SERMON. XXI. _ S01 not bear the light,will put them under a temptation to hide -it be- hind a refuge of lies. And under this head I might particularly give this advice. Do not affect a cunning,way of life. Do not aim at the character of a subtle and crafty man. Be not fond of being let into secrets, nor of engaging in intrigues of any sorte There are some tempers of mankind that are naturally addicted to craft, and are ever seeking to outwit their neighbours : they seldom live upon the square, or walk onward in an open path ; but are still doubling, and turning, and traversing their course. They takea specialpleasure in managing all their affairs with art and subtilty, and call it necessary prudence. But if you would shew your selves tender of the truth, and preserve it, let your course of life be bold, and free, and open. There ismuch prudence to be used in our daily conduct, without this crafty humour. The integrity of a man will preserve him, and keep his tongue from falsehood; whereas a man who is much engaged in crafty designs, will now and then be tempted to itstrench upon truth, and come near the brink of lying, to carry on and cover all his secret purposes. Methinks I could pity rather than envy the high station of courtiers. Howoften they are constrained to put cn disguise, to colour or to conceal their real designs! How near they walk tothe borders of. falsehood, and treadhourly upon the very edge of a lie ! David, the man after God's own heart, while he kept his father's sheep, was more secure from this temptation ; but when he became a courtier and a king, he was often exposed, and therefore he begs earnestly, that God would remote: from hint the way of lying; Ps. cxix. 29. He had felt the mischievous in- fluence of this snare, and dreaded the pernicious power of it. To be ever practising the politician at home and abroad, is a constant snare to sincerity ; and to live as a spy in a foreign court, may be a post of service to our own nation ; but it is exceeding dangerous to virtue and truth. IV. Have a careof indulging any violent passion, for that willtempt thetongue to fly out in extravagance ofexpression, and out-run the settled judgment of the mind. Whether it begrief or impatience, or anger and resentment, it will engage the soul to form ideas far above and beyond the truth of things, and often arm the tongue with unruly expressions, even beyond the senti- ments of the heart.. Strife and contention, and noisy quarrels are verydangerous enemies to truth. And upon this account, above all things, I would oung christians to avoid the excessivezeal of a party-spirit in the er differences of religion. There has been often a great de <.of darkness, and fire, of rage, and deceit, and falsehood in such sort of quarrels as these. Men of natural warmth, animated by an
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