present and slander others; know that this is to act the part of a devil. Clipping a man's credit to make it weigh lighter, is worse than clipj)ing of coin. The slanderer wounds three at once ; he wounds him that he slanders ; and he wounds him to whom he reports the slander, by causing unchari- table thoughts to arise up in his mind a^ gainst the j)arty slandered ; and he wounds liis own soul, by reporting that of another which is false. This is a great sin ; and I would, I could not say, it is common. You may kill a man as well in his name as in his person. Some are loath to take away their neighbour's goods; conscience would fly in their face; but better takeaway their corn out of their field, — their wares out of their shop, — than takeaway their good name. This is a sin you can never make them re- j)aration for ; a blot in a man's name, being like a blot on white paper, which will never be got out. Surely God will vi- sit for this sin. If idle words shall be ac- countod for, sliall not unjust slanders ? The Lord will make inquisition one day, as well for names as for blood. O therefore take heed of this sin ! It is a breach of the ninth commandment. Was it not a sin under the law to defame a virgin, Deut. xxii. 19., and, is it not a greater sin to defame a saint, who is a member of Christ ! The heathens by the light of nature abhorred this sin of slandering. Diogenes used to say, " Of all \\ ild beasts, a slanderer is the worst." An- tonius made a law, that, if a person could not prove the crime he reported another to be guilty of, he should be put to death.
Branch 3. It reproves them who are so wicked as to bear false witness against others. These are monsters in nature, un- iit to live in a civil society. Eusebius re- lates of one Narcissus, a man fam«>us for j)icty, who was accused by two false wit- nesses of unchastity ; and, to prove their accusation, they bound it with oaths and cinses after this manner : one said, •' If I speak not true, I pray God I may perish by fire," — the other said, " If I speak not true, 1 wish I may be deprived of my sight ;" it pleased God that the first witness who fore- swore himself, his house being set on fire, lie was burned in the flames ; the other wit-
his perjury, and continued so long weep- ing, that he wept himself blind. Jezebel, who suborned two false witnesses against Naboth, she was thrown down out of a window, and ' the dogs licked her blood,' 2 Kings ix. 33. O tremble at this sin I A perjured person is the devil's excrement He is cursed in his name, and seared in hil conscience. Hell gapes for such a wind- fall.
Use r</. Branch 1. It exhorts all to take heed of the breach of this commandment, of lying, slandering, and bearing false wit- ness ; and to avoid these sins,
1. Get the fear of God. Why doth Da- vid say, " the fear of the Lord is clean ?'* Ps. xix. 9., Because it cleanseth the heart of malice, — it cleanseth the tongue of slander. " The fear of the Lord is clean :" it is to the soul as lightning to the air, which cleanseth it.
2. Get love to your neighbour. Lev. xxi. 18. If we love a friend, we will not speak or attest any thing to his prejudice. Men's minds are cankered with envy and hatred ; hence comes slandering and false-witness- ing. Love is a lovely grace ; " love think- eth no evil," 1 Cor. xiii. 5. It makes the best interpretation of another's words. Love is a well-wisher, and it is rare to speak ill of him we wish well to. Love is that which cements Christians together : it is the healer of division, and the hinderer of slander.
Branch 2. To such whose lot it is to meet with slanderers and false accusers, 1. La- bour to make a sanctified use of it. When Shimei railed on David, David made a sanc- tified use of it, 2 Sam. xvi. 10., " The Lord hath said to him, curse David." So, if you are slandered, or falsely accused, make a good use of it. See if you have no sin un- repented of for which G«)d may suffer you to be calumniated and reproached. See if you have not at any time wnuiged others in their name, and sai<l that of them which you cannot prove ; then lay your hand on your mouth, and confess the Lord is righ- teous to let you fall under the scourge of the tongue.— 2. If you are slandered, or falsely accused, but know your own inuo- cency, be not too much troubled, let this be your rejoicing, the witness of your con-
ni'ss, being troubled in conscience, confessed \ science. Murus ahcneus tsto nil conscire sibi.
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OF THE TENTH COMMANDMENT.