SERMON VIII. PROV. xii. 22. Lying Lips are Abomination to the Lord: but they, that deal truly, are his Delight. A S the Advantages, derived to Mankind from the superior Power, which we enjoy, of communicating our Thoughts one to another, are very great; so the Perversion of it to wrong Uses is very pernicious. And no Perversion of it can be so complete, as when we employ it, instead of informing others, to deceive them. Now, of the more Importance it is, that we should not be guilty of this Crime, the more necessary it must be, that we should know, wherein it confists, and how insufficient the Pleas are, which in fome Circumstances have been made in its Favour. ThereTherefore I began to discourse on the Subject of our Obligation to Truth, by shewing, I. What Things are, and are not, Breaches of it. 1 II. What Breaches are unwarrantably by some Persons thought justifiable. And under this latter Head, I first proved, that Scripture enjoins Veracity, without authorizing any Exceptions, and that indeed it is, in its own Nature, a Duty, independently of Consequences: then I confuted or counterbalanced the good Effects ascribed to the Violation of it in several particular Cases: and lastly, intimated the general Danger, to which they who depart from it, expose themselves, and tempt others, of running on from one Liberty to another, till at Length they venture to say, and afterwards to do, any Thing, which they imagine will contribute to a good End: a Practice productive of such dreadful Evils, that I must enlarge upon it somewhat further. Things, which every one allows to be good, no one needs to be cheated into. And where Opinions differ, neither God nor Man hath given us a Right to bring over others into our our own by Falsehood: and on what Foundation then can we take fuch a Step ? I may think perhaps, that this or that Thing would be for the Benefit of the World, or of fuch a Part of it, or Individual in it. But this no more empowers me to use Fraud, than to use Force, for accomplishing it. Another Person may think, at the fame Time, a different or a contrary Thing beneficial: and may have as high an Esteem of his own Judgement, as I have of mine. If then I may employ Deceit to serve my Purpose, why not he to ferve his? Now what can this end in, but the Ruin of all Integrity, and all Confidence, amongst Men ? And what Good can there be in View, that bears any Proportion to fuch a Calamity ? But fome argue: Our Opposers will certainly use Falsehood for their bad Ends: if there fore we do not use it for our good ones, they have a plain Advantage over us; and we shall be undone, for Want of turning their own Weapons against them. Now if this were the Cafe; it would only be the Cafe of fuffering for Truth, which is suffering for God: and hereafter, at least, no one will be a Lofer by that. But indeed, at present, upon the Whole, VOL. V. L the 1 the contrary is the Cafe. If your Opposers have Recourse to unfair Arts, detect those Arts in them, and abstain from them yourselves: and, whatever Difficulties you may be under for a Time, in the Conclufion all will come out well. A lying Tongue is but for a Moment : but the Lip of Truth shall be established for ever. Uprightness, with only common Prudence, will not fail to get the better at Length: and the Reason, why we experience it no oftener, is indeed that we try it so seldom. In the Midst of our Complaints, we do the very Things, of which we complain. This is no Combat of fair Dealing against unfair, but of Craft against Craft: and perhaps our own Artifices contribute more, than those of our Adversaries, towards the Lofs of our Caufe. For the surest Way of miffing our Aim is to fink in our Credit. Therefore let the End, that we propose, be ever so good, it is neither right nor wife to use Falsehoods for attaining it. But, in Fact, the Ends proposed to be served by this Method, fall usually very far short of being near so good, as they are pretended to be. Some blameable Gratification, some worldly Interest, some party Point, the Promotion of fome bad or doubtful Cause, is the Thing, which People, on fuch Occafions, have at Heart, however studiously they difguise their Aims to others, and, if poffible, to themselves. These are the Purposes, for which Truth is to be depressed, Imposture countenanced; some confidered as too weak, others as too wicked, to be treated with common Honesty. And thus every one, who can but think hardly enough of those, from whom he differs, sets himself at Liberty to speak to them, or of them, as infincerely as ever he will. And if he may venture upon false Afsertions; he will be apt to think, why not upon false Oaths? And, if for the Service of the Public or his Friends, why not for his own? How shocking a State of Things would this introduce! Hear the Prophet's Description of it: They bend their Tongues, like their Bow, for Lies; but they are not valiant for the Truth upon the Earth: for they proceed from Evil to Evil, and they know not me, faith the Lord. Take ye Heed every one of his Neighbour; and trust ye not in any Brother: for every Brother will utterly fupplant, and every Neighbour will walk with Slanders. And they will deceive |