A Christian Directory Volume I Part 89

IV. _Direct._ I. For the avoiding of all this profaneness in swearing and taking the name of G.o.d in vain, the first direction must be this general one, to use all the directions given in chap. i. for a wicked man's attaining true conversion; and withal to observe how great an evidence this sin is of a graceless, unG.o.dly, miserable soul. For it is supposed to be an ordinary or frequent sin, and therefore to have no effectual principle in the heart which is against it; and therefore to have the princ.i.p.al room in the will; and therefore to be unrepented of (as to any saving, renewing repentance): if thou hadst any true grace, it would teach thee to fear and honour G.o.d more: to make light of G.o.d is inconsistent with G.o.dliness, if it be in a predominant degree; for they are directly contrary.

_Direct._ II. Get thy heart sensible of the intrinsic evil of thy sin.

It would never be so easily and familiarly committed by thee, if thou didst not think it small. That thou mayst know it, consider of these following aggravations.[494]

1. Consider who that G.o.d is whom thou abusest.[495] Is he not the great and terrible Majesty, that made the world, and upholdeth it, and ordereth it by his will? the Governor and Judge of all the earth, infinitely excelling the sun in glory? a G.o.d most holy, and in holiness to be mentioned? And wilt thou make a by-word of his dreadful name? Wilt thou profanely swear by this holy name? and use the name of thy G.o.d as thou wouldst scarce use the name of thy father or thy king?

Wilt thou unreverently and contemptuously toss it like a foot-ball?

Dost thou know no more difference between G.o.d and man? Know G.o.d, and thou wilt sooner tremble at his name, than thus unreverently abuse it.

2. Consider who thou art that thus venturest to profane the holy name of G.o.d. Art thou not his creature and his subject, bound to honour him? Art thou not a worm, unable to resist him? Can he not tread thee into h.e.l.l, or ruin thee, and be avenged on thee with a word or less? He need to say no more, but Thus I will have it, to execute his vengeance on the greatest of his enemies: if he will it, it will be done. And art thou then a person fit to despise this G.o.d, and abuse his name? Is it not a wonder of condescension in him, that he will give leave to such worms as we to pray to him, and to praise and wors.h.i.+p him, and that he will accept it at our hands? and yet canst thou venture thus to slight him and despise him? I have oft heard the same impious tongue reproach the prayers of the G.o.dly, as if they were too bold and familiar with G.o.d, and pleading against long or often praying, because man must not be so bold with G.o.d, and persuading others that G.o.d accepts it not, which yet itself was bold familiarly to swear by his name, and use it lightly and in common talk. And indeed G.o.d's servants must take heed of rude and unreverent boldness even in prayer. How much more then is the boldness of thy profaning G.o.d's holy name to be condemned? Must they take heed how they use it in prayer and praise, and darest thou abuse it by oaths, and curses, and vain speech?

3. Dost thou not sometimes pray by that name which thou profanely swearest by? If not, thou seemest utterly to renounce G.o.d, and art a miserable wretch indeed; but if thou do, what a hypocrite dost thou show thyself to be in all thy prayers, that takest on thee to reverence that name of G.o.d, which thou canst toss unreverently, and swear and curse by when thou art off thy knees. It is part of Bishop Hall's character of the hypocrite, that he boweth to the name of Jesus, and sweareth by the name of G.o.d, and prayeth to G.o.d at church, whom he forgets or sweareth by the rest of the week. Doth not thy conscience gripe thee for this hypocrisy, when in thy prayers thou thinkest of this abuse of G.o.d?

4. Think, man, what use thou wilt have for that holy name in thy distress, which thou now abusest. When sickness and death come, then thou wilt cry, Lord, Lord! then the name of G.o.d will be called on more reverently. And darest thou now make a foot-ball of it? Dost thou not fear lest it should be then thy terror, to remember on thy death-bed, when thou art calling upon G.o.d, Oh this is the name that I was wont to swear by, or to take in vain?

5. Remember that millions of glorious angels are magnifying that great and holy name, which thou art profaning and taking in vain. And dost thou not wonder that they do not some of them become the executioners of the vengeance of G.o.d against thee? and that the earth doth not open and swallow thee up? Shall a worm on earth be tossing that holy name, or swearing by it profanely, which a world of glorious angels are magnifying?

6. Consider that thou art more impious than they that profane things hallowed and consecrated to G.o.d. Was Belshazzar punished with the loss of kingdom and life, for carousing in the vessels of the sanctuary?

Wouldst thou think him to be profane that should make a stable of the church, and should feed his swine with the communion cup? And dost thou not know that the name of G.o.d himself hath a higher degree of holiness, than any place or utensils of his wors.h.i.+p have? and therefore that it is a greater profaneness to abuse his name, than to abuse any of these? Doth not thy tongue then condemn thee of hypocrisy, when thou wouldst exclaim against any that should thus profane the church, or font, or communion cup, or table, and yet thyself dost ordinarily profane the very holy name of G.o.d, and use it as a common name?

7. Consider how unworthily thou requitest G.o.d, for giving thee thy tongue and speech. He gave thee this n.o.ble faculty to honour him by; and is this thy thanks, to use it to dishonour him, by swearing and taking his name in vain?

8. Thy infectious breath corrupteth others. It tendeth to bring G.o.d into common contempt among his own creatures, when they hear his name contemptuously spoken of.

9. Thou forgettest how tender and jealous G.o.d hath showed himself to be, of the honour of his holy name; and what terrible threatenings he hath denounced against the profaners of it, and what judgments he hath executed on them.[496] Lev. xix. 12, "Ye shall not swear by my name falsely: neither shalt thou profane the name of thy G.o.d: I am the Lord."

So Lev. xviii. 21. And of the priests it is said, Lev. xxi. 6, "They shall be holy unto their G.o.d, and not profane the name of their G.o.d." So Lev. xxii. 2, 31, 32, "Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the Lord: neither shall ye profane my holy name, but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the Lord which hallow you." Deut. xxviii. 58, 59, "If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayst fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY G.o.d, then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed; great plagues and of long continuance; and sore sicknesses and of long continuance."

Wors.h.i.+pping G.o.d and trusting in him is called, a "walking in his name,"

and "calling upon his name." See Mic. iv. 5; Psal. xcix. 6. The place of his public wors.h.i.+p is called, "The place where he putteth or recordeth his name," Exod. xx. 24; Deut. xii. 5, 11, 21. Isa. xxix. 23, "They shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the G.o.d of Israel." Isa. xlviii. 11, "For how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory to another." G.o.d telleth Moses, and Moses telleth Aaron when his sons were slain, "I will be sanctified in them that come nigh unto me, and before all the people I will be glorified," Lev. x. 3. So Lev. xxiv. 10, 14, a man that in striving with another blasphemed and cursed, was stoned to death. And in the third commandment, it is terrible enough that G.o.d saith, "The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain."

10. Dost thou not use to say the Lord's prayer, and therein, "Hallowed be thy name," Matt. vi. 9. Luke xi. 2: and wilt thou profane that name which thou prayest may be hallowed? Is it hallowing it, to swear by it, and use it unreverently and vainly in thy common talk? Or will G.o.d endure such hypocrisy as this, or regard such hypocritical prayers?

11. Thy customary swearing is an uncharitable accusation of the hearers, as if they were so incredulous, that they would not believe a man without an oath, and so profane, that they delight in the profanation of the name of G.o.d; which is the grief of every honest hearer.

12. Thou accusest thyself as a person suspected of lying, and not to be believed; for among honest men a word is credible without an oath.

Therefore if thou were but taken for an honest man, thy bare word would be believed. And by swearing, thou tellest all that hear thee, that thou supposest thyself to be taken for a person whose word is not to be believed. And what need hast thou to tell this so openly to others if it be so?

13. And by swearing thou declarest the suspicion to be true, and that indeed thou art not to be believed: so far art thou from making thy sayings more credible by it. For he that hath so little conscience and fear of G.o.d, as to swear profanely, can hardly be thought a person that makes any conscience of a lie. For it is the same G.o.d that is offended by the one as by the other. A swearer warranteth you to suspect him for a liar.

14. Both swearing and taking G.o.d's name in vain, are the greater sins, because you have no stronger a temptation to them. Commonly they bring no honour, but shame: they bring no sensual pleasure to the senses, as gluttony, and drunkenness, and uncleanness do; and usually they are committed without any profit to entice men to them. You get not the worth of a penny by your sin; so that it is hard to find what draweth you to it, or why you do it, unless it be to show G.o.d that you fear him not, and unless you intend to bid defiance to him, and do that which you think will offend him, in mere despite. So that one would think a very little grace might serve to cure such a fruitless sin: and therefore it is a sign of gracelessness.

15. How terribly dost thou draw G.o.d's vengeance upon thyself! Cursing thyself is a begging for vengeance: profane swearing is a profane, contemptuous appeal to the judgment of G.o.d. And darest thou, even in thy sins, appeal to the judgment of G.o.d? Dost thou fear it no more? To this judgment then thou shalt go! But thou will quickly have enough of it, and find what it was for stubble to appeal to the "consuming fire," Heb. xii. 29.

_Direct._ III. Remember G.o.d's presence, and keep his fear upon thy heart, and remember his judgment to which thou art hastening, and keep a tender conscience, and a watch upon thy tongue, and then thou wilt easily escape such a sin as this. Darest thou abuse G.o.d's name before his face?

_Direct._ IV. Write over thy doors or bed, where thou mayst oft read it, the third commandment, or some of those terrible pa.s.sages of holy Scripture: Matt. v. 34-37, "I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven,--nor by the earth,--nor by thy head,--but let thy communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these, cometh of evil." James v. 12, "Above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by the heavens, neither by the earth, nor any other oath; but let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation" (or hypocrisy, as Dr. Hammond thinks it should be read).

Zech. v. 3, "Every one that sweareth shall be cut off." Jer. xxiii.

10, "Because of swearing the land mourneth." Hos. iv. 2. Think well on such texts as these.

_Direct._ V. Love G.o.d, and honour him as G.o.d, and thou canst not thus despise and abuse his name. Thou wilt reverence and honour the name of that person that thou lovest, and reverencest, and honourest. It is atheism and want of love to G.o.d, that makes thee so profane his name.

_Direct._ VI. Punish thyself after every such crime with such a voluntary mulct or penalty as may help to quicken thy observation and remembrance. If none execute the law upon thee, (which is twelve pence an oath,) lay more on thyself, and give it to the poor. Though you are not bound to do justice on yourselves, you may medicinally help to cure yourselves, by that which hath a rational apt.i.tude thereto.

_t.i.t._ 3. _Special Directions against Lying and Dissembling._

[Sidenote: What truth is.]

That you may know what lying is, we must first know what truth is, and what is the use of speech. Truth is considerable, 1. As it is in the things known and spoken of. 2. As it is in the conception or knowledge of the mind. 3. As it is in the expressions of the tongue. 1. Truth in the things known is nothing but their reality; that indeed they are that which their names import, or the mind apprehendeth them to be: this is that which is called both physical and metaphysical truth.[497] 2. Truth in the conception or knowledge of the mind, is nothing else but the agreement or conformity of the knowledge to the thing known; to conceive of it truly, is to conceive of it as it is; mistake or error is contrary to this truth. 3. Truth as it is in the expressions is indeed a twofold relation. (1.) The primary relation is of our words or writings to the matter expressed. And so truth of speech is nothing but the agreeableness of our words to the things expressed; when we speak of them as they are. (2.) The secondary relation of our words is to the mind of the speaker; for the natural use of the tongue is to express the mind as well as the matter: and thus truth of speech is nothing but the agreeableness of our words to our thoughts or judgments. Truth as it is the agreement of thoughts or words to the matter, may be called logical truth. And this is but the common matter of moral or ethical truth, which may be found partly in a clock, or watch, or weatherc.o.c.k, or a seaman's chart. The agreement of our words to our minds, is the more proper or special matter of moral truth; the form of it as a moral virtue is its agreement to the law of the G.o.d of truth. And as the _terminus_ entereth the definition of relations, so our words have respect to the mind of the hearer or reader, as their proper _terminus_; their use being to acquaint him, 1. With the matter expressed; 2. With our minds concerning it.

Therefore it is necessary to the logical truth of speech, that it have an apt.i.tude rightly to inform the hearer; and to the ethical truth, that it be intended by the speaker really to inform him, and not to deceive him. (Supposing that it is another that we speak to.)

You see then that to a moral truth all these things are necessary: 1.

That it be an agreement of the words with the matter expressed (as far as we are obliged to know the matter). 2. That it be an agreement of the words with the speaker's mind or judgment. 3. That the expressions have an apt.i.tude to inform the hearer of both the former truths. 4.

That we really intend them to inform him of the truth, so far as we speak it. 5. That it be agreeable to the law of G.o.d; which is the rule of duty, and discoverer of sin.

In some speeches the truth of our words as agreeing to the matter and to the mind is all one, viz. when our own conception or judgment of a thing is all that we a.s.sert. As when we say, I think, or I believe, or I judge that such a thing is so. Here it is no whit necessary to the truth of my words, that the thing be so as I think it to be, (for I affirm it not to be so,) but that indeed I think as I say I think. But that our words and minds agree, is always and inseparably necessary to all moral truth.

[Sidenote: How far we are bound to speak the truth.]

We are not bound to make known all that is true, (for then no man must keep a secret,) much less to every man that asketh us. Therefore we are not bound to endeavour the cure of every man's error or ignorance in every matter; for we are not bound to talk at all to every man. And if I be not bound to make known the truth at all, or my mind at all, I am not bound to make known all the truth, or all that is in my mind; no, not to all those to whom I am bound to make known part of both. If I find a man in an ignorance or error which I am not bound to cure, (nay, possibly it were my sin to cure it; as to open the secrets of the king's counsels or armies to his enemies, &c.) I may and must so fit my speech to that man, even about those matters, as not to make him know what he should not know either of the matter or of my mind; I may either be silent, or speak darkly, or speak words which he understandeth not, (through his own imperfection,) or which I know his weakness will misunderstand; but I must speak no falsehood to him.

Also there is a great difference between speaking so as not to cure the ignorance or error of the hearer, which I found him in, and so speaking as to lead him into some new error; I may do the former in many cases, in which I may not do the latter. And there is great difference between speaking such words, as in the common use of men are apt to inform the hearers of the truth, though I may know, that through some weakness of their own they will misunderstand them, and be deceived by them; and the speaking of words which in common use of men, have another signification than that which I use them to. By the former way, the hearer sometimes is the deceiver of himself, and not the speaker, when the speaker is not bound to reveal any more to him; but by the latter way the speaker is the deceiver. Also there is great difference to be made between my speaking to one to whom it is my duty to reveal the truth, and my speaking to a man to whom I am not bound to reveal it; yea, from whom my duty to G.o.d, and my king or country, bind me to conceal it. By these grounds and distinctions you may know what a lie is, and may resolve the ordinary doubts that are used to be raised about our speaking truth or falsehood. As,

_Quest._ I. Am I bound to speak the truth to every one that asketh me? _Answ._ You are not bound to speak at all in every case to every one that asketh you; and he that is silent, speaketh not the truth.

_Quest._ II. Am I bound to speak the truth to every one that I answer to? _Answ._ Your answer may sometimes be such as signifieth but a denying to answer, or to reveal what is demanded of you.

_Quest._ III. Am I bound to speak all the truth, whenever I speak part of it? _Answ._ No: it is G.o.d's word that must tell you when, and how much you must reveal to others[498] and if you go as far as G.o.d alloweth you, it followeth not, that therefore you must go further. A soldier taken by the enemy may tell the truth when he is asked in things that will do no harm to his king and country; but he must conceal the rest, which would advantage the enemy against them.

_Quest._ IV. Is it always a sin to speak a logical falsehood; that is, to speak disagreeably to the thing which I speak of? _Answ._ Not always: for you may sometimes believe an untruth without sin. For you are to believe things according to their evidence and appearance.

Therefore if the deceit be unavoidably caused by a false appearance or evidence, without any fault of yours, it is not then your fault to be mistaken. But then your expressions must signify no more certainty than you have, nor any more confidence than the evidence will warrant.

When you say, such a thing is so; the meaning must be but, I am persuaded it is so; for if you say, I am certain it is so, when you are not certain, you offend.

_Quest._ V. Is it always a sin to speak falsely or disagreeably to the matter, when I know it to be false? that is, Is it always a sin to speak contrary to my judgment or mind? _Answ._ Yes: for G.o.d hath forbidden it, and that upon great and weighty reasons, as you shall hear anon.

_Quest._ VI. Is it a sin when I speak not a known untruth, nor contrary to my opinion, nor with a purpose to deceive? _Answ._ Yes: it is oft a sin when there is none of this. For if it be your duty to know what you say, and to deliberate before you speak, and your duty to be acquainted with the truth or falsehood which you are ignorant of, and your duty to take heed that you deceive not another negligently, and yet you neglect all these duties, and by a culpable ignorance and negligence deceive both yourselves and others, then this is a sin, as well as if you knowingly deceived them.

_Quest._ VII. But though it be a sin, it remaineth doubtful whether it be a lie. _Answ._ This is but _lis de nomine_, a controversy about the name and not the thing. As long as we are agreed that it is a sin against G.o.d, and to be avoided, whether you call it a lie, or by another name, is no great matter. But I think it is to be called a lie: though I know that most definers follow Cicero, and say that a lie is a falsehood spoken with a purpose to deceive; yet I think, that where the will is culpably neglective of not deceiving, an untruth so negligently uttered deserveth the name of a lie.

_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 apt.i.tude 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.

G.o.d 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_.

[Sidenote: What a lie is.]