The Sum of Christian Religion 2, Part 3 · Commandment 9
THE NINTH COMMANDEMENT.
THOV ſhalt not beare falſe witneſſe againſt thy neighbour.
The drift or end of this commaundement is the ordinaunce and maintenunce of the truth among men. Neither is in this commandment only bearing of falſe witnes forbidden, but all thoſe thinges which are of neere affinity therewith, the generall whereof is lying. Thou ſhalt not beare falſe witneſſe of thy neighbor, or againſt thy neighbour. In this negatiue commandement is comprehended an affirmatiue, which is: Beare therefore true witnes of or for thy neighbour, that is, bee true, & deſirous of learning & knowing the truth. The name of Truth here is taken for truenes or truth-ſpeaking, that is, for the agreement or correſpondence of our knowledge or ſpeech with the thing, whereof our ſpeech is. True we terme the ſpeech it ſelfe agreeing with the thing.
The vertues of this ninth commaundement, together with their vices.
THE chiefe & principal vertue, which is here commanded, is truth. 1. Truth or truenes, is a vertue, whereby we louelove true opinions & ſpeeches, and ſeeke after them, & receiue them, and gladly profeſſe and defend them, according as both our duty, and perſons, places, times, and other circumſtances require, vntounto the glory of God, & the ſafety of our neighbor. This end maketh that the Diuel cānot be ſaid to be true, although he ſomtimes ſpeak that which is true. For his is true, who ſpeaketh and loueth the truth, & doth affection it for the glory of God, and the ſafety of his neighbour. Truth may alſo be defined on this wiſe: Truth is a firme election in the wil, whereby we conſtantly embrace true ſentences & opinions, ſpeak that which is true, keepe couenants & promiſes, & auoide al deceitful diſſemblings both in ſpeech and outward geſture. True confeſſion is commaunded both in this, and in the third commaundement: as often times the ſame vertu is required to the obedience of diuers commandements. But in the third commandemēt true confeſſion is required, as it is the honour and worſhip of God, immediately reſpecting God: and here it is commanded, as there is a will in vsus not to deceiue our neighbour, but to wiſhe his ſafety & welfare. VnderUnder the name of truth we compriſe liberty of ſpeech, which is a vertu wherby, as much as the time, place, & neceſſity requireth, we profeſſe the truth freely, & boldly, & are not withdrawne through the fear of dangers.
VntoUnto truth, in the defect, are repugnant, 1. Al lies, vntounto which appertain al guiles, diſſemblings, negligence in vnderſtanding the truth of thinges, lies of courteſy; likewiſe ſlanders, backbitings, euil ſpeakinges, which kindes of lying are repugnaunt alſo vntounto Fairneſſe of maners & conditions. Lying, is, to ſpeak otherwiſe, or to ſignify otherwiſe by outward geſtures, than thou thinkeſt, & than the thing it ſelfe is. So then in this commaundement principally is lying forbidden. VntoUnto lying is referred alſo wilful ignoraunce, which is a lying in the mind. Officious lyes, or lyes of courteſie are to be auoided, becauſe euil is not to be doone, that good may come of it. And al lying that doth expreſſely diſſemble the truth, is condemned. But a truth which is vttered by a figure, is no ly whether he vnderſtand it or no, with whom we deale. This is to be obſerued that we bee not too rigorous in examining the actiōs of the Saints; & alſo, that we excuſe not thoſe things which hauehave no neede to be excuſed. 1. Obiect. That which profiteth another, and hurteth no man, is not ſinne. A dutiful lie is of ſuch qualitie. Therefore it is no ſinne. Anſwere. The Minor is falſe. Reply. But yet the truth is often not to bee ſpoken. Anſwere. We muſt not put a difference between the hiding of the truth and lying. Obiect. God bleſſeth the midwiues, becauſe thy told a lie. Therefore God alloweth and liketh of lies. Aunſwere. God therefore bleſſeth the mid-wiues, becauſe they feared God, & ſlue not the infantes of the Iſraelites. 2. VntoUnto truth, in the defect, is repugnaunt vanitie or leuitie, which is a readines to lieng. He is vain, who lieth much, often, & eaſilie, and that without anie ſhame. A lier is he, who hath a deſire to lie. VntoUnto truth, in the exceſſe, is repugnant, 1. Vntimely profeſſing of the truth, which is to caſt pearles to ſwine, and to giuegive that which is holy vntounto dogges, as Chriſt ſaith, who by theſe words doth wholy forbid vnneceſſarie and vntimely profeſſing of the truth. For, as the verſe hath it in the Poet, He that warneth out of time, doth harme. 2. Curioſitie, which is to ſearch after thinges vnneceſſary, or vnpoſſible. Theſe things may ſuffice for this chiefe and principall vertue of this ninth commandement. The vertues which folow, wait vponupon trueth, and they all are as it were of truthes retinue.
2 Faireneſſe of minde is a vertu, which taketh wel things well or doubtfully ſpoken or done, and interpreteth them in the better part, to wit, as farre as there are any reaſonable cauſes to induce thereto, & doth not eaſily conceiue ſuſpicions, neither ſticketh vponupon ſuſpicions, though they be ſuch as are iuſt, & hauehave reaſonable cauſes: hee doth not ground thereon, neither directeth his actions accordingly, neither decreeth or determineth ought by them. It is defined after this manner, Faierneſſe of minde is a neighbour-vertue▪ vntounto truth, allowing of others wils vpō probable reaſon, & hating all euil-mindedneſſe, & drawing alſo ſome things that are doubtfull to the better part; & hopeing in deede that which is good, but yet as touching mutable thinges thinking that the wils of men may change, and that a man may erre concerning anothers will, ſeeing the infoldings and ſecret places of mans mind are not beheld. The Extremes of this vertue, in the defect, are, Slaundering and Suſpiciouſneſſe. Slaundering, is, not onelie falſly to criminate & attach the innocent, but alſo to interprete things indifferently ſpoken in the worſer part, or alſo to interlace & coine ſome falſhoode. Suſpiciouſnes, is, to take things well or ambiguouſly ſpoken in the worſer part, to ſuſpect euill thinges of thoſe that are good, or to ſuſpect without cauſe; or alſo to make to much of tru ſuſpicions. It is lawful for vsus ſomtimes to ſuſpect, except we wil be fools. Mat. 10.16.17. Beware of men: be ye wiſe as ſerpentes, & innocent as doues. In the exceſſe, fooliſh Credulitie, & fooliſh flatterie. Credulitie, is, haſtily or vnaduiſedly to interprete any thing, or to aſſent to one without iuſt & probable cauſe: Or, to beleeue a thing of another, when there are manifeſt or probable reaſons to the contrary. Flatterie or aſſentation, is, to praiſe or like things not to be praiſed, thereby to get either the goods or fauour of another man. Faireneſſe of mind, is, an aſſiſtant or ſpecial kind of truth. Therfore it is alſo here together with trueth commanded.
3 Simplicitie, which is open trueth without wrinkles or fetches and compaſſings: or, it is a vertue which doth properly and plainly ſpeake and doe ſuch thinges as are true, right and declared in artes & common life. Trueth is tempered with ſimplicity & faireneſſe of mind or conditions. The extremes of ſimplicitie are, Fained ſimplicitie, and Doubleneſſe in manners and conuerſation.
4 Conſtancie, which is a vertue not departing from the knowen trueth, neither altering his purpoſe without good and neceſſary cauſes, but conſtantly ſpeaking & dooing ſuch thinges as are true, iuſt, & neceſſarie. Or, it is a vertue perſiſting in the trueth once found, knowen, & approued, & in the like maner profeſſing & defending the ſame. Conſtancy is neceſſarie for the preſeruation & maintenance of the trueth. Therefore it is here alſo commanded. The extremes hereof in the defect, are Vnconſtancie, or Lightneſſe, which is to alter true purpoſes & opinions without reaſon. In the exceſſe the extremes are, Pertinacie or ſtoicall ſtifneſſe and rigour, which is a vice ariſing from a confidence in his owne wit, or from pride & oſtentation, refuſing to yeeld or depart from his opinion, albeit it bee ſuch as hee ſeeth by ſtrong reaſons to be falſe, but perſiſting in falſe opinions, or vniuſt & vnprofitable actions.
5 Docilitie, or a readineſſe to learne, which is a vertue ſearching after the reaſons of true opinions, eaſily beleeuing, & yeelding to thoſe that teach or ſhew better things, & that vponupon certaine reaſon, & framing his will ready to aſſent vntounto true or probable reaſons, & to leaue thoſe thinges which before he held & embraced. The ſame are the extremes of Docilitie, which are of conſtācie, wherunto alſo this Docilitie is neceſſarie. For Conſtancie without Docilitie degenerateth into Pertinacie; and Docilitie without Conſtancie degenerateth into Leuitie. Now al theſe vertues which hauehave beene numbered agree and are linked verie well one with another. For Trueth muſt bee tempered with Faireneſſe of minde and Simplicitie, perceiued and knowen by Docilitie, preſerued and maintained by Conſtancie. And ſo theſe former vertues are required to the being of truth. Now the three vertues following are required to the profitable beeing of the trueth in the world.
6 Taciturnitie or ſilentneſſe, which is a vertue withholding in ſilence thinges ſecret & vnneceſſarie to bee ſpoken, where, when, & as far as is needful; & auoiding ouer-much babling & talkatiuenes. Or, it is ſuch a maner of profeſſing the truth, whereby ſecret thinges, whether true, or falſe, are kept cloſe; & ſpeeches vnneceſſarie & vnprofitable are auoided; eſpecially vntimely, & pernicious ſpeeches, & ſuch as giuegive offence. The extremes hereof, in the defect, are Pratling, fooliſh prating, and treacherie. Pratling, is, not to be able to keepe cloſe any thing. Fooliſh Prating, or futilitie & follie of ſpeech, is to ſpeake vnſeaſonably, immoderatelie, & fooliſhly. In the exceſſe, Haughtineſſe, Peeuiſhneſſe, & diſſembling of the trueth, where are neceſſarie, or probable cauſes. Peeuiſhneſſe, or moroſitie, is an ouer-much ſilentneſſe & burying of the truth, where gods glorie & the ſafety of our neighbour, or our owne or others cauſe, or the louelove of our friendes requireth vsus to ſpeake. Silentneſſe without affability becommeth Moroſitie or peeuiſhneſſe, and Affabilitie without Silentneſſe becommeth pratling, and fooliſh prating, babling out thinges hurtfull, vnneceſſarie, vaine, or ſecret.
7 Affability or readines of ſpeaking, which is a vertu gladly, & with ſignification of good wil hearing, anſwering, ſpeaking where need is vponupon a neceſſarie & probable cauſe; or it is a vertue eaſilie entertaining the mutual talkes of others, & giuing ſignification of the good wil in conferences, ſpeech, & geſtures. Or, Gentlenes, facility, affabilitie, conſiſt in giuing care & making anſwere vntounto others, with ſome ſignification of good wil. The ſame are the extremes of Affabilitie, which are of Taciturnitie, or Silentneſſe: likewiſe leuitie, Aſſentation, or affectated & labored affabilitie.
8 Vrbanitie or pleaſantneſſe, which is a vertue of ſpeaking the trueth with a certain grace & elegancie, to teach, comfort, exhilarate, & nip or touch: or, it is a certain ſauce of trueth & ſpeech, to wit, the trueth figuratiuely vttered, either to mooue or delight others, without bitterneſſes, & keeping the circumſtances of place, time & perſons. The Extremes are, 1 Scurrilitie, and Dicacitie. Scurrilitie is obſcene & homly ieſting, eſpecially in ſerious matters. Scurra (that is a ſcurrulous perſon) is ſo called from the Greeke worde foreign, which ſignifieth dung: becauſe he ſpeaketh filthineſſe & dung. Dicacitie or ſcoffing is a vice of i…ſting bitterly, & of deriding, bourding and exagitating others, but eſpecially ſuch as are miſerable. 2 Stoliditie or Fooliſhneſſe, & Sottiſhneſſe or vnſauorineſſe. Fooliſhineſse is an vntimely affectation of vrbanitie. Sottiſhneſſe is an abſurd & vnſauorie affectation of vrbanitie. Now Vrbanitie is an eſpecial gift of the wit, but may notwithſtanding bee gotten by experience in matters. 3 Backbyting, which ſpreadeth falſe ſlaunders of others, conſtereth doubtfull ſpeeches in the worſe part, with a deſire of reuenge, & an endeuor to hurt, or to raiſe enuie.