another is prosperous, that his revenues, increase, that his dependents grow more numerous, that his schemes succeed, and his reputation advances; but we cannot tell how much all these promote his happiness, because we cannot judge how much they may engage his care or inflame his desires; how much he may fear his enemies or suspect his friends. We know not how much this seeming felicity may be impaired by his folly or his guilt; and therefore he that murmurs at the inequality of human happiness, or accuses Providence of partiality, forgets his own imperfections, and determines rashly were he cannot judge,

Let every one, then, whom God shall visit with affliction, humble, himself before him with steady confidence in his mercy, and unfeigned submission to his justice! Let him remember that his sins are the cause of his miseries, that his troubles are sent to awaken him to reflection, and that the evils of this life may be improved to his eternal advantage, if, instead of adding sin to sin, and "charging God foolishly," he applies bimself seriously to the great work of selfexamination and repentance.

For surely the frailty of this life, and the uncertainty of all human happiness, is

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proved by every view of the world about us, and every reflection upon ourselves. Let not death arrest us in a state of mind unfit to stand the trial of eternal justice, or obtain the privileges of infinite mercy! Let it not surprise us engaged in schemes of vanity or wishes of empty pleasure! Let death, which may seize us now, which will seize us at some time, equally terrible, find us, whenever it shall come, animated with the love of God, submissive to his eternal will, and diffused in universal charity and benevolence to our brethren.

Let this instant begin a new life, and every future minute improve it! Then, in exchange for riches, honours, or sensual delights, we may obtain the tranquillity of a good conscience, and that "peace of God which passeth all understanding."

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SERMON XVII.

EXODUS, CHAPTER XX. VERSE 16.

Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

NOTHING is more common than for men to make partial and absurd distinctions between vices of equal enormity, and to observe some of the divine commands with great scrupulousness, while they violate others equally important, without any concern, or the least apparent consciousness of guilt.

That to do our duty in part is better than entirely to disregard it, cannot be denied; and he that avoids some crimes, from the fear of displeasing God, is, doubtless, far more innocent, than he that has thrown off all restraint, has forgotten the distinctions of good and evil, and complies with every temptation. But it is a very dangerous mistake to conceive that any man, by obeying one law, acquires the liberty of breaking another; or that all sins, equally odious to

God or hurtful to men, are not, with equal care, to be avoided.

We may frequently observe that men, who would abhor the thought of violating the property of another, by direct methods of oppression or rapine; men, on all common occasions, not only just, but kind and compassionate, willing to relieve the necessitous, and active in the protection of the injured, will, nevertheless, invade the characters of others with defamation and calumny, and destroy a reputation without re

morse.

If every day did not convince us how little either good or bad men are consistent with themselves, it might be wondered how men, who own their obligations to the practice of some duties, can overlook in themselves the omission of others equally important, and enjoined by the same authority; and that those who avoid theft, because they are forbidden to steal, do not equally abstain from calumny, since they are no less forbidden "to bear false witness against their neighbour;" a prohibition, of which I shall endeavour to explain the nature and enforce the necessity, by showing,

First, What are the different senses in which a man may be said "to bear false witness against his neighbour."

Secondly, The enormity of the sin of "bearing false witness.”

Thirdly, What reflections may best enable us to avoid it.

The highest degree of guilt forbidden by this law of God is false testimony in a literal sense, or deliberate and solemn perjury in a court of justice, by which the life of an innocent man is taken away, the rightful owner stripped of his possessions, or an oppressor supported in his usurpations. This is a crime that includes robbery and murder, sublimed to the highest state of enormity, and heightened with the most atrocious aggravations. He that robs or murders by this method, not only does it, by the nature of the action, with calmness and premeditation, but by making the name of God a sanction to his wickedness. Upon this it is unnecessary to dwell long, since men, arrived at this height of corruption, are scarcely to be reformed by argument or persuasion; and, indeed, seldom suffer themselves to be reasoned with or admonished. It may be, however, proper to observe, that he who is