large catechism-第15章

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the　other　hand；　it　is　commanded　that　we　advance　and　improve　his
possessions；　and　in　case　he　suffers　want；　that　we　help；　communicate；
and　lend　both　to　friends　and　foes。　

Whoever　now　seeks　and　desires　good　works　will　find　here　more　than
enough　such　as　are　heartily　acceptable　and　pleasing　to　God；　and　in
addition　are　favored　and　crowned　with　excellent　blessings；　that　we　are
to　be　richly　compensated　for　all　that　we　do　for　our　neighbor's　good　and
from　friendship；　as　King　Solomon　also　teaches　Prov。　19；　17：　He　that
hath　pity　upon　the　poor　lendeth　unto　the　Lord；　and　that　which　he　hath
given　will　He　pay　him　again。　Here；　then　you　have　a　rich　Lord；　who　is
certainly　sufficient　for　you；　and　who　will　not　suffer　you　to　come　short
in　anything　or　to　want；　thus　you　can　with　a　joyful　conscience　enjoy　a
hundred　times　more　than　you　could　scrape　together　with　unfaithfulness
and　wrong。　Now；　whoever　does　not　desire　the　blessing　will　find　wrath
and　misfortune　enough。
　
The　Eighth　Commandment。
　
Thou　shalt　not　bear　false　witness　against　thy　neighbor。　

Over　and　above　our　own　body；　spouse；　and　temporal　possessions；　we　have
yet　another　treasure；　namely；　honor　and　good　report　＇the　illustrious
testimony　of　an　upright　and　unsullied　name　and　reputation＇；　with　which
we　cannot　dispense。　For　it　is　intolerable　to　live　among　men　in　open
shame　and　general　contempt。　Therefore　God　wishes　the　reputation；　good
name；　and　upright　character　of　our　neighbor　to　be　taken　away　or
diminished　as　little　as　his　money　and　possessions；　that　every　one　may
stand　in　his　integrity　before　wife；　children；　servants；　and　neighbors。
And　in　the　first　place；　we　take　the　plainest　meaning　of　this
commandment　according　to　the　words　（Thou　shalt　not　bear　false　witness）；
as　pertaining　to　the　public　courts　of　justice；　where　a　poor　innocent
man　is　accused　and　oppressed　by　false　witnesses　in　order　to　be　punished
in　his　body；　property；　or　honor。　

Now；　this　appears　as　if　it　were　of　little　concern　to　us　at　present；　but
with　the　Jews　it　was　quite　a　common　and　ordinary　matter。　For　the　people
were　organized　under　an　excellent　and　regular　government；　and　where
there　is　still　such　a　government；　instances　of　this　sin　will　not　be
wanting。　The　cause　of　it　is　that　where　judges；　burgomasters；　princes；
or　others　in　authority　sit　in　judgment；　things　never　fail　to　go
according　to　the　course　of　the　world；　namely；　men　do　not　like　to　offend
anybody；　flatter；　and　speak　to　gain　favor；　money；　prospects；　or
friendship；　and　in　consequence　a　poor　man　and　his　cause　must　be
oppressed；　denounced　as　wrong；　and　suffer　punishment。　And　it　is　a
common　calamity　in　the　world　that　in　courts　of　justice　there　seldom
preside　godly　men。　

For　to　be　a　judge　requires　above　all　things　a　godly　man；　and　not　only　a
godly；　but　also　a　wise；　modest；　yea；　a　brave　and　bold　man；　likewise；　to
be　a　witness　requires　a　fearless　and　especially　a　godly　man。　For　a
person　who　is　to　judge　all　matters　rightly　and　carry　them　through　with
his　decision　will　often　offend　good　friends；　relatives；　neighbors；　and
the　rich　and　powerful；　who　can　greatly　serve　or　injure　him。　Therefore
he　must　be　quite　blind；　have　his　eyes　and　ears　closed；　neither　see　nor
hear；　but　go　straight　forward　in　everything　that　comes　before　him；　and
decide　accordingly。　

Therefore　this　commandment　is　given　first　of　all　that　every　one　shall
help　his　neighbor　to　secure　his　rights；　and　not　allow　them　to　be
hindered　or　twisted；　but　shall　promote　and　strictly　maintain　them；　no
matter　whether　he　be　judge　or　witness；　and　let　it　pertain　to　whatsoever
it　will。　And　especially　is　a　goal　set　up　here　for　our　jurists　that　they
be　careful　to　deal　truly　and　uprightly　with　every　case；　allowing　right
to　remain　right；　and；　on　the　other　hand；　not　perverting　anything　＇by
their　tricks　and　technical　points　turning　black　into　white　and　making
wrong　out　to　be　right＇；　nor　glossing　it　over　or　keeping　silent
concerning　it；　irrespective　of　a　person's　money；　possession；　honor；　or
power。　This　is　one　part　and　the　plainest　sense　of　this　commandment
concerning　all　that　takes　place　in　court。　

Next；　it　extends　very　much　further；　if　we　are　to　apply　it　to　spiritual
jurisdiction　or　administration；　here　it　is　a　common　occurrence　that
every　one　bears　false　witness　against　his　neighbor。　For　wherever　there
are　godly　preachers　and　Christians；　they　must　bear　the　sentence　before
the　world　that　they　are　called　heretics；　apostates；　yea；　seditious　and
desperately　wicked　miscreants。　Besides　the　Word　of　God　must　suffer　in
the　most　shameful　and　malicious　manner；　being　persecuted　blasphemed；
contradicted；　perverted　and　falsely　cited　and　interpreted。　But　let　this
pass；　for　it　is　the　way　of　the　blind　world　that　she　condemns　and
persecutes　the　truth　and　the　children　of　God；　and　yet　esteems　it　no
sin。　

In　the　third　place；　what　concerns　us　all；　this　commandment　forbids　all
sins　of　the　tongue　whereby　we　may　injure　or　approach　too　closely　to　our
neighbor。　For　to　bear　false　witness　is　nothing　else　than　a　work　of　the
tongue。　Now；　whatever　is　done　with　the　tongue　against　a　fellow…man　God
would　have　prohibited；　whether　it　be　false　preachers　with　their
doctrine　and　blasphemy；　false　judges　and　witnesses　with　their　verdict；
or　outside　of　court　by　lying　and　evil…speaking。　Here　belongs
particularly　the　detestable；　shameful　vice　of　speaking　behind　a
person's　back　and　slandering；　to　which　the　devil　spurs　us　on　and　of
which　there　would　be　much　to　be　said。　For　it　is　a　common　evil　plague
that　every　one　prefers　hearing　evil　to　hearing　good　of　his　neighbor；
and　although　we　ourselves　are　so　bad　that　we　cannot　suffer　that　any　one
should　say　anything　bad　about　us；　but　every　one　would　much　rather　that
all　the　world　should　speak　of　him　in　terms　of　gold；　yet　we　cannot　bear
that　the　best　is　spoken　about　others。　

Therefore；　to　avoid　this　vice　we　should　note　that　no　one　is　allowed
publicly　to　judge　and　reprove　his　neighbor；　although　he　may　see　him
sin；　unless　he　have　a　command　to　judge　and　to　reprove。　For　there　is　a
great　difference　between　these　two　things；　judging　sin　and　knowing　sin。
You　may　indeed　know　it；　but　you　are　not　to　judge　it。　I　can　indeed　see
and　hear　that　my　neighbor　sins；　but　I　have　no　command　to　report　it　to
others。　Now；　if　I　rush　in；　judging　and　passing　sentence；　I　fall　into　a
sin　which　is　greater　than　his。　But　if　you　know　it；　do　nothing　else
than　turn　your　ears　into　a　grave　and　cover　it；　until　you　are　appointed
to　be　judge　and　to　punish　by　virtue　of　your　office。　

Those；　then；　are　called　slanderers　who　are　not　content　with　knowing　a
thing；　but　proceed　to　assume　jurisdiction；　and　when　they　know　a　slight
offense　of　another；　carry　it　into　every　corner；　and　are　delighted　and
tickled　that　they　can　stir　up　another's　displeasure　＇baseness＇；　as
swine　roll　themselves　in　the　dirt　and　root　in　it　with　the　snout。　This
is　nothing　else　than　meddling　with　the　judgment　and　office　of　God；　and
pronouncing　sentence　and　punishment　with　the　most　severe　verdict。　For
no　judge　can　punish　to　a　higher　degree　nor　go　farther　than　to　say：　〃He
is　a　thief；　a　murderer；　a　traitor；〃　etc。　Therefore；　whoever　presumes　to
say　the　same　of　his　neighbor　goes　just　as　far　as　the　emperor　and　all
governments。　For　although　you　do　not　wield　the　sword；　you　employ　your
poisonous　tongue　to　the　shame　and　hurt　of　your　neighbor。　

God　therefore　would　have　it　prohibited　that　any　one　speak　evil　of
another　even　though　he　be　guilty；　and　the　latter　know　it　right　well；
much　less　if　he　do　not　know　it；　and　have　it　only　from　hearsay。　But　you
say：　Shall　I　not　say　it　if　it　be　the　truth？　Answer：　Why　do　you　not　make
accusation　to　regular　judges？　Ah；　I　cannot　prove　it　publicly；　and　hence
I　might　be　silenced　and　turned　away　in　a　harsh　manner　＇incur　the
penalty　of　a　false　accusation＇。　〃Ah；　indeed；　do　you　smell　the　roast？〃
If　you　do　not　trust　yourself　to　stand　before　the　proper　authorities　and
to　make　answer；　then　hold　your　tongue。　But　if　you　know　it；　know　it　for
yourself　and　not　for　another。　For　if　you　tell　it　to　others；　although　it
be　true；　you　will　appear　as　a　liar；　because　you　cannot　prove　it；　and
you　are；　besides　acting　like　a　knave。　For　we　ought　never　to　deprive　any
one　of　his　honor　or　good　name　u