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CHRISTIAN MORALITY, viz.
[SEEM.
X
%I[.
ever ready
to
allure
or affright
us from the
paths of
holi-
ness
:
we
have need
therefore
of
powerful motives
to
en-
force
every
duty upon our practice.
In
the
first
discourse
on this subject,
we
have
heard
the
nature
and extent
of that truth
or sincerity
which
the
gospel
requires.
In
the second
we
have
considered what
obligations are discovered
by
the light
of nature
to
be
faithful,
upright
and
constant
in
our
words
and
our
ways
;
and
what
additional
motives the religion
of
Christ
has
furnished
us
with, to
practise
the same virtues
;
and
may the good Spirit
of
God
make
our
souls
feel
the
power
of
them.
_
But nature
is
dark,
as well as feeble.
We are unskil-
ful in the
matters
of
holiness,
and
knów
not
how to
se-
cure our
virtue, and
to
guard
ourselves
from
temptation
to
the
contrary
vice,
unless
we
are informed
by
particu-
lar
directions.
I
begun this work
at
the
end
of
the
last
discourse.
And
as
truth
was
divided
into three parts,
viz.
veracity,
faithfulness, and constancy;
so
I
pro-
posed
to give
special
rules for
the
preservation
of
each
of
them.
The directions
to
preserve
our
veracity, were these
:
I.
Be well
persuaded
in
your
minds,
that
a
known
and
wilful lie
'is
utterly
unlawful:
Let
your
heart
be es-
tablished
in this
doctrine
;
for
a
slight conviction may
be easily overcome by some
advantageous circumstances,
and the temptation
will
soon prevail.
M.
Be
sober,
modest,
and cautious
in
the manner
of
your
speech,
and
do
not
allow
yourself
in
those
ways
of
expression
which
border
upon lying;
.for
if
you
often
accustom
your
tongue to
venture near
a
lie,
you
will
be
in danger sometimes
of
falling
into
it.
3.
Take
care
to
do
nothing
that
you need to
he
ashamed
of,
that
so
you may
not
be
under
the
tempta-
tion
of
a
lie to
cover or excuse
it.
4. 'Watch
against
the violence
of
any
passion;
for this
will
sorely
endanger
the veracity
of
your
lips.
Passion
will
carry your
judgment
beyond the
truth of
things,
and
then it
will
soon awaken
your tongue
to an
extravagance
of
language, even beyond the
present irregular
judgment
of
the mind.
I
persuaded
you
there to
beware
of
blind and
fiery
zeal,
and
more especially
in
matters
ofsniall
importance,