Consider what has been said, &c.

ON FALSE WITNESS.

EXODUS, XX. 16.

“Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.”

In those great changes that are made in a country by the prevailing of one party over another, it is very convenient that the prince, and those who are in authority under him, should use all just and proper methods for preventing any mischief to the public from seditious men.  And governors do well, when they encourage any good subject to discover (as his duty obligeth him) whatever plots or conspiracies may be anyway dangerous to the state:  Neither are they to be blamed, even when they receive informations from bad men, in order to find out the truth, when it concerns the public welfare.  Every one indeed is naturally inclined to have an ill opinion of an informer; although it is not impossible but an honest man may be called by that name.  For whoever knoweth anything, the telling of which would prevent some great evil to his prince, his country, or his neighbour, is bound in conscience to reveal it.  But the mischief is, that, when parties are violently enflamed, which seemeth unfortunately to be our case at present, there is never wanting a set of evil instruments, who, either out of mad zeal, private hatred, or filthy lucre, are always ready to offer their service to the prevailing side, and become accusers of their brethren, without any regard to truth or charity.  Holy David numbers this among the chief of his sufferings; “False witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty."[1] Our Saviour and his apostles did likewise undergo the same distress, as we read both in the Gospels and the Acts.

[Footnote 1:  Psalm xxvii. 12.]

Now, because the sign of false witnessing is so horrible and dangerous in itself, and so odious to God and man; and because the bitterness of too many among us is risen to such a height, that it is not easy to know where it will stop, or how far some weak and wicked minds may be carried by a mistaken zeal, a malicious temper, or hope of reward, to break this great commandment delivered in the text; therefore, in order to prevent this evil, and the consequences of it, at least among you who are my hearers, I shall,

I. First:  Shew you several ways by which a man may be called a false witness against his neighbour.

II. Secondly:  I shall give you some rules for your conduct and behaviour, in order to defend yourselves against the malice and cunning of false accusers.

III.  And lastly:  I shall conclude with shewing you very briefly, how far it is your duty, as good subjects and good neighbours, to bear faithful witness, when you are lawfully called to it by those in authority, or by the sincere advice of your own consciences,

I. As to the first, there are several ways by which a man may be justly called a false witness against his neighbour.