and regulate your life by the directions of truth. What is above your comprehension, entreat your parents to explain; and if you endeavour to discover the sense of any author you may read, or any discourse you attend to, you will find that your abilities will be improved; and what might appear difficult to you upon a slight perusal, or a transient thought, will be more clearly understood upon mature reflection, and a serious and frequent consideration of the subject. -But as your mind is at present too volatile to expect a continued attention, I shall conclude my present exhortation, with the hope, that as the contents of this little work are such as are highly interesting, and of the utmost importance, you will favour them with a candid and an attentive perusal. SUNDAY II. ON TRUTH. THE necessity of establishing a charac ter for veracity is so obvious, that I shall perhaps rather offend you, by supposing there is need to recommend it. But as young any persons in particular are sometimes drawn into error by surprise, I would warn you, my dear, to be upon your guard; as one deviation will be attended with lasting consequences of evil. The fear of present shame is, in general, a strong incentive to deceit; and to hide the neglect of a duty, or excuse the commission of an error, the aggravated guilt of a lie is added to the transgression. When an untruth is detected (as one time or other it will be), the character of sincerity is always suspected. In vain may you promise amendment, or assure your friends of your repentance; the bond of reliance is broken; for who can give credit to the word of a liar? Those who have once deceived us, we are apt in future to treat with contempt. All confidence in them is abolished, till, by a long and steady adherence to truth, they have retrieved their lost honour, and engaged us to renew our dependance upon them. Every deviation from a known duty is dangerous, and to admit the appearance of evil is to verge towards the commission of a crime. Temptations to deny the truth may every day occur: and unless you resolutely determine to abide any inconvenience rather than forfeit your veracity, you will certainly be ensnared into the commission of this dangerous sin. In the fifth chapter of the second Book of Kings, a striking history is recorded of the lie which Gehazi, the servant of the prophet Elisha, told his master, concerning the gifts which he had received from Naaman, a noble Syrian, who had come to Samaria, to be healed by him of the leprosy, a sore and disagreeable disorder, with which he had been long afflicted. This nobleman had been informed by a little maid, whom the Syrians had taken captive in their wars with the children of Israel, that there was in her country a prophet, whom God had endued with power to heal diseases to him she advised her master to apply for relief. The noble Naaman determined to try the experiment; and, with a train of followers befitting his rank, and a recommendation from the king, his master, set foward to make the attempt. When he arrived at Samaria, he went immediately to the monarch of Israel, to whom his letter was addressed, and implored his assistance for his recovery. Jehoram, who reigned at that time, was exceedingly disturbed at the message, and imagined that the King of Assyria, with whom he was frequently at war, sought, by a request which it was out of his power to comply with, to make a pretence of quarrel; and accordingly rent. his clothes, as a mark of his sorrow on the occasion. Elisha, as soon as this action was told him, sent to Jehoram, with an inquiry to know why he had been so hasty and dis. contented? and to desire that Naaman might be sent to him, and he should know that there was a prophet in Israel, who, by the assistance of God, could effect the difficult cure, which Benhadad had entreated the king to accomplish. In consequence of this message, Naaman was dismissed to Elisha, who sent him word by his servant, to go and wash seven times in Jordan (one of the rivers of Samaria), and he should be perfectly healed. The Syrian nobleman, who thought his rank, and the splendour of his equipage, claimed a greater degree of respect, was offended that the prophet did very not invite him into his house, put his hand on the place, and command a cure; and foolishly argued, that the remedy prescribed was so simple that he imagined no benefit would arise from obeying it; that Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus (his own city), were larger and better than all the waters of Israel, and therefore he might as well wash in them and be clean; and, with this angry and dissatisfied disposition, would have left the city, without trying the effect of the prophet's advice. But his attendants, with more reason, represented to him, that as he had taken the journey in expectation of relief, he had better try the efficacy, of the waters which were recommended; and that, if he had been ordered some great and expensive mean, difficult to procure, and unpleasing in the application, he would, without hesitation, have joyfully complied; and it was certainly much more easy, when he was only told to wash and be clean. Convinced by these just and judicious arguments, he submitted to the method proposed, and, to his astonishment and satisfaction, found himself immediately restored to health. |