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And, firft, of injuring our neighbour by our "words." This may be done, we find, in three ways; by "evil-fpeaking, by lying, and by flandering."

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By evil-speaking" is meant fpeaking ill of our neighbour; but upon a fuppofition, that this ill is the truth. In fome eircumftances it is certainly right to fpeak ill of our neighbour; as when we are called upon in a court of juftice to give our evidence; or, when we can fet any one right in his opinion of a perfon, in whom he is about to put an improper confidence. Nor can there be any harm in fpeaking of a bad action, which has been determined in a court of juftice, or is otherwife become notorious.

But on the other hand, it is highly dif allowable to fpeak wantonly of the characters of others from common fame; becaufe, in a thoufand inftances, we find that ftories, which have no better foundation, are mifreprefented. They are perhaps only half-told-they have been heard through the medium of malice or envyfome favourable circumftance hath been omitted-fome foreign circumstance hath been added-fome trifling circumstance hath been exaggerated-the motive, the provocation, or perhaps the reparation, hath been concealed-in fhort, the reprefentation of the fact is, fome way or other, totally different from the fact itself.

But even, when we have the best evidence of a bad action, with all its circumAtances before us, we furely indulge a very ill-natured pleasure in fpreading the fhame of an offending brother. We can do no good; and we may do harm: we may weaken his good refolutions by expofing him: we may harden him against the world. Perhaps it may be his first bad action. Perhaps nobody is privy to it but ourselves. Let us give him at least one trial. Let us not caft the firft ftone. Which of our lives could ftand fo ftrict a fcrutiny? He only who is without fin himself can have any excufe for treating his brother with feverity..

Let us next confider " lying;" which is an intention to deceive by falfehood in our words. To warn us against lying, we should do well to confider the folly, the meanness, and the wickedness of it.

The folly of lying confifts in its defeatang its own purpofe. A habit of lying is generally in the end detected; and, after detection, the lyar, instead of deceiving, will not even be believed when he happens

to fpeak the truth. Nay, every fingle lya is attended with fuch a variety of circum ftances, which lead to a detection, that it is often difcovered. The ufe generally made of a lye, is to cover a fault; but as the end is feldom anfwered, we only aggravate what we wish to conceal. In point even of prudence, an honest confeffion would ferve us better.

The meannefs of lying arifes from the cowardice which it implies. We dare not boldly and nobly fpeak the truth; but have recourfe to low fubterfuges, which always argue a fordid and disingenuous mind. Hence it is, that in the fashionable world, the word lyar is always confidered as a term of peculiar reproach.

The wickedness of lying confifts in its perverting one of the greatest bleffings of God, the use of speech, in making that a mischief to mankind, which was intended for a benefit. Truth is the great bond of fociety. Falfchood, of courfe, tends to its diffolution. If one man may lye, why not another? And if there is no mutual truft among men, there is an end of all intercourfe and dealing.

An equivocation is nearly related to a lye. It is an intention to deceive under words of a double meaning, or words which, literally fpeaking, are true; and is equally criminal with the moft downright breach of truth. When St. Peter afked Sapphira (in the 5th chapter of the Acts) "whether her husband had fold the land for fo much ?" She answered, he had: and literally the spoke the truth; for he had fold it for that fum, included in a larger. But having an intention to deceive, we find the apoftle confidered the equivocation as a lye.

In short, it is the intention to deceive, which is criminal: the mode of deception, like the vehicle in which poifon is conveyed, is of no confequence. A nɔd, or fign, may convey a lye as effectually as the most. deceitful language.

Under the head of lying may be mentioned a breach of promife. While a refolution remains in our own breafts, it is fubject to our own review: but when we make another perfon a party with us, an engagement is made; and every engagement, though only of the lightest kind, fhould be punctually obferved. If we have added to this engagement a folemn promife, the obligation is fo much the ftronger: and he who does not think himself bound by fuch an obligation, has no pretenfions to the cha

racter

racter of an honest man. A breach of promife is fill worfe than a lye. A lye is simply a breach of truth; but a breach of promife is a breach both oftruth and truft. Forgetfulness is a weak excufe: it only fhews how little we are affected by fo folemn an engagement. Should we forget to call for a fum of money, of which we were in want, at an appointed time? Or do we think a folemn promife of lefs value than a fum of money?

Having confidered evil fpeaking and lying, let us next confider flandering. By fandering, we mean, injuring our neighbour's character by falfehood. Here we fil rife higher in the fcale of injurious words. Slandering our neighbour is the greateft injury, which words can do him; and is, therefore, worfe than either evilfpeaking or lying. The mifchief of this fin depends on the value of our characters. All men, unless they be paft feeling, defire naturally to be thought well of by their fellow-creatures: a good character is one of the principal means of being ferviceable either to ourselves or others; and among numbers, the very bread they eat depends upon it. What aggravated injury, therefore, do we bring upon every man, whofe name we flander? And, what is still worse, the injury is irreparable. If you defraud a man; reitore what you took, and the injury is repaired. But, if you flander him, it is not in your power to fhut up all the ears, and all the mouths, to which your tale may have accefs. The evil fpreads, like the winged feeds of fome noxious plants, which fcatter mifchief on a breath of air, and difperfe it on every fide, and beyond prevention.

Before we conclude this fubject, it may just be mentioned, that a flander may be fpread, as a lye may be told, in various ways. We may do it by an infinuation, as well as in a direct manner; we may spread it in a fecret; or propagate it under the colour of friendship.

I may add alfo, that it is a fpecies of flander, and often a very malignant one, to leffen the merits or exaggerate the failings of others; as it is likewife to omit defending a mifreprefented character, or to let others bear the blame of our offenGilpin.

ces.

§ 166. Against wronging our Neighbour by injurious Actions.

Having thus confidered injurious words,

let us next confider injurious actions. On this head we are injoined" to keep our hands from picking and ftealing, and to be true and juft in all our dealings."

As to theft, it is a crime of fo odious and vile a nature, that one would imagine no perfon, who hath had the leaft tincture of a virtuous education, even though driven to neceflity, could be led into it.I fhall not, therefore, enter into a diffuafive from this crime; but go on with the explanation of the other part of the injunction, and fee what it is to be true and juft in all our dealings.

Juftice is even fill more, if poflible, the fupport of fociety, than truth: inasmuch as a man may be more injurious by his actions, than by his words. It is for this reason, that the whole force of human law is bent to reftrain injustice; and the happinefs of every fociety will increase in pro portion to this restraint,

We very much err, however, if we fuppofe, that every thing within the bounds of law is justice. The law was intended only for bad men; and it is impoffible to make the meshes of it fo ftrait, but that many very great enormities will efcape. The well-meaning man, therefore, knowing that the law was not made for him, confults a better guide his own confcience, informed by religion. And, indeed, the great difference between the good and the bad man confifts in this: the good man will do nothing, but what his confcience will allow; the bad man will do any thing which the law cannot reach.

It would, indeed, be endlefs to defcribe the various ways, in which a man may be dishonest within the limits of law. They are as various as our intercourse with mankind. Some of the most obvious of them I shall curforily mention.

In matters of commerce the knave has many opportunities. The different qualities of the fame commodity-the different modes of adulteration-the fpecious arts of vending-the frequent ignorance in purchafing; and a variety of other circum ftances, open an endless field to the ingenuity of fraud. The honeft fair dealer, in the mean time, has only one rule, which is, that all arts, however common in bufnefs, which are intended to deceive, are this head, that if any one, confcious of utterly unlawful. It may be added, upon having been a tranfgreffor, is defirous of repairing his fault, reftitution is by all means Q.3

necellary

neceffary: till that be done, he continues
in a course of injustice.

Again, in matters of contract, a man
has many opportunities of being difho-
neft within the bounds of law. He may
be ftrict in obferving the letter of an
agreement, when the equitable meaning
requires a laxer interpretation: or, he can
take the laxer interpretation, when it ferves
his purpofe; and at the loop-hole of fome
ambiguous expreffion exclude the literal
meaning, though it be undoubtedly the

true one.

The fame iniquity appears in with-holding from another his juft right; or in putting him to expence in recovering it. The movements of the law are flow; and in many cafes cannot be otherwise; but he who takes the advantage of this to injure his neighbour, proves himself an undoubted knave.

It is a fpecies of the fame kind of injuftice to withhold a debt, when we have ability to pay; or to run into debt, when we have not that ability. The former can proceed only from a bad difpofition; the latter, from fuffering our defires to exceed our flation. Some are excufed, on this head, as men of generous principles, which they cannot confine. But what is their generofity? They affist one man by injuring another. And what good arifes to fociety from hence? Such perfons cannot act on principle; and we need not hesitate to rank them with thofe, who run into debt to gratify their own felfish inclinations. One man defires the elegancies of life; another defires what he thinks an equal good, the reputation of generofity.

Oppreffion is another fpecies of injuftice; by which, in a thousand ways, under the cover of law, we may take the advantage of the fuperiority of our power, either to crush an inferior, or humble him to our defigns.

Ingratitude is another. know, claims a legal return. A loan, we obligation lefs, if, inftead of a loan, you reAnd is the ceive a kindness? The law, indeed, fays nothing on this point of immorality; but an honeft confcience will be very loud in the condemnation of it.

We may be unjust alfo in our refentment; by carrying it beyond what reafon and religion prefcribe.

But it would be endless to defcribe the various ways, in which injuftice difcovers itielt. In truth, almost every omiflion of duty may be refolved into injuftice.

The next precept is, " to bear no malice nor hatred in our hearts."

arife, in the first place, from injurious The malice and hatred of our hearts treatment; and furely no man, when he is injured, can at first help feeling that he is fo. But Christianity requires, that we poffible; fhould fubdue thefe feelings, as foon as down upon our wrath." Various are the "and not fuffer the fun to go paffages of fcripture, which inculcate the forgiveness of injuries. Indeed, no point fon, because no temper is more productive is more laboured than this; and with reaof evil, both to ourselves and others, than a malicious one. The fenfations of a mind burning with revenge are beyond defcription; and as we are at these seasons very unable to judge cooly, and of course liable to carry our refentment too far, the confethoufand things, which can never be atoned quence is, that, in our rage, we may do a for, and of which we may repent as long

as we live.

retaliation keeps the quarrel alive. The Befides, one aft draws on another; and gofpel, therefore, ever gracious and kind to man, in all its precepts enjoins us to check all thofe violent emotions, and to leave our caufe in the hands of God.

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Vengeance is mine, I will repay, faith the Lord;" and he who, in oppofition to this precept, takes vengeance into his hatred of his heart, may affure himself that own hands, and cherishes the malice and he has not yet learned to be a Chriftian. Thefe precepts, perhaps, may not entirely agree with modern principles of honour : maxims of the world cannot change the but let the man of honour fee to that. The truth of the gospel.

Nay, even in recovering our jaft right, fhould take care that it be not done in the or in purfuing a criminal to justice, we fpirit of retaliation and revenge. be our motives, though we make the law If thefe our inftrument, we are equally guilty.

lice and hatred of our hearts have often But befides injurious treatment, the maanother fource, and that is envy: and thus in the litany; " envy, malice, and hatred," ty. are all joined together with great propriecooler, and lefs violent, than those which ty. The emotions of envy are generally envy is feldom fo mifchievous in its effects arife from the refentment of injury; fo that it is altogether as bad, and full as destrucas revenge but with regard to ourselves, tive of the spirit of chriftianity. What is

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the

the religion of that man, who inflead of thanking Heaven tor the bleffings he 'receives, is fretting himself continually with a dilagreeable comparifon between himself and fome other? He cannot enjoy what he has, because another has more wealth, a fairer fame, or perhaps more merit, than himself. He is miferable, because others are happy.

But to omit the wickedness of envy, how abfurd and foolish is it, in a world where we must neceffarily expect much real milery, to be perniciously inventive in producing it!

Bendes, what ignorance! We fee only the glaring outfide of things. Under all that envied glare, many unfeen diftreffes may lurk, from which our ftation may be free: for our merciful Creator feems to have bestowed happinefs, as far as ftation is concerned, with great equality among

all his creatures.

In conclusion, therefore, let it be the great object of our attention, and the fubject of our prayers, to rid our minds of all this curied intrufion of evil thoughtswhether they proceed from malice, or from an envious temper. Let all our malicious thoughts foften into charity and benevolence; and let us "forgive one another, as God, for Chrift's fake, has forgiven us." As for our envious thoughts, as far as they relate to externals, let them fubale in humility, acquiefcence, and fubmillion to the will of God. And when we are tempted to envy the good qualities of others, let us fpurn fo bafe a conception, and change it into a generous emulationinto an endeavour to raife ourselves to an equality with our rival, not to deprefs him to a level with us. Gilpin.

§ 167. Duries to ourselves. Thas far the duties we have confidered come moft properly under the head of those which we owe to our neighbour; what follows, relates rather to ourselves. On this head, we are inftructed "to keep our bodies in temperance, fobernefs, and chantity."

Though our fouls fhould be our great concern, yet, as they are nearly connected with our bodies, and as the impurity of the

one contaminates the other, a great degree of moral attention is, of course, due to our bodies alfo.

As our firft ftation is in this world, to which our bodies particularly belong, they are formed with fuch appetites as are requifite to our commodious living in it; and the rule given us is, "to ufe the world fo as not to abuse it." St. Paul, by a beautiful allufion, calls our bodies the "temples of the Holy Ghost:" by which he means to imprefs us with a strong idea of their dignity; and to deter us from debafing, by low pleafures, what should be the feat of fo much purity. To youth thefe cautions are above measure neceffary, because their paffions and appetites are ftrong; their reason and judgment weak. They are prone to pleafure, and void of reflection. How, therefore, thefe young adventurers in life may beft fteer their courfe, and use this finful world fo as not to abufe it, is a confideration well worth their attention. Let us then fee under what regulations their appetites should be reftrained.

By keeping our bodies in temperance is meant avoiding excefs in eating, with regard both to the quantity and quality of our food. We should neither eat more than our ftomachs can well bear; nor be nice and delicate in our eating.

A man

To preferve the body in health is the end of eating; and they who regulate themfelves merely by this end, who eat without choice or diftinction, paying no regard to the pleafure of eating, obferve perhaps the best rule of temperance. They go rather indeed beyond temperance, and may be called abfiemious. may be temperate, and yet allow himself a little more indulgence. Great care, however, is here neceffary; and the more, as perhaps no precife rule can be affixed, after we have paffed the first great limit, and let the palate loofe among variety Our own difcretion must be our guide, which fhould be conftantly kept awake by confidering the many bad confequences which attend a breach of temperance.Young men, in the full vigour of health, do not confider thefe things; but as age comes on, and different maladies begin to

-Nam variæ res,

Ut noceant homini, credas memor illius efcx,
Quæ fimplex olim tibi federit. At fimul aflis
Mifcueris elixa, fimul conchylia turdis

Dulcia fe in bilem vertent, ftomachoque tumultum
Lenta feret pituita.———

HOR.

appear.

appear, they may perhaps repent they did not a little earlier practife the rules of temperance.

In a moral and religious light, the confequences of intemperance are ftill worfe. To enjoy a comfortable meal, when it comes before us, is allowable: but he who fuffers his mind to dwell upon the pleafures of eating, and makes them the employment of his thoughts, has at least opened one fource of mental corruption. *.

After all, he who would moft perfectly enjoy the pleasures of the table, fuch as they are, must look for them within the rules of temperance. The palate, accuftomed to fatiety, hath loft its tone; and the greatest fenfualifts have been brought to confefs, that the coarseft fare, with an appetite kept in order by temperance, affords a more delicious repaft, than the moft luxurious meal without it.

As temperance relates chiefly to eating, fobernefs or fobriety relates properly to drinking. And here the fame obfervations recur. The ftricteft, and perhaps the beft rule, is merely to fatisfy the end of drinking. But if a little more indulgence be taken, it ought to be taken with the greatest circumfpection.

With regard to youth indeed, I fhould be inclined to great strictness on this head. In eating, if they eat of proper and fimple food, they cannot eafily err. Their grow ing limbs, and ftrong exercife, require larger fupplies than full-grown bodies, which must be kept in order by a more rigid temperance. But if more indulgence be allowed them in eating, lefs, furely, fhould in drinking. With ftrong liquors of every kind they have nothing to do; and if they fhould totally abftain on this head, it were fo much the better. The languor which attends age †, requires perhaps, now and then, fome aids; but the fpirits of youth want no recruits: a little reft is fufficient.

As to the bad confequences derived from exceffive drinking, befides filling the blood with bloated and vicious humours, and debauching the purity of the mind, as in the cafe of intemperate eating, it is attended with this peculiar evil, the lofs of our fentes. Hence follow frequent incon$

+

veniences and mortifications. We expose our follies-we betray our fecrets-we are often impofed upon-we quarrel with our friends we lay ourselves open to our enemies; and, in fhort, make ourselves the objects of contempt, and the topics of ridicule to all our acquaintance. Nor is it only the act of intoxication which deprives us of our reafon during the prevalence of it; the habit of drunkenness foon befots and impairs the understanding, and renders us at all times lefs fit for the offices of life.

We are next injoined to keep our bodies in chastity." "Flee youthful lufts," fays the apostle, "which war against the foul." And there is furely nothing which carries on a war againft the foul more fuccefsfully. Wherever we have a catalogue in fcripture (and we have many fuch catalogues) of thofe fins which in a peculiar manner debauch the mind, thefe youthful lufts have always, under fome denomination, a place among them.To keep ourfelves free from all contagion of this kind, let us endeavour to preserve a purity in our thoughts—our words—and our actions.

First, let us preserve a purity in our thoughts. Thefe dark receffes, which the eye of the world cannot reach, are the receptacles of thefe youthful lufts. Here they find their firft encouragement. The entrance of fuch impure ideas perhaps we cannot always prevent. We may always however prevent cherifhing them; we may always prevent their making an impreffion upon us: the devil may be caft out as foon as difcovered.

Let us always keep in mind, that even into thefe dark abodes the eye of Heaven can penetrate: that every thought of our hearts is open to that God, before whom we must one day stand; and that however fecretly we may indulge these impure ideas, at the great day of account they will certainly appear in an awful detail against us.

Let us remember again, that if our bodies be the temples of the Holy Ghoft, our minds are the very fanctuaries of those temples: and if there be any weight in the apoftle's argument against polluting -Corpus onuftum

Hefternis vitiis, animum quoque prægravat una,
Atque affigit humo divinæ particulum auræ.

Ubive
Accedant anni, et tractari mollius ætas
Imbecilla volet.

HOR. Sat.

Tpida

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