The Ninth Commandment
Bp. E. Hopkins. Exodus 20:16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. I. This command prohibits LYING. 1. What a lie is. (1) A lie, according to St. Austin's definition of it, is a voluntary speaking of an untruth, with an intent to deceive. (2) Lies are usually distinguished into three kinds. (a) There is a jocular lie: a lie, framed to excite mirth and laughter; not to deceive the hearer, only to please and divert him. (b) There is an officious lie: which is told for another's benefit and advantage; and seems to make an abundant compensation for its falsehood, by its use and profit. (c) There is a malicious and pernicious lie: a lie, devised on purpose for the hurt and damage of my neighbour. 2. Now, for the aggravations of this sin, consider — (1) It is a sin, that makes you most like unto the devil. (2) Consider, that it is a sin most contrary to the nature of God, who is truth itself. (3) Consider, that it is a sin, that gives in fearful evidence against us, that we belong to the devil, and are his children. (4) Consider, how dreadfully God hath threatened it with eternal death (Revelation 22:15). (5) A lie showeth a most degenerous and cowardly fear of men, and a most daring contempt of the great God. (6) Mankind generally account it the most infamous and reproachful sin of all others. (7) It is a sin that God will detect; and exposeth those who are guilty of it to shame and contempt (Proverbs 12:19). II. There remain two other violations of this Commandment: the one is, by SLANDER AND DETRACTION; the other, by base flattery and soothing. And both these may respect either ourselves or others. 1. Indeed slander and detraction seem somewhat to differ. For slander, properly, is a false imputation of vice; but detraction is a causeless, diminishing report of virtue. (1) If thou wouldst keep thyself from being a slanderer of others, addict not thyself violently to any one party or persuasion of men. (2) If thou wouldst not be guilty of slander, be not busy in other men's affairs. (3) If thou wouldst not be guilty of slander, be frequent in reflecting upon thine own miscarriages; or thy proneness to fall into the same, or greater faults. (4) If you would not be guilty of slander, listen not unto those who are slanderers and detractors. (5) If you would not be slanderers of others be not self-lovers. For self-love always causeth envy; and envy detraction. (6) Be not too easy and facile to entertain suspicious and evil surmises against others. III. The third sin against this Commandment is BASE FLATTERY and SOOTHING; which is a quite opposite extreme to the other, as both are opposite to truth. Now this is, either self-flattery, or the flattering of others. 1. There is a self-flattery. Learn, therefore, O Christian, to take the just measure of thyself. 2. There is a sinful flattering of others: and that, either by an immoderate extolling of their virtues; or, what is worse, by a wicked commendation even of their very vices. This is a sin most odious unto God, who hath threatened to cut off all flattering lips (Psalm 12:3). (Bp. E. Hopkins.) Parallel Verses KJV: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. WEB: "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.