satisfy the wounded feelings of him whom he has offended Hence, the faithful are to be exhorted to pour out their souls in thanksgiving to God, for a commandment of such salutary tendency, a commandment which not only forbids us to injure others, but also, on the same principle of obedience to its dictate, forbids others to injure us.
In its exposition we shall proceed as we have done with regard to the others, pointing out in it two laws, the one prohibiting to bear false witness; the other commanding us, having laid aside all dissimulation and deceit, to measure our words and actions by the standard of truth; a duty of which the Apostle admonishes the Ephesians in these words: " Doing the truth in charity, let us grow up in all things in him." [1]
With regard to the prohibitory part of this commandment, although by false testimony is understood whatever is positively but falsely affirmed of any one, be it for or against him, be it in a public court or be it not; yet the commandment specially prohibits that species of false testimony, which is given on oath in a court of justice; because, the words of a person who thus solemnly takes God to witness, pledging his holy name for his veracity, have very great weight, and possess the strongest claim to credit. Such testimony, therefore, because dangerous, is specially prohibited. When no legal exceptions can be taken against a sworn witness, and when he cannot be convicted of palpable dishonesty and wickedness, even the judge himself cannot reject his testimony, especially as it is commanded by divine authority, that " in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall stand." [2]
In order that the faithful may have a clear comprehension of this commandment, the pastor will explain who is our "neighbour," against whom it is unlawful to bear false witness. According to the interpretation of Christ the Lord, our neighbour is he who wants our assistance, whether bound to us by ties of kindred or not, whether a fellow-citizen or a stranger, a friend or an enemy. [3] To suppose it lawful to give false evidence against an enemy, whom by the command of God and of our Lord we are bound to love, were an error of the worst description. Moreover, as in the order of charity every man is bound to love himself, and is thus, in some sense, his own neighbour, it is unlawful for any one to bear false witness against himself; he who does so is guilty of a suicidal act, and, like the suicide, brands himself with infamy and dis grace, and inflicts a deep wound on himself and on the church of which he is a member. This is the doctrine of St. Augustine: " To those," says he, " who understand the precept properly, it cannot appear lawful to give false testimony against oneself, because the words against thy neighbour are subjoined in the commandment: the standard of loving our neighbour is the love which we cherish towards ourselves; and,
