Secondly, the Liar maketh himself guilty of 1a great sin, by abusing of his tongue which should be his glory, and which was given unto him by God as an excellent instrument to set forth his praise, to speak the trueth which his mind conceiveth and to discover it to others for their mutual good, a privilege wherein God hath advanced man above all the rest of the creatures, but Liars shamefully abuse this singular gift of God, and whereas it was given unto them as an instrument of righteousness and trueth, and for the setting forth of Gods praise, they make it to become a weapon or instrument of iniquity by their lying, wherewith they dishonour God and hurt their neighbours; whereby they make it appear that they are subjects of Satan. For whereas there are two kingdoms, the one of light, the other of darkness, and God the King of the one, the Devil of the other; they have also two several languages, the one of trueth, which is the language of the spiritual Canaan; the other of lies, which is the idiom or language of hell: So that by our speech we may be known unto what Kingdom we belong, either of God, when we speak the truth from 2our hearts, or of Satan, when we commonly lye and deceive; which language when we usually speak, it may be said unto us as it was unto Saint Peter, thou art a subject of the Kingdom of darkness, for thy speech betrayeth thee. Now if any ⟨p. 132⟩liar shall object, that this is not his ordinary language, 3but that he only useth it when it may seem for his advantage; to this I answer, that a frequent act will bring an habit, and he who often lieth for his profit, will within a while be so inured unto it, that he will be ready to lye, out of mere vanity and love of lying, for his pleasure and delight. Yea, he will be ready to lye when he never thinketh of it; and as the skilful Musician, who hath brought his hand by much practice to an habit, will play his lesson when his mind is on some other matter; so when by custom men are come to an habit of lying, they will lye at unawares, and if they be challenged for it, they are ready to lye again by denying that they lied. In respect of which habit and custom, Saint Chrysostom saith, that a liar will continue to lye even after death.
Secondly, the Lyar maketh himselfe guilty of 1a great sin, by abusing of his tongue which should bee his glory, and which was given unto him by God as an excellent instrument to set forth his praise, to speake the trueth which his minde conceiveth and to discover it to others for their mutuall good, a privilege wherein God hath advanced man above all the rest of the creatures, but Lyars shamefully abuse this singular gift of God, and whereas it was given unto them as an instrument of righteousnesse and trueth, and for the setting forth of Gods praise, they make it to become a weapon or instrument of iniquity by their lying, wherewith they dishonour God and hurt their neighbors; whereby they make it appeare that they are subjects of Sathan. For whereas there are two kingdomes, the one of light, the other of darkenesse, and God the King of the one, the Devill of the other; they have also two severall languages, the one of trueth, which is the language of the spirituall Canaan; the other of lyes, which is the idiome or language of hell: So that by our speech we may be knowne unto what Kingdome wee belong, either of God, when we speake the truth from 2our hearts, or of Sathan, when wee commonly lye and deceive; which language when wee usually speake, it may bee said unto us as it was unto Saint Peter, thou art a subject of the Kingdome of darknesse, for thy speech bewraieth thee. Now if any ⟨p. 132⟩lyar shall object, that this is not his ordinary language, 3but that he only useth it when it may seeme for his advantage; to this I answere, that a frequent act will bring an habite, and he who often lyeth for his profit, will within a while be so inured unto it, that he will bee ready to lye, out of meere vanity and love of lying, for his pleasure and delight. Yea, he will be ready to lye when hee never thinketh of it; and as the skilfull Musition, who hath brought his hand by much practice to an habite, will play his lesson when his minde is on some other matter; so when by custome men are come to an habite of lying, they will lye at unawares, and if they bee challenged for it, they are ready to lye againe by denying that they lyed. In respect of which habite and custome, Saint Chrysostome saith, that a lyar will continue to lye even after death.
- 1§. 3. That the Liar abuseth his tongue and speech.§. 3. That the Lyar abuseth his tongue and speech.
- 2Psal. 15. •.
- 3Incredibile est non mentiri hominem ne capiatur, qui mentitur ut capiat. i. It is not to be believed but that a man will lye, that he […] be […], who […] not to ••, that he may […] •nd over••••• ▪ August. Sen••••. 2, 3. Ubi causa mē ti•n•i sublata est mentimur ex consuetudine. Sen. Epi. 46. Qui non seductione diaboli deceptus mentitur, sed proposito mendax est, nunquam desinit esse mendax neque post mortem. Chrysost. in Matth. 6. Hom. 10. Matth 7. •2.Incredibile est non mentiri hominem ne capiatur, qui mentitur ut capiat. i. It is not to bee beleeved but that a man will lye, that he 〈…〉 bee 〈…〉, who 〈…〉 not to ••, that he may 〈…〉 •nd over••••• ▪ August. Sen••••. 2, 3. Ubi causa mē ti•n•i sublata est mentimur ex consuetudine. Sen. Epi. 46. Qui non seductione diaboli deceptus mentitur, sed proposito mendax est, nunquam desinit esse mendax neque post mortem. Chrysost. in Matth. 6. Hom. 10. Matth 7. •2.
