What is the ninth Commandment?
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. [Exodus 20:16, Deut. 5:20 Brenton's LXX]
How are we to understand this Commandment?
This Commandment forbids us to speak any falsehood of our neighbor. Or hurt the character of another out of malice, or a desire of revenge. In a word, that we should avoid all evil dispositions and passions; that we become not the children of the devil, and like unto those of whom our Lord spake, Ye are of your father, the devil, and the desires of your father ye wish to do. That one was a manslayer from the beginning, and hath not stood in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he may speak the lie, he speaketh out of the things which are his own; for he is a liar and the father of it. [Jn. 8:44 ONT] In a more especial manner, it behooves all such as are called to sit in judgment, that they most carefully observe this Commandment, that they be not led aside by the testimony of false witnesses or writings, but that they judge only righteous judgment; least they become the children of the devil, and heirs of hell.
Q. What is forbidden in the ninth Commandment?
A. It forbids us to bear false witness against our neighbor, which is of two kinds, the one in, the other out of the courts of judicature.
Q. What kind of false witness is given in courts of judicature?
A. They are these three following:
1. False accusation.
2. False witness, either by swearing falsely against an innocent person, or by suppressing the truth against the guilty.
3. When the judge does not use all diligence and possible means to come at the truth, he is a transgressor of the ninth Commandment, and of the 6th and 8th at the same time; such a judge does an honest man a great deal of prejudice, though he should escape with his life and fortune.
Q. What are the kinds of false witness that are committed in daily conversation?
A.
1. Slandering and backbiting.
2. Affronting another to his face with abusive language.
3. Condemning the actions of strangers, though in themselves blamable, and to be disapproved.
4. Ridiculing others for some natural imperfections, whether in body or mind, without some very solid reason for so doing.
5. All satirical pleasantries, that tends to diminish our neighbor's reputation, and all sinister disadvantageous interpretation of other men’s words and actions.
6. This sin may likewise be committed by nods and signs, as shaking the head, or by signing at the mentioning the name of a certain man, in such a manner, that his contempt and dislike is sufficiently manifested, and even silence sometimes has a louder meaning than the words to raise suspicion in the minds of others, and diminish our neighbor's reputation.
7. Add hereunto pasquils [a composition that imitates or misrepresents somebody's style, usually in a humorous way; a satire or lampoon], and pictures made on purpose to injure our neighbor's reputation.
8. Lastly, there is another more subtle method of blackening our brother's good name, by giving him very high encomiums, and uncommon praises, but blended with such mean and ugly circumstances, that the man may seem more odious. In a word, whatsoever contributes to the diminishing our neighbor's good name, whether it be in word or deed, is a violation of the ninth Commandment.
To avoid this sin of hurting the reputation of others, consider:
1. That inclination to speak evil of others flows from envy, pride, revenge, and a long custom of lying; for whoever utters what in duty he should have concealed, and conceals what he should have disclosed, is a liar, and condemned by this Commandment.
2. That this sin of hurting our neighbor's reputation, if once contracted, is very difficult to be forgiven, because of the unwillingness of all such slanderers to make honorable reparation to the injured person, without which there can be no forgiveness expected for this sin.
Q. What is forbidden by the ninth commandment?
A. False witness against our neighbor, and all lying.
Q. What is forbidden under the words false witness?
A.
1. False witness in a court of justice; when men bear witness, inform, or complain falsely against any one.
2. False witness out of court, when men slander any one behind his back, or blame him to his face unjustly.
Q. But is it allowable to censure others when they are really to blame?
A. No: the Gospel does not allow us to judge even of the real vices or faults of our neighbors, unless we are called by any special office to do so, for their punishment or amendment. Cease judging, that ye be not judged. [Mt. 7:1 ONT]
Q. Are not such lies allowable, as involve no purpose of hurting our neighbor?
A. No: for they are inconsistent with love and respect for our neighbor, and unworthy of a man, much more of a Christian, who has been created for truth and love. Wherefore, having put off the falsehood, “Be speaking truth each one with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. [Eph. 4:25 ONT]
Q. If we would avoid sins against the ninth Commandment, what rule must we follow?
A. We must bridle our tongue. For “the one who doth wish to love life and to see good days, let him stop his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. [1 Pe. 3:10 ONT] If anyone among you seem to be religious, while he bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his heart, the religion of this one is vain. [Jas. 1:26 ONT]