A69235:99
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.
Neither doth it only forbid all false, but also all vain and idle speech, as merry lies for the most part are; nor yet only lies which are against our neighbour, but also such as are for him, either for his delight as merry lies, or for his profit and advantage, as those lies which we call officious. And therefore, seeing all lies are the transgression of the Law, it followeth by the Apostle 1Johns definition that they are sins; yea seeing every lye is a sin against a precept of the decalogue, it followeth that even by the opinion of the Schoolmen themselves, who otherwise so much extenuate officious and merry lies, they are ⟨p. 76⟩mortal sins, seeing venial sins (as they call them) are not committed Contra praecepta decalogi, sed praeter ea; not against the Commandments, but besides them. Again, it is a sin against nature to lye in any kind; because words naturally are the signs and significations of those things which are in the mind; and therefore it is against nature to speak or signify any way that which the mind thinketh not. Finally in every lye though never so pleasant or profitable, there is a loss of Truth, which is a virtue most acceptable unto God, and therefore the impeachment of it cannot be recompensed by our profit or delight.
Neither doth it onely forbid all false, but also all vaine and idle speech, as merry lyes for the most part are; nor yet only lyes which are against our neighbour, but also such as are for him, either for his delight as merry lyes, or for his profit and advantage, as those lyes which wee call officious. And therefore, seeing all lyes are the transgression of the Law, it followeth by the Apostle 1Iohns definition that they are sinnes; yea seeing every lye is a sinne against a precept of the decalogue, it followeth that even by the opinion of the Schoolemen themselves, who otherwise so much extenuate officious and merry lyes, they are ⟨p. 76⟩mortall sinnes, seeing veniall sinnes (as they call them) are not committed Contra praecepta decalogi, sed praeter ea; not against the Commandements, but besides them. Againe, it is a sinne against nature to lye in any kinde; because words naturally are the signes and significations of those things which are in the minde; and therefore it is against nature to speake or signifie any way that which the minde thinketh not. Finally in every lye though never so pleasant or profitable, there is a losse of Truth, which is a vertue most acceptable unto God, and therefore the impeachment of it cannot be recompenced by our profit or delight.