A. When we obferve any thing faulty in him, which deserves prefent notice, we fhould reprove it with meeknefs and love, Lev. xix. 17.; and what is really commendable we fhould prudently encourage and applaud, Rom. i. 8.

Q. 22. How fhould we maintain and promote the good name of others in their absence?

A. By commeading what is praife worthy in them, 3 Jo. verse 12; vindicating their character when unjustly attacked, Prov. xxv. 23.; and by covering their infirmities and blemishes, as far as can be done in a confiftency with truth, and the credit of religion, 1 Pet. iv. 8.

Q. 23. Why is the word ESPECIALLY fubjoined to witnefs bearing?

A. Becaufe as we should give teftimony to truth on all occasions, so in a special manner when called by lawful authority to declare the matter of fact upon oath, Jer. iv. 2.

2. 24. What special obligation lies upon us, to declare the true matter of fact, between man and man, when called thereto upon oath?

A. In an oath, God is appealed unto, that we shall declare nothing but the truth, as we fhall answer to him at the great day; and therefore our doing otherwise, either out of hatred or favour, is a laying ourselves open to his immediate wrath and displeasure, according to Mal, iii. 5. I will be a fwift witness-against falfe fwearers,-faith the Lord of hofts.

78. QUEST. What is forbidden in the ninth commandment ?

ANSW. The ninth commandment forbiddeth, whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own or our neighbour's good name.

Q. 1. What doth this command forbid in general ?
A. Whatfoever is prejudicial to truth]

Q2 What are we to understand by that which is [prejudicial to truth]?

A. All falsehood and lying of whatever kind, Jam. iii. 14-Lie not against the truth.

Q3. What is the formal nature and notion of a LIE?

A. It is voluntarily to speak and utter that which we know to be falfe, as the old prophet at Bethel did to the man of God, 1 Kings xiii. 18.

2. 4. How is a lie aggravated?

A. When it is uttered with a defign to deceive, and to harm others thereby; like the devil, when he said, Ye shall not furely die.-Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil, Gen. iii. 4, 5.

2.5. May not persons utter an untruth, or what is false, and yet not be guilty of a lie.

A. Yas: and that either through ignorance or mifiaformation..

26. When may they be faid to utter what is falfe through ignorance, and yet not be guilty of lying?

A. When they speak rafhly, according to their prefent conceptions of things, without due examination; as the Barbarians did, when they faw the venomous beast hang on Paul's hand, they faid among themselves, No doubt this man is a-murderer, &:. A&s xxviii. 4.

2.7. When may we utter what is falfe through misinformation, and not be guilty of a lie?

A. When we speak according to the report we have had from others, without any fufpicion of being impofed upon; as Jacob did, when, by the impofition of his fons (who had fold Jofeph into Egypt, and dipped his coat in the blood of a kid) he said, It is my fon's coat ; an evil beaft hath devoured him: Jofeph is without doubt rent in pieces, Gen. xxxvii. 33.

2. 8. How many forts of lies are there?

A. They are commonly ranked into three forts, namely, ludicrous, pernicious, and officious lies.

Q9. What it a ludicrous or jocofe lie

A. It is when perfons relate things they know to be falfe, with a defign to make jeft, or diverfion, to others. 2. c. What is it to be guilty of a pernicious lie?

A. It is to contrive or spread fome malicious report, we know or fufpect to be falfe, en purpose to bring about fome hurt or damage to another, as Ziba did against Mephibofheth, 2 Sam. xvi. 3.

2. 11. What is the aggravation of a pernicious lie? A, It is the very work fort of lying, being both a contempt of the omniscient God, who is witness to the falfehood; and a deliberate intention to do injury to our neigh

bour, though in our confcience we believe him innocent of what we lay to his charge.

Q. 12. What is it for a perfon to make an officious lie? A. It is to tell a downright untruth, for their own, or their neighbour's fafety and fecurity in time of danger, as Rahab did, who hid the fpies in the roof of her house, and yet alleged they were gone out of the city, and that the knew not where they went, Jofh. ii. 4, 5, 6,

Q. 13. Doth not the apoftle afcribe this action of hers to her faith, when he fays, Heb. xi, 31. By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with them that believed not, when he had received the fpies with peace?

4. No: what he afcribes to her faith is, her having received the fpies with peace; that is, her having confulted their fafety and prefervation with the greatest care and diligence; but not the lie fhe invented in order to conceal them Her protecting the fpies is commended, but not the manner in which the did it.

Q.14.Who are they that plead in favour of officious lies? A. The Papifts, Socinians, and most part of our modern moralifts.

2. 15. What arguments do they allege in defence of this fort of lying?

4. That it has been practised by faints in fcripture; and that it is fo far from being hurtful to any, that it has been beneficial to fome, in some cases.

Q.16 What answer is to be given to the practice of the faints in this matter?

A. That their finful failures, in this and other instances are not recorded in fcripture for imitation, but for caution and warning, that we fall not into the fame fnares.

2. 17. How do you answer the other argument for officious lying, That is fo far from being hurtful to any, that it has been beneficial and advantageous to fome, in ⚫ certain cafes,particularly in faving the life of a dear friend, * or useful member of fociety, which might otherwise have 'been manifeftly endangered?"

A. It is anfwered thus, that in no cafe we are to do evil that good may come, Rom. iii. 8. If we are not to speak wickedly for God, nor talk deceitfully for him, according to Job zii. 7.; neither are we to do fo, though it were for the benefit of all mankind, or the best among them.

218. How do you prove lying to be finful, or unlaw. ful, in felf?

A. From this, that lying of all forts, without exception, is condemned in fcripture, as hateful and abominable to God, Prov. vi. 17, 19. and xii. 22. Col. iii. 9.

Q19. Who is the author and father of lies?

A.The devil, John viii. 44.-When he fpeaketh a lie, he Speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Q. 20. How doth God teftify his displeasure against lying of all kinds.

A. By declaring, that he who speaketh lies fhall perish, Prov. xix.9.;accordingly it is faid, that ALL liars fhall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone,

Rev. xxi. 8.

2 21. What is more particularly forbidden in this commandment, according to the answer?

A.Whatfoever 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, Prov. xii. 15.; by a defpifing of others who ought justly to be efteemed, chap. xxii. 9.; or by doing any thing fcandalous and offenfive in the eye of the world. 1 Sam. ii. 17, 30.

Q. 23. Wherein may we be injurious to our neighbour's good name?

A. By flattering him to his face, Prov, xxviii. 4.; by defaming him behind his back, Pfal. I. 20.; or by bearing falfe witness against him in public judicature, Ez. xxii. 9.

Q. 24. What is the evil of flattering our neighbour to his face ?

A. It tends to fofter and foment his pride, and thereby to bring on his ruin, Prov. xxvi. 28, A flattering mouth worketh ruin.

Q25. 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 fame original word, which is rendered flander, 1 Tim. iii. 11. is used alfo to fignify the devil, t Pet. v. 8.

Q. 26. Who are they that may be guilty of bearing falfe witness against their neighbour in public judicature? A.The purfuer, defender, witness, advocate, and judge, may each of them be guilty this way.

Q. 27. How may the purfuer be guilty?

A.In making an unjuft demand upon the defender, Acts

xxiv. 5 or laying to his charge what he believes him to be innocent of, chap xxv. 7.

Q.23.How is the defender, upon the other hand,charge. able with guilt in this matter?

A. By artful and dilatory evafions, whereby the purfuer is put to needless trouble and charge, in the obtaining of justice. Q. 29. How may witneffes, in public judicature, be injurious to their neighbour's good name?

A. Not only by the heinous fin of bearing teftimony to a downright falfehood, but likewife by denying, mincing, or keeping back of the truth or any part thereof.

Q30 When are advocates or attornies guilty this way? A. When they take in hand to plead and maintain a bad cause, looking on it as a part of their profeffion, so be as warm and zealous in defending what is wrong, as what is juft and right.

Q.31. How may the judge be guilty of bearing false witness?

A. By a rafh, partial, and iniquitous fentence, and thereby perverting juftice, and injuring the innocent, like Pilate, Mat. xxvii. 24, 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 funk, his further usefulness in the world, is, in all appearance, irrevocably gone.

Q.33. What fhould fcare and deter us from the fins of the tongue, forbidden in this commandment?

A. That we are to anfwer, in the laft and great day, for our words, as well as our actions. Mat. xii, 36, 37. -- Every idle word that men fhall speak, they shall give account thereof in e day of judgement: for, by thy words thou shalt be juftified, I by thy words thoufhalt be condemned,

79. QUEST. Which is the tenth. commandment?

is,

ANSW. The tenth commandment Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's boufe, thou halt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his man-fervant, nor his maid-fervant, nor his ox, nor his afs, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's