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THE RELATIVE DUTIES OF MANKIND. [Part III.

confidence specially reposed, and tends to produce jealousies,animosities, and every kind of ill-feeling, and even threatens todisturb the public tranquillity, a good man will hesitate long, andreflect carefully, before he does an act, by which his prudenceand consistency, if not the still higher qualities of his moralcharacter must stand committed, and by which the feelings ofothers must be violated, and their confidence betrayed.

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CHAPTER V.

OBSERVANCE OF PROMISES.

The indispensable necessity of observing good faith in thetransactions and intercourse of mankind, and the dangerousnature and ruinous consequences of bad faith, have before beensufficiently illustrated and insisted on. Good faith is the greatmoral bond which keeps men united in society ; the prosperityand happiness of individuals and communities depend upon itsobservance ; nothing can supply its place, or atone for the wantof it. Universal bad faith would introduce universal suspicionand distrust, and these again would bring universal unhappinessand ruin in their train. The highest breach of good faith isfalsehood, in its various kinds, degrees, and modifications ; andas this breach is particularly dangerous and criminal, men haveguarded against it with corresponding solicitude ; on various im-portant occasions, in order more effectually to secure truth, draw-ing motives for its observance from the solemnities of the unseenworld, by the use of an oath.

The next most dangerous infraction of good faith, is, thenon-observance of promises and contracts, which last are mutualpromises. In a due regard to these, consists no small part ofpractical good faith. I shall treat of promises under two divis-ions ; I. In what sense they are to be interpreted. II. In whatcases they are not binding.

I. A promise differs from a mere declaration of our inten-tions, though there is much resemblance between them. When