A69235:122
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 10A TREATISE AGAINST THE SINNE OF LYING. › Chapter 10
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.
Secondly, it is objected that it is a good and 1commendable thing to do good, to preserve life, and deliver from danger; but this is done by an officious lye. I answer, it is good and commendable to do good by good and lawful means, and to compass our laudable ends by such means as are lawful and commendable; but it is not so, if we use sinful means, though our ends be never so excellent; for we may not do any evil, that good 2may come thereof. Now lies in all kinds are evil, because they are contrary to the truth, and forbidden by Gods Law, as before I have showed. Neither is any lye (as Saint Augustine saith) to be reputed 3no sin, because by lying we may sometimes profit another; for so we may do also by stealing, if a poor man to whom what we steal is openly given, do feel the profit of it, and the rich man from whom we secretly take it do not feel the disprofit of it. And yet for all this no man will say that theft is no sin. Yea so we may profit by committing adultery; if a woman out of desperate lust will dye unless we consent unto her, seeing though she have played the harlot, yet if she live, she may repent of it; and yet no man will say that we do not sin if we commit upon these terms such an act of filthiness. Now if Chastity doth deservedly so much please us, ⟨p. 98⟩wherein I pray you hath truth offended us, that we may not for another mans profit violate that by committing adultery, and yet may violate this by telling of lies?
Secondly, it is objected that it is a good and 1commendable thing to doe good, to preserve life, and deliver from danger; but this is done by an officious lye. I answere, it is good and commendable to doe good by good and lawfull meanes, and to compasse our laudable ends by such meanes as are lawfull and commendable; but it is not so, if we use sinnefull meanes, though our ends be never so excellent; for wee may not doe any evill, that good 2