God in nothing so much as in truth. Falsehood is the Devil's character, "He was a liar from the beginning" (John viii. 44); that is, the first inventor of lies, as Jubal was the father of them that played upon the harp, the first inventor; and herein we most resemble Satan. On the contrary, there is nothing wherein a man resembleth God so much as in truth. Truth is no small part of the image of God, for he is called "the God of truth;" and it is said of him, "that he cannot lie" (Titus i. 2). It is contrary to the perfection of his nature. Nor commanded us to lie. God hath commanded many other things, which otherwise were sinful, as to kill another man, as Abraham to slay his son; to take away the goods of others, as Lord of all, as when the Israelites spoiled the Egyptians of their jewels; but God cannot lie, it is against his nature: "Put off the old man which is corrupt, according to the deceitful lusts: and put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Then presently, Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour" (Eph. iv. 24, 25); "wherefore," that is, from your regeneration, when the image of God is planted in you. So the same: Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds" (Col. iii. 9). There may be sin in the children of God, but there should be no guile in them; habituated guile is the old man that is deceitful; the new man is framed to truth and according to the will of God.

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4. This is a consideration, that God never dispensed with this precept. He hath upon special occasion dispensed with other commands, but never with the ninth. With the seventh commandment in the polygamy of the patriarchs; and with the second in Hezekiah's passover; but a man must not lie for God (Job. xiii. 7, 9); because this commandment hath more in it of the justice and immutable perfection of God, than others.

5. By the light of nature nothing is more odious. We love a just and true man, one that is without guile; we acknowledge it as a moral perfection; but a lie is counted the greatest disgrace; we revenge the charge of it. It is counted a base thing to lie; why? because it comes from fear, and it tends to deceit; both of which argue baseness of spirit, and are contrary to the gallantry of a man: therefore it is shameful in the eyes of nature, and those that are most guilty of it, caunot endure to be charged with it. When the prophet Micajah told Zedekiah of his lying spirit, he "smote him on the cheek" (1 Kings xxii. 24). So men take it ill to be charged with a lie. We count it a shameful sin among men. The old Persians had such a great respect to truth, that he that was three times taken with a lie, was never more to speak in public upon penalty of death. 6. It is a sin that is most hateful to God, therefore it should be far from the children of God. We hate that most which is contrary to our nature; so it is contrary to God's nature. There are six things God hates, and a lying tongue is one of them; twice it is mentioned: "Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight" (Prov. vi. 17, 19.-xii. 22). Now certainly because God hates it, therefore we should hate it. To will and nill the same thing, that is true friendship. God hates it, therefore a righteous man hates it: "A righteous man hateth lying but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame (Prov. xiii. 5).

7. It is a sin which God hath expressly threatened to punish in this life, and in the life to come. In this life, "Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing" (Psalm v. 6). And, "He that speaketh lies shall not escape "

(Prov. xix. 5). God will cut them off, as not being fit for human society. The first remarkable instance we have in the New Testament, of God's vengeance, was for a lie (Acts v. 5); yea, it is one of the sins that draws down public and national judgments; and therefore it is said, "By swearing and lying therefore doth the land mourn (Hosea iv. 2). And when God gives advice to his people how they should prevent his judgments: "These are the things that he shall do, speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour, execute the judgment of truth, love no false oath for all these are the things that I hate, saith the Lord" (Zech. viii. 16, 17). When men have no care of their speeches, when a people bind themselves by oaths to do that which they mind not to perform, or wilfully do not perform, they are ripe for a judgment. And so in the life to come: "And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lie" (Rev. xxi. 27). Again, “ All liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone (Rev. xxi. 8); and, "For without are dogs and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie" (Rev. xxii. 15).

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USE.-Oh then, let us be aware of all lying and dissimulation with respect to God and men. Let our words consent with our minds, and our minds agree with the thing itself. A lie is most odious to God: "a proud look, and a lying tongue;" and, therefore, a Christian that loves God, shall he do that which God so expressly hates? will you rush upon the pikes? kick against the pricks? and run against the judgments of God? a lying tongue shall not escape. Nay, God reckons upon his children: " Surely they are my people, children that will not lie" (Isa. lxiii. 8). Disappointment, that is the worst vexation. God reckons upon it, surely you will make conscience of truth, not only in your oaths (certainly that is a barbarous thing to break the most sacred engagements that are among mankind, therefore you will be careful to perform what you have sworn to the Lord with your hands lift up to the most high God), but also in your promises and ordinary speeches. Good men have been foiled by it; David begs, "Remove from me the way of lying," and it is a sin more common than we imagine, it is very natural to us: "As soon as we are born we speak lies (Psalm lviii. 3); before we could go we went astray, and before we were able to speak we spake lies, the seed of it was in our nature. It is a sin most natural, for it was the occasion of the first sin, and therefore we had need be cautioned against it.

Consider, there is a lying to God in public and private worship. In public worship. How often do you compass him about with lies? We show love with our mouths, 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 worship, 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 children 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 is it to draw near to 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: "The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth" (Zeph. iii. 13); rather we may take up David's complaint, "The godly man ceaseth, the faithful fail from among the children of men: they speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips, and with a double heart do they speak" (Psalm xii. 1, 2). 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; "lying lips become not a prince" (Prov. xvii. 7). So ininisters: "I say the truth in Christ, I lie not" (Rom. ix. 1). The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ knoweth that I lie not (2 Cor. xi. 31). Among private Christians, are we not too rash 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 conscience to mind and look after? Many ways may we trace ourselves in this sin of lying; therefore look to the prevention of it. What remedies are there against it?

1. Hate it, do not think it to be a venial matter: "I hate and abhor lying" (Psalm cxix. 163); not only "hate" it, nor simply I "abhor" it, but "hate and abhor," to strengthen and increase the sense, and make it more vehement. Where the enmity is not great against the sin, the matter may be compounded and taken up; Oh, but I hate and abhor it, and hate it with a deadly hatred. Slight hatred of a sinful course is not sufficient

to guard us against it.

2. Love to the law of God; if that be dear to you, 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. Remember your spiritual conflict; you never give Satan so great an advantage as by falsehood and guile of the spirit. The Devil assaults by wiles, but your strength lieth in down-right honesty: "That he may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" (Eph. vi. 11). 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 sincerity, 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 hypocrisy, 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: "I said I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue (Psalm xxxix. 1). Let us speak of what we think, and think of what we speak, that the mind may conform itself with the nature of truth.

5. Avoid the causes of lying. There are three of them. (1.) Boasting, or speaking too much of ourselves. When men are given to boasting, whatever thing of weight is done, they were privy to it, their hand was in the work, in contriving and prosecuting the business, their counsel was for it. Nothing can be acted without their knowledge and approbation. This spirit of vain glory is the mother of vain talking, therefore beware of a lying tongue: "Flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things are joined together" (Psalm xii. 3). (2.) Flattery, or desiring of ingratiating themselves with those that are great and mighty in the world, when they have men's persons in admiration: "With flattering lips, and with a double heart do they speak" (Psalm xii. 2). So, "They make the king glad with their lies" (Hosea vii. 3). To please their rulers, they soothe them up with flattering applause, and fawning upon them. (3.) Carnal fear and distrust. This was that which put David to his shifts in his dangers, he was apt to fail, and deal a little deceitfully in time of temptation and danger. We had need pray to God to be kept from all ways and counsels that are contrary to God's word. The Scripture speaks of counterfeit submissions to higher powers; "Thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee, thou shalt tread upon their high places" (Deut. xxxiii. 29): the meaning is, shall be subdued by thee. So, "Strangers shall submit themselves to me" (Psalm xviii. 44.-lxiii. 3.—lxxxi. 15), and many other places. The word implieth feigned submission.

But are we openly to profess our mind in all things in time of danger? I answer, prudent concealment may be without fault, but a professed subjection should be sincere, for open and free dealing doth best become God's children. It is true, we are not bound to speak all the truth, at all times, to every person. In some cases we may conceal something. Our Saviour "straightly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man" that he was the Christ" (Luke ix. 21). When the Lord sent Samuel to anoint David, "Samuel said, how can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord" (1 Sam. xvi. 2). That was a truth, but not the whole truth.

But you will say, will not this justify mental reservation, and jesuitical equivocation? I answer, there are two sorts of reservations; I may reserve part of the truth in my mind. But the mental reservations the Jesuits plead for, is this; when that which is spoken is a lie, if abstracted from that which is in the mind; for instance, if a magistrate say, 'art thou a priest?' 'No,' meaning not after the order of Baal. So that which is spoken is a lie. But if it be spoken with truth, we may reserve part of it. That in Samuel was not an untruth, but concealing some part of the truth not fit to be discovered. So, Jer. xxxviii. 24—27, "Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die. but if the princes hear that I have talked with thee, and they shall come unto thee, and say unto thee, declare unto us now what thou hast said unto the king: hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to death; also what the king said unto thee: then thou shalt say unto them, I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan's house, to die there. Then came all the princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him, and he told them according to all these words, that the king had commanded: so they left off speaking with him, for the matter was not perceived."

II. We now come to the blessing asked, "Grant me thy law gra

ciously." Where, first, the benefit itself, "Grant me thy law." Secondly, The terms upon which it is asked, implied in the word "graciously."

1. The benefit asked, “Grant me thy law." David had the book of the law already, every king was to have a copy of it written before him ; but he understandeth it not of the law written in a book, but of the law written upon his heart; which is a privilege of the covenant of grace: "For this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel in those days, saith the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them in their hearts," &c. (Heb viii. 10).

DOCTRINE I.-Then is the law granted to us when it is written upon our minds and hearts; that is, when we understand it, and our hearts are framed to the love and obedience of it; otherwise it is only granted to the church in general, but it is not granted to us in particular. We may have some common privilege of being trained up in the knowledge of God's will, but we have not the personal and particular benefits of the covenant of grace, till we find it imprinted upon our hearts. Well then,

1. Press God about this, not only to grant his word unto the church, but to grant it unto you, unto your persons: "To reveal his Son in me" (Gal. i. 16). There is a general benefit: "He showeth his word unto Jacob, his statutes unto Israel" (Psalm cxlvii. 19). And there is a particular benefit: "Grant me thy law graciously." The whole church may be under a covenant of grace, and some particular members of it may be all that while under a covenant of works, if they have only an external law without, to show them what is good; but not a law within, to urge and enable them to do it; Lex jubet, gratia jurat; literal instructions belongeth only to the first covenant; but when the word is made ours, that is a privilege of the second covenant : The ingrafted word which is able to save our souls" (James i. 21). When it is received in our hearts, and doth prosper there, and fructify unto holiness; when it is written over again by the finger of the Spirit.

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2. See if this effect be accomplished, if the law be granted to you. It is so, 1st, When you have a sense and conscience of it, and you own it as your rule for the governing of your own heart and life: "The law of God is in his heart, none of his steps shall slide" (Psalm xxxvii. 31). It is not in his book only, but in his heart to guide all his actions. 2ndly, It is so when you have some ability and strength to perform it. Their hearts carry them to it: "I delight to do thy will, O my God, yea thy law is within my heart" (Psalm xl. 8). They have not only a sense and conscience of their rule, but a ready spirit to perform it, and set about this work cheerfully and heartily. A ready and cheerful obedience to God's will is the surest note that the law is given to us, when the study and practice of it is the great employment and pleasure of our lives.

DOCTRINE II. The law that is odious to the flesh, is acceptable to a gracious heart. What others count a restraint, they count a great benefit and favour: "The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Rom. viii. 7). They shun all means of searching and knowing themselves, wishing such things were not sins, or not desiring to know them to be so; therefore hate the law, and will not come to the light: "For every one that doeth evil, hateth the light; neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved" (John iii. 20). As a man that hath light ware, is loath to come to the balance, or counterfeit-coin to the touch-stone: or as a bankrupt, is loath to cast up his estate. They hate the directions and injunctions of the word as contrary to their