Consider, there is a lying to God in public and private Avorsliip. In public worship, how often do you compass him about with lies ! We show love with our moutlis when our heart is at a great distance from God. Oh, how odious should we be to ourselves if our heart were turned inside outward in the best duty, and all our thoughts were turned into words ! for in our worship many times we draw near to God with our mouths, when our heart is at a great distance. As when their bodies were in the wilderness, their hearts were in Egypt ; so we prattle words without sense and spiritual affection. Nay, in our private wor- ship, we confess sin without shame ; we pray as if we cared not to be heard. Conscience tells us what we should pray for, but our hearts do not go out in the matter, and we throw away our prayers as chil- dren shoot away their arrows, which is a sign we are not so hearty as we should be. We give thanks, but without meltings of heart. Custom and natural light tell us something must be done in this kind, but how hard a matter it is to draw near God with truth of heart ?
Again, would we not be accounted better than we are ? Who would be thought as ill as he hath cause to think of himself? We storm if others but speak of us half of what we speak of ourselves to God ; therefore all had need look to it to be kept from a way of lying. And for gross lying, how far are we from being willing that should be accomplished which the Lord speaks of, Zeph. iii. 13, ' The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies, neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth.' Eather we may take up David's complaint, Ps. xii. 1,2,' The godly man ceaseth ; the faithful fail from among the children of men : they speak vanity every one with his neighbour ; wuth flattering lips, and with a double heart do they speak.' Promises, oaths, covenants all broken ; and therefore so many jealousies, because so much lying ; all trust is lost among us. This lying is always ill, but especially in magistrates, men of public place : Prov. xvii. 7, ' Lying lips become not a prince.^ So ministers : Eom. ix. 1, ' I say the tnitli in Christ, I lie not ;' 2 Cor. xi. 31, ' The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ knoweth that I lie not.' Among
VeR. 29.] SERMONS UrON PSALM CXIX. 285
private Christians, are we not too rasli in our suspicions, and speak "worse of others than they deserve ? do we not take up and vent reports without search ? it may be out of envy at the brightness of their profession. Do not unwary expressions drop from us ? Much talk cannot be justified. Are there not rash promises we make no con- science to mind and look after ? Many ways may we trace ourselves in this sin of lying ; therefore look to the prevention of it. What reme- dies are there against it ?
1. Hate it; do not think it to be a venial matter: Ps. cxix. 1G3, * I hate and abhor lying ; ' not only hate it, nor simply I abhor it, but hate and ahhoi\ to strengthen and increase the sense, and make it more vehement. Where the enmity is not great against the sin, tlie matter maybe compounded and taken up. Oh, but I hate and abhor it, and hate it with a deadly hatred ! Slight hatred of a sinfid course is not sufficient to guard us against it.
2. Love to the law of God ; if that be dear to j'ou, you will not break it upon any light occasion. In the text, ' Grant me thy law graciously.' If a man prize the laws of God, and would fain have them printed in the heart, he will not so easily break them.
3. Eemember your spiritual conflict ; you never give Satan so great an advantage as by falsehood and guile of spirit. The devil assaults by wiles, but your strength lieth in downright honesty: E[)h. vi. 11, ' That ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.' Satan's strength lies in wiles, but you must beat him down in sincerity. The first piece of the spiritual armour is the girdle of truth — that is, the grace of sincerit}'', whereby a man is to God and men what he gives out himself to be, or seems to be. This is that which will give you strength and courage in sore trials. Oh ! when Satan shall accuse and challenge you for your base hypocris}', then how will you hold up your heads in the day of spiritual conflict, if you have not the girdle of truth ? But now uprightness gives us courage, strength, and stands by us in the very agonies of death.
4. Heedfulness, and a watch upon the tongue : Ps. xxxix. 1, ' I said I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue.' Let us speak of what we think, and think of what we speak, that the mind may conform itself with the nature of truth.