God's terrible voice in the city

4. Liars, turn from your evil ways. We read Acts 5. at the beginning, of Ananias and Sapphira, who were smitten with sudden Death for the sin of Lying; it is said, they fell down at the Apostles feet, and gave up the ghost. And hath not the sin of Lying been one ingredient in the meritorious Cause of the fall of so many persons and ⟨p. 233⟩houses by the Plague and Fire in the City of London? This sin of Lying, the Apostle doth in especial caution the Colossians and Ephesians against, after the wonderful grace of God in the renovation of them according to his Image, Col. 3. 9. Lye not one to another, seeing ye have put off the Old man with his deeds: And have put on the New man, &c. Eph. 4. 24, 25. Having put on the New man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Put away lying, and speak every man truth to his Neighbour. And this sin I may caution Londoners against, after the dreadful anger of God, expressed in the Desolations which he hath made amongst them by his late Judgements; Lye not one to another any more, but speak every one Truth to his Neighbour. The Lord is a God of truth, and he cannot lye; do you labour to be men of truth, such as will not lye: The Devil is the Father of Lies, and Liars, Joh. 8. 44. and which is most eligible, to be Children of God, or Children of the Devil? A lying tongue, is one of the seven Abominations which the Lord hateth, Prov. 6. 16, 17. And is there any good you can get by your lying, comparable to the evil of rendering your selves hateful and abominable in the sight of God? Is it needful for you sometimes to speak lies? Is it not a thousand fold more needful for you always to speak truth? are you likely to gain so much by the former, as by the later? what is a little outward Emolument in comparison with inward Peace? are you likely to lose so much by the later, as by the former? what is the loss of external, temporal things, in comparison with the ⟨p. 234⟩