A69235:93
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 8A TREATISE AGAINST THE SINNE OF LYING. › Chapter 8
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.
CHAP. VIII.
Whether any sorts of Lies are lawful.
Whether any sorts of Lyes are lawfull.
And thus having showed the diverse 1sorts of lies, it now followeth that we examine whether any of them at any time or upon any occasion, be lawful and warrantable? And surely it cannot be denied but that there is great difference in the degree of sinfulness between some sorts of lies and others; and that the guilt of merry and officious lies is much extenuated by many circumstances and considerations, by their nature, the will and desire of the speakers, who love and delight not in the lye for it self, but as they think it fit to further some good end; and because their end is not at all to hurt, nor principally to deceive, but to profit or delight their neighbours: Even as contrariwise the guilt of pernicious lies is much aggravated, because they are most opposite to Truth, and those that tell them do it willingly with love and delight: And finally, because their chief aim and end is to deceive, and by deceit to hurt and wrong their neighbours in their goods or good name, life or liberty. But though some lies are lighter and of less guilt than others, yet all in some degree are sinful and unlawful, as being forbidden in the ninth Commandment. For whereas some object that they are not condemned by this precept, because it only forbiddeth such untruths as are against our neighbour, ⟨p. 75⟩