A Treatise of Christian Religion, Chapter 24
CHAP. 24.
Of the ninth Commandement.
Sins wherby our neighbours good name is hurt, are
Inward, by
Suſpition.
Secret iudging and condemning.
Outward, by
Silence, in refuſing to ſpeake when they ſhould, and liſtening.
Speech
Giuen, as when we ſpeake
a lie.
an vntruth.
Receiued, as by hearing falſe tales.
EXOD. 20. 16. Thou ſhalt not beare falſe witneſſe againſt thy neighbour.
Q. SO much of the Commandement concerning our neighbours goods. VVhat is that which concerneth our neighbours good name?
A. The ninth, Thou ſhalt not beare falſe witneſſe againſt thy neighbour.
Q. What is the ſumme of it?
A. That we hurt not our neighbours good name, but maintaine it; and as occaſion is giuen, augment and encreaſe it.
Q. How is this Commandement broken?
A. Either inwardly, or outwardly.
Q. How is it broken inwardly?
A. When a man hath an vngrounded ſuſpition of …. 4. … 7 15. …. …8. 4. …. 1. 13. …. 17. 28.his neighbour. 2. When he doth alſo (in his minde) condemne him (whether aliue or dead) hauing no good warrant for it.
Q. Is all ſuſpition and condemnation to be condemned?
A. No, for it is not vnlawfull to ſuſpect my neighbour of naughtineſſe, if I hauehave good ground of it; nor to condemne him in that, whereof he ſtands truly and euidently conuicted.
Q. What is contrary to this, in obſeruing whereof wee may the better keepe this Law?
A. Charitie, and louelove, which is not ſuſpitious, but 1. Cor. 13. 5.expoundeth things in the beſt part, where the preſumptions are not ſtrong to the contrary. Contrary to Gen. 37. 31. 32. 33.which vngrounded ſuſpition, is the interpreting of doubtfull things in the beſt part: yet wee are not to neglect ſuch ſuſpitions as hauehave ground, as did Gedaliah.Ier. 40. 14. 15.
Q. What is the outward breach?
A. In words or deeds, to draw an euill name vponupon himſelfe, or his neighbour.
Q. What great matter is it, if a mans good name be hurt, as long as neither his perſon, nor his gooas are touched?
A. Very great: Firſt, becauſe (by meanes thereof) thoſe gifts that God hath beſtowed vponupon him, or others, are not ſo eſteemed as is meet, & as they ſhould be, whereby glory is taken from God, which is the author and giuer of them. Secondly, his endeauours and labours are not ſo profitable to men, as otherwiſe they might be, if his good name remained whole and Eccleſ. 7. 3.vntouched. Thirdly, it is diſcomfortable to himſelfe, to hauehave an euill name, as a good name is comfortable. And therefore a man ought to labour to get a good Phil. 4. 8.name, and when hee hath gotten it, to keepe it; and conſequently to labour for righteouſnes, which preſerueth a good name. And that not in ſome parts of righteouſneſſe Prou. 10. 7. Mark. 14. 9. Eccleſ. 20. 1.onelyonly, but in all; for that as one flie corrupteth the whole boxe of oyntment; ſo one vice doth deface a mans eſtimation.
Q. How many waies is the outward breach hereof committed?
A. By ſilence, or ſpeech.
Q. How by ſilence?
A. When men, either through wilfull ignorance Prou. 31. 8. 9. Gen. 40. 23.cannot, or through malice, or neglect of their neighbours good name, will not ſpeake the truth, eſpecially when it ſhall be called into queſtion.
Q. How is it broken by ſpeech?
A. Either by giuing forth ſpeeches of our neighbour, Pſal. 15. 3.or receiuing them.
Q. How in giuing them forth?
A. Either in ſpeaking that which is falſe, or that which is truth, but not in ſincerity.
Q. How in ſpeaking that which is falſe?
A. Firſt, by a lie: which is, when a man ſpeaketh Gen 18. 12. Act. 5. 3.contrary to his owne knowledge. Or ſecondly, by an vntruth; which is, when a man telleth that which is Gen. 31. 31. 32.falſe, thinking that it is true.
Q. Of how many ſorts is a lie, or vntruth?
A. Either publike, or priuate.
Q. What is a publike lie, or vntruth?
A. When Iudges giuegive wrong iudgement. When Prou. 17. 15. Act. 24. 1. 2. 1. King. 21. 13. Prou. 19. 5. Eccleſ. 8. 11.the Sergiants, or Counſellors at Law defend bad cauſes, either through want of skill, or contrary to knowledge. When men witneſſe falſly in iudgement: as alſo, when true iudgment is giuen, and execution commeth 1. King. 21. 12.not accordingly. Alſo when Miniſters teach not ſound doctrine, or miſ-apply it; or when one denieth a truth before the Church, or publike Officers therof.
Q. What is a priuate lie, or vntruth?
A. When one man lieth, or ſpeaketh vntruth to, or Prou. 12. 22. Coloſſ. 3. 9. Reuel. 22. 15. Pſal. 50. 1… …0. 2. Co…. … 2…. Rom. 8 2. Theſſ. 1. 3. Act. 15. 3.of another: of which ſort commonly are all backbiters, ſlanderers, whiſperers, &c. which in conſcience of the vntruth, or lie they tell, ſeeke corners: heere will come in the lie in ieſt; likewiſe the officious lie, (as it is called) Contrary hereunto is a delight to report well of another, and to reioyce at the good report that another ſhall giuegive of our neighbour.
Q. So much of the breach of this Commandement, by ſpeaking of falſe things. What is it by ſpeaking true things without ſincerity?
Q. When the words are rehearſed, and the ſenſe Mat. 26. 60. 61. 1. Sam. 22. 9. 10. Pſal. 52. 1. 2. 3. & 144. 8. Epheſ. 5. 4. 2. Tim. 2. 14. 16. & 3. 2. Prou. 15. 23. & 27. 14. & 29. 5. Mat 11. 7-14. Heb. 3. 13. 1. Theſſ. 5. 11. Leuit. 19. 17.peruerted: alſo, when the truth is ſpoken, with intent to hurt our neighbour; alſo by vaine and idle babling, or proud boaſting, and vain-glorious words, by flatterie, debaſing of our ſelues, diſſimulation, equiuocation, &c. Likewiſe, when things are ſpoken out of time, or to them they belong not. Contrary to all which abuſes of the tongue, is the vſe of it, in commending the good gifts of our neighbours to others, and admoniſhing, exhorting, & reprouing our neighbours, as occaſion requireth, in time and ſeaſon.
Q. So much of the breach of this Commandement, in giuing forth ill ſpeeches. What is it in receiuing them?
A. When men hauehave their eares open to heare ill of Pſalm. 15. 3. & 101. 5. Prou. 17. 4. & 25. 23. …. Sam. 24. 10.their neighbour with allowance. Contrary whereunto is the repulſing, and terrifying of ſuch, as are bringers of tales, and ſlanderous ſpeeches againſt their neighbour.
Q. So much of the Commandement. VVhat are the ſpeciall puniſhments of them, that are the ordinarie breakers thereof?
A. Firſt, to be ſuſpected, condemned, and euill reported Matth. 7. 2. Eccleſ. 7. 23. 24.of themſelues. Secondly, falſe witneſſes ſhould hauehave that puniſhment laid vponupon them, which ſhould Deut. 19. 18. 20.hauehave been inflicted vponupon thoſe, whom they witneſſed againſt, if their witneſſe had been true.