Page:The Life and Works of Christopher Dock.djvu/130

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THE WORKS OF CHRISTOPHER DOCK

earnestly and lovingly: what qualities lead us to God, and which lead us away; which have within them the odor of life unto life and which that of death unto death. How good qualities come from the good and eventually return to it, how similarly evil comes of evil and leads back to it, and that good is rewarded with good and evil with evil. That God is the highest good and the source of all good. But Satan is the source of all evil, and as God is a God of truth, so Satan is the father of lies. For this reason we must love truth, and work truth in words and deeds, if we would go to heaven and be forever happy, for the reward of liars is hell and the fiery pit. Having taught such things we are also bound to make them acquainted with the passages in Holy Writ that testify to this. Further we must warn them if they wish to be happy they must avoid this wrong, for if they carelessly or perhaps intentionally disobey this command they will be punished for the good of their souls. If after this the pupil is found to trespass, and denies his guilt, the punishment is divided into two parts, and the lie is first and hardest punished, also for a lie no bondsman is accepted. For the original offense, according to its nature, the punishment is lessened by surety, or without bondsman may even be deferred on promise of reform. Also after punishment, the punishments threatened by Holy Writ are reiterated.

Stealing is also exhibited early in some children, and when caught in the act they usually try to lie; telling that one or the other gave it to them, or that they found it. And often the evidence becomes so