sacred, and falsehood so odious in the sight of Him, who is emphatically styled the God of Truth,-the former assimilating us to the Deity himself, the latter to the devil, who is the father of lies, the former so conducive to the glory of God, and the good order of society, the latter so destructive of both,the former so recommended, the latter so denounced, in Scripture;-that falsehood needs not the union with uncharitableness, which is implied in the Commandment, to render it obnoxious, as it indisputably is, to the severest punishment which can be inflicted upon earth, by the loss of credit and the certainty of shame, and to the still more dreadful prospect of exclusion from the divine presence, and of eternal sufferings.

From Scripture.

SECTION T.

(Exod. xx. 16.) Deut. v. 20. Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour. Matt. xix. 18. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not beur false witness. Rom. xiii. 9. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Mal. iii. 5. And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn away the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts. Prov. vi. 16-19. These six things doth the Lord hate; yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and him that soweth discord among brethren. Psal. xxxiv. 13. Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Prov. xii. 22. Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight. Col. iii. 9. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds. Jam. i. 26. If any man

among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Jam. iii. 2, 3. 5-10. For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Behold we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth: And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue amongst our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Matt. xii. 34–37. O generation of vipers! how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, A good man, out of the good treasure of the heart, bringeth forth good things: and an evil man, out of the evil treasure, bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Matt. xv. 18. But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

SECTION II.

Prov. xiv. 5. 25. A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies. A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies. John vii. 24.

Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. Deut. xix. 15-19. One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.. If a false witness rise up against any man, to testify against him that which is wrong; Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges which shall be in those days; And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother; Then shall ye do unto him as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you. Matt. xviii. 15, 16. Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 2 Cor. xiii. 1. This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. 1 Tim. v. 19. Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. Zech. viii. 16. These are the things that ye shall do, Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates. Prov. xxxi. 8. Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. Lev. xix. 15. Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour. 1 John iii. 18. My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 1 Cor. xiii. 4-6. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up; Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity,

but rejoiceth in the truth. Ephes. iv. 15. But, speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all ÷lings, which is the head, even Christ. Prov. xii. 17. 19. He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit. The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment. Ephes. iv. 25. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour : for we are members one of another. Rom. ix. 1. I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost. Ephes. vi. 19, 20. And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds; that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. Phil. i. 14. And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. 2 Cor. iii. 12. Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech. Prov. xv. 2. 7. 14. The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. The lips of the wise disperse knowledge but the heart of the foolish doth not so. The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness. 1 Tim. ii. 4. Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. Psal. cxix. 43. And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments. Heb. x. 23. 26. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised ;) For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins. Psal. xxxv. 28. And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long. 1 Tim. iv. 12. Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Eph. iv. 29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use