23. There is one instance more of (I know not what to term it) injustice, oppression, sacrilege, which hath long cried aloud in the ears of God. For among men, who doth hear? I mean the management of many of those who are intrusted with our public charities. By the pious munificence of our fore-fathers, we have abundance of these, of various kinds. But is it not glaringly true, (to touch only on a few generals) that the managers of many of them, either 1. Do not apply the benefaction to _that use_ for which it was designed by the benefactor, or 2. Do not apply it with such _care and frugality_, as in such a case are indispensably required: or 3. Do not apply the whole of the benefaction to any _charitable use_ at all; but ♦_secrete_ part thereof, from time to time, for the use of themselves and their families. Or, lastly, by plain, bare-faced oppression, _exclude_ those from having any part in such benefaction, who dare (though with all possible tenderness and respect) set before them the things that they have done:
“Yet _Brutus_ is an honourable man: So are they all: all honourable men!”
And some of them, had in esteem for religion; accounted patterns both of honesty and piety! But God _seeth not as man seeth_. He _shall repay them to their face_. Perhaps, even in the present world. For that scripture is often still fulfilled, _This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth. I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief_, (such he is and no better, in the eyes of God, no whit honester than a highwayman) _and it shall remain in the midst of the house, and shalt consume it, with the timber thereof, and the stones thereof_.
♦ “secret” replaced with “secrete” per Errata
24. And is not _truth_, as well as _justice_, _fallen in our streets_? For who _speaketh the truth from his heart_? Who is there, that makes a conscience of speaking the thing as it is, whenever he speaks at all? Who scruples the telling of _officious lies_? The varying from truth, in order to do good? How strange does that saying of the ancient fathers, found in modern ears, “I would not tell a lie, no, not to save the souls of the whole world.” Yet is this strictly agreeable to the word of God; to that of St. _Paul_ in particular, if any say, _let us do evil that good may come_, their _damnation is just_.
But how many of us do this evil, without ever considering, whether good will come or no? Speaking what we do not mean, merely out of _custom_, because it is _fashionable_ so to do? What an immense quantity of falshood does this ungodly _fashion_ occasion day by day? For hath it not over run every part of the nation? How is all our language swoln with _compliment_? So that a well-bred person is not _expected_ to speak as he thinks: we do not _look for it_ at his hands. Nay, who would thank him for it? How few would suffer it? It was said of old, even by a warrior and a king, _He that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight_: But are we not of another mind? Do not we rather say, _He that telleth not lies, shall not tarry in my sight_? Indeed the trial seldom comes; for both speakers and hearers are agreed, that form and ceremony, flattery and compliment should take place, and _truth_ be banished from all that _know the world_.
And if the rich and great have so small regard to _truth_, as to _lie_ even for _lying-sake_, what wonder can it be that men of lower rank will do the same thing _for gain_? What wonder that it should obtain, as by common consent in all kinds of _buying and selling_? Is it not an adjudged case, that it is no harm to tell lies _in the way of trade_? To say, that is the _lowest price_ which is not the lowest; or that you _will not take_ what you _do take_ immediately? Insomuch that it is a proverb even among the _Turks_, when asked to abate of their price, “What! do you take me to be a Christian?” So that never was that caution more seasonable than it is at this day, _Take ye heed every one of his ♦neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and they will deceive every one his neighbour_.
♦ “neigbour” replaced with “neighbour”