Exposition of the Shorter Catechism, Question 76 - 78
Of the ninth Commandment.
Quest. 76. WHich is the ninth Commandment?
A. The ninth Commandment is, [Thou shalt not bear false witne…s against thy Neighbour.]
Quest. 77. What is required in the ninth Commandment?
A. The ninth Commandment requireth, the maintaining and promoting of Truth between man and man, and of our own and our Neighbours good names, especially in witness-bearing.
Quest. 78. What is forbidden in the ninth Commandment?
A. The ninth Commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own, or our Neighbours good name.
Q. 1. What is the general scope and aim of the ninth Commandment?
A. The ninth Command aimes chiefly at the preservation and promoting of Truth amongst Men, Zech. 8.16. —Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour, &c. This being of indispensable necessity to the subsistence and welfare of Humane Society, Eph. 4.25. Wherefore p…tting away lying, speak every man truth with his neig…b…ur, for we are members one of another.
Q. 2. What is the first thing required particularly in this Command?
A. This Command requires every Man to take care of preserving his own good Name, by ordering his Conversation in universal Integrity, 1 Pet. 3.15, 16. But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready alwayes to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience▪ that whereas they speak evil of you as of evil doers, they may be ashamed that falsly accuse your good conversation in Christ.
Q. 3. What's the second thing required in this Commandment?
A. It requires all due care to preserve the good Name and Honour of other Men, as well as our own; for Christians are not to be of narrow and private Spirits, which center only in their own interests and concernments, Phil. 2.4. Look not every man on his own things; but every man also on the things of others.
Q. 4. How are we to preserve the good Names of others?
A. We are to preserve the good Names of othes by an inward esteem of all the good that is in them, Phil. 2.3. —In lowliness of mi…d let each esteem other better than themselves. And manifesting our inward esteem of them by a wise and seasonable expression thereof for their encouragement in the wayes of Godliness, Rom. 1.8. First I thank my God through Iesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
Q. 5. How else are we to defend other Mens Names?
A. By our readiness to receive with joy the reports of that good that is in them, 3 Epist. Iohn 3. For I rejoyced greatly when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. And discountenancing all reproaches maliciously vented against them, Psal. 15.3. —Nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
Q. 6. But what if the report be evidently true?
A. In that case we are to grieve for their miscarriages, as the effect and fruit of our love to their Souls, 2 Cor. 2.4. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart, I wrote unto you with many tears, not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. And to discharge our Duties privately and faithfully in order to their recovery, Mat. 18.15, 16, 17. Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone, &c. Winking at and concealing in love their lesser and common infirmities; 1 Pet. 4.8. And above all things have fervent cha…ity among your selves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
Q. 7. What is forbidden in the ninth Commandment?
A. It forbids us to injure others, by raising or receiving Lyes and false Reports, which are highly injurious to their good Names, Col. 3.9. Lye not one to another, &c.
Q. 8. What else is forbidden in the ninth Commandment?
A. It especially forbids Perjury or false Swearing, whereby not only the Names, but Estates and Lives of the innocent are injured and ruined, Psal. 35.11. False witnesses did rise up: they laid to my charge things that I knew not. Prov. 19.5. A false witness shall not be unpunished: and he that speaketh lies shall not escape. A sin which God will punish, Mal. 3.5. And I will come near to you to judgment, and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, &c.
Q. 9. What else is forbidden in this Commandment?
A. It forbids all whisperings and back-bitings of others secretly, 2 Cor. 12.20. —Lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, back-bitings, whisperings, &c. And all Tale-carrying from one to another to our Neighbours injury, Levit. 19.16. Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale-bearer among thy people, &c. And 1 Tim. 5.13. —And not only idle, but ta…lers also and busiebodies, speaking things which they ought not.
Q. 10. What else doth the ninth Commandment forbid?
A. It forbids all rash and unwarrantable judging of other Mens Hearts and final Estates, which is usually accompanied with ignorance of our own, Matth. 7.1, 3. Iudge not that ye be not judged. —And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Q. 11. What else is forbidden in this Commandment?
A. It forbids the eclipsing of the true worth and honour of others, by a proud exalting of our selves, 1 Cor. 13.4, 5. —Charity envieth not, charity vaunteth not it self, is not puffed up, &c. Or by crying up one to the disparagement of another good Man, 1 Cor. 3.4, 5. For while one saith, I am of Paul, and another I am of Apollo, are ye not carnal? &c.
Q. 12. What is the first Inference from hence?
A. That the best Christians have cause to be humbled for the sins of the Tongue, whereby God is dishonoured, and others are injured, Iam. 3.2. —If any man offend not in word, the same is a per…ect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. And ver. 5.6. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things: behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth. And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue amongst our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire of hell.
Q. 13. What's the second Inference from hence?
A. 'Tis our great concernment to walk with that Piety and Justice towards God and Men, as to cut off all just occasions of reproach from our own Names, 2 Cor. 11.12. But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion, &c. 1 Tim. 5.14, I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.
Q. 14. What's the third Inference from this Commandment?
A. To bless God that our Names are kept sweet and honourable in the World among good Men, 3 Epis: Iohn 12. Demetrius hath a good report of all men, &c. Or if we be reproached, it is by none but▪ wicked Men, and that for our Duty to God, Dan. 6.5. Then said th…se men, we shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.