trial of unfair skill, and contribute to make the world worse, because it is fo bad already.

One observation further I would make under this head, that, of the more importance the preservation of fincerity in business is, the more we ought to avoid inticing and almost forcing those, with whom we have commercial concerns, into infincerity, in order to fatisfy and please us: we should allow them to make, and to own they make, reasonable profits; we should yield to truth, when we have cause to think we hear it; and encourage it by favourable treatment, where ever we fee it.

Another occafion, mentioned already, and deserving it again, on which too many reckon lies excusable, is, when they are told to entertain the company. The end being so innocent, and laudable, a small irregularity in the means, they hope, may furely be overlooked. But this entertainment is commonly given at the expence of more persons than one. It feldom fails, but fomebody or other is mifrepresented to his detriment or difcredit. He is certainly injured. They who are misled to a wrong judgment about him, nay about any thing, may be injured by it not a little. The facetious person himself, who takes these liberties in converfation, whatever applause he may gain from the inconfiderate, must never expect any serious esteem, even from them: and, indeed, by trefpafling against truth on so flight an inducement as a jest, will bring himself into a temptation, as well as a fufpicion, of making still freer with it, whenever that may ferve a purpose of greater moment to him. The affectation therefore of being witty by spreading falsehoods is by no means an allowable vanity. Nor indeed can any way of raifing our own reputation be at all defended, that is inconsistent with veracity.

Some appear to think it very pardonable, provided they fay no harm of others, to say as much good as they please of themfelves, true or false. For whom, they argue, doth that hurt? Why, if you are not believed, it will hurt you that say it, very much. And if you are, it may hurt those who hear it, or hear of it, ftill more. No one hath a right to put off himfelf, any more than another, for more than his value: and he who attempts it knowingly, commits, as far as in him lies, a very bare, and often very mischievous, fraud. Probably indeed the world will detect him: but that proves only his folly, not his innocence,

Some

Some again contrive a different, and astonishing method of impofing on mankind in this respect. They take a pride in faying, not good, but bad things of themselves, that are not true: profess vile opinions, which inwardly they do not believe; and pretend to have done profligate actions, for which they have not had the heart or the opportunity. For who can forbid them, they imagine, to treat their own characters as freely as they please? And indeed, if it was really their view to become, by these means, objects of public fcorn and abhorrence, they have fairly earned it, and one would with them success. But their seeming unaccountable self-denial is rank ambition. They want to gain credit to wickedness and themselves at the fame time: by representing their own lives and principles, as worse than they are, to make those of their difci ples worse than they would be; and to place themselves at the head of this chosen band. An employment so diabolical in its plan, and so execrable in its effects, that every good and every wife person is bound to express the extreme detestation of it, which he cannot but feel.

These, I think, are the chief cases, in which one fort or another of perfons are apt to reckon falsehood excusable. And if it be, on the contrary, fo bad in the best of them, there is no need of shewing particularly, how abominable it must be, when deliberately employed in private or party contests, in fupplanting and undermining, in profecuting schemes of unwarrantable gain, in the service of revenge, malice or envy, in the gratification of idle talkativeness, or of a defire to feem knowing and important. In all these ways, and many more, liars are doing fuch dreadful mischief, and so continually, that were no other guilt imputable to the tongue, well might St. James accuse it of fetting on fire the course of nature, and being fet on fire of bell *.

But in order to apprehend rightly the full extent of this fin, it must be carefully observed, that not only if we affirm any thing which we think to be false, but if we affirm it without cause to think it true, we are still deceivers or though we have cause to think it true, yet if we affirm it more pofi tively, than we have cause; declaring ourselves to know certainly what we only believe, or to believe firmly what we only

James iii. 6.

ly suspect and guess, the cafe is but little mended: that not only gross falfities, but more refined ones, artful quibbles and mental evafions, dark intimations and hints, not afserting, but infinuating to others, what at least we doubt within ourselves, all come under the fame condemnation: nay, that fometimes an affected filence, and at others truth itself, told imperfectly and infidiously, may deeply partake of the guilt of a lie. And lastly, it must be remembered, that, besides the falsehood of afferting what we do not believe, or doing things equivalent, there is another fort, often full as bad, of promifing what we do not intend, or do not afterwards take care to perform: and that every lesser degree of expectation given, if it be infincerely given, or the fulfilling of it neglected, is an approach to the fame fin.

From all these tranfgreffions then let us confcientiously preserve ourselves and for that end, avoid the ordinary occafions of them; compose our resentments, moderate our pursuits, mortify our vanity, check our fears, think before we fpeak, and keep filence rather than speak amiss: For, in the multitude of words, there wanteth not fin: but be that refraineth his lips, is wife *. For the fame end let us frequently reflect, that the comfort and agreeableness of conversation, the continuance of harmony and friendship amongst relations and acquaintance, amongst all indeed, who have concerns with one another, the regular and profperous management of business, in short, the tranquillity and good order of human society, depends on speaking truth: For the harm, that can be done, without departing from it, is comparatively infignificant. And therefore a liar, till he is found out, is the most mischievous of creatures: and, after he is found out, as he never fails to be, fooner or later, the most hated or the most despised.

Let us confider also, that fincerity is a duty no less plain than important: that our confciences require it of us, and reproach us for every breach of it: that the light of nature taught it the very heathens, though imperfectly, as it did every thing elfe; and that scripture abounds with the stricteft precepts of it, and strongest motives to it. There we learn, that the devil is a liar, and by means of lying was a murderer, from the beginning; involved our whole race in fin and mife

ry

ry by one falsehood, and practises the fame arts upon as many, as he can, to this day. Thus is he the father of liars: and, if we are such, we are of our father the devil, and the lufts of our Father we do *. But the distinguished character of God is, that he cannot lie †, and we ought to be holy as he is holy ‡. The blessed Jesus too is the faithful and true witness §, who did no fin, neither was guile found in his mouth; who for this caufe came into the world, that he should bear witness to the truth ||, and laid down his life to redeem us from all iniquity **. Therefore fince Christ our passover is facrificed for us, let us keep the feast, not with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of truth and fincerity ++; and speaking the truth in love, grow up into him in all things, which is the bead even Christ‡‡. Again, the spirit of grace §§ is the spirit of truth alfo, whose office is to guide us into all truth. Faith and truth are amongst his fruits |||| in those who are regenerated by him. And the wisdom which is from above, is without hypocrify ***. Lie not therefore one to ano

ther, feeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created him +++. Nor doth this appear, in the word of God, to be more our duty, than our interest in respect of both worlds. For in the present, what man is he that lufteth to live, and would fain fee good days? Keep thy tongue from evil; and thy lips, that they speak no guile‡‡‡. And as to the next, If any man jeem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, this man's religion is vain §§§. All liars Shall have their part in the lake, which burneth with fire and brimstone T. And there shall in no wife enter into the new Ferufalem any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie ||||||

SERMON XXVII.

ON IDLE WORDS.

MATTH. xii. 36.

But I fay unto you, that every idle word, that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

OUR blesled Saviour, whenever his hearers were perfons of

well-difpofed minds, and free from prejudices, taught them the duties of religion in the plainest terms. But length of time, and difference of language, have made some of his expreffions, even on such occafions, hard to be understood, or liable to be misunderstood: and hence, unless we are both upright and confiderate, may arise mistakes of great importance. For if we interpret these passages with too much indulgence to ourselves, as human nature is very prone to do, we corrupt the purity of his precepts, and endanger our own falvation: first aiming at less than we ought, then of course falling fhort of that. And yet the opposite extreme, of straining them too high, hath feldom done good, and often harm: hath deterred weak spirits from taking the burthen of religion upon them, entangled fcrupulous tempers with endless perplexities, and made rigid ones uncharitable and superstitious: given the enemies of Chriftianity opportunities of declaiming against it, as unnaturally severe; and tempted the careless profeffors of it, after rejecting as they well might, the over strict sense of fuch phrafes; not to take the pains of locking for any other; but go on, unrestrained by them, to live as they please.

Thus it hath happened in relation to the text of scripture, which I have just read to you. Some few, understanding by every idle word, every needless or trifling one; and by giving account, being condemned; have either forced themselves to

an