SERMON XT(I. 299 words, it is well: but for the most part they refuse conviction, and often persist to maintain their own error, even almost against their own consciences. In short, it appearsto me, thata man who dares frequently to assert doubtful matters with the most positive air of assurance, has not so much tenderness about his heart, and such a religious `fear of lying, as a good christian ought to have. There are others again that affect to tell you nothing that is common, but would always surprize the company with strange things and prodigies, and all this out of the pride of their hearts, and an ambition to have their own stories applauded and admired by all thathear them. This sort of affectation oftentimes betrays a person into falsehood, and secretly and insensibly allures him to say things that are neither credible nor true. Sailors and travel- lers should set a special guard upon themselves in this respect. There are a third sort of talkers, that when they discourse of common things, are ever expressing them in exalted and super- lative language. If they speak of any thing small, it is prodi- giously small ; if they speak of any thing great, it is inpompar- ably great. If they naine a man of wisdom, he is the wisest man inthe world ; or a woman of piety, she is the only saint in the nation. An imprudent man with them is the greatest fool in nature ; and a little disappointing accidentin life, is an intolerable vexation. If they happen to hear a good sermon, the preacher was inspired, not an angel could exceed him : If it was a mean discourse, the wretch had not a grain of sense and learning. Every opinion they hold is divine and fundamental : All their own sentiments, even in lesser matters, are the very sense of Christ and his apostles, and all that oppose them are guilty of heresy or nonsense. Now persons who have accustomed their tongues to this languagein common discourse, seem to want that due cautionwhichthe strictrules ofgodliness may seem to require, and make a little too free with truth. Either their thoughts are veryinjudicious, if they can believe what they say ; or if they do not believe it, they should make their words agree better with their thoughts. But besides the approaches to falsehood in this manner of conversation, there is something in itthat is very vain, and almost ridiculous. Methinks such an extravagant talker is something like a man that walks upon stilts through the open street, or like one who wears a Oat much longer than his neighbours ; and how tall soever they may think themselves, the world will be ready to call one of them a child, and the other an idiot. Objection. But are there nota multitude of such expressi- ons in scripture, in the books of Job, and the Psalms, and the Prophets, wherein even the more plain or common occurrences of
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