A Directory for Youth, Sermon · Remedies 4
Remedies againſt that Youthful Sin of Lying.
THis is a Sin I have ſhewed, that Youth are eſpecially prone to, I ſhall very briefly lay down ſome Directions to flee it.
1. Awaken thy Soul, young man, to conſider the danger of this Sin of Lying, and that in theſe two particulars, (1.) Its a Badge of a graceleſs Child. And (2.) it's a Bar to endleſs glory: It's a badge of one that's graceleſs; pray ponder on theſe Scriptures, Iſa. 63. 8. For he ſaid, Surely they …re my People, Children that will not lye. And ſo he was their Saviour. And John …. 44. when our Saviour told the wicked Jews, they were of their Father the Devil, who was a L…ar, and the Father of it. And then (2.) it is a Bar to Life eternal, Rev. 21. 27. ver. And there ſhall in no wiſe enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatſoever maketh a Lye. But in the 8. ver. of that Chap. it is affirmed, That all Lyars ſhall have their part in that Lake that burneth with Fire for evermore. O this Sin hath been the bane of multitudes, it ruin'd Ananias and Sapphira, in the 5. of the Acts. It is one of thoſe ſeven things the Lord hates, Prov. 6. 17. Moreover, it is the ruin of all humane Society and Commerce: for where there is no Truth, there can be no Truſt; and where there is no Truſt, there can be no thriving Trade, Truth being the Bond of all human Society. In a word, Lying is the very Image of the Devil.
2. Arm your ſelves before hand with forcible Scripture Arguments, and Antidotes againſt it, that whenſoever the Temptation returns, it may not catch you unprovided. As for inſtance, if hopes of Profit tempt thee to Lye, have it in readineſs, O Satan, what is a man profited, if he gain the whole World, and loſe his own Soul? or what can a man give in exchange for his Soul? What tell ye me of a little Pelf and Profit that Thieves can ſteal ſuddenly, and that Death will ſtrip me of ſhortly: is this worth the loſing my Soul for, and thoſe unſearchable Riches of Chriſt, and Heaven, that Crown of Life? If a little fear of mortal ſrowns, and diſpleaſure from thy Superiours, prompts thee to Lve, provide thy ſelf, and beat back the Tempter with an, It is written, Who art thou that art afraid of a man that is Graſs? Fear not them that can kill the Body, and no more; but fear him that can deſtroy both Body and Soul, and caſt both into Hell. O Satan! man cannot damn me, but God can, and will, if I make a Lve. O how much more tolerable is the wrath of a man, that is but a breathing clod of Clay, and is ready to dye, and turn to Duſt; than the wrath of the living God, that is every moment ready to ſeize the Lyar. Once more; …f the Temptation to lye, receive force …rom hopes of concealment, or that it is not …ikely ever to be diſcovered, &c. ſay, O Devil, can it be concealed from, or lie un…iſcovered to the Eye of Heaven? While …here is a God above, and a Conſcience within me, can I and my Lye (if I ſhould …enture) lie hid long, be ſure it would find …e out, to gripe and torment me. Where…ore avoid, avoid Satan. Truth of Speech, …d Peace of Conſcience, cannot be too …uch priz'd, nor too carefully preſerved, …ccording to that old Rule,
…re to be true, nothing can need a Lye,
… Fault that needs it moſt grows two thereby.
3. and Laſtly, Beg hard of God, to purge …y Heart; for out of the evil treaſure of …y heart proceeds Lying, and all Evil, the …incipal work muſt be about thy Heart, …ſal. 12. 2. They ſpeak Lyes (ſaith the Pſal…iſt) with flattering Lips, and with a double Heart do they ſpeak. Gen. 17. 9. The Heart … deceitful above all things. Now if ever …ou would flee this Sin of Lying, O get … Heart-Cure, or this Evil will break out … the Lips again, though you ſhould for a time bridle your Tongues: As a Spring will have its Courſe, though you ſhould dam up the Stream a while, it will after a while break through all your Banks, and run into the old Channel again: So here it will be even ſo, For out of the abundance of the Heart the Mouth ſpeaketh; and the old Heart is a kin to the old Serpent for Lying; it's only the New Heart, that is the true Heart; and until the Heart be renewed, the Tongue cannot be aright reformed. How can ye that are evil (ſaith out Saviour) ſpeak good things? How can you match a double Heart, and a ſingle Tongue together? a Lying Heart, and a true Tongue? Since there is ſuch a near relation between the one, and the other, as between the Cauſe, and its effect. Now young man, who can create a new and true Heart in thee but God? Whither then ſhouldſt thou go but to him? this was David's practice; how frequently do we find him on his Knees, ſometimes praying that God would make his Heart ſound in his Statutes; ſometimes that God would create in him a clean Heart, and renew a right Spirit within him; again, ſometimes he prays, Remove from me the way of Lying: and was it in vain? Oh no; he was a man after God's own Heart, he would not endure a Lyar in his ſight, in his Houſe.
The next Sin I ſhall direct you to flee, is neglect of Relative Duties; as Obedience to Parents and Maſters, &c.