VeR. 29.] SERMONS UPON PSALIM CXIX. 277
way of lying,' that is, keep me from falling- into error and mistakes about religion; for he begs that the law may be granted to him, or a certain stated rule, without which all things are liable to deceit and imposture. And according to this sense Austin bcggeth that he may neither be deceived in the scriptures, nor deceive out of them ; Neo fallar in iis, nee fallam ex its — let me never be mistaken myself, nor cause others to mistake. Again, by a way of lying some understand false worship, for an idol is a lie : Isa. xliv. 20, ' Is there not a lie in his right hand ?' meaning an idol. By others, a course of sinning, for a way of sinning is a way of lying, for it deceives us with a conceit of happiness which we shall never enjoy ; therefore, Eph. iv. 22, ' Put off the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts.' Lusts are called deceitful, because they promise what they never perform; they flatter us not only with hopes of impunity, but much imaginary comfort and satisfaction ; oh, but it is a lie ! Satan deceived our first parents, pretending to show them a way of immortality, whereas that brought death to the world. Most go this way. Remove from me the way of lying, that is, the way of sin ; and the rather because the Sep- tuagint translation reads it thus, Remove from me the way of iniquity ; and Chrysostom in his gloss. He means, every evil deed should be re- moved from him, or it proves a lie in regard of all those flatterings and blandishments by which it enticeth the soul. Na}', there is a parallel place seems to make good this sense, Prov. xxx. 8, when Agur prays against sin, ' Remove from me vanity and lies,' meaning a course of sin. Thus it is taken more generally.
2. Those that take it more particularly for the sin of lying, or speaking falsely in commerce, they again differ. Some take it pas- sively, keep me from frauds or deceits of other men ; because it seems to be a hard thing to ascribe a way of lying to a child of God, therefore they rather take it passively. But this is to fear where no fear is. But David begs that he might be kept from a way of lying, that it might not settle into a way, that is his meaning. Therefore I rather take it actively, that he might not run into a false and fallacious course of <lealing with others.
Now why would David have this way of lying removed from him ? Three reasons : —
1. Because of the inclination of his corrupt nature. We had most need pray to be kept from gross sins : as Ps. xix. 13, ' Keep back tliy servant also from presumptuous sins.' We need not only pray against lesser sins or spiritual wickedness, but from gross sins carried on pre- sumptuously against the light of conscience. So Col. iii. 5, ' Mortif}'' your earthly members,' &c. What members doth he speak of? Not worldliness and unbelief only ; but he speaks of adultery, uncleanness, inordinate affections, and the like ; and the children of God, if they do not deal with God for grace against their gross sins, they will soon know to their costs. Jesus Christ warned his own disciples, tliose that were trained up in his school, those that were to go abroad and deliver his gospel to the world : Luke xxi. 34, ' Take heed lest your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness,' &c. A candle newly blown out easily sucks light and flame again ; and we that are newly taken out of the dominion of sin into a state of grace, may
278 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. XXX.
suck light and flame again ; therefore we had need pray against gross sins.
2. Because he had been tripping and guilty in this kind. In the story of David you may trace too much of this way and vein of lying ; as his feigning to Ahimelech the priest, 1 Sam. xxi. 8 ; and to Achish, 1 Sam. xxvii. 8, compared with ver. 10 ; his persuading Jonathan to tell his father he was gone about such a business. Now, this we may learn, when we are foiled by any sin, we should take heed lest we settle into a way and course of sin ; for in every sin, as there is culpa, the fault, or the transgression of the law, and reatus, the guilt, or obliga- tion of punishment, so there is macula, the blot, an inclination to sin again, in like manner as a brand once on fire is more apt to take fire again. By every act of sin the law of God is lessened, our carnal inclination is increased ; therefore we had need be earnest with God, Lord, keep me from a way of lying.
3. Man is strongly inclined to lying ; it sticks close to our nature, so that God must remove it from us ; as more fully afterwards. Thus for the object, a way of lying.
Secondly, God's act about it, ' Eemove from me.' Sin is removed either in a way of justification, when the guilt of it is done away ; this David might intend. But rather in a way of sanctification, when the fault or blot is done avv'ay. This is mainly intended, as appears by the antithesis or opposite request, ' and grant me thy law graciously ; ' that is, let it be impressed upon my heart, that such a temptation may be prevented for the future. Let me observe —