164 The Life of _ Faith. difgrace, and trutb in fpeecli and dealing is. well fpoken of And the remnants of natural honefiy in the won}, do fofar fecond thetruc homily of the bell, that no man is fo well fpoken of commonly in the world, as a man of truth and tru(linefs, whofe Word is his Law and Malley, and never fpeaketh de- ceitfully toany; Nor no man is fo commonly ill' fpoken ofas. a knave, as he that will lye, and is not to be trailed: In fo much, that even thole debauched Ruffians, who live as if they raid in their hearts, There is no God, will yet venture their lives in revenge againli him that (hall give them the lye. Per- haps youwill fay, that this is not from any.vertue, or natu- ral Law, or homily, but from common intereft, there being nothing more the interell ofmankind, than that men be trolly toeachother. To which I anfwer, that you oppofe things which are conjun6t : It is both : For all Gods natural Laws are for theintcrefl ofmankind, and that which is truly moll fox our good, is made moil our duty ; and that which is moll our duty, is molt for our good. And that which is fo much for the intereft of mankind, muff needs begood : If it were not for credibility and truflinefi in men, there were no living in families ; but Matters and Servants, Parents and Children, Husbands and Wives, would live together as enemies : And neigbours would be as fo many thieves to one another : There could beno Society or .Common- wealth, when Prince and people could put no truft in one another : Nay, thieves them - f.lves, that are not to be trotted by any others, do yet ftrengthen themfelvcs by confederacies, and oaths of fecrecy, and gather into troops and armies, and there put troll in one another. And can we think that GOD is not much moreto be untied, and is not a greater hater of a lye ? and is not the fountain ofall fidelity ? andhath not agreater care of the in- well ofhiscreatures ? Surely he that thinketh that God is Oar, and not to be trufted, will think no better of mor- tal man or Angel (and therefore trufieth no one, and is very cenforious) and would be thought no better of himfelf, and therefore would have none believe or truy him,:.For who would be better thanhis God ? Dire(. r6. Confider alto that Veracity in God is hie nature or offence; andcannot be denyedwithout denyinghim to be God:: For
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