vii. 20, 212 Chron. xxviil. 21. 2 Tim. iv. 2. 1 Pet. v. 2, 3. Acts f. 23. and vi. 3. Jer. xxii. 1, 2. Q. Is stealing a way to be rich? A. No, it brings poverty; for the curse of God is against the thief, Zech. v. 3, 4. Q. Is not the thief of kin to the atheist ? A. Yes, for he practically denies God's omnipresence and his all-seeing eye over him, and that he is a righteous Judge who will call him to account: MAST Q. Must not all guilty of wronging others in their goods, repent and make restitution, as they would have mercy from God 2 A. Yes, Lev. vi. 4. Ezek. xxxiii. 15. Luke xix. 8. Quest. 76. Which is the ninth commandment? Ans. The ninth commandment is, Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Quest. 77. What is required in the ninth commandment? Ans. 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. How many duties doth this answer mention as required of us by the ninth commandment ? A. They are four; 1. The maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man. 2. Maintaining and promoting of our own good name. 3. Maintaining and promoting of our neighbour's good name. 4. Being concerned for all these, especially in witness-bearing." Q. Why especially in witness-bearing ?ts A. Because then we are solemnly required to tell the truth, as being before a judge, and upon oath, whereby God is appealed to.. Q. How ought we to maintain and promote truth amongst men? A. By loving the truth, speaking the truth sincerely, standing and appearing for the truth; and judging and deciding for the truth, Zech, viii. 16, 19. Prov. xxxi. 8, 9. Exod. xviii. 21. Psalm xv. 2. Q. Why are we required to speak the truth sincerely or from the heart ? A. Because the devil and bad men sometimes speak the truth from an evil design, Mark i. 24. 1 Sam. xxii. 9, 10. Q. Wherefore ought we to maintain and promote our own good name? A. That we may be capable to glorify God, and do the more good in our day and generation. Q. Doth an evil report of men hinder their usefulness ? Q. Who are more especially concerned to maintain their good name? A. Magistrates, ministers and professors of religion. Q. Is commending ourselves, or carrying proudly, the way to maintain or promote our good name ? A. No, but rather the way to procure contempt.. Q. What are the proper means then to obtain a good name? A. We must study to be humble, harmless, sober, meek, chaste and just; to keep our word exactly; to be ready to serve others; and, in a word, to practise whatsoever things are true, honest, lovely, and of good report, Col. iii. 12. Phil. ii. 15. and iv. 8. Q. Ought we not to vindicate ourselves when we are reproached? A. Yes; but with meekness, and readiness to forgive those who reproach us. Q. What if they do not hearken to us, nor believe us? A. We must commit the cause to him that judgeth righteously. Q. What is incumbent upon us to maintain our neighbour's good name? A. We ought to have a due esteem of all the good we see in them, and be willing to express this seasonably for their encouragement in the ways of God; we should be ready to hearken to a good report, and unwilling to receive a bad report concerning them; conceal their infirmities, discourage tale bearers, speak well of them behind their backs, and stand up in their defence when we know them traduced, Phil ii. 3. Heb. vi. 9. Rom. i. 8. 1 Cor. xiii. 6. Psal. xv. 3. Prov. xxv. 23. and xvii. 9. 1 Sam. xxii. 14. Q. But what should we do when the bad reports we hear of our neighbours are evidently true? A. We should be grieved for their miscarriages, and contribute what we can, by our admonitions, advices, and prayers, for their amendment, and for the recovery of their good names again, 2 Cor. ii. 4. Matth. xviii. 15, &c. Quest. 78. What is forbidden in the ninth com mandment? Ans. The ninth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own or our neighbour's good name. Q. What evils doth this answer set forth as forbidden in this command? A. Three; 1. Saying or doing any thing that is prejudicial to truth. 2. Saying or doing any thing injurious to our own good name. 3. Saying or doing any thing injurious to our neighbour's good name. Q. What are these things here forbidden, which are prejudicial to truth? A. The wronging of truth, or any wise acting against it, in courts of judicature; the speaking of untruth, falsehood, or telling lies upon any account whatsoever; equivocating, perverting the truth, falsifying our word, and the like. Q. How do men injure the truth in courts of judicature? A. By persons informing against or accusing others falsely; by the accused person's denying that of which he is guilty; by suborning false witnesses; by witnesses concealing or disguising the truth, or witnessing falsely; by persons agenting and pleading against the truth, or for an evil cause; by forgery, or making use of false writings; by perverting of men's words to a wrong meaning; by undue silence in a just cause, or not acting faithfully for it; by passing unjust sentences, justifying the guilty, or condemning the innocent, Luke xxiii. 2. Acts xxix. 2, 5. Gen. iv. 9. Acts vi. 13. 1 Kings xxi. 13. Isa. v. 23. Psalm cxix. 69. Lev. v. 1. 2 Tim. iv. 16. Isa. x. 1. Prov. xvii. 15. and xxxi. 8, 9. Q. Is every man that speaks an untruth guilty of lying? A. No, he is not, if he really think the thing to be true which he speaks, although it may be false. Q. What is it you mean by a lie then? A. A man's speaking of any thing which he knows to be false, and telling it with a design to deceive. Q. What is the evil of lying? A. 1. It is a sin most hateful to God, who is a God of truth. 2. It tends to destroy all human society and commerce among men. 3. It makes a man a child of the devil; for he is a liar, and the father of lies, Prov. vi. 17, John viii. 44. Q. Doth not God testify his high displeasure against the sin of lying? A. Yes, and that even in this world; for God struck Ananias and Sapphira dead with a lie in their mouths. Q. What is the portion of liars hereafter? A. All liars shall have their part with the father of lies in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone; for God hath said it, Rev. xxi. 8. Q. Is it not then one of the worst names, to call a man a liar 2 A. Yes; and therefore we should guard against doing it. Q. But what if the person so called do deserve the name? A. Then we should be grieved for it, and reprove him, not in passion to expose him, but in the spirit of meekness in order to amend him. Q. May not a man tell a lie, to preserve his own or his neighbour's life? A. No; for we must not do evil that good may come. Nay, we must not lie, though it were to advance the glory of God, Job xiii. 7. Rom. iii. 7, 8. And, though soine of the scripture-saints may have failed in this respect, we must not follow their example, but live by precept. Q. What think you of the Popish doctrine and practice of equivocations, and of keeping no faith with heretics? A. They are abominable. Q. What do you think of these who lie in jest, to make sport to others? A. God calls them fools that make a mock of sin, Prov. xiv. 9. Q. What are these things injurious to our own good name, which the ninth commandment forbids? A. They are such as, thinking or speaking too highly, or too meanly of ourselves; flattering, vaunting and vain-glorious boasting; accusing ourselves of what we are not guilty; aggravating smaller faults too much; excusing or extenuating sins, when called to a free confession; denying the gifts or graces which God hath given us; rash exposing our infirmities before the wicked; speaking or doing any thing which may be a blot upon our name, Rom. xii. 16. Luke xviii. 11. Exod. iv. 10. 2 Tim. iii. 2. Psalm xii. 3. 1 Cor. xiii. 4, 5. Matth. vii. 3. Prov. xxviii. 13. Gen. iii. 12, 13.. Job xxvii. 5. Col. ii. 18. Prov. xiv. 34. Q. What are the things injurious to our neighbour's good name, here forbidden? A. All slandering, backbiting, reproaching, scolding, tak ing up and spreading evil reports, evil speaking, rash judging or censuring, whispering, tale-bearing, misconstructing the actions, words, or intentions of others; not covering their infirmities, stopping our ears against their vindication; not clearing their innocence when we know it; speaking truth with an ill design against them; being glad at their miscarriage or disgrace; scornful contempt, scoffing; fond admiration of some, to the disparagement of others, Psal. 1. 20. Job xix. 3. Psal. xv. 3. James iv. 11. Rom. i. 29, 30. Lev. xix. 6. Neh. vi. 6, &c. Rom. iii. 8. Psal. Ixix. 10. 1 Sam. i. 13, 14. Acts vii. 57. 1 Sam. xxii. 9. Jer. xlviii. 27. Psalm xxxv. 15, 16. Gen. xxi. 9. Jude 16. Q, Though we may not raise a false report, yet may we not repeat it after hearing it? A. No; for that is to spread it: wherefore, though a false report be laid at our foot, we should be unwilling to take it up, Psal. xv. 3. Q. Ought we not to discourage all backbiters and talebearers? A. Yes for such do sow discord among brethren, and separate chief friends; and we may suspect, that these who bring such tales to us, will be ready also to take some away, Prov. vi. 19. and xvi. 9. and xxv. 23. Quest. 79. Which is the tenth commandment? Ans. The tenth commandment is, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. Quest. 80. What is required in the tenth commandment? Ans. The tenth commandment requireth full contentment with our own condition, with a right and charitable frame of spirit toward our neighbour and all that is his. Q. In what verse of the New Testament have we this command summed up and explained? A. In Heb. xiii. 5. Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have." Q. When the answer bears that the command requires full |