sighted to another! Thy brother has slipped, but thou hast fallen; and hast blanched thy own impiety with the publishing his sin. Like a fly, thou stingest his sores, and feedest on his corruptions. Jesus came eating and drinking, and was judged a glutton. John came fasting, and was challenged with being a devil. Judge not, my soul, lest thou be judged. Malign not thy brother, lest God laugh at thy destruction. Wouldst thou escape the punishment? judge thyself. Wouldst thou avoid the sin? humble thyself.

HIS PRAYER.

O GOD, that art the only Searcher of the reins, to whom the secrets of the heart of man are only known, to whom alone the judgment of our thoughts, our words, and deeds belong, and to whose sentence we must stand or fall-I, a presumptuous sinner, that have thrust into thy place, and boldly have presumed to execute thy office, do here as humbly confess the insolence of mine attempt, and, with a sorrowful heart, repent me of my doings; and though my convinced conscience can look for nothing from thy wrathful hand but the same measure which I measured to another, yet, in the confidence of that mercy which thou hast promised to all those that truly and unfeignedly believe, I am become an humble suitor for thy gracious pardon. Lord, if thou search me but with a favourable eye, I shall appear much more unrighteous in thy sight than this my uncharitably condemned brother did in mine. Oh, look not therefore, Lord, upon me as I am,

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lest thou abhor me; but through the merits of my blessed Saviour cast a gracious eye upon me, Let his humility satisfy for my presumption, and let his meritorious sufferings answer for my vile uncharitableness. Let not the voice of my of fence provoke thee with a stronger cry than the language of his intercession. Remove from me, O God, all spiritual pride, and make me little in my own conceit. Lord, light me to myself, that by thy light I may discern how dark I am. Lighten that darkness by thy Holy Spirit, that I may search into my own corruptions. And since, O God, all gifts and graces are but nothing, and nothing can be acceptable in thy sight, without charity, quicken the dulness of my faint affections, that I may love my brother as I ought. Soften my marble heart, that it may melt at his infirmities. Make me careful in the examination of my own ways, and most severe against my own offences. Pull out the beam of mine own eye, that I may see clearly, and reprove wisely. Take from me, O Lord, all grudging, envy, and malice, that my seasonable reproofs may win my brother. Preserve my heart from all censorious thoughts, and keep my tongue from striking at his name. Grant that I make right use of his infirmities, and read good lessons in his failings; that loving him in thee, and thee in him, according to thy command, we may both be united in thee as members of thee that thou mayest receive honour from our communion here, and we eternal glory from thee, hereafter, in the world to come.

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THE LIAR.

HIS FALLACIES.

NAY, if religion be so strict a law, to bind my tongue to the necessity of a truth on all occasions, at all times, and in all places, the gait is too strait for me to enter. Or if the general rules of downright truth will admit no few exceptions, farewell all honest mirth, farewell all trading, farewell the whole converse betwixt man and man! If always to speak punctual truth be the true symptoms of a blessed soul, Tom Telltruth has a happy time, and fools and children are the only men! If Truth sit regent, in what faithful breast shall secrets find repose? what kingdom can be safe? what commonwealth can be secure? what war can be successful? what stratagem can prosper? If bloody times should force religion to shroud itself beneath my roofupon demand, shall my false truth betray it? Or shall my brother's life, or shall my own, be seized upon through the cruel truth of my downright confession? or rather not be secured by a fair officious lie? Shall the righteous favourite* of Egypt's tyrant, by virtue of a loud lie, sweeten out his joy and heighten up his soft affection with the antiperistasis of tears-and may I not prevaricate with a sullen truth, to save a brother's life from a blood-thirsty hand? Shall Jacob, and his too indulgent mother, conspire in a lie to purchase a paternal blessing in the false name and

Joseph. This alludes to the meeting of his brethren in Pharaoh's house.-EDITOR.

habit of a supplanted brother—and shall I question to preserve the granted blessing of a life, or livelihood, with a harmless lie? Come, come, my soul, kt not thy timorous conscience check at such poor things as these. So long as thy officious tongue aims at a just end, a lie is no offence. So long as thy perjurous lips confirm not thy untruth with an audacious brow, thou need'st not fear. The weight of the cause relieves the burden of the crime. Is thy centre good? No matter how crooked the lines of the circumference be; policy allows it. If thy journey's end be heaven, it matters not how full of hell thy journey be; divinity allows it. Wilt thou condemn the Egyptian midwives for saving the infant Israelites by so merciful a lie? When martial execution is to be done, wilt thou fear to kill? When hunger drives thee to the gates of death, wilt thou be afraid to steal? When civil wars divide a kingdom, will Mercuries decline a lie? No; circumstances excuse, as well as make, the lie. Had Cæsar, Scipio, or Alexander been regulated by such strict divinity, their names had been as silent as their dust. A lie is but a fair put-off; the sanctuary of a secret; the riddle of a lover; the stratagem of a soldier; the policy of a statesman; and a slave for many desperate sores.

Bur hark, my soul! there's something rounds mine ear, and calls my language to a recantation. The Lord hath spoken it:

Thou shalt not raise a false report. Exod. xx. Ye shall not deal falsely, neither lie one to another. Levit. xix. 11.

Lying lips are abomination to the Lord; but they that deal truly are his delight. Prov. xii. 22.

He that speaketh lies shall not escape. Prov.

xix. 5.

Put away lying, and every one speak truth with his neighbour, for we are members one of another. Ephes. iv. 25.

Liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone. Revel. xxi. 8. There shall in no wise enter into the new Jerusalem any thing that worketh abomination, or that maketh a lie. Revel. xxi. 27.

HIS SOLILOQUY.

WHAT a child, O my soul, hath thy false bosom harboured! And what reward can thy indulgence expect from such a father? What blessing canst thou hope from heaven, that pleadest for the son of the devil, and crucifiest the Son of God? God is the Father of truth. To secure thy estate, thou deniest the truth by framing of a lie to save thy brother's life, thou opposest the oppo truth in justifying a lie. Now tell me, O my soul, art thou worthy the name of a Christian, that deniest and opposest the nature of Christ? Art thou worthy of Christ, that preferrest thy estate, or thy brother's life, before him? Oh, my unrighteous soul! canst thou hold thy brother worthy of death for giving thee the lie, and thyself guiltless that makest a lie? Ay, but in some cases truth destroys thy life; a lie preserves it! My soul, was God thy Creator? then make not the devil thy preserver. Wilt thou despair to trust him with thy life that gave it, and make him thy protector that seeks to destroy it? Reform thee and repent thee, O my soul; hold not thy life on