See here, 1. How mischievous those are that make no scruple of
deceiving their neighbours; they are as madmen that cast firebrands,
arrows, and death, so much hurt may they do by their deceits. They
value themselves upon it as polite cunning men, but really they are as
madmen. There is not a greater madness in the world than a wilful sin.
It is not only the passionate furious man, but the malicious deceitful
man, that is a madman; he does in effect cast fire-brands, arrows, and
death; he does more mischief than he can imagine. Fraud and falsehood
burn like fire-brands, kill, even at a distance, like arrows. 2. See
how frivolous the excuse is which men commonly make for the mischief
they do, that they did it in a jest; with this they think to turn it
off when they are reproved for it, Am not I in sport? But it will prove
dangerous playing with fire and jesting with edge-tools. Not that those
are to be commended who are captious, and can take no jest (those that
themselves are wise must suffer fools, 2 Cor. xi. 19, 20), but those
are certainly to be condemned who are any way abusive to their
neighbours, impose upon their credulity, cheat them in their bargains
with them, tell lies to them or tell lies of them, give them ill
language, or sully their reputation, and then think to excuse it by
saying that they did but jest. Am not I in sport? He that sins in just
must repent in earnest, or his sin will be his ruin. Truth is too
valuable a thing to be sold for a jest, and so is the reputation of our
neighbour. By lying and slandering in jest men learn themselves, and
teach others, to lie and slander in earnest; and a false report, raised
in mirth, may be spread in malice; besides, if a man may tell a lie to
make himself merry, why not to make himself rich, and so truth quite
perishes, and men teach their tongues to tell lies, Jer. ix. 5. If men
would consider that a lie comes from the devil, and brings to
hell-fire, surely that would spoil the sport of it; it is casting
arrows and death to themselves.