375 / 514
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XEtT.1
TRtTTI3,
SINCERITY,
367
necessary
use
to secure
our
faithfulness,
and
to
maintain
our truth
with
honour.
Besides,
I
might
add
also,
that
we
should
bring
iri
something
of God and piety into
the common
engage-
ments
of
life; and
this would
preserve
a
greater guard
upon our
tongues,
Go to
now,
ye
that
say,
to
-day
or
to-
morrow
we
will
go
into
such
a
city,
and
continue
there
a year, and
buy
and
sell,
and
get
gain;
whereas
ye
know
not what hall
be
on
the
morrow;
for
that
ye
ought
to
say,
If
the
Lord
will,
we
shall
live,
and
do
this,
or
that,
James
iv.
13, &c.
If
therefore
we
would secure
our
faithfulness
as well
as
our veracity,
it
is
necessary
to
learn a modest
and
cautious
way
of
speaking,
and
accustom
our
tongues to
practise
it.
When
we
are
relating
any thing
past
or pre
-
sent,
the
words,
I
think,
I
suppose, it
is my
opinion,
are
very
proper
where
the case has any thing
doubtful
in
it:
So
when
we
engage ourselves to do
any thing
fot
time
to
come,
I
intend, I
design,
I
hope,
I
will
endea-
vour, are more cautious methods
of
speech, and very
proper
upon most
occasions
of
life,
except
where
the
circumstances
require
a
more express promise, whereby
we
bind all
our
faithfulness
to
the performance.
H.
I
would add
another
rule
in'
the
case
of
vows
and
promises,
which
cannot but
have some force
toward the
preservation
of truth. Think
solemnly with yourself,
how miserable
and abandoned a creature
you
must
be,
if
neither God
nor
man should
fulfil
any
of their
pro=
mises
or
engagements
to you
and thereby
you
should
awaken
your
soul
and
all
your
powers to perform
your
obligations
to them.
What
if
your governors
should
break
their
engagements
to
defend
and
protect
you
?
What if
your parents and your
friends should refuse
to
help and
assist, to feed,
or clothe,
or comfort
you
?
What
if
your
debtors should
refuse to pay
what
they
owe
you
?
and
your servants deny
you
their obedience and
-help
°in a
most necessary
hour? What if
your
neigh--
hours should disappoint
you
in all
the
agreements
and
promises they make?
What
if
the great and blessed
God
should
seize all
your
forfeited
mercies, because
ql
your
unfaithfulness
to
him
and perform
hone
of
the
'promises
of
his
word
which
regard
this life, or the
life
4