A69235:114
A treatise against lying Wherein is showed what it is, the nature and causes…A treatise against lying Wherein is shevved vvhat it is, the nature and causes…
A treatise against lying Wherein is showed what it is, the nature and causes of this sin, the divers kinds of it; and that all of them are sinful, and unlawful, with the motives and means to preserve us from it, or to cure us of it. By John Downame, B. of D. and preacher of Gods Word.A treatise against lying Wherein is shevved vvhat it is, the nature and causes of this sinne, the divers kindes of it; and that all of them are sinfull, and unlawfull, with the motives and meanes to preserve us from it, or to cure us of it. By John Dovvname, B. of D. and preacher of Gods Word.
London: printed by Felix Kyngston for Nicolas Bourne, 1636
Title page typeset from the transcription.
A TREATISE AGAINST THE SIN OF LYING. › Chapter 9A TREATISE AGAINST THE SINNE OF LYING. › Chapter 9
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Whereas on the other side we are certain that lying is a sin, and that all sin will slay our souls, if the wound be not recurred by repentance, which we cannot promise unto our selves, seeing it is not in our own power, but the gift of God which he giveth when and to whom he pleaseth. Finally, if it be lawful by sinning to prevent the ⟨p. 90⟩death of another, the death of their body which is temporal, with the death of our soul which is eternal; why might it not be lawful also much more, if an adulteress should so desperately love us, that if she might not have her lust satisfied, she would hang or drown her self, to prevent her death by yielding to her desire, seeing by one act of uncleanness we should prevent her murder, and by prolonging her life procure time for her repentance, that she may be saved; whereas by the other course she not repenting plungeth her self into Hell. The other instance is this; If an 1innocent religious man should be pursued by murderous ruffians, or bloody persecutors, with a full intention to deprive him of his life, for the preventing whereof he is forced to fly from them, or to hide himself in some secret place, with which his flight or place of hiding we only are acquainted: The question is if the pursuers ask us which way he is gone, or if he be hidden with us or no, whether we may not by an officiously preserve his life, directing them to take a wrong way in their pursuit, that so he may escape, or telling them that he is gone from us and not in our house; seeing if we speak the truth, we shall thereby expose him to certain danger of death, and if we refuse to answer, we shall not only be endangered to taste of their rage, but also do no good to the party, whom we have received and hidden, seeing upon our silence they will certainly presume, that he is hidden with us, or else we would make no scruple to deny it. To which I answer with Saint Augustine, that we must not lye, and so by sinning ⟨p. 91⟩offend Gods infinite Majesty, and endanger the eternal salvation of our souls, in hope to preserve the momentary life of another's body. What then? must we tell the truth and so betray his life into their hands that seek it? No by no means, for this is much worse than the other. Must we then say nothing, when as silence is no less dangerous then speaking the truth?