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Exod. 20.16.Thou shalt not bear false witness.
THis negative bindes in the affirmative, Thou shalt bear witness to the truth, &c.
Deut. 17.6. The Idolater was not to dye at the testimony of one, but of two or three witnesses.
Deut. 19.15. One witness shall not rise against a man for any iniquity or sin.
Levit. 19.11. Ye shall not lye one unto another.
Levit. 19.16. Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale-bearer among thy people, nor shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour, Ezek. 22.9. Prov. 21.18. He that heareth, speak∣eth constantly.
Exod. 23.1. Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thy hand with the wicked, to be an unrighteous witness; as those witnessed against Naboth, 1 Kings.
Vers. 2. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil, nor shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgement.
Vers. 3. Nor shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.
The witnesses at the time of execution were to stand at the right hand of him that was condemned, and to lay their hands on his head, and cast the first stone.
Numb. 35.30. Prov. 24.28.29.
Deut. 27.24. Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour se∣cretly.
Deut. 19.16. If a false witness rise up against any man to testifie against him, that that is wrong;
Vers. 17. Then both the men between whom the controver∣sie is, shall stand before the Lord (as a special case referred to the chief Judges) the Priests and Judges that shall be in those dayes.
Vers. 18. The Judges shall make diligent inquiry, and be∣hold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testifyed falsly against his brother;
Vers. 19. Then shall ye do to him as he had thought to have done unto his brother: So (and no way else) shalt thou put a∣way evil from among you: life for life, eye, tooth, stripe for stripe, &c.
Note, If Judges and Justices were as (they ought) at all times sit∣ting in all the chief places of the Nation,
1. Witnesses would not be so chargeable for their journey and at∣tendance to men as now they are.
2. Men might discharge their consciences, who by the law-cove∣nant were bound to witness freely one for other, as oft as occasion served.
3. Subpaena's were utterly out of use, and the charge thereof taken away from men.
1. If according to the law of God, that were exactly done on the false witness, which was intended against the party that was prosecuted, men in the Nation would hear indeed, and fear to do any such wickedness.
2. If evil be so to be put away, then by not doing so, though to man it seems to be a matter of never so much severity, the evil there-remaines in the land still.
1. In what was done or intended to be done by them past.
2. The evil practice thereof will never be done away by any o∣ther means from among us, but by this.
On Deut. 2.24. The curse denounced against the false, and so the curses added to the breach of every command, note the difference be∣tween Gods law and mans.
1. Mans law onely extended to punish sin when proved by wit∣nesses, against a man; by which men (as in case of adultery) fear to commit it publikely, but will do it privately; and man he thinks cannot not curse him for it; or if he do, he cares not.
2. Now God curseth such by his law: so that though they may escape the publike punishment, they cannot the secret judgement or curse for it.
3. So that this now will prevaile with men, when the other will not: in which the law of God doth far excell the most just and righ∣teous ordinances of man.
4. These curses are added to Gods laws, not mens, for fear be∣fore, and a punishment after his laws are broken, and not mens; so that the hand of God in the revealing and cutting off, and cursing of evil doers, will appear under his rule far otherwayes then under mens.
5. Effect whereof is excellently set down, Deut. 29.18. God speaks of one not regarding the curse, and calls him the root of bitterness that bears gall and wormwood, who when he hears the words of this curse, he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of
my heart to add drunkenness to thirst, Vers. 20. The Lord will not spare him; the anger of the Lord, and his jealousie shall smoak against him; and all the curses in this book shall lye upon him: and the Lord will blot out his name from under heaven, vers. 21. and the Lord will separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the cove∣nant that are writen in this book of the law.