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SEEM.
XX.3
TRUTH, SINCERITY,
á
:C.
339
when
we
make a solemn
resolution, and publicly declare
it,
that
we
will
do such or such a thing in time to come.
If
this resolution
be
solemn and public,
and
be
in all
re-
spects
lawful,
it should generally
be
performed
;
unless
some
other circumstances
arise, which
we
did
not
foresee,
or
which
escaped
our present notice
when
the
resolution
was made
:
otherwise
we
justly
expose ourselves
to
the
censure
of
fickleness,
inconstancy,
rashness,
and
folly
:
And
such a
conduct
seems to
intrench upon truth. But
this
leads
me to
the third or last instance
of truth.
III.
Another
part of
the
character
of
truth
is,
when
our
whole
carriage
is
conformable
to itself.
When
we
are
always
of
a
piece
with ourselves,
and our
conduct
is
still
consistent
with
our
own
character
and profession.
This
is
called constancy.
Something
of
this
might
have
been
introduced indeed
under
the
first or
second
particulars,
when
I
shewed how
our
words should
agree
with
our
hearts,
and our deeds
with
our
words
;
for both these demand
that
our practice
should
correspond
with
our
profession.
But
I
choose to
cast
all
that
I
have to
say on this
subject
under
the head
of
constancy to our professions and pretences,
which
im-
plies
a
perpetual and
persevering honesty
of
thoughts,
words,
and
actions,
and a regular
consistency
with our-
selves.
Now that
I
may
throw
this
matter
into the easiest me-
thod,
I
shall shew how this exercise
of
christian
truth
will
appear
in
a
good
man
at
all times, in all
conditions
of
life,
in
all places,
and
in all
companies.
1.
At
all times
a
good man
is
the
same
:
He
ever
maintains the
same
pious and
religious design,
and
hav-
ing
set
his
face heavenward, he travels
on in
the
sacred
narrow
path, and never
wilfully
turns
aside
to
the
right
hand or
to
the left
:
Or
if at
any time he makes
a
false
step, he
recovers it again
with humility
and
shame,
and
repentance, and
his
feet
return
to
the
ways
of
holiness.
Here let
it
be observed,
that
a
good man may
change
his
practices
in
some lesser
points
of
christianity,
and
alter
his
principles too
in
doctrines
of
less
importance,
and yet
he
is
not
to
be,
charged
with
criminal inconstancy
or falsehood
:
For
he
never renounces
all
improvement
of
knowledge,
but
is
ever
ready
to
receive
further
light,
z2