at.; APPENDIX TO SERMONS XX. XXI. AND XxII. 313 I readily grant in thesecases, that the enquirer has no right to demand andclaim an answer to such questions ; therefore the seller or .the artificer may refuse to inform him. But it is sur- prising to think that any man should persuade himself; that such a question being once asked, gives him a right to tell a lie! That any person should ever believe, that the mere enquiry of a thing improper to be told, absolves the answerer fromall the obligations of truth, which his duty to God and man have laid upon him! Surely such a rule of conduct as this, had need have better arguments to establish it. But those who 'maintain this prin- ciple, must rather recur to the character ofthe person who :hakes the enquiry ; and here indeed they give alittle better colour to their cause. I come therefore now to give particular answers to the instances alledged; 1. Concerning children. 2. Concerning knavesand cheats. - Instance I. Will you say, that children have no right to truth, because they are not capable ofcivil society ? But I reply, they are capable of knowing what truth and falsehood are, and of being influenced by the one o'r the other ; they are capable of being deceived, and of knowing when they are deceived, they are capable of judging when they are treated with truth and sincerity, and acting according to the things you tell them : or else to what purpose do you speak falsehood to them instead of truth, and try to impose a lie upon them ? Theyare capable of resenting your conduct, when they find out the falsehood ; and of refusing to believe you another time ; For the very reason why they believè your falsehood at first, is, because they suppose you speak truth to them, and wouldnot de- ceive them: And it is only upon this very principle that you your- selves can attempt to impose upon them. Again, They are capable oflearning from you and imitating your conduct, and they will be so much more ready to practise lying, and to deceive you with it, when they have found you practising lies, in order to deceive them. Suppose a mother has now and then'persuaded a child to take a wholesomebitter medi- cine, by saying, it ispot bitter, or has allured it to bed or to school by some of the arts of falsehood, and this child should imi- tate the mother's example,"andgrow up to a confirmed liar ; what inward and piercing reflections must the mother feel ? Alas ! I have taught my child this sinful practice, I myself have led it into the ways of the devil : How can I chide add correct by my re- proof that vice, which I have taught by my example ! '' It is sufficiently evident therefore, that though children are not capable of half the duties of the social life; yet they are so far
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