The Tree of Good and Evil, Commandment 9 – Commandment 10
The ninth Commandement.
Thou ſhalt not beare falſe witneſſe againſt thy neighbour.
THe occaſion of the ninth Commandement is our ſeditious nature.
Sinnes forbidden.
I. In generall to diminiſh the good name of our neighbour, whether he bee friend or foe, knowne or vnknowne.
II. Enuy, Gen. 31. 1. Dan. 6. 4. Math. 27. 18. 1. Pet. 2. 1.
III. Diſdaine, Math. 21. 15. It is to contemne, and to hauehave a baſe conceit of the worthineſſe of another man.
IIII. Deſire of vaine-glory, which is to ſeeke for the approbation and iudgement of men, but not of God, nor a good conſcience, Ioh. 5. 44. Ioh. 12. 43. 2. Cor. 12. 6. 7. Gal. 5. 26.
V. To ſeeke baſe, and ſhamefull vaine-glory by diſgracing and vilifying other mens gifts.
VI. Euill ſuſpitions: 1. Sam. 17. 28. Actes 28. 4.
VII. Hard cenſures and ſiniſter iudgements of our neighbours; that is, priuate, reproachfull, and ſlanderous.
They are made two waies.
1 When a good, or indifferent action is conſtrued to the worſt part.
2 When a light offence is made heynous through ill will, without deſire to amend, or to couer the ſame. Actes 2. 13. 14. 15. 1. Sam. 1. 13.
Three kinds of cenſures, and iudgements not forbidden.
1 The Miniſtery of the Goſpell, which iudgeth and reproueth ſinne.
2 The iudgement of the Magiſtrate.
3 The iudgement of a friend admoniſhing vsus.
VIII. Reueiling of ſecrets to the diſgrace of our neighbour: 1. Pet. 4. 8. Pro. 11. 12. Gen. 9. 25. Pro. 13. 5.
IX. Fooliſh ieaſting to the diſgrace of other men, Gen. 21. 2. Sam. 6. 23.
X. Cauelling, which is to declare the bare words of our neighbour, and not the ſenſe and meaning, Mat. 26. 59. 60. 61. Ioh. 2. 19.
XI. All lyes in words, deeds, and conc…aling of the truth, Leu. 19. 11. Pſal. …5 6. Prou. 19. 5. Epheſ. 4. 25. Reu. 21. 8. chap. 22. 15. Pſal. 15. 2. Pſal. 52. 3. 4. 5. Pſal. 35. 11. Pro. 13. 5.
XII. Slandering and cauelling, which is to walke about, ſéeking all occaſions to br…a…h a falſe report, intending thereby malitiouſly the hurt of any man: Pro. 13. 5. hereof hath the deuill his name.
He is like the deuill in fiue things.
1 In lying; Ioh. 8. 44.
2 In working ſecretly: Pſal. 101. 6.
3 In vſing ſoft words full of deceit: Pſal. 52. 5. Pſal. 41. 6. Pſal. 38. 12. Pſal. 36. 3. Pſal. 28. 3. Pro. 20. 19.
4 In malicious accuſation: Reu. 12. 10.
5 In ſparing none that hee can ſecretly wound for his owne aduantage▪ Pſal. 50. 19. 20. Doeg, Siba, &c. Pro. 20. 19.
XIII. Diſſimulation, which is the counterfeit ſhew of a thing which in heart we neither meane, nor entend: 2. Sam. 13. 22 to 28. 1. Pet. 2. 1.
XIIII. Whiſpering: Rom. 1. 29. Pſ. 41. 7. Whiſperers and cloſe perſons for the moſt part, are neither true, nor honeſt, therefore they ſeeke corners, and louelove darkenes.
XV. Tale-bearing: Leu. 19. 16. Eze. 22. 9.
Tale-carryers come of ſundry faſhions.
1 Some come whiſpering or ieaſting in ſecret to the diſgrace of others: Gen. 9. 20. 2. Cor. 12. 20. Pro. 26. 20. 21.
2 Some come gloſing, and peruerting the words of men: Math. 26. 61. 1. Tim. 5. 13.
XVI. Entertaining of Tale-bearers, Lyars and ſlanderers: Pſal. 101. 10. Exod. 23. 1. Pro. 17 4. chap. 25. 23. 1. Sam. 24. 10.
XVII. To giuegive in falſe euidence in the place of iuſtice againſt any man: Deut. 19. 16. 17. 18. 19. 21. Pro. 19. 5. 1. King. 21. 13. Math. 26. 60. Act. 6. 11. Pro. 25. 18.
XVIII. To pronounce vniuſt ſentence in iudgement: 1. King. 21. 12. 13.
XIX. To giuegive ſentence vponupon the teſtimony of one witneſſe: Deut. 17. 6. Leu. 19. 15. Deut. 19. 16. Iob 29. 12.
XX. Giuing and receiuing of gifts and bribes, to peruert iudgement, iuſtice, and equity; Ex. 23. 6. 7. 8.
XXI. Openly to raiſe forged and hurtfull tales, and reports of our neighbour, or priuily to deuiſe the ſame: Rom. 1. 29. 30.
XXII. To accuſe our neighbour for that which is true, through hatred, and with intent to hurt him: 1. Sam. 22. 9. 10. Pſ. 52. 1. 2. …. 4. of Doeg the Edomite.
XXIII. To open and declare our neighbours ſecrets to any man, eſpecially if he did it of infirmity, Math. 18. 15 Pro. 11. 13.
XXIIII. All babling talke, and bitter words: Epheſ. 5. 3. 4. Ioh. 9. 34. Gen. 19. 9.
XXV. Flattery, whereby we praiſe our neighbour aboue that we ſee in him: Pro. 27. 6. 14. Act. 12. 22. 1. Theſſ. 2. 5. Ier. 6. 23. 14. Rom. 16. 18. Mica 2. 11.
XXVI. Fooliſh, and ouer-confident boaſting: Pro. 27. 1. 2.
Vertues commanded.
I. In generall, carefully to preſerue the good name, credit, and eſtimation of our neighbour.
II. To hauehave a religious care for getting, and keeping a good report of our ſelues: Phil. 4. 8. Pro. 22. 1. chap. 15. 30. Eccleſ. 7. 3. Pſ. 112. 6. Pro. 10. 7.
A good name is gotten foure waies.
1 If we ſéek the kingdome of God aboue all things, by repentance from dead workes, and following after righteouſneſſe: Pro. 10. 7. Mark. 14. 9.
2 If we hauehave a care to ſpeake well, and iudge well of others: Mat. 7. 2. Eccleſ. 7. 23. 24.
3 If we abſtaine from all kind of wickedneſſe; for one vice doth obſcure and darken a mans good name: Eccleſ. 10. 1.
4 If in all things wee ſeeke the glory of God onelyonly, and not our owne: Math. 6. 5. 6.
III. A reioycing for the good eſtimation and credite of our neighbour: Gal. 5. 2…. Rom. 1. 8.
IIII. Willingly to acknowledge the goodneſſe we ſee in any man whatſoeuer, and duely to ſpeake of the ſame: Tit. 3. 2.
V. Deſire to receiue and beleeue reports of our neighbours good: Actes 16. 1. 2. 3. 2. Chron. 25. 2. chap. 27. 2.
VI. To enterpret a doubtfull euill to the better part: 1. Cor. 13. 5. Gen. 37. 31. 32. 33.
VII. To reiect euill reports, running among the common people, through whiſpering tale-bearers: Pſal. 15. 3. Pro. 25. 23.
VIII. To couer the infirmities of our neighbours: Pro. 10. 12. Math. 1. 19.
IX. To be euer plaine and ſimple, without colour or fraud in any matter: 2. Cor. 1. 12. Gen. 25. 27.
X. To ſpeake the truth in all affaires and occaſions of life, eſpecially when we are called into the place of iudgement and iuſtice, which is a figure of Gods Throne in heauen: Zach. 8. 16. 17.
The tenth Commandement.
Thou ſhalt not couet thy neighbours houſe, thou ſhalt not couet thy neighbours wife, nor his ſeruant, nor his maide, nor his Oxe, nor his Aſſe, nor any thing that is his.
THe occaſion of the tenth Commandement is the frailty of our nature, which intermitteth the worke of the Holy Ghoſt by ſinfull fantafies.
Sinnes forbidden.
I. In generall concupiſence, which is our vncleane and accurſed nature, which is enmity againſt God and againſt our neighbour: Epheſ. 2. 3. Iob 14. 4. Iob 15. 14. 15. 16. Pſal. 51. 5. Rom. 7. 18. Iam. 1. 14.
II. EueryEvery ſuddaine thought and paſſion of the heart ſpringing out of the bitter roote of concupiſence: Gen. 6. 5. Ier. 17. 9. Act. 8. 21. 22. Gal. 5. 17.
III. To giuegive the leaſt entertainment to Sathans ſuggeſtions: Iam. 4. 7.
IIII. The leaſt thought and motion that inueigleth and tickleth the heart, with or without conſent of the will.
Two ſignes hereof.
1 Rouing and generall wiſhes, and deſires of the heart, ariſing from diſcontentedneſſe, and tending to our neighbours hurt: as, if I had but this or that, &c.
2 Particular wiſhes and deſires: as, I would ſuch an houſe were mine, ſuch a liuing, ſuch a thing, &c.
V. All vnchaſte dreames ariſing from concupiſence.
Vertues commanded.
I. A pure heart towards our neighbour: 1. Tim. 1. 5.
II. Holy thoughts and motions of the Spirit: 1. Theſſ. 5. 23. Eph. 4. 23.
III. A conflict, or warfare, againſt the euill affections, and luſts of the fleſh: Rom. 7. 21. 23. 24. 2. Cor. 12. 7. 8. 9.
ROM. 7. 7.
I knew not ſinne but by the Law; for I had not knowne luſt, except the Law had ſaid, thou ſhalt not luſt. Exod. 20. 17.
9 I was once aliue without the Law, but when the Commandement came ſinne reuiued.
14 For the Law is ſpirituall, but I am carnall ſold vnderunder ſinne.
24 O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliuer mee from the body of this death?
PSAL. 119. 9.
Wherewithall ſhall a yong man cleanſe his way? euen by ruling himſelfe after thy Word.