veracity should be respected or loved. However great and splendid an earthly Ruler may be; however successful in his designs; however magnificent in his mode of living; however distinguished for his talents; and however liberal in his largesses; he would, if a liar, be still a base and contemptible being. Falsehood in an Infinite Being would render him infinitely contemptible. Even the benevolence of the Gospel, without Truth, (if it were possible to separate them) would be changed into a kind of amiable weakness; a silly, wavering good nature, and would cease to command respect.

A Ruler, without truth, could offer no motives to his subjects, which could induce them to obey. Should he enact laws, promise rewards, and threaten penalties; it would be very uncertain whether the law prescribe the conduct, which would be agreeable to him; whether the rewards would be given to such as faithfully obeyed; or whether the penalties would be inflicted on such as dis obeyed. Whatever he promised; whatever he threatened; no reliance could be placed on his declarations; and they could, therefore, hold out no motives to obedience. But a moral government is a government operating by motives; and without motives cannot exist.

Thus it is completely evident, that the Kingdom of God, or his Government of the Intelligent Universe, rests upon Truth, as its foundation.

3. Veracity is the source of inestimable Personal good.

Veracity is the first constituent of an honourable, and even of a fair, reputation. A bad man, who is known always to speak truth, will always command a considerable share of respect; but a liar is despised of course. So contemptible is falsehood, that to charge any man with this vice is universally regarded as the last affront, which scorn and ill-nature are able to offer; as an injury, for which an atonement can scarcely be made.

Without Veracity, Virtue, as has been heretofore remarked, can in no sense exist. To the existence of virtue, then, in our own minds, Veracity is indispensable.

Equally indispensable is it to Self-approbation. Conscience, like God, always delights in truth; and always approves of speaking truth. This approbation it faithfully, and invariably, whispers to the soul. Few enjoyments can be compared with self-approbation. It is delightful; it is full of peace, comfort, and hope; it is independent of time and accident, of friends and enemies. The world cannot give it: the world cannot take it away.

Conscience, on the other hand, abhors a lie; and solemnly, and dreadfully, reproaches the Liar. Wherever falsehood is loved, and uttered, Conscience pierces the soul with stings of agony; and holds up to the culprit a dreadful mirror, by which all his deformity and guilt are forced upon his view. The terrible likeness he is compelled to own. At the sight of this awful image he trembles;

falters; and reluctantly, but irresistibly, sinks beneath the proper level of his nature.

Veracity is the source, also, of all personal Dignity. There is no dignity without consistency of character. A merely fickle, changeable man, although intentionally sincere, is at the best, but a mere trifler; and can never be the subject of real respectability. Moral inconsistency is still more hostile to dignity. The subject of it is, to every eye, not only contemptible, but odious. To himself, particularly, he appears of necessity base and despicable; and is forced to feel, that by his own crimes he has sunk himself below the proper character and rank of man.

Veracity makes us like to God. This glorious Being styles himself a God of Truth; and declares it to be impossible, that he should lie. Truth is the moral immutability of his character, and the moral consistency of finite intelligences. Him, Truth surrounds with dignity infinite. Them, it exalts to a resemblance of Him, which is divine and eternal; an image of Supreme excellence and beauty.

Veracity is no less the source of Usefulness. Men never voluntarily employ those, in whom they do not place confidence. As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the loiterer to him that sendeth him. The fear of being deceived, the suspense and anxiety, which we necessarily feel, when our affairs are in the hands of unfaithful men, soon forbid a repetition of the same experiment. Equally unwilling are we, in all ordinary cases, to be employed by men of this character. Such men demand from us services, expect from us compliances, and propose to us terms, inconsistent both with comfort, and integrity; and, when our services are performed, they will usually, so far as safety will permit, and their own convenience may require, defraud us of our proper reward. I know of but one exception to these remarks. Bad men do, I acknowledge, employ bad men to promote a bad cause: but even they confide useful, honourable employment, only to persons of integrity. Equally necessary is this attribute to the production, and establishment, of that influence, which constitutes a great part of the usefulness of every useful man. liar can neither convince others, nor persuade others. Others cannot engage with him in any serious, useful design. They cannot enter into his service, nor employ him in theirs, with safety, or hope. His falsehood is a blast upon his character, and upon his interests, alike. He, who is connected with him, lives in continual fear of being betrayed; and he only, who shuns him, is either happy or safe.

Α

Finally; Veracity is indispensable to our Acceptance with God. The Psalmist, when he inquires, Who shall ascend into the tabernacle of the highest? solemnly answers, He that speaketh truth in his heart; he that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. Such is the universal language of the Scriptures. Lying lips, saith the

wise man, are an abomination unto the Lord. There shall in no wise enter into the city any thing that defileth; nor he that loveth, and maketh, a lie. Every liar, therefore, knows, that he is in a state of condemnation; that, hitherto, he has no title to endless life, nor a single hope of final acceptance with God. Before these blessings can be begun, his ruling character must be renounced. He, who requireth truth in the inward parts, can turn no eye, but that of indignation and abhorrence, upon a soul, polluted with falsehood, and enstamped with the foul image of him, who was a liar from the beginning, and the father of it. In Heaven a liar would be a gazing-stock; a spot on the beautiful and glorious aspect of that happy world; a curse to himself; and a nuisance to its exalted inhabitants.

There is one world in the Universe, and, so far as we are informed, but one, in which Truth is unknown, and falsehood reigns, and ravages. Here all liars have their part; and all, who dwell here, are liars. Here, to deceive, and to be deceived, is the base employment, and the wretched lot. Truth, here, is never spoken, unless to deceive; and confidence is never exercised. Friendship, sociality, the union of hearts, and the interchange of affections, are never found in this dreary and dreadful region. In the midst of millions, every individual is alone. A gloomy and terrible solitude broods over the desolate vast; and the eye of suffering and sorrow, stretching its look of anguish above, around, beneath, finds no friend, in whom it may confide; no bosom, on which it may repose with comfort, peace, or hope.

How different is that delightful residence, where all who love, and speak, Truth, are by the boundless goodness of the Creator united in a divine and blissful assembly. Here, Truth, by every member of this vast and happy family, is loved, studied, embraced, and spoken, for ever. Confidence, here, enters the soul; and takes up, in this unsullied mansion, its eternal residence. Friendship, the twin sister of Confidence, dwells, and smiles, by her side; and sheds upon the purified mind her immortal enjoyments: while God with infinite complacency beholds this illustrious work of his own hands; and showers around it with eternal profusion the evergrowing blessings of his unchangeable love.

SERMON CXXVI.

NINTH COMMANDMENT. THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF LYING.

EXODUS XX. 16.-Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

IN the preceding discourse I considered, at some length, the Nature and Importance of Truth and Veracity. These are the basis of the Precept in the text. I shall now go on to examine the immediate subject of the Text, viz. Falsehood, under the two following

heads:

1. Lying;

II. Slander.

Under the former of these heads I shall include Promise-breaking, and Perjury.

In discoursing on this subject, I propose to consider,

The Nature;

The Causes;

The Mischiefs; and,

The Preventives; of Lying.

Concerning the first of these subjects, viz. The Nature of Lying, I observe generally, that a Lie is a false declaration of facts, wilfully made, or made, as is sometimes the case, from indifference to

truth.

A False Promise is a crime, substantially of the same nature with a Lie, in the proper sense. A lie is a false declaration of existing facts. A false promise is a false declaration of future facts. Perjury is a false declaration either of present or future facts, wilfully made, accompanied by an oath. Perjury in evidence is a false declaration, under oath, of existing facts. Perjury under an oath of office or trust is a false declaration of future facts. The future facts, here referred to, are universally such as are supposed to be under our own control; and are chiefly such as are involved in our own conduct. Such at least is the case, when the oath, or promise, is lawfully made.

Mankind are guilty of Lying, that is, substantially guilty, in the following ways.

1. In voluntary declarations of facts, which are known to be false.

For example; every narration, known to be false, is a lie. Equally such is every description, of a similar nature.

2. In declaring that to be true, which we believe to be otherwise, although, in the end, it should be found, that the truth was really declared.

To our minds that is true, or false, which after careful examination we believe to be so. Before we make our declarations, we are bound to examine as impartially, and as thoroughly, as we can. After such an examination, if we declare, agreeably to the best knowledge which we are able thus to obtain, and with no more confidence than such an examination warrants, our veracity is, I apprehend, unimpeachable. We may indeed mistake; but are in no sense guilty of lying. But if we declare that which is contrary to our belief, although the declaration should be exactly true, we are still intentionally, and therefore in the criminal sense, liars.

3. In rashly asserting what is not true, when the assertion springs from a sinful Neglect of Examining.

Inconsiderate and rash men assert roundly, although they do not know that, which they assert, to be true; and have no sufficient reasons for believing it to be true. This conduct is derived only from the want of a just sense of the importance of Truth, and the value of Veracity. Such a sense will prompt every man, who possesses it, to examine before he asserts; to assert with watchfulness and caution; and, where he does not feel himself warranted to make unqualified declarations, to express his belief, his opinion, or his apprehension.

No excuse can be given for this indifference to truth. To mankind its importance is infinite. The sacrifice of it is, in all instances, an injury which can neither be repaired, nor recalled. Every man is bound to regard it in this manner, to enable himself to speak truth only, whenever he speaks at all. He therefore, who by a voluntary negligence is led rashly to make false assertions, is without excuse.

4. In professing to declare the whole truth, and yet concealing a part of it, with an intention to deceive.

A wilful deception is here intended, and accomplished: the very thing, which constitutes the essence of Lying. The means, indeed, differ; but the spirit, the guilt, and the purpose, are the

same.

There is, I acknowledge, a prudent and justifiable concealment, as well as a guilty one. What others have not a right to know, we are not bound to declare. Nor are we, of course, bound to disclose the whole of a subject in many cases, where we may be willing to communicate a part. But in every case, our disclosures, and our concealments, must be exactly accordant with our professions. The writer, who professes to record the whole of a story, is inexcusable, if he narrate only a part; although every thing which he actually declares, may be true. The witness, who, under the oath of evidence, withholds any thing which he knows, pertaining to the subject in debate, is perjured.

5. In Colouring the subject of our declarations so as to give it a different aspect from the true one.