A Body of Practical Divinity

Use I. 1st. Br. It reproves the Church of Rome, who will dispense with a Lie, or a False Oath, if it be to promote the Catholic Cause. They approve of an Officious Lie: They hold some Lies to be lawful; they may as well hold some Sins to be lawful. God hath no need of our Lie. It is not lawful to tell a Lie, propter Dei gloriam, if we were sure to bring Glory to God by it, as Austin speaks.

Vse I. 1st. Br. It reproves the Church of Rome, who will dispense with a Lie, or a False Oath, if it be to promote the Catholick Cause. They approve of an Officious Lie: They hold some Lies to be lawful; they may as well hold some Sins to be lawful. God hath no need of our Lie. It is not lawful to tell a Lie, propter Dei gloriam, if we were sure to bring Glory to God by it, as Austin speaks.

2d. Br. 2. It reproves those who make no Conscience of slandering others; they come under the Breach of this Commandment. Psal. 50.20. Thou sittest and slanderest thy own Mothers Son. Jer. 20.10. Report, say they, and we will report. Ezra ⟨p. 381⟩4.15. This City (i. e. Jerusalem) is a rebellious City, and hurtful to Kings and Provinces. Paul was slandered as a Mover of Sedition, and the Head of a Faction, Acts 24.5. The same Word signifies both a Slanderer and a Devil, 1 Tim. 3.11. Not Slanderers. In the Greek, [Greek or Hebrew], Not Devils. Some think it is no great matter to misreport and slander others; Know that this is •o Act the part of a Devil. Clipping a Man's Credit to make it weigh lighter, is worse than clipping of Coin. The Slanderer wounds three at once: He wounds him that he slanders, and he wounds him to whom he reports the Slander, by causing uncharitable Thoughts to arise in his Mind against the Party slandered; and he wounds his own Soul, by reporting that of another which is false. This is a Great Sin, and I would I could not say it is common. You may kill a Man as well in his Name as in his Person. Some are loth to take away their Neighbours Goods, Conscience would fly in their Face: But better take away their Corn out of their Field, their Wares out of their Shop, than take away their good Name. This is a Sin you can never make them reparation for; a Blot in a Man's Name being like a Blot in a White Paper, which will never be got out. Surely God will visit for this Sin. If Idle Words shall be accounted for, shall not Unjust Slanders? The Lord will make Inquisition one day as well for Names as for Blood. Oh therefore take heed of this Sin! It is a Breach of the Ninth Commandment. Was it a Sin under the Law to defame a Virgin,