Exposition Upon the Ten Commandments, Exposition 2 · Commandment 9
The 9 Commaundement.
Thou shalt not beare false witnes against, &c.
Ob. But some may doubt whether truth and good name should be lesse then goods, because they are set after them.
Ans. They are not, but farre to be preferred before them, and yet here set after, for that goods are necessary for life, truth, & good name: for good and comfortable life: and therefore onelyonly in that respect set behind. In this cōmaundement, beside the person, we must cōsider the thing, which is, bearing false witnesse against ones neighbour. This doth forbid: the thing forbidden is false witnesse bearing: the partie against whom, is our neighbour. A partie whō you hauehave need of, or may vse, or who may vse, and hauehave need of you. Our English is, that we must not beare false witnes against such a one, as though only hurt to our neighbor hereby were forbidden. In Heb. it is Beth: which the learned know may be read as wel inward, or concerning about, or touching, &c. so as not onelyonly hurt is forbidden, but any falshood any way, of or to our neighbour. That which is translated, bearing, is in Hebrew, shalt not answere: that is shalt not say, or cause to bee said: so is answering in scriptures put for speaking Mat. 11.25. Pro. 15.1. A soft answer is a soft speech. False in the Hebrew, is of falshoode: implying that the party meaneth falsly. Witnesse: any shewing of any thing, as Ioh. 17.1. Cor. 15.15. This is said to be false, when it sheweth otherwise then the thing is in whole or in part. This witnesse is toward things or persons, and so it is false generally: and specially.
Generally it is false, when it witnesseth otherwise then the hing is.
Specially, it is false, when it witnesseth otherwise thē the person is: here therefore is cōmanded louelove of truth, which by the light of nature the heathen could acknowledge. Truth is shewing a thing as it is: truth is an assertorie or promissorie. Assertorie of a thing present, or past: promissorie, of a thing to come.
1 Promise must be voluntarie.
2 Of a thing lawfull.
3 In the promisers power.
4 Till it be vponupon iust occasion altered. And this is required, Eph. 4.25. Performed. Psa. 15. and 101. It appeareth publikly & priuately: it must wholy bee told when occasion requireth, otherwise not. Not to tell the truth when one is called, though he say no falshood is to offend. Truth being commanded, the contrarie, viz. lying is forbidden, as Ephes. 4.25. Hos. 4.2. In a lie is:
1 Falshoode.
2 In the knowledge of the speaker or vtterer, that it is false which is shewed: some say it is one thing to lie, an other thing to tell a lie. Tell a lie hee doth which telleth a falshood when he thinketh it is true: Lying is when one knoweth it false, and yet telleth it of purpose to deceiue.
3 Wherefore Parables, tales, as Esope Fables, Hyperbolies, Ironies, &c. are no lies. Euerie kind of lie is forbidden.
1 Hurtfull it is against the good of any in so solemn iudgemēt, or otherwise by flatterie, foolish speaking or writing.
2 Merry, which is but a ieast, or sport.
3 Officious, which some call a good lie, when it is for somē bodies benefite, without any bodies hurt, euen this condemned. Psal. 5.6. Iob. 13.7. Rom. 3.7.
Quest. It may be said, that Abraham, Gen. 20.2. Isaak. 26.7. the midwiues. Exod. 1.19 Rahab. Iosh. 2.4. and others did lie.
Ans. They might: wee must not looke what they did, but how well, and vponupon what warrant: I take it, it was that these worthie personages fault that they so shifted for themselues.
Quest. But what may we thinke of stratagems, and deuises in warre, to beguile an enemie.
Ans. They are lawfull, so they bee not by forsworne espials without lying: from an enemie in warre men looke for the worst, and all meanes of weakening force and craft are vsed. Nay God himselfe in the Scriptures teacheth vsus to vse such deuises. We hauehave the more neede to strine against lying in our selues, for that we hauehave many prouocations thereunto.
1 Our own lightnes & corruption.
2 Too much respect of others.
3 Our owne pleasure and commoditie.
4 Want of zeale for Gods glorie.
We may bee discouraged from lying, if we consider that wee ought to be earnest for Gods glorie: with the desire where of lying will not stand Iohn. 7. if wee thinke of daunger by lying: he that will lie, will easily forsweare: Lying ouerturneth all humane societie, in that one cannot tell whome to trust: marke likewise how God punished lying in Ananias & Sadhira, Acts. 5. Simō Magus: Gehezi. & lying is of the Diuell. Thus much for false witnes against the thing: against the persō followeth, which is, against the good report of a partie. In regard of witnes touching a partie, we may consider our selues and others for getting good name and keeping of it: and first, for our selues and others, ioyntly we may see what a treasure good name is indeede aboue all outward thing may appeare, Eccl. 7. 2. Pro. 22.1. Whereby is declared that a good name is precious of worth in it selfe: and profitable, and of vse: it is profitable now, and after like sweete perfume presently refreshing, and preseruing against afterward. Now we are commaunded to procure things of good report, and for that who hath an euill name is halfe hanged, and will hardly euer recouer a good name againe, so as that hee is dissolute who careth not what others thinke of him: besides a good name is of great force to make our duties better accepted of others, and to drawe others more to Christ. And as the parties place is greater, so more care is to be had, for, and of, a magistrate and minister. But first wee must cōsider what good name is, that we may know the better how to procure it. Good name is the witnesse of such as can well iudge of the giftes of God in one, well saide Aristotle, that honour was rather in the partie who honoureth, then in the partie that is honoured. Parties who will witnesse are the world: the godly, God himselfe: a mans owne conscience will. I say not that all are competent witnesses, especially the worlde, in so much that Christ denounceth woe to such, whome all do praise, that is, the common worldlings, Luk. 6.26. Christ she weth it is impossible to beleeue for them, who receiue honour one of another. Iohn. 5.44. being of the common sorte: so as that we are not to depend vponupon the common voyce.
Quest. But must a man therefore neglect witnesse from euill men.
No, for Paul requireth witnesse of them who are without, 1. Tim. 3, 6.2. Cor 4.2. Our chiefe care must be that we giuegive them no iust cause to speake euill of vsus, rather then if they speake to be much greiued for it: wee may keepe good reportes from the wicked, so long as it is for our well dooing which wee continue in and if it be witnessed by the godly, and God himselfe as well as by these: the godly are such who are effectually called: these can best distinguish the grace of God: good witnesse from these is comfortable, euerie one iudgeth best the thinges hee knoweth: Neuerthelesse brothers sometimes will dissent, as Paul and Barnabas: Ierome & Austen: this will somtimes execise one. God and a mans conscience remain, in whose witnesse for good, wee may more reioice then in all other besids. The things for which one hath good fame, are the giftes and graces of God: so as that all faultes and sinnes are to be remoued: it is disgrace to be praysed for a sinne: good name now thus set out, or as Iohn setteth it out, 3. Iohn 3.6. The witnesse of the bretheren to the truth, and the louelove of the trueth to the partie: must we our selues, for our selues, first seek.
1 Rather doing the things which may deserue good fame, then seeking good fame barely for it selfe.
2 Neuer seeking fame, but for the glorie of God, and greater good of others: to whome there by our giftes may bee the greater welcome and profitable.
3 Though we want fame from men, to hauehave alwaies witnesse from God, and our owne heart: this when we be dead shall be our credite: well then we may get good fame.
1 If we be wise, the memorial of the iust shall bee blessed, Psal. 10.7. And here we must take heed of secret sins: for which it pleaseth God sometimes to correct vsus by suspitions, that go of vsus, to hinder our good name: a man must take heed of small sins, they will bee increased if once they be spoken of: & once spoken of, they will sticke long: occasions must be auoyded, he that will do no ill, must do nothing thereto: the worlde is giuen to make the worst of any thing in another.
2 If we be carefull to preserue other mens good name, others will preserue ours.
3 Doe well and seeke not good fame, you shall finde it sooner: it is like your shaddow, the more you run after it, the lesse you catch it.
Quest. But what if doing my best I cannot get a good worde?
Ans. Examine your selfe, whether you hauehave not some sinne vponupon you: open or secret: if you find you hauehave, seeke forgiuenes of the same, amend your fault, looke to your self for euer afterward. If vponupon examination you find none, knowe that God is trying you, to know whether you wil cleaue to him: yea, or no, without good reporte: and thinke that God may thus correct some former sinne in you, & make you warie that you commit none afterwarde. This is for our selues, for others we get good report,
1 If we make them good.
2 If we take heede of such thinges as lessen good report: deedes are infinite, so are sayings: as bewraying of secrets, infirmities, scoffes, whisperings, backbitinges, bitternesse, deprauing thoughts: as enuy, suspitions: taking things in euill part, inuenting euill thinges, dissembling or neglect of the gifts of God in others.
3 In excusing them who are absent, so farre as wee may with good conscience.
4 In interpreting reportes of others to the best, burying some: aduertising the partie, of whome they are thereof; that hee may looke to himselfe.
5 Hoping well of such as hauehave sinned and are now turned and conuerted, we keepe their good reporte by the same meanes.
Hitherto hauehave beene touched the commaundements for duties of acte and practise. Now followeth motion, and first thought, and that in the and last of all, Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house, &c.