?[538] Make conscience of those duties commanded, Eph. iv. 29, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, and may minister grace to the hearers: and grieve not the holy Spirit of God." Eph. v. 18, 19, "Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Pet. iv. 11, "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God."[539] Sinful omission of good discourse, is the cause of sinful commission of vanity. Specially when the heart itself is vain; for as a man is, so is he apt to speak. 1 John iv. 5, "They are of the world, therefore speak they of the world." Isa. xxxii. 6, "For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the Lord."

Direct. V. Walk always with God, as in his presence, and in the awe of his laws and judgment, that conscience may be kept awake and tender.[540] You will be restrained from vain talk, if you perceive that God is hearing you, and if you remember that your tongue is under a law, and that "for every idle word men shall give account, in the day of judgment," Matt. xii. 36, 37, and that by your "words you shall be justified, or condemned." If the law of God were in your hearts, Psal. xl. 8, and hidden there, Psal. cxix. 11, your heart would be fixed, Psal. lvii. 7. His word then would be the rejoicing of your heart, Psal. cxix. 111; and your tongues would then be talking of judgment, Psal. xxxvii. 30. A tender conscience will smart more with an idle word, than a seared, senseless conscience with an oath, or lie, or slander. For the fear of God is clean, Psal. xix. 9, and by it men depart from evil, Prov. xvi. 6. "Be thou therefore in the fear of the Lord all the day long," Prov. xxiii. 17.

Direct. VI. Avoid idleness, if you would avoid idle talk.[541] The drones of the commonwealth that have nothing else to do, but visit, and compliment, and prate of other men's matters, and that can have while to sit whole hours together, upon no business, are they that are most guilty of idle chat. Idle gentlemen, and beggars, and idle gossiping women, and old men that are void of the fear of God, and children that have no business to do, are they that can sit talking away their time to as little purpose, as if they had been all the time asleep. All idle persons swarm with the vermin of idle thoughts and words.

Direct. VII. If you would avoid idle talk, avoid idle, talkative companions: or if you cannot avoid them, answer them not, but let them talk alone, unless it be to reprehend them, or turn them to more profitable talk.[542] For when you hear vanity, it will incline you to speak vanity: and these ungodly persons "speak every one vanity to his neighbour," as if their tongues were so their own, that no lord might control them, Psal. xii. 1-6. The philosopher could say, That which you would not hear, do not speak; and that which you would not speak, do not hear. Most are like parrots, that will oftest speak the words which they oftest hear. How hard is it to avoid idle talk amongst idle talkers! One vain word draws on another, and there is no end.

Direct. VIII. Avoid vain works, if you would avoid vain words. For a man that engageth himself in vain employment, doth lose all the words as vain, which he useth about that employment. What a life then do they live, that have an unlawful calling! When their very business and trade is sin, the adjuncts, the words about it, must be sin, and so all their lives are a continued sin. I had rather therefore be the basest drudge, than one of these men. Especially stage-players should think of this: and those that spend whole hours, yea, half-days, if not nights, in gaming, or vain and sinful sports: what abundance of idle words do they use about them! every cast of the dice, and every card they play, hath an idle word; so that a sober man would be weary and ashamed to hear them.

Direct. IX. Plunge not yourselves into excess of worldly business, as some do, that undertake more without necessity, than they can discharge: for such necessitate a variety of thoughts and words. And all that are spent in serving them in those their vain employments, are vain; though the work for the matter of it be not vain.

Direct. X. Let not a vicious mind make that seem necessary or convenient which is vain. Carnal hearts that are acquainted with no better things, think nothing vain that pleaseth their sensual inclinations, or which their carnal interest doth require. A man-pleaser thinketh civility obligeth him to observe his unnecessary visits and compliments, and to answer idle talkers, and not sit silent by them, nor contradict them: and so it must be a point of good manners to break the law of God: and as they think it uncivil not to pledge every drinker in his healths, so not to answer every twattler in his talk.

Direct. XI. Take heed of a proud, self-conceited mind, that thinks too well of your own discourse. Get but humility, and you will rather choose to hear than to speak. But when all your fancies and impertinencies seem some excellent matters to you, then you are with child till you are delivered of them, and then all must reverence and silently attend your pride and folly; or be taken as neglecters of you for disregarding it.

Direct. XII. Avoid passion and passionate companions: for passion is talkative, and will not be checked, but resisteth the restraint of reason, and multiplieth words that are worse than vain.[543]

Direct. XIII. Take heed of an inordinate jesting vein:[544] for it habituateth the mind to foolish levity, and knows no bounds, and breeds idle words, as thick as putrified flesh breeds vermin: and it is the greater sin, because it is ordinary, and with a certain pleasure and pride, and glorying in vanity, and sinful levity and folly.

Direct. XIV. Understand particularly what service you have to do for God or men, in every company you come in, and so fit your words to the present duty and company.[545] For those words are vain and inconvenient in one company, that are necessary or convenient in another. If you be to converse with the ignorant and ungodly, turn your discourse into a compassionate way of instruction or exhortation. If with men wiser and better than yourselves, inquire and learn of them, and draw that from them which may edify you.

Direct. XV. Affect not an unnecessary curiosity of speech, but take those for the fittest words, which are suited to the matter, and to thy heart, and to the hearers.[546] Otherwise your speech will be studiedly and affectedly vain; and you will glory in that as elegant, which is your shame. Hypocritical words that come not from the heart, are dead and corrupt, and are but the image of true speech, as wanting that verity and significancy of the mind which is their life. Words are like laws, that are valued by the authority, and matter, and end, more than by the curiosity and elegancy; or like money, that is valued by the authority, metal, and weight, and not by the curiosity of its sculpture, imagery, or matter. All that is counterfeit, though curious, is vain.

Direct. XVI. Suppose you had written down the idle words of a day, (your own or any other prattlers,) and read them over all at night! Would you not be ashamed of such a volume of vanity and confusion? Oh what a book it would be, that one should thus write from the mouth of idle talkers! What a shame would it be to human nature! It would tempt some to question, whether man be a reasonable creature, or whether all be so, at least? Remember then, that all is recorded by God and conscience; and all this hodgepodge of vanity must be reviewed and answered for.

The rest that is necessary for direction against idle words, you may find chap. v. part ii. in the government of the thoughts, and in my book of "Self-denial." In a word, (for I must not commit the fault which I am reproving,) account not a course of idle talk for a small sin. Never suffer so loose and slippery a member as your tongue to be unguarded; and never speak that, of which you dare not say, as Psal. xix. 14, "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart, be now and always acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer."

Who should be most watchful here.