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274
APPÉNDIX
TO SERMONS XX,
XXI,
AND
XXII.
an
'insuflìcierrt
answer,
or
I
may
be
silent,
'and
boldly
refuse
to
give
them any answer
at
all.
But,
2.
If
his
having
no
right to truth,
be
intended
to sig-
nify,
that
the
character of
his
person, or the
nature
of
his question,
is
such
as
releases
me
from all obligation
to
'truth-in
answering
him,
and
that
therefore
:I
may
law
-
fully
tell
him a
falsehood
;
then
I
deny the
proposition':
For
my
obligation
to
speak
truth
doth not
at
all
depend
'On
the
nature
of
his
question,
nor
Both
it
depend
merely
'on
the
character
of
the
enquirer, but
on the
eternal
rule
of
equity, and the command
of
God. And
I
think
this
appears
from hence,
that
though
I
were alone,
it
would
not
be
warrantable
in
me to
assert
with
my
`lips
a
known falsehood
;
and
in
this case the
right
or
claim
of
man
can have no place
nor
consideration.
Answer
III.
If
this
exception
be
'made
to
the
plain
law
of God, that
we
may
speak
a
direct
and express
falsehood
to
any
persons
who in
our
esteem
have
no right
to
the truth
in
their enquiry
;
this seems
to
break
all
the
bands of
human
society,
violate
all
the faith
of
men,
and render
the
divine commands
of
veracity, and
the
prohibitions of
falsehood almost
useless:
The
consci-
ences
of
men ívould
find a way
of
escape
from the
great=
est
part
of
the
bonds
of
duty,
and yet think
they com-
mitted
no
sin.
For let
us
consider,
who
it
is
that
must
judge
whether
the
person
to whom
we
speak
has
a
right to
truth
-or
no.
Is
it not the
speaker himself
who
will
be
the
judge?
Now
if
the
speaker
must
judge
whether
his
neighbour
has a
right
to
truth, there
is
no case,
wherein
the
speak
er's
interest
may be
any
ways
endangered
by
the
truth,
but
his own
sinful
heart
will
readily whisper
to him,
that
the hearer
has no
right
to
truth
in
such
a question and
conscience will
be easily
warped
aside,
and comply
to
pronounce
a
known falsehood,
under
the colour
and
pretence of
this
exception
:
As
for instance,
if
the buyer
asks the
seller, how much he gave for any
merchandize?
The
seller
by this
rule may
tell
him double the price
that
it
cost;
for he
will say,
the buyer has
no
right
to
truth
in
such
a
question
as
this
is. So
if
I
ask
an artificer,
how
he
fashions
his work,
or what
tools he uses in
it
?
He
may
by
thisrrìle
give me
a
very false answer,
under pre
-
tence
that
I
have no
right
to
truth.