SERMON XXI. Christian Morality, viz.. Truth, Sincerity, Bic. PHILIP. iv. 8.Whatsoever things are true, think on these things. TRUTH is a name of wide extent. It includes in it the blessings of the head and the heart. Happy the man whose head is furnished with a large knowledge of divine.and human truth, and so far delivered from mistakes and errors, as to lay afoun- dation for wisdom and holiness ! But all the furniture of the head is not sufficient to make us truly wise and holy, without the honesty and integrity of the heart. Truth demands a room and place there also: And, this is the truth which my text recommends. The first thing I proposed, was tö stew the latitude and ex- tent of this duty and I have described it as consisting in these three things ; 1. Veracity, which ís, when our words are con- formable to the sentiments of our mind. 2. Faithfulness, when our actions agree with our words. 3. Constancy, and that is when our practicesare consistent with our pious principles, and thewhole course of our life is of a piece, governed by the same rules and dictates of morality and religion. Where these are wanting, that person is false, faithless, fickle, and inconstant, and acts neither agreeable to hisnature asa man, nor to his character as a christian. The second thing I designed to shew, was that the light of nature dictates and requires the practice of this virtue : And it will appear, if we consider our relation either to God or man. I. If we consider our natural relation to God, both as our Creator or Father, andas our Lordor Governor. Consider him as our Father, the Author of our being. Truth and faithfulness are the attributes ofhis nature, and the neces- sary characters of his conduct toward his creatures ; and many of the heathens could tell us, that a likeness to God the Father of our spirits, in such moral, perfections of his nature, is the duty and glory of mankind. We are his offspring, said). Aratus, a heathenpoet ; Acts xvii, 28. and children should be like ttseit divine Parent. a 3
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