fons; that the nearest of our Relations, and dearest of our Bleffings, are God's Property more than our own; but that, if he takes them from us, he not only can, but, unless it be our Fault, will, make us ample Amends in a better World: and that therefore, though we may lawfully mourn the Lofs of them, yet we ought meekly to submit to it; supported by the Hope of a blessed Refurrection for them and ourselves; and applying to our own Cafe, in a higher Sense, what was originally said, perhaps in a lower, to Rachel, weeping for ber Children: Thus faith the Lord, Restrain thy Voice from weeping, and thine Eyes from Tears: for thy Work shall be rewarded, and they shall come again from the Land of the Enemy.

z

Jer. xxxi. 15, 16,

SER

i

SERMON VII.

:

PROVERBS xii. 22.

Lying Lips are Abomination to the Lord: but they, that deal truly, are his Delight.

Notwithstanding the Advantages of Rea

fon, Condition of Mankind would

be very low, and indeed very unhappy, if we did not alfo excell the rest of the Creatures, which inhabit this Earth, in a greater Power of communicating our Thoughts one to another. They have much fewer Wants: and are taught by Nature, almost immediately, how to fupply them. But we are purposely formed to need and to give Help in every Thing, through the Whole of our Days: and therefore some ready and extensive Method of fignifying mutually whatever passes within our Minds was peculiarly necessary for us. Without this, no Perfon would have more Knowledge of any Thing

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Thing than he could attain of himself: or more Assistance in Distress from his Neighbour, than mere Conjecture would direct him to think needful, and unrequested Goodness incline him to bestow. The Pleasure also, as well as the Benefits of Society, would be reduced to a narrow Compass: and Life hang upon our Hands joyless and uncomfortable. But our gracious Maker hath furnished us with several Ways of doing what we find so requifite. Our Actions and Gestures declare our Meanings, in many Cases, both clearly and strongly : and our Looks have Significancy, inexpressible any other Way. The most intelligent of other Animals come not near us in either of these Respects. But yet articulate Speech, our more distinguishing Property, hath, on the Whole, much greater Pre-eminences belonging to it: and, together with the Improvement built upon it, of marking down Words with Ease in lafting Characters, hath raised us to a much higher Rank in the Scale of Beings, than we could otherwise have obtained.

Still unhappily, as every Blessing in the World may be fatally misused, so there is hardly any one bad Purpose, which Language, though granted for the most excellent good

Purposes, Purposes, may not be, and hath not been, perverted to ferve. But it serves the most such, and the most effectually, by being turned from its original Design of giving right Information to those, with whom we converse, to the opposite one of leading them wrong: a Practice so immoral and mischievous, yet so common; and so often seeming to be not only serviceable to the Deceivers themselves, but defenfible, or however not very blameable, in Respect of such as they deceive; that few Things are of more Importance, than forming just Notions concerning our Obligations to Veracity. And in doing this, though the principal Point is te restrain Men from taking over-great Liberties, yet they must be guarded also against over-great Scrupulousness: both because every Precept ought to be represented fairly; and because, if this be not, some will be Sufferers by observing, and others feel Remorse for tranfgreffing, imaginary Duties; while much larger Numbers, perceiving the Rules given them to be in Part too strict, will take Oc+ cafion from thence to flight them all.

In order then to state this whole Subject, I mall,

1

I, Shew

I. Shew, what Things are to be reputed Lies, and what not.

II. Confider the Pleas, which are made to justify fome Sorts of Lying.

III. Those, which are brought to excufe others.

I. The leading Question therefore is, what Things are to be reputed Lies, and what not. Now here,

1. Since Actions and Gestures, as well as Words, may be employed to express what we think; they may be also employed to exprefs what we do not think: which is the Effence of a Lie.

Indeed fome of our Actions are naturally fignificative: whereas few of our Words have any other Import, than arbitrary Consent and Usage give them; as appears from the different Languages of, different Nations. But then we have never consented to make our Actions in general Signs of our Intentions, as we have our Words. And if Persons interpret an Action of ours to mean this or that, which hath no certain Meaning affixed to it, we deceive them not, but they deceive themselves. Nor are we bound, in Point of Truth, to explain it, in order to prevent this: but in Point of Charity and Humanity we are, if we apprehend,