The beatitudes

4. We are unmerciful to the names of others, when we know them to be calumniated, yet do not vindicate Answ. 4 them. A man may sometimes as well wrong another by silence as slander; he who is merciful to his brother, is an Advocate to plead in his behalf when he is injuriously traduced; when the Apostles, who were filled with the wine of the Spirit, were charged with drunkenness, Peter vindicated them openly, Acts 2.15. A merciful man will take the dead fly out of the box of ointment.

4. We are unmerciful to the names of others, when we know them to be calumniated, yet do not vindicate Answ. 4 them. A man may sometimes as well wrong another by silence as slander; he who is merciful to his brother, is an Advocate to plead in his behalf when he is injuriously traduced; when the Apostles, who were filled with the wine of the Spirit, were charged with drunkenness, Peter vindicated them openly, Acts 2.15. A merciful man will take the dead flie out of the box of oyntment.

5. They are in an high degree unmerciful to the names Answ. 5 of others, who bear false witness against them. Psal. 27.11. Exod. 23.1. Put not thy hand with the wicked to be a false witness. Putting the hand, is taking an Oath falsely; as when a man puts his hand upon the book, and swears to a lye; so Tostatus expounds it; this [Greek or Hebrew], ⟨p. 192⟩false witness is a two-edged sword; the party forsworn wounds another's name, and his own soul. A false witness is compared to a Maul or Hammer, Prov. 25.18. It is true in this sense, because he is hardened, 1. In impudency; he blusheth at nothing. 2. In unmercifulness: There is no softness in a Maul or Hammer; nor is there any relenting, or bowels to be found in a false witness. All these ways men are unmerciful to the names of others.