One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 93
SERMON XCIII. The tranſcendent Properties of the Scripture.
JOHN 17.17.
Thy Word is Truth.
The excellent properties of the truth of Scripture.IN what ſenſe the word of God is ſaid to be truth, we have declared. Let us now come to the Properties of it. And
1. It's the truth of God, a divine truth. In the Text it's called thy truth;
1. It's the truth of God.So that Divine Truth muſt needs tranſcend Humane or Natural Truths, as much as God is above man. In humane Authorities, we ſay, Thus ſaith Ariſtotle, Thus ſaith Plato, or thus ſay ſuch Fathers and Councels, but in divine things, we muſt ſay, Thus ſaith the Lord; for becauſe it's divine, or of God, it hath an immediate dominion and awe upon the conſcience: So that whereas in humane Authorities and Philoſophical Diſputes, we may boldly argue againſt them, we may bring our videtur quod ſic, and quod non, yet where truth comes to us as from God, there muſt be an immediate ſubmiſſion, though our reaſon and ſenſe and all the world ſhould contradict, yet we muſt ſay, here is a greater then a Pythagoras here, Deus dixit: Therefore obſerve, the Prophets they do often repeat this, Thus ſaith the Lord, becauſe nothing could amaze and humble their hearers ſo much, as that God ſaid it; and indeed when once it's received as Gods truth, then the heart doth readily obey, as 1 Theſſ. 2.13. you may there ſee wherein the truth preached doth work in it's due and proper manner, even when it's received, not as the word of man, but of God. Divine truth will have divine operations, but when received as mans truth, it hath but humane effects, ſuch as Tullies Orations, or Demoſthenes had upon their auditors, which is like the influence of the Moon, that doth not give true heat and life, but the word of God works like the Sun, not only in reſpect of penetrating light, reaching into all the inwards of the ſoul, but alſo vivifical heat. It makes men live a ſpiritual and heavenly life, whereas moral truths help only to an external honeſty. It's true, that which Ambroſe ſaid, Omnis veritas eſt à Spiritu ſancto, Every truth is of the holy Ghoſt, even natural and humane truths are. But as God is the author of nature, and yet of grace in a more ſpecial way: ſo the Spirit of God is the author of all truth; but in a more peculiar manner of Scripture truths: Therefore all Scripture is ſaid to be given by inſpiration, 2 Tim. 3.16. Conſider then, the truths we deliver you out of Gods word are his truth. Thus ſaith the Lord againſt the heretical perſon, Thus ſaith the Lord againſt the prophane perſon: Oh if it were only men that ſay thus, it might be eaſily rejected, but it's God that ſpeaks it, and therefore none may oppoſe!
2. It's infallible.2. Becauſe it's Gods truth, therefore it's infallible; it's ſo certain, that we can never be deceived, whoſoever believed according to Scripture, and lived according to Scripture, that a man was never confounded or aſhamed, he will never have cauſe to wiſh, Oh that he had taken another way! Oh that I had done otherwiſe! Thus David, Pſal. 119. Then I ſhall not be confounded, when I have reſpect to all thy Commandments. Have a conſcientious reſpect to Gods Word in thy Religion, and in thy converſation, this will prove infallible, this is the Iſraelites cloud, and pillar upon their Tabernacle, we are to go when that goeth, we are to ſtand ſtill, when that ſtands ſtill; This is the Star that will certainly guide us to Chriſt; All divine faith is infallible; in Philoſophy, in humane Authorities we may be deceived, but in the Scripture we cannot. Venture all upon the truth of Scripture, it will never deceive thee, when thou wilt finde Satan and the world liars.
3. It's an eternal Truth; Even as God doth abide for ever, ſo will his truth,3. Eternal. Mat. 5. Heaven and earth ſhall ſooner paſs away then one iota or tittle of it. Truth will abide when theſe heavens and earth ſhall not abide at leaſt not in the ſame manner as they are now, and excellently to this purpoſe ſpeaks 1 Pet. 1.23, 24, 25. being born of the incorruptible word of God, for all fleſh is graſs, but the word of God abideth for ever; and this is the Word which by the Goſpel is preached to you, Scripture-truth abideth for ever, whereas all errours and falſe ways, though they have overflowed for a while, yet preſently they withered again. What is become of the Manichees, Arrians, Pelagians, Nestorians, and thoſe thouſands of Heretiques? They had a time of glory, a ſhew in the world, but then died, neither lamented nor deſired; Scripture-truth will prevail, even as Chriſt the eſſential Truth. As the Sun will at laſt get the better of all clouds and foggy miſts, and cannot alwayes be in an eclypſe; ſo it's with the truth of God. All errors are like men, mortal, they paſs away; if any error be ſo ſtrong as to hold to threeſcore years, it begins like man to be full of pain and ſorrow; They are compared to hay and ſtubble, theſe will not long continue; They are like Davids rich and great men in the world, like the graſs upon the houſe top, not only homo, but haereticus eſt bulla; Truth will continue in the field, when all errours will lie proſtrate and conquered, and have no other burial, but that of an Aſs, as that deſpiſed King had.
4. It's an univerſal Truth, within the bounds of Religion; I do not ſay,4. Univerſal. that all philoſophical and mathematical truths are in the Scripture, but all ſoul-ſaving truths are, as 2 Tim. 3. The Scriptures are able to make thee wiſe to ſalvation. There is nothing for doctrine, or for practice, but that can guide thee. This ſufficiency and perfection of Scripture-truth, we do juſtly maintain againſt the Papiſts, who as they fooliſhly ſet up their lighted tapers at noon-day, ſo they add their traditions to the Scripture; but it's often ſaid, we may neither adde to it, nor detract from it: therefore it's abundantly ſufficient: Now it's good with Tertullian, to adore this fulneſs of the Scripture for thy faith and doctrine, to believe as thou readeſt, to worſhip God as thou readeſt: As the childe in the womb is nouriſhed only by the mother, through her nouriſhing: Thus the Church of God is inſtructed, nouriſhed and enlivened only from God by the Scriptures. We read the Manna fell from heaven, but there fell a dew before it to conſtringe and bind the earth: Thus truth fals from God, but the Scripture is like the dew to keep it together, that it may be for our uſe; Let not then tradition, cuſtom, antiquity, multitudes, nor ſuch Gorgons heads lifted up by men terrifie thee, but follow the word in thy faith and worſhip, where that ſtands ſtill, do not thou go further, where that goeth, do not thou ſtand ſtill. And as for faith, ſo for thy life, know that hath all practical truth in it, neceſſary to ſalvation, that teacheth, and that only, how to repent, how to be converted, how to believe in Chriſt, how to pray, how to hear, how to be in the world, yet to have a converſation in heaven. That teacheth thee how to be godly in thy relations, a godly father, a godly childe, a godly maſter, a godly ſervant. Now this moſt people are greatly faulty in, they will be of no Religion, but what the Scripture commands, yet they will live otherwiſe, and do otherwiſe. When thou ſeeſt an heretick thou will bring Scripture againſt him; And is not Scripture againſt thy prophaneneſs and impiety? as well as there are damnable hereſies, ſo are there damnable wickedneſſes in mens lives.
5. Supernaturall.5. It's a ſupernatural Truth. Many of the truths revealed in Scripture are ſuch, as no Plato's, no Ariſtotles, no wiſdom of man, though raiſed beyond Solomons, could ever have attained unto, ſuch as the doctrine of the Trinity, of the Nature, Perſon, and Office of Chriſt, of the Reſurrection, of a day of Judgment, and the ſtate of men afterwards. The former of theſe eſpecially could never be diſcovered by natural light; even Adam though created after Gods image, yet needed a revelation of theſe. We have no innate or acquired knowledge about them, and though many worthy Divines have indeavoured to prove the Trinity by reaſon and humane ſimilitudes, yet the ſureſt and moſt evident way is the Scripture; ſo that we may ſay of them all, which Auſtin ſpeaks of one of them, viz. Of Chriſts being God and man, If you can give a reaſon, it would not be mirabile, and if an example, it would not be ſingulare. It's true, there are many things in Scripture, which we know by natural reaſon, as that there is a God, but the knowledge by reaſon is nothing ſo evident and firm, as that by Revelation; ſo that the truth of God, being in the chiefeſt parts of it ſupernatural: It's no wonder, that the wiſeſt Heathens became vain in their imaginations, and that their greateſt Religion, was their higheſt impiety, and within the Church. The more men have forſaken Scripture, and pleaſed corrupt reaſon in the doctrinal part, and corrupt fancies in the worſhipping part; They have been very erroneous and abſurd; hence the truth of God is called a myſtery, and ſaid to be revealed, becauſe mans reaſon could no more attain unto it, then a dwarf can reach to the heavens, Zacheus muſt get upon this Tree to ſee Chriſt: Hence no others have been able to endure the glorious luſtre of the Scripture, becauſe errours are natural, the Scripture ſupernatural. All hereſies have runne up and down from one age to another, like Cain fearing leaſt every Text of Scripture ſhould kill them: Do not then judge of Scripture-truths by thy carnal reaſon? The work is above thy natural underſtanding.
6. A holy truth6. It's a godly holy Truth; The holy Scriptures they are called, and well may they be ſo called, for nothing is a ſtronger argument to demonſtrate the Divine Authority of Scriptures, than the holineſs thereof. Take all the moral books in the world, they do as much come ſhort of the holineſs of the Scripture, as coals do of the glory of the Sunne. Plutarch, Seneca, Epictetus, theſe will teach you to have the clean skin of morality, but not the inward life and ſound vitals of holineſs; What tranſcendent holineſs doth the Scripture teach us? ſuch as the men of the world know not; Holineſs in our natures, firſt of all, Regeneration, neither the name nor the nature of it, was known amongſt the Heathens, they knew not mans natural pollution, neither did they ſee a neceſſity of ſuch an internal renovation.
Again, Such holy duties the Scriptures teach, that not only the doctrinal, but the practical part of it, is a myſtery to fleſh and bloud, ſuch are faith in Chriſt, love to our enemies, ſelf-denial, and a readineſſe to take up the Croſſe. Many of theſe duties are accounted folly and madneſs by wiſe men after the fleſh. It teacheth an heavenly life, fellowſhip and communion with God, to do all things from holy principles, and to holy ends; ſo that the holineſſe that is in the truth of Scriptures ſhould much affect us. But oh how few reade and delight in the Scriptures, becauſe of the holineſſe in them? You reade them for diſpute, or to know the Hiſtory, and to be able to hold up Arguments; but who is there, that thinketh this, the truths of Scripture are holy? They are to make heavenly and pure, they will forewarn of ſin, they quicken to grace, they inflame to faith and love: Oh minde this, all Scripture-truth is for holineſs! As meat is not to be looked upon, but eaten and digeſted.
7. A precious truth.7. They are precious excellent Truths, and therefore compared by David to fine gold, and by Solomon preferred above all jewels, Prov. 3.15. The Apoſtle alſo compareth true Doctrine to gold, ſilver and precious ſtones, 1 Cor. 3.12. and they are called precious promiſes, as a precious faith, 2 Pet. 1.1, 4. Theſe ſhew in what high degree and dignity the truths of Scripture ſhould be with us. Auſtin ſaid, Veritas Chriſtianorum was incomparabiliter pulchrior Helenâ Graecorum; If they did ſtrive about her, How much more ought we for the truth of God? The Prophet complained of old, None pleaded for the truth, Iſa 59 4. neither were valiant for the truth, Jer. 9.3. The truths then of the Scripture ſhould be more unto us, then any earthly comforts whatſoever: You ſee Chriſt makes this one main end of his coming into the world, to bear witneſs unto the truth, John 18 37. Ann thus the Martyrs, they thought Gods truth more worth then their lives, and how many millions have willingly endured the worſt of deaths, to bear witneſs to the truths of the Scripture? So that it's very ſtrange, how ſuch a ſpirit of deluſion ſhould be upon men, to make no matter of true Doctrine, to think Hereſies and Errours are nothing. Certainly, the godly Martyrs, that burnt at the ſtake, had other thoughts of it; and the Scripture doth commend it as the great mercy of God unto a people: Therefore God promiſeth Jer. 33.6. He will reveal abundance of peace and truth; and in many places, truth is ſtill joyned unto peace, as if all the peace and earthly advantages in the world were nothing, if we might not have the truths of God alſo. Therefore the Apoſtle John told that elect Lady, He had no greater joy, then to ſee her children walking in the truth; and the Spirit of God is promiſed, as the greateſt mercy we can have, John 16.13. That he will guide us into all truth. Natural truth is precious, What pains and travel have many uſed to finde that out? They have diſpoſſeſſed themſelves of their goods to finde it out; yea they have been ſo raviſhed in the contemplation thereof, that they have forgotten to eat their bread, and have wholly neglected themſelves, and all pleaſure. Hence in their Sacrifices to Apollo, whom the Heathens made God of truth, they cried out, foreign, Truth is ſweet, Truth is ſweet. Truth is the natural food to the ſoul, as meat is to the body; but then divine ſupernatural truth, which doth ſo immediately concern our ſalvation and eternal happineſs, how precious and dear ſhould that be to us? In other things ignorance is not damnable, but here to miſſe of the truth is to fall into deſtruction. It profits not a man to meaſure the heavens and the motions thereof. To underſtand all the Laws of Nations, with their caſes thereupon; or with Solomon, to be able to ſpeak of the nature of all things, if a man want the knowledge of Scripture-truths.
Laſtly, This truth, though precious,8. A bitter truth. yet becauſe it's oppoſite to a corrupt heart, It's very bitter, and makes moſt men enemies to it. It's a truth requiring holineſs, hatred of ſinne, mortification of luſts; and becauſe it's ſo, therefore the vain corrupt hearts of men love errours and lies, or deceits by the devil and ſinne, rather then the truth of Scripture. Thus Chriſt John 8.40. told the Phariſees, They thought to kill him, becauſe he told them the truth. And Paul, Gal. 4.16. Am I become your enemy, becauſe I tell you the truth? The Miniſters of this truth are compared to light that is offenſive to ſore eyes, and ſalt that doth grieve and vex the wounded man. Indeed truth, if rightly conſidered, is not grievous, but to do otherwiſe then obey truth. It's not the threatning of hell and damnation, that ſhould be ſo grievous, but the puniſhments themſelves. They cried out of our Saviour, ſaying, It was an hard ſpeech, of what he had ſpoken, but it's an harder thing to lie roaring in hell-flames to all eternity.
Ʋſe. Is the word of God thus Truth, then be poſſeſſed and filled with it? Let truth be in your mindes, truth in your hearts, truth in your lives; Take heed of all errours and hereſies, they oppoſe the Doctrinal Truths of the Scripture: Take heed of all prophaneneſs and impiety, they oppoſe the practical Truths: Oh remember, if Gods word be truth, then woe be to thee, thou art in a lying way, in a ſeduced and damnable way; Only know it's not enough to have a general knowledge of Scripture-Truths, but endeavour after a particular practical diſcerning of them; The Scripture cals it knowing the Truth as it is in Jeſus, Eph. 4.21. and the acknowledging of the truth after godlineſſe, Tit. 1.1. Tantum ſcimus, quantum operamur; We know no more in Gods account then we put in practice; Take heed then of being in the number of thoſe Rom. 1.18. who hold the Truth in unrighteouſneſſe; Say as the Apoſtle in his Miniſtry, 2 Cor. 13.18. So thou in thy whole particular converſation, I can do nothing againſt the Truth, but for it; This would be a Preſervative every way.