_Answ._ It was no mortal sin in her, (that is, a sin which proveth one in a state of death,) because it had not those evils that make sin mortal: but a lie in one that doth it knowingly, for want of such a predominancy of the authority and love of God in the soul, as should prevail against the contrary motives habitually, is a mortal sin, of an ungodly person. It is pernicious falsehood and soul delusion in those teachers, that make poor sinners think that it is the smallness of the outward act or hurt of sin alone, that will prove it to be, as they call it, venial, or mortified, and not mortal.
_Quest._ III. Is deceit by action lawful, which seemeth a practical lie? and how shall we interpret Christ's making as if he would have gone farther, Luke xxiv. 28; and David's feigning himself mad, and common stratagems in war, and doing things purposely to deceive another?
_Answ._ 1. I have before proved that all deceiving another is not a sin, but some may be a duty: as a physician may deceive a patient to get down a medicine to save his life, so he do it not by a lie.
2. Christ's seeming to go farther was no other than a lawful concealment or dissimulation of his purpose, to occasion their importunity: for all dissimulation is not evil, though lying be. And the same may be said of lawful stratagems as such.
3. David's case was not sinful, as it was mere dissimulation to deceive others for his escape. But whether it was not a sinful distrust of God, and a dissimulation by too unmanly a way, I am not able to say, unless I had known more of the circumstances.
_Quest._ IV. Is it lawful to tempt a child or servant to lie, merely to try them?
_Answ._ It is not lawful to do it without sufficient cause, nor at any time to do that which inviteth them to lie, or giveth any countenance to the sin, as Satan and bad men use to tempt men to sin, by commending it, or extenuating it. But to lay an occasion before them barely to try them (as to lay money, or wine, or other things in their way, to know whether they are thieves or addicted to drink, that we may the better know how to cure them; and so to try their veracity) is not unlawful. For, 1. The sin is virtually committed when there is a will to commit it, though there should be no temptation or opportunity. 2. We do nothing which is either a commendation of the sin, or a persuading to it, or any true cause either physical or moral; but only an occasion. 3. God himself, who is more contrary to sin than any creature, doth thus, by trial, administer such occasions of sin to men that are viciously disposed, as he knoweth they will take; and his common mercies are such occasions. 4. God hath no where forbidden this to us: we may not do evil that good may come by it; but we may do good when we know evil will come of it by men's vice. 5. It may be a needful means to the cure of that sin, which we cannot know till it be thus detected.
_Quest._ V. Is all equivocation unlawful?
_Answ._ There is an equivocating which is really lying: as when we forsake the usual or just sense of a word, and use it in an alien, unusual sense, which we know will not be understood, and this to deceive such as we are bound not to deceive.
But there is a use of equivocal words which is lawful and necessary: (for human language hath few words which are not of divers significations.) As, 1. When our equivocal sense is well understood by the hearers, and is not used to deceive them, but because use hath made those words to be fit; as all metaphors are equivocal, and yet may be used. 2. When the equivocal sense is the most usual or obvious, and if it be not understood, it is through the hearer's fault or extraordinary dulness. 3. When a robber, or usurping tyrant, or any cruel enemy, that hath no authority to do it, shall seek to insnare my life by questions, I may lawfully answer him in such doubtful words, as purposely are intended to deceive him, or leave him ignorant of my sense, so be it they be not lies or false in the ordinary usage of those words. 4. And to such a person I may answer doubtfully, when it is apparent that it is a doubtful answer, and that I do it as professing that I will answer him no more particularly nor plainly, but will conceal the rest.
_Quest._ VI. Whether all mental reservation be unlawful?
_Answ._ This needeth no other answer than the former. If the expressed words be a lie, the mental reservation will not make them justifiable as a truth. But if the expressed words of themselves be true, then the mental reservation may be lawful, when it is no more than a concealment of part of the truth, in a case where we are not bound to reveal it.
But of both these cases I must refer the reader to what I have said about vows, part iii. chap. v. tit. 2, without which he will not know my meaning.
_Quest._ VII. May children, servants, or subjects, in danger, use words which tend to hide their faults?