Secondly, the same spirit that worketh a love & conscience of the truth, whereby men are made to be true, doth never cease to be the same: therefore as it seasoneth the heart, & guided the heart at the first, so it will stablish the heart, and direct the lips to the end. For sincerity, and uprightness is of all things most durable, & least subject to alteration and change. And that S. Paul assigneth for a cause of his unvariable constancy, that he minded not those things which he did mind according to the flesh, whereby there should be with him, yea, yea, and nay, nay. 2. Cor. 1. 17. Now liars do want all these helps: they had need to have good memories, to remember what they said before, lest they tell a contrary tale: for the thing related cannot put them in mind of it. For they use not to frame their words to the verity of the matter which they speak of, and to the serving of their own turns, and effecting of their purposes, as he speaketh of the unconscionable chapman: It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is 1gone apart he boasteth. A notable example of a wandering, unregenerate, and unstable tongue speaking contrarieties almost with the same breath, is to be seen in that blasphemous railing Rabshakeh whom the King of Ashur sent against Jerusalem in the time of Hezekiah. In the entrance of his speech he seemed to be all for the Lord: he taxeth Hezekiah for taking down his hie places and altars, he pretendeth obedience unto him, as though he came thither by his commandment, saying, The Lord said, Go up against this land, and destroy it. But before he had made an 2end, the Lord God of Israel, and the Idols of the Gentiles were all one with him. And therefore he matcheth him with the conquered Gods of Hamath, and of Arpad, and of Sepharuaijm &c. that seeing they could not deliver their countries out of his hands, the Lord was not able to deliver Jerusalem from him. The lying miscreants in the Psalms are bragging of the liberty and 3freedom of their tongues, being altogether slaves and drudges to Satan, lust, and lewdness.
Secondly, the same spirit that worketh a loue & conscience of the truth, wherby men are made to be true, doth neuer cease to be the same: therfore as it seasoneth the heart, & guided the heart at the first, so it will stablish the heart, and direct the lips to the end. For sinceritie, and vprightnes is of all things most durable, & least subiect to alteration and change. And that S. Paul assigneth for a cause of his vnuariable constancy, that he minded not those things which he did mind according to the flesh, whereby there should be with him, yea, yea, and nay, nay. 2. Cor. 1. 17. Now liers doe want all these helpes: they had neede to haue good memories, to remember what they said before, lest they tell a contrarie tale: for the thing related cannot put them in mind of it. For they vse not to frame their words to the veritie of the matter which they speake of, and to the seruing of their owne turnes, and effecting of their purposes, as he speaketh of the vnconscionable chapman: It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when hee is 1gone apart hee boasteth. A notable example of a wandring, vnregenerate, and vnstable tongue speaking contrarieties almost with the same breath, is to bee seene in that blasphemous rayling Rabshakeh whom the King of Ashur sent against Ierusalem in the time of Hezekiah. In the entrance of his speech hee seemed to bee all for the Lord: he taxeth Hezechiah for taking downe his hie places and altars, hee pretendeth obedience vnto him, as though he came thither by his commaundement, saying, The Lord said, Goe vp against this land, and destroy it. But before he had made an 2end, the Lord God of Israel, and the Idols of the Gentiles were all one with him. And therefore hee matcheth him with the conquered Gods of Hamath, and of Arpad, and of Sepharuaijm &c. that seeing they could not deliuer their countries out of his hands, the Lord was not able to deliuer Ierusalem from him. The lying miscreants in the Psalmes are bragging of the liberty and 3freedome of their tongues, being altogether slaues and drudges to Sathan, lust, and lewdnesse.
- 1Prou. 20. 14.
- 2Isai. 36. 7. 10. 19. 20.
- 3Psal. 12. 4.
