punished, no bufinefs go forward. All these mischiefs will equally follow, whether untruths be told in a grofs barefaced manner, or disguised under equivocations, quibbles, and evafions. The fin therefore is as great in one cafe as the other. And it is fo great in both, that no fufficient excufes can ever be made for it in either, though feveral are often pleaded.

Many perfons imagine, that, when they have committed a fault, it is very pardonable to conceal it under a lie. But fome faults ought not to be concealed at all; and none by this method: which is committing two, inftead of one; and the second not uncommonly worse than the first. An ingenuous confeffion will be likely, in moft cafes, to procure an eafy pardon: but a lie is a monftrous aggravation of an offence; and perfifting in a lie can very hardly be forgiven. But above all, if any perfons, to hide what they have done amifs themselves, are fo vile as to throw the blame or the fufpicion of it upon another'; this is the height of wickedness. And therefore particularly all children and fervants, who are chiefly tempted to excufe themselves by telling falfehoods, ought to undergo any thing, rather than be guilty of fuch a fin. And on the other hand, all parents, masters, and mistreffes, ought to beware of punishing them too feverely for their other offences; left they drive them into a habit of this terrible one.

Some again plead for making free with truth, that they do it only in jeft. But thefe jefts of

theirs often occafion great uneafinefs and difquiet; and fometimes other very serious bad confequences. The Scripture therefore hath paffed a fevere cenfure upon them. "As a

madman, who cafleth fire-brands, arrows, and death; fo is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and faith, Am I not in fport?" Prov. xxvi. 18, 19. To give another person vexation, or make him appear contemptible, though in a flight inftance, is by no means innocent fport. And befides, to speak falfehood on any occafion is a dangerous introduction to speaking it on more, if not all, occafions. For if fo trifling a motive as a jeft will prevail on us to violate truth, how can we be expected to withstand more weighty temptations?

However, it may perhaps at least be thought, that lying, to prevent mischief and do good, must be permitted. But the Scripture expressly forbids us to "do evil, that good may come. Rom. iii. 8. And they, who allow themselves in it, will ufually be difcovered and lose their end: or, if not, will never know where to stop. They will be enticed by degrees to think every thing good, that ferves their turn, let others think it ever fo bad: thofe others again will think themselves authorized by fuch examples to take the fame liberties: and thus all truft and probity will be loft amongst men: a much greater evil, than any good, which falfehood may do now and then, will ever compenfate.

And

And if telling lies, even from these plaufible. inducements, be fo bad, what must it be, when they proceed from lefs excufable ones, as defire of promoting our own intereft, or that of our party and how completely deteftable, when we are prompted to them by malice, or undue refentment, or any other totally wicked principle!

Nor is the practice lefs imprudent than it is unlawful. Some indeed lye to raise their characters, as others do to gain their points. But both act very abfurdly. For they mifs of their purpofe entirely, as foon as they are found out: and all liars are found out; immediately, for the moft part; but in a while, without fail. And after that, every body defpifes and hates them : even when they speak truth, nobody knows how to credit them; and fo, by aiming wickedly at fome little advantage for the prefent, they put themselves foolishly under the greatest difadvan tage in the world ever after. "The lip of truth fhall be eftablished for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment." Prov. xii. 19. Beware then of the leaft beginning of a practice that will be fure to end ill. For if you venture upon falfhood at all, it will grow upon you, and entangle you; and bring you to fhame, to punishment, to ruin, And, befides what you will fuffer by it here, your portion, unless you repent very deeply, and amend very thoroughly, will be with the father of lies hereafter. For "into" the heavenly "Jerufalem fhall in no wife enter whofoever worketh abomination, or

maketh

66

maketh a lie." Rev. xxi. 27. Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord: but they, that deal truly, are his delight." Prov. xii. 22.

There is yet another fort of falsehood, often full as bad as affirming what we do not think: I mean, promifing what we do not intend; or what we neglect afterwards to perform, fo foon or fo fully, as we ought. Whoever hath promised, hath made himself a debtor: and, unless he be punctual in his payment, commits an injuftice; which in many cafes may be of very pernicious confequence.

Now in order to fecure this great point of fpeaking truth: befides confidering carefully and frequently the before-mentioned evils of departing from it, we should be attentive alfo to moderate the quantity of our discourse, left we fall into falfehood unawares. For " in the multitude of words there wanteth not fin: but he that refraineth his lips, is wife." Prov. x. 19. Perfons, who fuffer themselves to run on heedlessly in talk, just as their prefent humour disposes them, or the prefent company will be beft pleafed; or who will fay almoft any thing, rather than fay nothing; must be perpetually tranfgreffing fome of the duties comprehended under this commandment; which yet it is of the utmost importance not to tranfgrefs. For, with refpe&t to the concerns of this world, "He that loveth life, and would fee good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil; and his lips, that they fpeak no guile." Pfalm xxxiv. 12, 13. And,

as

as to our eternal ftate in the next, "If any man feem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, that man's religion is vain." James i. 26.

SERMON IX.

ON THE INFLUENCE OF EVIL COMPANY.

1 COR. XV. 33.

~ Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good

manners.

WERE there any inclined to question this obfervation, which was proverbial even before the days of the apoftle, the unhappy circle, which appears around me, would too furely confirm its truth. Society, which offers happiness to thousands, by a mutual intercourfe of good offices, abounds alfo with innumerable dangers to those who know not, or are not willing, properly to apply its gifts. All the fweet comforts of focial life, the charms of friendship, and even of domeftic blifs itself, inftead of working together for good, produce, by an improper application of them, a dangerous and deadly evil. Thus from the fweetest flowers and faireft fruit, is extracted the moft fubtle and penetrating poifon. Were