Cafe, in Part at least, of moft Reports: by mifreprefenting their Circumftances in the World to their Prejudice; or fpeaking, without Foundation, to the Dif advantage of their Perfons, Understandings, Accomplifhments, Temper, or Conduct; whether charging them with Faults and Imperfections, which do not belong to them; or taking from them good Qualities and Recommendations, which do; or aggravating the former, or diminishing the latter: determining their Characters from a fingle bad Action or two; fixing ill Names on Things, which are really virtuous or innocent in them; imputing their laudable Behaviour to blameable or worthlefs Motives; making no Allowance for the Depravity or Weakness of human Nature, Strength of Temptation, Want of Inftruction, wicked Infinuations, vicious Examples. And in all these Ways, Perfons may be injured, either by open public Affertions; or more dangerously perhaps, by fecret Whispers, which they have no Opportunity of contradicting. The Scandal may be accompanied with ftrong Expreffions of hoping it is not true, or being very forry for it; and warm Declarations of great good Will to the Party, whom it concerns all which may ferve only to give it a more unfufpected Credit. Nay, it may be conveyed very effectually in dark Hints, expreffive Geftures, or even affected Silence. And thefe, as they may be equally mischievous, are not lefs wicked, for being more cowardly and more artful, Methods of Defamation.

Further yet: Speaking or intimating Things to any. Perfon's Difadvantage, though they be true, is feldom innocent. For it ufually proceeds from bad Principles: Revenge, Envy, Malice, Pride, Cenforioufnefs; unfair Zeal for fome private or Party Intereft; or at beft, from a Defire of appearing to know more than others, or mere impertinent Fondnefs of talking. Now thefe are wretched Motives for publishing what will be hurtful to one of our Brethren. Sometimes indeed bad Characters and bad Actions ought to be known: but much oftener not, or not to all the World, or not by our

Means.

Means. And we have Need to be very careful from what Inducements we act in fuch a Cafe. Sometimes again Things are known already; or foon will be known, let us be ever fo filent about them: and then, to be fure, we are more at Liberty. But even then, to take a Pleasure in relating the Faults of others is by no Means right. And to reveal them, when they can be hid, unless a very confiderable Reafon require it, is extremely wrong.

Indeed we should be cautious, not only what Harm, but what Good we fay of others. For fpeaking too highly of their Characters or Circumftances, or praifing them in any Refpect beyond Truth, is bearing falfe Witnefs about them, which may fometimes turn against them and may often mislead thofe, to whom we exalt them thus; and produce grievously bad Confequences of many Kinds. But the other is much the more common, and usually the more hurtful, Extreme.

We all think it an Injury, in the tendereft Part, when bad Impreffions are made on others concerning us; and therefore fhould confcientioufly avoid doing the fame Injury to others. Making them defignedly, without Caufe, is inexcufable Wickednefs. And even where we intend no Harm, we may do a great deal. What

ever hurts, in any Refpect, the Reputation of Perfons, always gives them great Pain, and often doth them great Prejudice, even in their most important Concerns. For indeed almoft every Thing in this World depends on Character. And when once that hath suffered an Imputation; for the moft Part, neither the Perfons calumniated, be they ever fo innocent, can recover it completely by their own Endeavours, nor the Perfons who have wronged them, be they ever fo defirous, reftore it fully to its former State: though certainly they, who rob others of their good Name, or even without Defign afperfe it, are full as much bound to make Reftitution for that, as for any other Damage, which they caufe. But were they not to hurt at all the Perfon against whom they fpeak, ftill they hurt themfelves,

and

and leffen their Power of doing Good in the World; they often hurt their innocent Families by the Provocations which they give; they grieve their Friends; they fet a mischievous Example in Society; and, if they profefs any Religion, bring a dreadful Reproach upon it, by a Temper and Behaviour fo juftly hateful to Mankind.

It will eafily be understood, that, next to the Raifers and Spreaders of ill Reports, they who encourage Perfons of that Kind, by hearkening to them with Pleasure, and by Readiness of Belief in what they fay, contradict the Intention of this Commandment. Indeed we ought, far from countenancing Scandal and Detraction, to exprefs, in all proper Ways, our Diflike of it: fhew the Uncertainty, the Improbability, the Falfehood, if we can, of injurious Rumours; oppofe the divulging even of Truths that are uncharitable; and fet a Pattern of giving every one his juft Praife.

It must now be obferved further, that though undoubtedly thofe Falfehoods are the worst, which hurt others the most directly, yet Falfehoods in general are hurtful and wrong. And therefore Lying; all Ufe either of Words or Actions of known fettled Import, with Purpose to deceive; is unlawful. And those Offences of this Kind, which may feem the most harmlefs, have yet commonly great Evil in them. Lying deftroys the very End of Speech, and leads us into perpetual Mistakes, by the very Means which God intended fhould lead us into Truth. It puts an End to all the Pleasure, all the Benefit, all the Safety of Conversation. Nobody can know, on what or whom to depend. For if one Perfon may lie, why not another? and at this Rate, no Justice can be done, no Wickedness be prevented or punished, no Bufinefs go forward. All these Mifchiefs will equally follow, whether Untruths be told in a grof birefaced Manner, or difguifed under Equivocations, Quibbles, and Evafions. The Sin therefore is as great in one Cafe as the other. And it is fo

3

great

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, instead 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 monstrous 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 Sufpicion of it upon another; this is the Height of Wickedness. And therefore particularly all Children and Servants, who are chiefly tempted to excufe themselves by telling Falsehoods, ought to undergo any Thing, rather than be guilty of fuch a Sin. And on the other Hand, all Parents, Mafters, and Miftreffes, ought to beware of punifhing 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 cafteth Fire-Brands, Arrows, and Death; fo is the Man that deceiveth his Neighbour, and faith, Am I not in Sport? To give another Perfon Vexation, or make him appear contemptible, though in a flight Inftance, is by no Means innocent Sport. And befides, to speak Falsehood 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 leaft be thought, that lying, to prevent Mifchief and do Good, must be permitted. But the Scripture exprefsly forbids us to do Evil, that Good may come. And they, who allow themfelves in it, will ufually be discovered 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: those others again will think themfelves authorized by fuch Examples to take the fame Liberties and thus all Trust and Probity will be loft among Men: a much greater Evil, than any Good, which Falfehood may do now and then, will ever compenfate.

And if telling Lies, even from thefe plaufible Induce→ ments, be fo bad; what muft 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 less imprudent, than it is unlawful. Some indeed lye to raife their Characters, as others do to gain their Points. But both act very abfurdly For they mifs of their Purpose entirely, as foon as they are found out: and all Lyars are found out: imme, diately, for the moft Part; but in a while without fail, And after that, every Body defpifes and hates them; even when they fpeak Truth, Nobody knows how to credit them and fo, by aiming wickedly at fome little Advantage for the prefent, they put themfelves foolishly under the greatest Difadvantage in the World ever after. The Lip of Truth shall be established for ever: but a lying Tongue is but for a Moment. Beware then of the leaft Beginning of a Practice that will be fure to end ill. For if you venture upon Falfehood at all, it will grow upon you, and entangle you; and bring you to Shame, to Punishment, to Ruin. And, befides what you will fuffer

:

Rom. iii. 8.

f Prov. xii, 19, 22.

by