Coln. 9. The words expounded. Chap..f, 491 was to be given upon him, by the teflimony of witneffes: So for the feventh.: If any man fhould acéufe hisWife, ,the Elders.of the City muff judge of the Deut.zzò matter, and the father and mother of the woman (hall witnefs of her virginity : And for the eighth, the like order is taken, for goods depofite hollen out of a mans houle ; it the thief couldnot be found, the mailer of the houle mull be Exod.zz,8,9Q, brought before the Judges, to fpeakwhether he put out his.hand to the Pollen goods. So that we fee, for the reifyingof whatfoever is amifs in thofe three Commandements, this was added. It is not enough to have authority , and Judges, &c. but there mutt be witneffes to prove matters of fait : And there- Lev.5.1,5 fore under the Law, God gave fpecial rules both for giving witnefs,and for re: Dent.:7,6,7, relying the teflimony of witneffes. Others, upon the comparifon which the holy Ghofl makes between creditor good name, and wealth, preferring that before this and becaufe that honefla fama, an honeh report, or good name, isalterumparrimonium, anotherpatrimo- ny, therefore they give this reafon of the coherence ; that becaufe order was taken for other patrimonies in the next before this, therefore here he takes or- der for the preferving ofa good name, which is that fecundumor alterum patri_ monium, a fecond patrimony. But the fecond opinion is moll probable,to which the bell Expouitors incline. For the Prophet Efay reproving the people for departing fromGod , by lying, anduttering words offallhood, adds, that judgment Yeas turned backward , andjuftice Efay 59.i3,14 flood afar ojf , becaufe this was GermanosefJelZns, the proper and natural effeet of falle witnefs, to pervert juflice and judgment 5 and therefore it is,thatfalfe teflimony is abomination to God , Fer lying lip (faith the Wife man) are an Prov. ts.za; abomination to theLord. And therefore God took order, that if a falle witnefs fhould arife againh any man, to teflifie folly concerning thebreach of any of the other Commandements, the Judges (hould enquire and punifh him'with the Deut.t9.ì6,z1 fame punifbment, whether pecuniary or corporal, which the party wrongfully accufed fhould have fuffered. Now for the (cope and purpofe of the Lawgiver : in this precept it is four- 77slcope of fold. Clo ¿ow t. In refpeti ofhimfelf, his own glory, which is manifefled bytruth; for in ¿: YefPef2of himfelf God is truth, and his Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, his Mercy, Juftice, and other Attributes are manifefled by his truth and fidelity ; God therefore would have truth preferved ; truth in Religion makes for hisglory: Therefore ChrH}, who aimed in all things at the glory of his Father, faith, For this caufe he John a8. yeas born, to bear witnefs of the truth, and fo by proportion it is the end for. which 37. every man is born, to be a witnefs to Gods truth : If any (hall fpcak or preach any falfhoodor untruth as fromGod, they difhonour him, and therefore the A- pofUe faith,. that if Chrift werenot rifen from the dead, himfelfandothers who had preached the fame, mould be found falfe witneffes againfl God, by preaching an acor.t5,i9, untruth. And not only by truth in matters of Religion , but alto in civil Judicatures God is honoured by (peaking the truth. And therefore when A. chan was queflionedabout the theft, 7ofhtea (ayes, My fengiveglory toGod, .when Jo(709: he would have him for to confefs his fault : So that confellion of the truth brings Glory to God as well in Judicial matters, as in matters of Religi- on. a. In refpell of the Church, Saint Peter fpeaks of force, ( as be calla them) 2. Inrefpeüof liLagifirimondares, lying Mailers, or falfeTeachers, who endangered the fouls tbcehurch of them that heard them. For, betides thediflionour of Gods Name by falle 2 Per,z.t. Teachers, there is alto a hazard of the peoples fouls, by their falfe Doûrine. os ell merdax, ni fqui negat lefum effe Chrigum, (faith St.7ohn?) Who is a lyar, but he that denies that J E S U S is the CHRIST? He that affirms any He- !John 2.21; retical falfe Do/lriney is a lyar, and by his lyes endangers the fouls of the people, The preferving of truth then, not only in regard of Gods glory, but alto for the fafety and good of the Church , is another end of this Com- mandement. 3. In refpe/I of the Common- wealth, that Juftice and Peacemight be pre- 5.10 raheEof ferved by witnefï.ng the truth. .Abraham called the Well which he had digged, `f. on- R r r , ._ Iteer/heba,
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