Abridgment of the Whole Body of Divinity, Part 2 · Subpart 19
The ninth Commandment.Ninth Commandment.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Neighbour.
The Affirmative part of this Commandment is this.
Here we are commanded to rejoyce at the good name repute and esteem of our Neighbour;Affirmative part. Gal. 5. 22. Rom. 1. 8.
And to acknowledge the goodness which we see in any, Tit. 3. 2.
And to desire, and receive, and believe the good reports concerning our Neighbours, Act. 16. 1, 2, 3. But so as we must in no kinde approve, allow, or countenance them in any of their wickednesses, or vices, which we see, or know, 2 Chr. 25. 2. and 27. 2.
In doubtfull cases we are here commanded to interpret them in the best part, 1 Cor. 13. 5, 7. Genes. 37. 31. to the 33. Matth. 1. 19.
We must not be too credulous, for then we shall oft be over taken with the belief of lies, Joh. 2. 24.
For this cause we must be ware of evil reports that run abroad amongst people by whisperers, and tale-bearers, Ps. 15. 3. Jer. 40. 14, 16.
It is good for a man to shew himself angry, and displeased, with such flattering tongues, and whisperers, Prov. 25. 23.
Here we are commanded to conceal, and keep secret, our Neighbours offences of weakness, and imperfection, Prov. 10. 12. Matth. 18. 15.
And knowing them we must admonish him, that we may mend him, Gal. 6. 1. Jam. 5. 19. 21.
If concealing of his sin, and admonition will not move him to forsake his sin, then, out of love, and charity to him, we must declare it to those that may remove, and amend the same, Gen. 37. 2. 1 Cor. 1 11. Matth 18. 16.
By Godliness we must seek to get a good name,It is lawfull to labour for a good name by Godliness. and when we have so gotten it, we must likewise by Godliness strive to maintain it, Prov. 221. Eccles. 7. 1. Phil. 4. 8.
A good name is to be laboured for thus:
1. By seeking the Kingdom of God before all things, by repenting of sin, and earnestly desiring to follow after, and to embrace righteousness. This is the right way to seek the Kingdom of heaven, Prov 10. 7. Mark. 14. 9.
2. By having a care to judge, and speak well of others, Matt. 7. 2. Eccles. 7. 23. 24.
3. By abstaining from all kinde of vice, and wickedness; for evil men will make use of one vice of a man to obscure his good name upon all occasions, Eccles. 10. 1. Yea, and they will openly, and secretly labour to bring him into sin, that they may have occasion of doing this.
4. By seeking onelyonly the glory of God in all things, and not our own glory, Matth. 6. 5, 6. Joh. 17. 18.
When we thus seek the glory of God, and have the praise of good men for the doing of it, we must not despise, nor contemne their Testimony, and commendation.
And if we thus seek the glory of God, and they praise us not, nor commend us, yet we must take this in good part, and rejoyce that God is glorified; For, to him … indeed doth belong all the praise, and glory of all our actions, 2 Cor. …. 12. and 10. 13. 1 Cor. 1. 31. Psal 16. 5. 6.
The Negative part of this Commandment is this.Negative part.
Here we are forbidden envy, disdain of others, or desire of a mans own glory, Deutr. 19. 17. 1 Pet. 2. 1. Matth. 12. 15.
And evil suspitions, 1 Sam. 17. 28. Act. 28. 4.
And hard censures, and sinister judgement against our Neighbour, Matth. 7. 1, 2.
We must not interpret indifferent things in the worst part.
We must not out of evil will make a small offence great.
In judging others we may use three ways,How we may judge others. and not sin
1. By the word of God when we see a sin, we may judge it sin, and reprove it.
2. The Magistrate may judge.
3. A friend may judge and admonish, by wishing to abstain from evil company, and by giving warning to beware of sin, iniquity, and vice.
Here we are forbidden to give the bare words spoken for the full intention of our Neighbour, when as we neither know the sense of them, nor the meaning of our Neighbour, Matt. 26. 59. to the 61. Joh. 2. 19.
And to ly.
And unjust sentence in judgement.
An to suborn, or rest in a witness to accuse another wrongfully.
And to betray a mans cause by collusion, or winking at it, 1 Kings 21. 12. Deut. 17. 6.
And openly to raise hurtfull, tales, and reports of our Neighbour, or privily to devise the same, Levit. 19. 16. 1 Tim. 5. 13.
And to spread abroad flying tales, or to feign and add any thing to them, Prov. 26. 20, 22.
And to believe the reports of others, Exod. 23. 1. 1 Sam. 24. 10
And to accuse a man out of malice to his enemy, as Doeg did Abimelech, and David to Saul, Ps. 52. 1, 2, 3, 4. 1 Sam. 22. 9.
And to declare the secrets of our Neighbour, or his sins of infirmity, Prov. 11. 13. Matth. 18. 15.
And all babling talk, and bitter words, Eph. 5. 3, 4. Joh. 9. 34.
And jestings, and all scurrility:
And that—— —For these causes.
1. Because quips, or jests are like the stings of Scorpions, Serpents, and Locusts; For by this means the Devil stingeth those that are jested upon, girding them with these offences; and netleth, or tickleth those with pleasure, which take delight in the hearing of them; And this is his way by which he doth charm, and insensibly sting them also, even as he doth the other to their trouble.
2. Because a Christians Godliness and Gravity can not stand, or agree with such behaviour.
And if any object here, that Salt and Tart speeches have been used in Scripture,Objection▪ as when Eliah mockt the Priests of Baal, 1 Kings 18. 27. And when Isaiah mockt the King of Babylon, Isai. 14. 4, 9.
Yet such must be thus answered, that these speeches were not to please any withall. But they were reproofs sharply denounced against Gods enemies for his glory.
Here we are forbidden flattery, that is, to praise our Neighbour above that we know in him, Prov. 27. 6, 14. Act. 12. 22.—
—This is a grievous sin in Ministers, 1 Thess. 2. 5. Jer. 6. 13, 14. Rom. 16. 18.
Here we are forbidden foolish over-confident boasting, Pro. 27. 1.
And to accuse, or witness against any falsly, 1 Kings 21. 13. Deutr. 19. 17.