View source for 29. Remove from me the way of lying

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<strong>29. </strong><em><strong>Remove from me the way of lying; and grant me Your law graciously.</strong></em><br><br>
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Every deviation in principle and conduct from the strait and narrow path, is <em>a way of lying.</em> Every traveler in <em>the way</em> &quot;feeds on the ashes&quot; of his own delusion. Does it seem a marvel, that the man of God should deprecate so earnestly the influence of gross sin? &quot;The brand plucked out of the fire&quot; retains a susceptibility of the fire. The oldest Christian in the family of God might at any moment of unwatchfulness be captivated by the chain of his former sins. Might not the recollection of past compliances with this shameful sin naturally have suggested the prayer—<em>Remove from me the way of lying?</em> But even in the profession of the Gospel, should we &quot;be removed from Him that called us into the grace of Christ unto another gospel;&quot; should erroneous doctrines find a place in our system; and—as the natural consequence of doctrinal errors—should any inconsistency be marked in our practice; should there be any allowed principles of sinful indulgence, self-righteousness, conformity to the world, or shrinking from the daily cross—then, indeed, will the prayer naturally flow from our hearts—<em>Remove from me the way of lying.</em><br><br>
Most justly are ways such as these called <em>&quot;ways of lying.&quot;</em> They promise what it is impossible, in the nature of things, that they can ever perform: and prove to their deluded followers, that &quot;those who observe lying vanities, forsake their own mercy.&quot; We can be at no loss to trace these <em>&quot;ways,&quot;</em> to their proper source;—to him, who, &quot;when he speaks a lie, speaks of his own for he is a liar, and the father of it.&quot; A lie was his first—alas! too successful—instrument of temptation, by which he &quot;beguiled Eve through his subtlety,&quot; and still does he pursue the same deadly work throughout the world lying under his sway, beguiling the blinded &quot;children of disobedience,&quot; into the awful deception of mistaking their God, and into the blind choice of preferring &quot;broken cisterns&quot; to &quot;the fountain of living waters.&quot;<br><br>
<em>The gracious knowledge of the law</em> is the only means of the <em>removal</em> of this evil way. David, as a king, had it written by him. He wished it written on him—not the book only before his eyes, but stamped on the heart. The external knowledge is the common benefit of all. The <em>gracious</em> knowledge is the covenant-blessing of the Lord's people—the only effective principle of holiness. The law is still what it was—an enemy to the ungodly—forcing a hateful light upon their conscience; but a delight to the servant of God—framing his will, and directing his conduct. Thus truth extirpates <em>lying.</em> Christ reigns instead of Belial.<br><br>
Thus also we are enabled to &quot;keep our hearts&quot;—those leading wanderers, that mislead the rest. For wherever we see wandering eyes, wandering feet, and a wandering tongue, all flow from a heart, that has taken its own liberty in wandering from God. But with the law as our rule, and the Spirit as our guide, we shall be directed and kept in a safe and happy path.<br><br>
<em>Grant me Your law graciously. Grant me</em> a clearer perception of its holy character—a more sensitive shrinking from transgressing it—a more cordial approval of its spirit—a more entire conformity to its directions.
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