The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 2 · Chapter 8 · Commandment 9
The nynthe Commaundement.
Thou shalte not be a lyeng witnesse agaynste thy neighboure.
The ende of thys commaundement is, that bycause God whyche is trueth abhorreth lyinge, we oughte to obserue trueth without deceitfull coloure. The summe therefore shall be, that wee neither hurte any mans name either with slaunders or false reportes, nor hinder him in his goodes by lyeng: fynally that wee offende no manne, by luste to speake euell, or to bee busie: with whiche prohibition is ioyned a commaundement, that so farre as we maie, we employe oure faythfull endeuoure for eueryevery man in affyrminge the trueth, to defende the safetie bothe of his name and goodes. It seemeth that the Lorde purposed to expounde the meaning of his commaundement in the thre and twenty Chapter of Exodus in these woordes.Exod. xxiij i. Leuit. xix xv. Thou shalte not vse the voyce of lyeng, nor shalte ioyne thy hande to speake false witnesse for the wicked. Agayne, Thou shalte flee lyeng. Also in an other place he doth not onelyonly call vsus awaie from lyeng in this pointe that wee be no accusers, or whysperers in the people, but also that no man deceiue his brother, for hee forbiddeth them bothe in seuerall commaundementes. Truely it is no doute, but that as in the commaundementes before, hee hathe forbidden crueltie, vnchastitie and couetousnes, so in this he restraineth falshoode. Whereof there are twoò partes as wee hauehave noted before. For either wee offende the good name of oure neighboures by maliciousnesse and frowarde mynde to backbite, or in lyeng and sometime in euell speakinge we hinder their commodities. There is no dyfference whether in thys place be vnderstanded solemne & iudiciall testimonie, or common testimonie that is vsed in priuate talkes. For wee muste alway hauehave recourse to thys prynciple, that of all the generall kyndes of vices one speciall sorte is sette for an exaumple, wherevnto the reste maie bee referred, and that that is cheefely chosen, wherein the fylthynesse of the faulte is moste apparant. All be it, it were conuenient to extende it more generally, to slaunders and sinister backebytinges, where with oure neighboures are wrongefully greeued, for that falshoode of witnessing whiche is vsed in iudiciall courtes, is neuer withoute periurie. But periuries in so muche as thei do prophaine and defile the name of God, are already sufficiently mette withall in the thirde commaundement. Wherefore the righte vse of this commaundement is, that our tonge in affirminge the trueth to serue bothe the good name and profite of our neighboures. The equitie therof is more than manifest. For if a good name be more precious than any treasures, what so euer they bee: then is it no lesse hurte to a man to bee spoiled of the goodnesse of his name than of hys goodes. And in learninge hys substaunce, sometime false wytnesse dothe as muche as vyolence of handes. And yet yt is marueylous wyth howe neglygent carelessnesse menne do commonly offende in thys poynte, so that there are founde verye fewe that are not notably sycke of thys desease: we are so muche delyted wyth a certaine poysoned sweetnesse bothe in searchynge oute and in dyscolynge the euells of other. And lette vsus not thinke that it is a sufficient excuse, yf oftentymes wee lye not. For hee that forbyddeth thy brothers name to bee defyled wyth lyenge, wylleth also that it bee pre…erued vntouched so farre as the truthe will suffer. For howesoeuer hee taketh hede to hym selfe onelyonly, so that hee tell no lye, yet in the same he secretly confesseth that hee hathe some charge of hym. Butte thys ought to suffice vsus to kepe safe our neighboures good name, that God hathe care of yt. Wherefore wythoute doubte all euell speakinge is vtterly condemned. Butte wee meane not by euell speakynge, that rebukynge whyche ys vsed for chastismente: nor accusation, or iudiciall processe, whereby remedye is soughte for an euell, nor publyke reprehension whyche tendeth to putte other synners in feare, nor bewrayinge of faultes to them for whose safetie it behoued that they shoulde bee forewarened leaste they shoulde been in daunger by ignoraunce: butte we meane only hatefull accusynge, whyche aryseth of malyciousnesse and of a wanton wyll to backebyte. Also thys commaundement is extended to this poynte, that we couet not to vse a scoffinge kinde of plesauntnesse, but myngeled wyth bytter tauntes, thereby bytyngely to touche other mennes faultes vnderunder pretense of pastime, as manye doe that seeke prayse of merry conceytes wyth other menes shame yea and greefe, also when by suche wanton raylynge many tymes oure neyghboures are not a lyttle reproched. Nowe yf wee bende oure eyes to the lawemaker, whyche muste accordynge to hys ryghtefull authoritie beare rule no lesse ouer the eares and mynde than ouer the tongue: truelye we shal finde yt greedynesse to heare backebytynges, and a hasty readynesse to euell iudgementes are no lesse forbydden. For it were very fond if a manne shoulde thynke that God hateth the faulte of euell speaking in the tongue, and doth not disalowe the faulte of euell maliciousnesse in the hearte. Wherefore yf there be in vsus a true feare and louelove of God, let vsus endeuoure so farre as we may and as is expedient, and as charitie beareth, that we geue neyther oure tongue, nor oure eares to euell speakinges, and bitter iestynges, leaste we rashely without cause yelde oure mindes to indirecte suspicions. But beinge indifferent expositors of all mens sayinges and doinges, let vsus bothe in iudgemente eares & tongue gently preserue their honoure safe.