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SERMON XV.

LYING LIPS.

PROVERBS xii. 22.

Lying lips are abomination to the Lord; but they that deal truly are his delight.

THE book of Proverbs presents true religion, in its results teaches us its application to all the varied circumstances of life; and draws a striking contrast, between the character, and experience, of those who are, and those who are not, under its influence; the godly man and the ungodly; the wise man and the fool. Along with this, it combines a variety of profound, and exact observations, on human life and manners: what is called, knowledge of the world: but something very far superior to it: not the suggestions of mere unassisted, unsanctified experience; but of experience, directed, and aided, and carried beyond itself, by the unerring Spirit of God; the

God who made man; who knows what is in

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man; whose eyes are upon all his ways. Thus this book is an invaluable storehouse of practical wisdom recording, not the shrewd and corrupt maxims of the accomplished worldling, based on selfishness and earthliness; but the lessons of one, who, with long and ample opportunities of acquaintance with human nature, "spake as he was moved by the Holy Ghost." All that we find here may be depended on; acted on, with perfect confidence. The man who walks by it will walk safely, wisely, happily will not only learn, how may best enjoy this life, but, also, that which is to come. Discretion will preserve him, understanding will keep him. (Prov. ii. 11.)

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May God give us grace, to lay up its blessed lessons in our hearts, and to order our conversation according to them! One such lesson, and one of unspeakable moment, is brought before us, in the words of my text. The Lord impress it on every soul before him! Lying lips are abomination to the Lord; but they that deal truly are his delight."

66

The subject has, evidently, two parts, which we may consider in their order: dwelling, however, principally, on the first of them. First, then,

I. 66

Lord."

Lying lips are abomination to the

Let us contemplate, 1, A dreadful evil here noticed; and, then, 2, The Lord's abhorrence of it.

1. A dreadful evil, here noticed-" Lying lips." Alas, my brethren, dreadful as it is, it is one, which, in either its gross, or more modified form, prevails, to an awful extent, among all classes and descriptions of men. The world is full of deceit and falsehood; and men know it so to be. They are highly indignant, indeed, at being thought personally capable of it; and, by their indignation, they bear reluctant witness against themselves, as to its proper loathsomeness: but, withal, their jealousies, and distrust, one of another, the varied forms of legal security which they take, and which, by common consent, it is necessary to take, in almost every transaction of life, abundantly establish the fact: are their own testimony, to the reality, and aboundings, of this evil.

Indeed, so characteristic is this detestable sin of the fallen nature of man, that God, describing the inbred corruption of the human family, singles out this evil, above all other, as a prominent feature of it. (Ps. lviii. 3.) "They go astray, as soon as they be born, speaking lies." So the apostle uses a similar testimony, from the 5th psalm. "We have before proved," he says, (Rom. iii. 9-13,) "both Jews and Gentiles, that they

are, all, under sin as it is written

with

their tongues they have used deceit." The psalmist, in both places, might seem to be describing a few particular individuals; but God directs us to regard his testimony, as applicable to mankind, in general, as fallen beings.

See, too, how early this evil breaks forth. "As soon as they be born;" literally, "from the womb." There are some sins, (as, for instance, the sin of covetousness,) which rarely develope themselves, to any considerable extent, in early life. But, here is an evil, from which even lisping infancy is not free. They who have to do with children know this, well. Oftentimes, the lie is ready on their lips, when there is no temptation to it; nothing to be gained by it, but the horrid pleasure of deceiving. Or, if it be not so, yet, how rare are the cases, in which dread of punishment, or the mere desire to hide a fault, or the hope of some advantage by it, or (still worse, it may be) the wish to injure another, will not call it forth. I know that education, and wise management of children, will do much, toward overcoming this propensity; so that, in some, it may hardly appear. On the contrary, you may form, in your children, a firm principle, and settled habit of truth, in all their intercourse, which it would require strong temptation to shake; and, certainly, nothing is so invaluable. It

must be remembered, also, as respects the children of christian parents, that the prayers of their parents for them, from their earliest years, as children of the covenant, dedicated to God in baptism, and the saving grace of God, in many cases accompanying that ordinance, may preserve a child, even from infancy, from the outbreakings of natural corruption, in this form of it. But I am speaking, now, of human nature, as it is in itself; and not, as education, and especially as grace, may counteract it: what children are prone to; what is to be expected, and watched against; and what, in almost every case, is sure, with the best training, to manifest itself in children. 66 They go astray from the womb, speaking lies."

And, if this be so, in tender years, what is it likely that we should find, but the aboundings of this evil, in maturer life? when the conscience is, comparatively, hardened, and the mind, alas, familiar with sin, either by the habitual repetition of it, or by the deadening, and seducing example of sinners, all around. O could I lay open only a little portion of this evil, as the whole shall, one day, be laid open, when the secrets of all hearts shall be revealed;-could I show you the flattery, the deceit, the exaggeration, the false witness, the hypocritical profession, the shameless impudence of lying, that are

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