496 Com.9. The words expounded.. Chap, r;, 2. Mentiri, to lye, is (as the common derivation is) irecontra mentem to go con- trary to our own mind; which is, when a man fpeaks, aliter quam ipfefentit,other- Pfal. 15. a wife than himfelf thinks, the contraryofwhich, is that which David requires, to 'peak the truth from the heart. 3. Vanum, a vain fpeech, is fuch as makes not for the end of fpeech. Now fpeech was ordained for two rieceffaryyufes ; whereot theoneconcerns the life tocome, the other thisprefent life. The firtt end, is tobuild men up in faith and piety towards God,the other to maintain juttice and charityamong men : whatfoever fpeech there- fore conduces notto one of two ends,is vain,becaufe it isfignum mendax,a falle or lyingfign, for it wants thefignatum, the thing fgnified. And therefore all pato- Ephef.5. 4 Ao)lafeolifh talking, and 41%p:1,0y4a filthy or unfavoryfpeech,condemned by the Apo- Cal. 3.8 file are here forbidden,as not conducing to the ends of fpeech; and therefore are vain nd frivolous. Tit oh The next word is 1'' infacium tuum,which we render (againft thyNeighbor) word uponwhich tranflation many haveundertaken to maintain the lawfulnefsof Officio- fummendacium, an officious lye, becaufe it is not againft our neighbour, but for his good ; as ifone tell a lye to fave a mans life or goods : but the words of the Com- mandment do notinfer it ; for they may be generallyrendred,fuper focium, orproxi- mum, about or concerning our neighbour, whether forhim or againft him. As that place in Pfal. r5. 5..V3-421!, which our tranllation renders,enntra innocentem, againft the innocent; And Tremelius, Pro innocente, for the innocent,rnay bebetter rendred fit/4r innocentem 'concerning the innocent, "whether it be for him,or againft him. To lyeagainfi ur neighbour is apparently unlawful, the veryheathen have con- demned it: But the law ofGod, and Christian charity condemn it, when it is for him, even to help him. It were good in tranflations,that the interpreter would ob- ferve this rule, to let the words hand in as large and broad a fenfe as they will bear, for fo ifneed be they may be refirained by other places; but ifthey be rendredin too narrow or ftrióka fenfe,as here,pro or contra, for or againft, the ignorant and unhable will take occafion to wreft them, as here to exclude from the prohibition, whatfoe- ver is not againft our neighbour. Therefore the words here maybe best rendred, (concerning thy neighbour) which may lignifieand includebothragainjf)and(with) our neighbour. For as the word fignifieth (againft) fo alto it lignifies (with) and is fo rendred in Genefi:30.33. 'fPW'2 l'irl 3V1 my righteoufnefrfhall gnfwer (for me) and fo the prepofitionmay have a general fenfe including both. ï'te loftword Lathy, here is (Neighbour) mentioned, to parallel this Commandment with the proximum third, which doherein meet, as it wereex ¿quo, that both prohibit the abufe of the Pleaghbour, tongue, and differ in regard of the Objefi, which in the third Commandment is God, in this our Neighbour. For as there we are forbidden to ufe our tongue in anyway which maybe derogatory to God, by the unhallowingof his Name ; fo here weare forbidden to ufe it againfi our neighbour,inany way whichmaybringdamage, or be prejudicial tohim. Thus far for the explication of the words. the coherence For the coherence of this with the foregoing Commandment,and the depeidance anddopen- thereofupon it. Some give this reafon. That whereas in the former, all unjuft wayes done of gbh 1? g commandment ofgetting are forbidden,amongft which lyingand falfe fpeaking is one: For the Hea- thenman faid,;ivdtu d`v"iithk ,oyñSw ìAey'.Sa,Where a lye muff bemade,let it bemade: And wheremutt a lye be made ? he"anfwers, iv 713 ÆA6xeSat vi s's P , when any gain it to begot by it. Therefore to meet with this common praétifeofmen, God re- brains all lying and falfetefiimony in this Commandment. And this reafon of the dependance hath force (hew in it. Others conceive,thatas God efiablisht authority in the fifth Commandment, for thegood ofhumane fociety,and in the three next gave order for promifcuous duties, whichare common to all, fohere in this, if thereshould be any breach ofthofe three Exod. 22. S ; fail, whereby men muli have recourfe toJudges, and makeufe oftheir authority , becaufethofe inauthority mutt proceed upon evidenceandproofbywitneffes,There- fore God fets this Commandment in thenext place, wherein he takes order for wit- neffes to fpeak the truth, andnot to give falfe testimony againfi any. This feems to have ground from feveral places of Scripture ; for if any fhould violate the tixth Commandment, the Elders of the City were to examine the matter, and fentence was
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