076. The NINTH commandment
QUESTION 76. Which is the Ninth Commandment?
ANSWER:The Ninth Commandment is, Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
QUESTION 77. What is required in the Ninth Commandment?
ANSWER:The Ninth Commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbour’s good name, especially in witness-bearing.
-----
Q. 1. In what does the Ninth Commandment differ from the three preceding ones?
A. The three commands immediately preceding, have a respect to the injuries that may be done to ourselves or others by deeds or actions; but the ninth has a reference to wrongs done by words.
Q. 2. What is the general duty required in this commandment?
A. It is the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man.
Q. 3. What is the TRUTH, between man and man, we are required to maintain and promote?
A. It is the strict veracity of our words or speeches, in whatever we assert or deny; whether in our ordinary conversation, or in our oaths, promises, bargains, and contracts, Zechariah 8:16 - “Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour.”
Q. 4. In what consists the strict veracity that ought to be in our words and speeches?
A. In uttering things as they really are in themselves, according to our belief of them; that is, that there be an exact agreement and harmony between our thoughts, words, and the things themselves, Psalms 15:1-2 - “Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that - speaketh truth is his heart.”
Q. 5. Why will God have nothing to be uttered but strict truth?
A. Because he is “a God of truth, and without iniquity; just and right is he,” Deuteronomy 32:4.
Q. 6. Is it lawful at any time to conceal part of the truth?
A. Yes; when neither the glory of God, nor our own, or our neighbour’s good requires that the whole of it be told; only no untruth must be uttered in concealing it, 1 Samuel 16:2, 1 Samuel 16:5.
Q. 7. What is the chief end for which the tongue or gift of speech is conferred upon us?
A. That we may thus glorify God by praying to, Psalms 50:15, and praising him, verse 23 [Psalms 50:23]; and by contending earnestly for, Jude verse 3, and confessing his truth, Romans 10:10; hence is the tongue called our glory, Psalms 30:12 - “To the end that my GLORY (that is, my tongue, as on the margin) may sing praise unto thee, and not be silent.”
Q. 8. What is the subordinate end of it?
A. The edification and profit of our fellow-creatures, Ephesians 4:29 - “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good, to the use of edifying;” (margin, “to edify profitably,”) in opposition to the insipid and vain talk which is in the mouths of most men.
Q. 9. What is the particular duty required in the Ninth Commandment?
A. That we maintain and promote our own and our neighbour’s good name, especially in witness-bearing.
Q. 10. What is a good name?
A. It is the having of reputation and esteem, especially among the sober and religious, Psalms 16:3, and Psalms 101:6.
Q. 11. How may a good name be obtained?
A. By being useful in the world, in the several stations and relations in which adorable providence has placed us, Psalms 112:9.
Q. 12. Is self-commendation a fit mean to obtain a good name?
A. No; it is ordinarily the highway to procure scorn and contempt, 2 Corinthians 10:12.
Q. 13. Does not the apostle commend himself, when he says, “In nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles?” 2 Corinthians 12:11.
A. He only magnifies and exalts his office, and at the same time lessens and disparages himself; for, although he says, “In nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles,” yet he immediately subjoins, “though I be nothing;” and 1 Corinthians 15:9 - “I am the least of the apostles, who am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.”
Q. 14. May we not commend the grace of God in us?
A. To be sure we may; for, whatever is spoken to the commendation of free grace, is for the abasement of self, 1 Corinthians 15:10 - “By the grace of God I am what I am.”
Q. 15. How ought we to maintain and promote our own good name?
A. Not only by a blameless walk and conversation before the world, Philippians, 2:15; but likewise by vindicating ourselves from the calumnies and aspersions that may be injuriously cast upon us, Acts 24:12-13.
Q. 16. With what frame of spirit ought the lawful vindication of ourselves to be managed?
A. With moderation, meekness, and readiness to forgive those who have reproached and injured us, Colossians 3:12-13.
Q. 17. Who ought, in a special manner, to maintain and promote their own good name?
A. This is especially incumbent on professors of religion, Matthew 5:16; and such as are in places of public trust, Titus 2:7-8.
Q. 18. Why should professors be careful to maintain their good name?
A. Because the loss of it tends to reflect dishonour on religion, by which the enemies of it take occasion to blaspheme, 2 Samuel 12:14.
Q. 19. What is the advantage of a good name?
A. A good name procures mutual love to, and confidence in one another; and, consequently, tends to promote the interests both of sacred and civil society; on which account “a good name” is said to be “better than precious ointment,” Ecclesiastes 7:1; and “rather to be chosen than great riches,” Proverbs 22:1.
Q. 20. What does this command require in reference to our neighbour’s good name?
A. The maintaining and promoting it, “as we would do our own,” Php 2:4; and that both in his presence and in his absence.
Q. 21. How should we behave in the presence of our neighbour, for maintaining and promoting of his good name?
A. When we observe any thing faulty in him, which deserves present notice, we should reprove it with meekness and love, Leviticus 19:17; and what is really commendable we should prudently encourage and applaud, Romans 1:8.
Q. 22. How should we maintain and promote the good name of others in their absence?
A. By commending what is praise-worthy in them, 3 John 1:12; vindicating their character when unjustly attacked, Proverbs 25:23; and by covering their infirmities and blemishes, so far as can be done in a consistency with truth, and the credit of religion, 1 Peter 4:8.
Q. 23. Why is the word ESPECIALLY subjoined to witness-bearing?
A. Because, as we should give testimony to truth on all occasions, so, in a special manner, when called by lawful authority to declare the matter of fact upon oath, Jeremiah 4:2.
Q. 24. What special obligation lies upon us, to declare the true matter of fact, between man and man, when called to do it upon oath?
A. In an oath, God is appealed to, that we will declare nothing but the truth, as we shall answer to him at the great day; and therefore, our doing otherwise, either out of hatred, or favour, is laying ourselves open to his immediate wrath and displeasure, according to Malachi 3:5 - “I will be a swift witness - against false swearers, - saith the Lord of hosts.”
QUESTION 78. What is forbidden in the Ninth Commandment?
ANSWER:The Ninth Commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own or our neighbour’s good name.
-----
Q. 1. What does this command forbid in general?
A.Whatsoever is prejudicial to truth.
Q. 2. What are we to understand, by that which is prejudicial to truth?
A. All falsehood and lying of whatever kind, James 3:14 - “Lie not against the truth.”
Q. 3. What is the formal nature and meaning of a LIE?
A. It is voluntarily to speak or express what we know to be false, as the old prophet at Bethel did to the man of God, 1 Kings 13:18.
Q. 4. How is a lie aggravated?
A. When it is uttered with a design to deceive, and to harm others by it; like the devil, when he said, “Ye shall not surely die. - Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil,” Genesis 3:4-5.
Q. 5. May not persons utter what is untrue or false and yet not be guilty of a lie?
A. Yes; and that either through ignorance or misinformation.
Q. 6. When may they be said to utter what is false through ignorance, and yet not be guilty of lying?
A. When they speak rashly, according to their present conception of things, without due examination; as the barbarians, when they “saw the venomous beast hang on Paul’s hand, said: among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer,” &c., Acts 28:4.
Q. 7. When may we utter what is false through misinformation, and not be guilty of a lie?
A. When we speak according to the report we have had from others, without any suspicion of being imposed upon; as Jacob did, when, by the imposition of his sons, (who had sold Joseph into Egypt, and dipped his coat in he blood of a kid) he said, “It is my son’s coat; an evil beast, hath devoured him: Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces,” Genesis 37:33.
Q. 8. How many sorts of lies are there?
A. They are commonly ranked into three sorts; namely, ludicrous, pernicious, and officious lies.
Q. 9. What is a ludicrous or jocose lie?
A. It is when persons relate things they know to be false, with a design to make a jest or diversion to others.
Q. 10. What is it to be guilty of a pernicious lied?
A. It is to contrive or spread some malicious report we know or suspect to be false, on purpose to bring about some hurt or damage to another, as Ziba did against Mephibosheth, 2 Samuel 16:3.
Q. 11. What is the aggravation of a pernicious lie?
A. It is the very worst sort of lying, being both a contempt of the omniscient God, who is witness to the falsehood; and a deliberate intention to do injury to our neighbour, though in our conscience we believe him innocent of what we lay to his charge.
Q. 12. What is it for a person to make an officious lie?
A. It is to tell a downright untruth, for their own, or their neighbour’s safety and security in time of danger, as Rahab did who hid the spies in the roof of her house, and yet alleged they were gone out of the city, and that she knew not where they went, Joshua 2:4-6.
Q. 13. Does not the apostle ascribe this action of hers to her faith, when he says, Hebrews 11:31 - “By faith, Rahab, the harlot, perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace?”
A. No; What he ascribes to her faith is, her having received the spies with peace, that is, her having consulted their safety and preservation with the greatest care and diligence; but not the lie she invented in order to conceal them. Her protecting the spies is commended, but not the manner in which she did it.
Q. 14. Who are they that plead in favour of officious lies?
A. The Papists, Socinians, and most of our modern moralists.
Q. 15. What arguments do they allege in defence of this sort of lying?
A. That it has been practised by saints in scripture; and that it is so far from being hurtful to any, that it has been beneficial to some in certain cases.
Q. 16. What answer is to be given to the practice of the saints in this matter?
A. That their sinful failures, in this and other instances, are not recorded in scripture for imitation, but for caution and warning, that we fall not into the same snares.
Q. 17. How do you answer the other argument for officious lying, “That it is so far from being hurtful to any, that it has been beneficial and advantageous to some, in certain cases, particularly in saving the life of a dear friend, or useful member of society, which might otherwise have been manifestly endangered?”
A. It is answered thus, that in no case are we to do evil that good may come, Romans 3:8. If we are not to speak wickedly for God, nor talk deceitfully for him, according to Job 13:7, neither are we to do so, though it were for the benefit of all mankind, or the best among them.
Q. 18. How do you prove lying to be sinful, or unlawful, in itself?
A. From this, that lying of all sorts, without exception, is condemned in scripture, as hateful and abominable to God, Proverbs 6:17, Proverbs 6:19, and Proverbs 12:22; Colossians 3:9.
Q. 19. Who is the author and father of lies?
A. The devil, John 8:44 - “When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
Q. 20. How does God testify his displeasure against lying of all kinds?
A. By declaring that “he who speaketh lies shall perish,” Proverbs 19:9; accordingly it is said, “ALL liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone,” Revelation 21:8.
Q. 21. What is more particularly forbidden in this commandment, according to the answer?
A. Whatever is injurious to our own or our neighbour’s good name.
Q. 22. How may we injure our own good name?
A. By a vain-glorious commendation of ourselves, 2 Timothy 3:2; by despising of others who ought justly to be esteemed, Luke 18:9, Luke 18:11; or by doing any thing scandalous and offensive in the eye of the world, 1 Samuel 2:17, 1 Samuel 2:30.
Q. 23. In what may we be injurious to our neighbour’s good name?
A. By flattering him to his face, Proverbs 28:4; by defaming him behind his back, Psalms 50:20; or by bearing false witness against him in public judicature, Ezekiel 22:9.
Q. 24. What is the evil of flattering our neighbour to his face?
A. It tends to foster and foment his pride, and thus to bring on his ruin, Proverbs 26:28 - “A flattering mouth worketh ruin.”
Q. 25. What is the evil of defaming him behind his back?
A. Nothing can be more devilish and malicious, than to fix calumny and reproach upon one, when he is not present to vindicate and defend himself: hence the same original word, which is rendered slanderer, 1 Timothy 3:11, is used also to signify the devil, 1 Peter 5:8.
Q. 26. Who are they that maybe guilty of bearing false witness against their neighbour in public judicature?
A. The prosecutor, defendant, witness, advocate, and judge, may each of them be guilty in this way.
Q. 27. How may the prosecutor be guilty?
A. In making an unjust demand upon the defendant, Acts 24:5; or laying to his charge that of which he believes him to be innocent, chap. 25:7 [Acts 25:7].
Q. 28. How is the defendant, upon the other hand, chargeable with guilt in this matter?
A. By artful and dilatory evasions, by which the plaintiff is put to needless trouble and charge in the obtaining of justice.
Q. 29. How may witnesses, in public judicature, be injurious to their neighbour’s good name?
A. Not only by the heinous sin of bearing testimony to a downright falsehood, but likewise by denying, mincing, or keeping back the truth, or any part of it.
Q. 30. When are advocates or attorneys guilty in this way?
A. When they take in hand to plead and maintain a bad cause, looking on it as a part of their profession to be as warm and zealous in defending what is wrong, as what is just and right.
Q. 31. How may the judge be guilty of bearing false witness?
A. By a rash, partial, and iniquitous sentence; thus perverting justice, and injuring the innocent, like Pilate, Matthew 27:24, Matthew 27:26.
Q. 32. What is the evil of injuring our neighbour in his good name?
A. It robs him of a most valuable treasure; for, if once his good name or character is sunk, his further usefulness in the world is, to all appearance, irrecoverably gone.
Q. 33. What should affright and deter us from the sins of the tongue, forbidden in this commandment?
A. That we are to answer, in the last and great day for our words, as well as our actions, Matthew 12:36-37 - “Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment; for, by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”