Principles of Faith and Good Conscience, Chapter 39
CAP. XXXIX.
Ninth Commandement. Thou ſhalt not beare falſe witneſſe, &c.
THE purpoſe of God in this Commandement, is, to preſerve truth amongſt men, to maintaine the good name and eſtimation one of another; to this end ſome things is forbidden, and ſome things commanded.
It is broken outwardly.Q. What is forbidden in this Commandement?
A. All kinds of lying and miſ-ſpeaking of our brother, to his hurt and diſcredit. credit. Eſay 63.8. Col: 3.9, 10. Rev: 22.15. Joh: 8.44.
Q. But is a jeſting lye, and lying for the profit of another unlawfull?
A. It is; no occaſion or pretence can make a lye to be lawfull. Job 13.7, 8. Rom: 3.7, 8. Gen: 20.9, 12, 16. 1 King: 13.18. Hoſ: 7.3.
Q. Shew ſome other particulars wherein we ſin againſt this Commandment?
A. The groſſeſt and moſt harmfull kind of lying is in judgement, and bearing of witneſſe, when either the Judge, Witneſſe, or Pleader, ſhall deny, conceal, pervert, and diſſemble the truth, or countenance the wrong [It's a ſinne to ſhrink from the truth, when Religion, Juſtice, or Charity, doe call for the maintaining of it. Jer 9.3.] Deut: 19 18. Mic: 7.3. 2 Tim: 4.16. Prov: 24 11, 12.
Q. How ſecondly, is this Law broken?
A. By backbiting, ſlandering, harſh and unjuſt cenſures of others; or any way raiſing or taking up an evill report againſt our brother. Pſal: 15.3. Exod: 23.1. 2. Sam: 16.2, 3. Neh: 6.6. Levit: 19.16. Mat: 7.1. Mar: 3, 22, 30. 2 Sam: 16.3.
Q. How, thirdly, doe we ſin againſt this Commandment?
A. By diſſimulation, and equivocation; that is, when we are made to believe one thing, and another is intended; or when mens words doe beare a double ſenſe. [So that there is one propoſition reſerved in the mind of the equivocator, which croſſeth that which is uttered by the tongue: 'tis a ſinne to diſſemble and equivocate.] Ier. 8.9. Pſal. 12.2. Pſal. 15.3. Mat. 26.72.
Q. How, fourthly, doe we ſin againſt this Commandement?
A. When we ſpeake the truth in malice, that is, with an intent and deſire to hurt and diſgrace another. [As Doeg did.] 1 Sam. 22.10. with Pſal. 52.2, 3.4.
Q. Out of the heart proceeds falſe witneſſe. Mat. 15.19. How doe men offend in heart againſt this Commandement?
Inwardly.A. Two waies: Firſt, by evill ſurmiſings, and ungrounded ſuſpicions, a thinking hardly of others without a cauſe. [That is, upon ſome b weak matter, or weak (c) evidence; as upon hear-ſay, jealouſie, uncharitable collections, &c. all which proceed from want of love.] b Mat. 9.3, 4. Ioh. 7.24. Ioh. 9.16. b Rom. 14.3. 1 Tim. 6.4. c 2 Sam. 10.3. 1 Sam. 22. 8, 10. 2 Sam. 16.4. 1 Sam. 24.9.
Q. How, ſecondly?
A. When we can rejoyce in the diſgraces of another, being glad to heare him evill ſpoken of; or elſe to be grieved for their good eſteeme. [This alſo proceeds from want of love.] Mat. 21.15. 3 Ioh. v. 10, 12. 1 Sam. 18.7, 8.
Q. Theſe be things forbidden: What doth the Lord require of us in regard of our brother?
A. Firſt,Duties required. that we ſpeak the truth in love no more, nor no leſſe then the truth. [Without wrenchings, fetches, doublings; without flattery or detraction.] Eph. 15. Pſal. 12.2.
Q. What, ſecondly?
A. To defend a our brothers good name, as farre as may ſtand with good conſcience; and if we have b wronged it, to repaire the ſame. [Recanting that which hath beene falſely ſaid; explaining that which hath been doubtfully ſaid, and praiſing or juſtifying them in that wherein they have been unjuſtly condemned] a 1 Sam. 19.4. Ier. 26.9, 16. Prov. 25.23. Prov. 24.11, 12. b 1 Sam. 24.17. 2 Sam. 19.19, 20.
Q. By what meanes muſt I defend my brothers good name?
A. We muſt a conſtrue things in the beſt ſenſe; and when they cannot be altogether excuſed, yet we muſt b acknowledge other good things to be in them. [That their honeſty be not quite trodden under foot, &c.] a 1 Cor. 13.7. 1 Pet. 4.8. b 2 Chr. 19.3.
Q. How doe men ſinne againſt their own good names?
A. Two waies: Firſt, when we ſpeak more or leſſe of our ſelves then is true, making our ſelves better or worſe then we are, diſſembling the good or evill that is in us. [When men leſſen faults, or greaten their virtues; or on the contrary, doe augment their ſinnes and unworthineſſe, and debaſe Gods goodneſſe in any kind towards them, or in them, that's a falſe teſtimony of our ſelves; boaſting or bragging and ſelfe-condemning, they be both of them evill.] Gal. 2.13. Exod. 4.10. 1 Sam: 21.14, 15. Prov. 13.7. Prov. 27.2. Prov. 20.6. Acts. 12.22.
Q: How, ſecondly, doe we wrong our own good names?
A. When we deſerve a an evill report, or elſe (b) ſuffer an evill report to reſt upon us unjuſtly. [Both theſe doe wound a good name.] a Ge. 34.30. 1 Sa. 2.24. Phi. 4.8. b Act. 24.12. Mar: 3.23, 24. Job 27.5.
Q. By what means may a Chriſtian preſerve and defend his own good name againſt ſlanders and falſe accuſations?
A. There be two waies: Firſt, he muſt a cleare himſelfe of the ſlander before men by a modeſt and diſpaſſionate conviction of the defamer. 2. At leaſt he muſt ſtop b their mouthes by an holy and blameleſſe converſation. a 2 Sam. 19.26, 27. 2 Cor. 11.5, 12. b 1 Pet. 2.12, 15. Tit. 1.11, 13.