The Sum of Sacred Divinity, Book 1 · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
Of the ninth Commandement.
THE ſecond way that men offend in theTruth, which is in dealing faithfully. things of this life, is, by falſhood, fraud, deceit, ſubtiltie, cunning ſhifts and deuices, which is forbidden in the ninth Commandement.
To vnderſtand that Commandement, as commonly men doe, of our Neighbours good name and credit, not of his outward goods, as if thoſe were ſpoken of onelyonly in the eight, is too much to ſtraighten the bounds of this Commandement; and, in mine opinion, faulteth two manner of wayes: for firſt, the greater and weighter Commandement ſhould ſo come behinde, A nPro. 22. 1, 2.good name being more to be deſired then great riches.
Secondly, The words, Thou ſhalt not beare falſe witneſſe, are borrowed words, taken from the Courts of Iuſtice, where Lands and Poſſeſſions doe oftener come in queſtion, then mens names and credits; and therefore cannot, without violence, bee reſtrayned to the Letter.
The ninth Cōmandement then would hauehave vsus to deale truly and ſincerely in all things concerning goods, whether ones outward eſtate and worldly riches, or his name and credit. Our Sauiour, Mat. 23. 22. calleth it Faithfulneſſe, or Faith: meaning truth and conſtancie both in our words, and in all our bargaines and agreements, which Pſal. 15. 2, 16. is made one ſpeciall note of him that ſhall dwell in the Tabernacle of the Lord, that he ſpeaketh the truth as it is in his heart. The oforeignHebrew word whereby Dauid ſetteth it forth, Pſal. 111. 7, 8. ſignifieth indifferently Faithfulneſſe or Truth. The contrary whereof is all kind of falſitie, namely,
Firſt, Open vntruth or Lyes: Therefore pEpheſ. 4. 25.putting Their errour, that hold officious or ſporting lyes, as they call them, to be lawfull: all which the Apoſtle heere condemneth, and are all of them contrarie to the nature of God, (to whoſe Image wee ought in eueryevery thing to be conformed) who is the God of Truth, Pſal. 31. 6. Neither ought any pretence of doing good vntounto our Neighbour, draw vsus to any officious lye, ſeeing the rule of the Apoſtle is generall, Not to doe euill, that good may come thereof, Ro. 3. 8. And thoſe holy men and women that this way hauehave offended, it is their faith, not their lying (which through infirmitie they fell into) that the Spirit of God ſo much commendeth.away lying, ſpeake the truth eueryevery one with his Neighbour: for we are one anothers members.
Secondly, Fraud and deceit: DAVID, Pſal. 10. 1, 7. ioyneth them together: Hee ſhall not dwell in mine houſe, that dealeth deceitfully: he that ſpeaketh lyes, ſhall not remayne in my ſight.
Speciall vertues to beeAs, Prudence in iudging aright; reckoned in this part, you hauehave two; prudence and ſimplicitie: which goodly mixture our Sauiour qMat. 10. 16.requireth of all that are his: Be wiſe as Serpents, and innocent (or ſimple) as Doues. And the rRom. 16. 19.Apoſtle to the Romanes: I would hauehave you wiſe in that that is good, and harmeleſſe in that which is euill.
Prudence is a vertue, to diſcerne and iudge of things aright, whereunto wee attayne by ſearching out the things which it behooueth vsus to know, as Iob ſIob 29. 16.did. The contrary whereof is that, which the tPſal. 82. 5.Pſalmiſt reprehendeth in Iudges and Rulers of the Earth, When theſe men know not, nor giuegive themſelues to vnderſtand, but walke in darkneſſe, all the foundations of the Earth are mooued.
Simplicitie is, to deale ſincerely in the things wee diſcerneSimplicitie in ſpeaking and doing the truth; and iudge of.
And this hath vnderunder it two other branches:
Firſt, Speaking and performing the truth: Theſe uZach. 8. 16.are the things which you ſhould doe: ſpeake the truth eueryevery one to his fellow, and let iudgement of truth and peace iudge in your gates. The contrarie whereof is,
Firſt, EueryEvery vniuſt ſentence: When xAmos 5. 6, 7.men turne iudgement into Wormewood, as the Prophet ſpeaketh.
Secondly, Briberie: Giuing ſentence for reward: Thy yEſay 1. 25.Princes are rebellious, and compainons of Theeues: eueryevery one loueth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they iudge not the Fatherleſſe, neither doth the Widdowes cauſe come before them. Where, though the ſentence bee iuſt and vpright, yet taking of rewards is wicked, when men doe not Iuſtice for Iuſtice ſake. To this firſt branch certaine ſpeciall vertues doe alſo belong: ſome whereof are in the things that concerne ones good name; ſome in thoſe that concerne worldly goods.
In the things that concerne ones good name: To acknowledge the goodneſſe that is in him, and to ſpeake of it with a louelove and liking of that they doe. So doth PAVL, 2. Cor. 9. 2. For I know your readineſſe, whereof I boaſt to the Macedonians, telling them that Achaia is furniſhed a yeere ſince. Wherein notwithſtanding wee muſt take heed, that our louelove and liking of the partie draw vsus not to an allowance or winking at his faults, no more then the Holy Ghoſt doth in the due commendation of the moſt choice and excellent men: as of DAVID: He z1. King. 15. 5.did right in the eyes of IEHOVAH, and departed not from any thing that he commanded him all the daies of his life, ſaue only in the matter of VRIAH the Hittite: and of IOTHAM, He a2. Chr…. 27. 2.did vprightly in the eyes of IEHOVAH▪ according to all that his father did, onelyonly he entred not into the Temple of IEHOVAH, but the people did yet corrupt themſelues. The contrarie is,
Firſt, A humour of ſpeaking euill of men, which the Apoſtle would hauehave all to take heed of.
Secondly, Slandering or open forging of tales, or priuie deuiſing of them, fayning or adding any thing to them: Thou bLeuit. 19. 16.ſhalt not walke about with Tales among the people. Prou. 26. 20. Without wood the fire is quenched, and without a Tale-bearer ſtrife ceaſeth. And againe, Verſe 22. The words of a Tale-bearer are as flatterings, and they goe downe into the bowels of the belly. Rom. 1. 29. 30. Among the ſinnes that naturally ſticke vntounto vsus, are reckoned Whiſperers, Tale-bearers, &c. And the c2. Cor. 12. 20.Apoſtle ſaith, Let there not be ſtrife, &c. backbyting, whispering, &c. among you. Whither belongeth all wrongfull accuſation, whether vtterly falſe, as that of the two wicked men againſt d1. Kin. 21. 12.Naboth, relating the bare words, but not the ſence and meaning: wherein the two eMat. 26. 60, 91.Witneſſes that teſtified our Sauiour Chriſt ſhould ſay, I can deſtroy the Temple of God, and rayſe it vp in three dayes, are ſaid to bee falſe Witneſſes: for fIohn 2. 21.he ſpake of the Temple of his bodie.
Or laſtly, accuſing of a truth, with an intent to hurt: for it was a truth, that g2. Sam. 22. 9.Doeg told of Dauids comming to Abimelech, and his aſking counſel for him of the Lord, and giuing him victuals and other things: yet becauſe his end was wicked and naught, iuſtly doth the Spirit of God ſay of him; hPſ. 52. 2. 3, 4.Thy tongue imagineth miſchiefe, and is like a ſharpe Raſor that cutteth deceitfully. Thou doeſt LoueLove euill more then good, and lies more then to ſpeake truth.
Thirdly, Receiuing tales we heare of others, or euill reports that are caſt abroad by whiſperers, talebarers, &c. Thou iExod. 23. 1.ſhalt not receiue a falſe tale, nor put thine hand with the wicked, to heare falſe witneſſe. Wherefore Dauid k1. Sam. 24. 10.worthily chargeth SAVL, Wherefore giueſt thou an eare to mens wordes that ſay, Behold, DAVID ſeeketh euill againſt thee? And Salomon lProu. 25. 23.in his Prouerbes ſaith, that as the North wind driueth away the rayne, ſo doth an angrie countenance a Slandering tongue.
Fourthly, Babbling talke, which the Apoſtle m1. Tim. 5. 13.reprehendeth in certaine young women, that were not onelyonly idle, but alſo Prattlers and buſibodies, ſpeaking things which are not comely.
Fiftly, Flattery, prayſing one aboue that we know in him. He nProu. 27. 14.that prayſeth his friend with a loud voice, riſing earely in the morning, it ſhalbe accounted vntounto him as a curſe. With faire oRom. 16. 18.ſpeech and flattering they deceiue the hearts of the ſimple.
Sixtly, Fooliſh and arrogant boaſting: Let another praiſe thee (ſaith pProu. 27. 2.the wiſeman) and not thine owne mouth.
Seuenthly, Diſſembling: when men ſay one thing, and meane another, qPſal. 82. 3.ſpeake peace with their friends, but miſchiefe is in their heart.
The vertue occupied in the things that concerne worldly goods, is plaine & ſincere dealing. The contrary whereof is all deceit in bargaining, buying, and ſelling: Whereof the wiſeman ſaith, The rProu. 12. 17.deceitfull man ſhall not roſte that he taketh in hunting.
Of this kind are ſelling countrefeit for good, as Copper for Gold, and mingling any wares bad, with good, making ſhew onelyonly of the good: Heare ſAmos. 8. 4, 5, 6ye this, yee that ſwallow vp the poore, ſaying, When will the new MonethMonth be gone, &c. that we may ſell the refuſe of the wheate?
Alſo, When the buyer concealeth the goodnes of the thing, or the ſeller the fault, and blindfoldeth the truth with counterfeit ſpeech; It tProu. 20. 14.is naught, it is naught, ſayth the buyer, but when he is gone apart, he boſteth.
Thirdly, Falſe waights and meaſures: Thou uDeut. 25. 13, 14.ſhalt not hauehave in thy bag two manner of waights, a great and a ſmall, but thou ſhalt hauehave a iuſt and a right waight; a perfect and a iuſt meaſure ſhalt thou hauehave. Ye xLeuit. 3. 35, 36.ſhall not doe vniuſtly in iudgement, in line, in waight or in meaſure. Ye ſhall hauehave iuſt ballances, true waights, a true Epha, & a true Hin. Heare yAmos. 8. 4.this, ye which make the Epha ſmall, and the Shekell great, and falſifie the waights by deceit, zMica. 6. 11.ſhal I iuſtifie the wicked ballances, and the Bag of deceitfull waights?
Secondly, Remoouing ancient bounds, to encroche vponupon other mens poſſeſſions: aProu. 22. …8.Thou ſhalt not remooue the ancient bounds which thy fathers hauehave made. bHoſh. 5. 10.The Princes of IVDAH are like them that remooue the bound: Therefore will I powre out my wrath vponupon them like water.
Thirdly, Fraudulent with-holding of things found, if the Owner may be heard of, Likewiſe, of things lent, pawned or pledged: cDeut. 22. 1, 2, 3.Thou ſhalt not ſee thy brothers Oxe nor his Sheepe goe aſtray, and conceale thy ſelfe from them, but ſhalt bring them againe vntounto thy Brother. And if thy brother be not neere vntounto thee, or if thou know him not, thou ſhalt bring it into thine houſe, and it ſhall remaine with thee vntil thy brother ſeeke after it. Then ſhalt thou deliuer it to him againe. In like manner ſhalt thou doe with his Aſſe, and ſo ſhalt thou doe with his rayment, and ſhalt ſo doe with all loſt things of thy brother, which he hath loſt: if thou haſt found them, thou maieſt not conceale thy ſelfe. dPſal. 37. 21.The wicked (ſaith DAVID) borroweth, and payeth not againe: but the righteous is mercifull and giueth. In eEzech. 18. 7.EZECHIEL it is made one note of a righteous man, that he hath reſtored the pledge to his debtor.
Fourthly, Gaming, and all vnlawfull Trades that eyther make gaine of things naught and vnprofitable for the Church or Common-wealth, as the traſh or Merchandize mentioned, Reuel. 18. 11, &c. or ſet to ſale the gifts of the Holy Ghoſt, and other ſpirituall things, which was the ſinne of SIMON MAGVS, fAct. 8. 18, 19, 20.Who when he ſaw, that through the laying on of the Apoſtles hands the Holy Ghost was giuen, offered them mony, ſaying, GiueGive me alſo this power, that on whomſoeuer I lay hands, he may receiue the Holy Ghoſt. But PETER ſaid vntounto him, Thy mony periſh with thee, becauſe that thou thinkeſt the gift of God may be obtayned with money. Of this nature is chopping and changing of Benefices, which is called Simony.
The ſecond branch of good and ſincere dealing, is theCharitie, to take things in the beſt part, &c. taking of things, that may be doubtfully conſtrued, alwayes in the beſt and moſt fauourable part, which the Apoſtle, 1. Cor. 13. 5, 7. ſheweth to bee the propertie of true louelove; LoueLove thinketh not euill, it beleeueth all things, it hopeth all things. So did gMat. 1. 19.Ioſeph conſtrue to the beſt, (as farre as might bee) the fact of the Virgin Mary, whome, being found with childe before they came together, hee iudged rather to hauehave offended before they were made ſure, then after; and therefore minded rather priuily to put her away, that hee which had done the wrong, might marrie her, as the Law hDeut. 22. 28.of God prouided, then by purſuing his owne right, in bringing her forth to iudgement (that ſo being found no Virgin, ſhe might be ſtoned, which the ſame iDeut. 28. 20, 21.Law gaue him leaue to doe,) to make a publike example of her. The contrarie whereof is,
Firſt, Euill ſuſpitions condemned, 1. Tim. 6. 4. Such was that of Eliab, k1. Sam. 17. 28.Dauids eldeſt Brother, Why camest thou downe hither? I know thy pride, and the wickedneſſe of thy heart; that thou art come downe to ſee the Battaile. When Dauid indeed came thither about other buſineſſe, ſent from his Father. So did they of lActs 28. 4.Miletum deale with Paul, ſeeing a Viper hang vponupon his hand, they ſaid among themſelues, Surely this man is a Murderer, whom, though he be eſcaped from the Sea, yet vengeance will not ſuffer to liue.
Secondly, Hard cenſures and ſiniſter iudgements: when either a good or indifferent action is interpreted to the worſt, or a light offence is made hainous through ill will, without all deſire either to amend or couer the ſame: As Eli m1. Sam. 1. 13.thought Annah to be drunken, when ſhe prayed in the bitterneſſe of her ſoule vntounto the Lord, onelyonly becauſe her lips did mooue, but her voyce was not heard.