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 prefervation of fincerity in business is, the more we ought to avoid inticing and almoft forcing those, with whom we have commercial concerns, into infincerity, in order to fatisfy and please us: we fhould allow them to make, and to own they make, reasonable profits; we should yield to truth, when we have caufe to think, we hear it; and encourage it by favourable treatment, where-ever we see it. Another occafion, mentioned already, and deferving it again, on which too many reckon lies excufable, is, when they are told to entertain the company. The end being fo innocent, and laudable, a fmall irregularity in the means, they hope, may furely be overlooked. But this entertainment is commonly given at the expence of more perfous than one. It feldom fails, but fomebody or other is mifreprefented 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 perfon himfelf, who takes thefe liberties in converfation, whatever applause he may gain from the inconfiderate, muft never expect any ferious esteem, even from them: and, indeed, by trespafling against truth on so slight an inducement as a jeft, will bring himself into a temptation, as well as a fufpicion, of making ftill freer with it, whenever that may serve a purpose of greater moment to him. The affectation therefore of being witty by fpreading falfehoods is by no means an allowable vanity. Nor indeed can any way of raifing our own reputation be at all defended, that is inconfiftent with veracity. Some appear to think it very pardonable, provided they fay no harm of others, to fay as much good as they please of themfelves, truc or falfe. For whom, they argue, doth that hurt? Why, if you are not believed, it will hurt you that say it, very much. And if it you are, may hurt thofe who hear it, or hear of it, fill more. No one hath a right to put off himself, any more than another, for more than his value: and he who attempts it knowingly, commits, as far as in him lies, a very bafe, 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 aftonishing method of impofing on mankind in this respect. They take a pride in faying, not good, but bad things of themfelves, that are not true profefs 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 fuccefs. But their feeming unaccountable felf-denial is rank ambition. They want to gain credit to wickedness and themfelves at the fame time: by reprefenting their own lives and principles, as worse than they are, to make those of their difciples worse than they would be; and to place themselves at the head of this chosen band. An employment fo diabolical in its plan, and fo execrable in its effects, that every good and every wife perfon is bound to express the extreme detestation of it, which he cannot but feel. Thefe, I think, are the chief cafes, in which one fort or another of perfons are apt to reckon falfehood excufable. And if it be, on the contrary, fo bad in the beft of them, there is no need of fhewing particularly, how abominable it must be, when deliberately employed in private or party contefts, in fupplanting and undermining, in profecuting schemes of unwarrantable gain, in the fervice of revenge, malice or envy, in the gratification of idle talkativeness, or of a defire to feem knowing and important. In all thefe ways, and many more, liars are doing fuch dreadful mischief, and fo continually, that were no other guilt imputable to the tongue, well might St. James accufe it of fetting on fire the courfe of nature, and being fet on fire of hell *. But in order to apprehend rightly the full extent of this fin, it must be carefully obferved, that not only if we affirm any thing which we think to be falfe, but if we affirm it without cause to think it true, we are ftill deceivers: or though we have cause to think it true, yet if we affirm it more politively, than we have caufe; declaring ourselves to know certainly what we only believe, or to believe firmly what we on James iii. 6. ly ly fufpect and guefs, the cafe is but little mended: that not only grofs falfities, but more refined ones, artful quibbles and mental evafions, dark intimations and hints, not afferting, but infinuating to others, what at least we doubt within ourfelves, all come under the fame condemnation : nay, that fometimes an affected filence, and at others truth itself, told imperfectly and infidioufly, may deeply partake of the guilt of a lie. And lastly, it must be remembered, that, befides the falfehood 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 thefe tranfgreffions then let us confcientiously preferve ourselves and for that end, avoid the ordinary occafions of them; compofe our refentments, moderate our pursuits, mortify our vanity, check our fears, think before we speak, and keep filence rather than fpeak amifs: For, in the multitude of words, there wanteth not fin: but he 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 bulinefs, in fhort, the tranquillity and good order of human fociety, depends on fpeaking 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 mifchievous 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 alfo, 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 fcripture abounds with the ftricteft. precepts of it, and ftrongeft 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 Prov. X. 19. ry by one falfehood, 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 fuch, 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 bleffed Jefus 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 Chrift our paffover is facrificed for us, let us keep the feaft, not with the leaven of malice and wickednefs, but with the unleavened bread of truth and fincerity †† ; and fpeaking the truth in love, grow up into him in all things, which is the head even Chrift ‡‡. Again, the Spirit of grace §§ is the fpirit of truth also, 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 wifdom which is from above, is without hypocrify***. Lie not therefore one to another, 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 t+t. Nor doth this appear, in the word of God, to be more our duty, than our intereft in respect of both worlds. For in the prefent, 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 fhall have their part in the lake, which burneth with fire and brimftone TT. And there fhall in no wife enter into the new Ferufalem any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie *John viii. 44. ** Tit. ii. 14. † Tit. i. 2. + Pet. i. 15, 16. Gal. v. 22. Eph. v. 9. SER SERMON XXVII. ON IDLE WORDS. MATTH. xii. 36. But I fay unto you, that every idle word, that men shall speak, they hall give account thereof in the day of judgment. OUR bleffed Saviour, whenever his hearers were perfons of well-difpofed minds, and free from prejudices, taught them the duties of religion in the plaineft terms. But length of time, and difference of language, have made fome of his expreffions, even on fuch occafions, hard to be understood, or lia ble to be mifunderstood: and hence, unlefs we are both upright and confiderate, may arife miftakes of great importance. For if we interpret these paffages 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: firft aiming at less than we ought, then of course falling fhort of that. And yet the oppofite extreme, of ftraining them too high, hath feldom done good, and often harm: hath deterred weak fpirits from taking the burthen of religion upon them, entangled fcrupulous tempers with endless perplexities, and made rigid ones uncharitable and fuperftitious: given the enemies of Chriftianity opportunities of declaiming against it, as unnaturally fevere; and tempted the carelefs profeffors of it, after rejecting as they well might, the over ftrict fenfe of fuch phrafes; not to take the pains of locking for any other; but go on, unreftrained by them, to live as they please. Thus it hath happened in relation to the text of fcripture, which I have just read to you. Some few, understanding by every idle word, every needlefs or trifling one; and by giving account, being condemned; have either forced themfelves to an |