[247] Imˊ-mor-tal-i-ty, endless existence hereafter.
[248] Ex-claimˊ, cry out.
[249] Com-pleˊ-tion, fulfillment.
[250] A-chievedˊ, accomplished.
[251] Comˊ-ple-ment, that which completes.
[252] In-cipˊ-i-ent, commencing; beginning.
XXX.—GOOD COUNSEL.
1. Never speak anything for a truth, which you know or believe to be false. Lying is a great sin against God, who gave us a tongue to speak the truth, and not falsehood. It is a great offense against humanity[253] itself; for, where there is no regard to truth, there can be no safe society between man and man.
2. And it is an injury to the speaker; for, beside the disgrace which it brings upon him, it occasions so much baseness of mind, that he can scarcely tell the truth, or avoid lying, even when he has no color of necessity for it; and, in time, he comes to such a pass, that as other people can not believe he speaks the truth, so he himself scarcely knows when he tells a falsehood.
3. You must not equivocate[254] nor speak anything positively for which you have no authority, but report, or conjecture, or opinion.