A69235:157
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 13A TREATISE AGAINST THE SINNE OF LYING. › Chapter 13
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.
which followeth it as the shadow doth the body, as we see in the example of our first Parents, who having committed sin, did seek to hide it with lies and frivolous excuses, even as they did with fig leaves seek to hide their shame. The which is also the common practice of all their degenerate posterity, who are ⟨p. 130⟩no more ready to sin, than to deny or excuse it with a lye. For that which Saint Chrysostom speaketh 1of stealing, that the Cause of Lying springeth from theft, the same may be verified of all other sins which make men liable to shame or punishment; although indeed the sin of stealing is a most usual cause of Lying, when as men having stolen, do use it as a colour and cover to hide their theft, and therefore the Prophet Nahum joineth them together as the Cause and the Effect. Woe unto the bloody city, it is all full of lies and robbery. 2And as Lying is the Cause and Effect of many other sins, so it is the means to make us lye and dye in them without repentance: for whereas there is no other means to bring us to the sight of our sins and unfeigned sorrow for it, nor to work in us reformation for the time to come, but the careful and conscionable hearing of Gods Word, and Law, which convinceth us of our wickedness and showeth our miserable condition whilst we continue in it, Lying doth stop our ears, that we will not listen unto it, nor believe it; as the Prophet implieth in those words, This is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the 3Law of the Lord. And this cometh to pass, partly because they make lies their refuge, and sheltering and hiding themselves under this covert, they imagine that as they deceive men with their lies, so they shall also deceive God, and preserve themselves from his just judgements, because he taketh no notice of their wickedness: and partly because being accustomed to Lying, they give no credit to the words of his Ministers and Ambassadors, ⟨p. 131⟩nor believe God or man in any thing which is spoken against them, as thinking that there is no more Truth in them than they find in themselves.