Discourses Upon the Attributes of God, Sermon 12

Discourses Upon the Attributes of God · Sermon 12

p. 337SERMON XII.Vol. VI. The Truth of God.

DEUT. XXXII.4.

—A God of Truth.

IN ſpeaking to this Attribute, I ſhall

I. Shew you what we are to underſtand by the Truth of God.

II. Endeavour to prove that this Perfection belongs to God, that he is a God of Truth.

III. Anſwer ſome Objections that may be made againſt it; and then make ſome Ʋſe of it.

I. What we are to underſtand by the Truth of God. I ſhall take it as the Scripture uſeth it in a large Senſe, ſo as p. 338to include not only the veracity of God; but his Faithfulneſs. Hence it is that in Scripture Truth and Faithfulneſs are ſo often put together, and frequently put one for another, Iſa. 25.1. Thy counſels of old are faithfulneſs and truth. Rev. 21.5. Theſe words are true and faithful. And the Faithfulneſs of God, in performing his Promiſes, is frequently call'd his Truth. And becauſe the Scripture uſeth them promiſcuouſly, we need not be very ſolicitous to find out diſtinct Notions of them; but if you will, they may be diſtinguiſht thus; the truth or veracity of God hath place in every Declaration of his Mind; the Faithfulneſs of God only in his Promiſes.

For the Firſt, The veracity or truth of God; this hath place in every Declaration of his Mind, and ſignifies an exact Correſpondence and Conformity between his Word and his Mind, and conſequently between his Word and the truth and reality of Things. The Correſpondence of his Word with his Mind, depends upon the rectitude of his Will; the conformity of his Word with the reality of Things, not only upon the rectitude of his Will, but the Perfection of his Knowledge, and the infallibility of his p. 339Ʋnderſtanding; ſo that when we ſay God is true, or ſpeaks Truth, we mean thus, that his Words are a plain Declaration of his Mind, and a true repreſentation of Things, in oppoſition to Falſe-hood, which is ſpeaking otherwiſe than the thing is; and Hypocriſie, that is, ſpeaking otherwiſe than we think. For inſtance, when God declares any thing to be ſo, or not to be ſo, to have been thus, or not to have been thus, the thing really is ſo, and he thinks ſo; when he expreſſeth his deſire of any thing, he does really deſire it; when he commands any thing, or forbids us any thing, it is really his Mind and Will that we ſhould do what he Commands, and avoid what he forbids; when he declares and foretels any thing future, it really ſhall come to paſs, and he really intended it ſhould; if the Declaration be to be underſtood abſolutely, it ſhall abſolutely come to paſs; if the Declaration be to be underſtood Conditionally, it ſhall come to paſs, and he intends it ſhall, if the Condition be performed.

Secondly, The Faithfulneſs of God. This only hath place in his Promiſes, in which p. 340there is an Obligation of Juſtice ſuperadded to his Word; for God by his Promiſe doth not only declare what he intends, and what ſhall be; but confers a right upon them to whom the promiſe is made, ſo as that the breach of his Promiſe would not only caſt an imputation upon his Truth, but upon his Juſtice.

II. That this Perfection belongs to God. And this I ſhall endeavour to prove,

Firſt, From the Dictates of Natural Light.

Secondly, From Scripture.

Firſt, From the Dictates of Natural Light. Natural Light tells us, that Truth and Faithfulneſs are Perfections, and conſequently belong to the Divine Nature; and that Falſe-hood and a Lie are Imperfections, and to be removed from God. There is nothing that is amongſt Men eſteemed a greater contumely and reproach, than to give a Man the Lie, to call him a Lyar, becauſe it is an Argument of ſo much baſeneſs, and of a low and mean and ſervile ſpirit; the uſual Temptation to it being fear of loſing ſome Advantage, or incurring p. 341ſome danger. Hence was that ſaying, that it is the property of a Slave to lie, but of a free Man to ſpeak truth: Now whatever argues baſeneſs or imperfection, our Reaſon tells us is infinitely to be ſeparated from the moſt Perfect Being. God cannot be tempted with evil, the Divine Nature being all-ſufficient, can have no temptation to be otherwiſe than Good and Juſt, and True and Faithful. Men are tempted to Lie by advantage, and out of fear: but the Divine Nature hath the ſecurity of its fullneſs and all-ſufficiency, that it cannot hope for any increaſe, nor fear any impairment of its Eſtate. Men are unfaithful, and break their Words, either becauſe they are raſh and inconſiderate in paſſing of them, or forgetful in minding them, or inconſtant in keeping of them, or impotent and unable to perform them: but none of theſe are incident to God, his infinite Wiſdom, and perfect Knowledge, and clear foreſight of all Events, ſecure him both from inconſiderateneſs, and inconſtancy, and forgetfulneſs; and his infinite Power renders him able to perform what he hath ſpoken, and to make good his Word. And that theſe are the Natural p. 342Dictates and Suggeſtions of our Minds, appears clearly from the reaſonings of the Heathen in this matter, who were deſtitute of Divine Revelation. Plato de Repub. l. 2. lays down this as a certain Truth, That lying and Falſehood are imperfections, and odious to God and Men, foreign. And afterwards he tells us, That the Divine Nature is free from all Temptation hereto, either from advantage or fear; foreign; and Concludes, Therefore God is true, and deals plainly with us, both in his Words and Actions, and is neither changed himſelf, nor deceives us. Porphyry in the Life of Pythagoras tells us, That this was one of his Precepts, foreign; and afterwards he adds, that Truth is ſo great a Perfection, that if God would render himſelf viſible to Men, he would chuſe Light for his body, and Truth for his Soul.

p. 343Secondly, From Scripture. The Scripture doth very frequently attribute this to God, 2 Sam. 7.28. And now, O Lord God, thou art that God, and thy words be true; Pſal. 25.10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth; Pſal. 31.5. Into thy hand I commit my ſpirit: thou haſt redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. Rev. 3.7. Theſe things ſaith he, that is holy, he that is true. Rev. 6.10. How long, O Lord, holy and true? 15.3. Juſt and true are thy ways, thou King of Saints. 16.7. True and righteous are thy judgments. Hither we may refer thoſe Texts which ſpeak of the Plenty and Abundance of God's truth, Ex. 34.6. Abundant in goodneſs and truth. Pſal. 86.15. Plenteous in mercy and truth; and thoſe which ſpeak of the Duration and Eternity of it. Pſal. 100.5. And his truth endureth to all generations. 117.2. And the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. 146.6. Who keepeth truth for ever.

As the Scripture doth attribute this Perfection to God, ſo it removes the contrary from him with the greateſt abhorrence and deteſtation, Num. 23.19. God is not a Man that he ſhould lie, neither the ſon of Man that he ſhould repent, hath he ſaid, and ſhall not he do it? hath he p. 344ſpoken, and ſhall he not make it good? They are Balaam's Words, but God put them into his Mouth. 1 Sam. 15.29. The ſtrength of Iſrael will not lie nor repent, for he is not a Man that he ſhould repent. Rom. 3.4. Yea let God be true, and every Man a Lyar. Nay the Scripture goes further, does not only remove lying and falſe-hood and inconſtancy from God, but ſpeaks of theſe as things impoſſible to the Divine Nature; Tit. 1.2. In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie, promiſed before the World began. Heb. 6.18. That by two immutable things, in which it was impoſſible for God to lie, we might have a ſtrong conſolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope ſet before us.

And the Scripture doth not only in general attribute this Perfection to God, but doth more particularly aſſure us of his Sincerity and Truth and Faithfulneſs. Of his ſincerity; that he deals plainly with us, and ſpeaks what he intends, that his Words are the image of his Thoughts, and a true repreſentation of his Mind. God is very careful to remove this jealouſie out of the Minds of Men, who are apt to entertain unworthy Thoughts of God, as if notwithſtanding p. 345all that he hath declared, he had a ſecret deſign to ruin Men; therefore he interpoſeth his Oath for our greater aſſurance, Ezek. 33.11. As I live, ſaith the Lord God, I have no pleaſure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way, and live. When God ſpeaks to us, he ſpeaks his Mind, and hath no deſign to circumvent and poſſeſs us with Errour and Deluſion; if he offer Life and Happineſs, we may believe he is real, and that if he did not intend to beſtow it upon us, or if there were no ſuch thing as a future Glory, he would not have declared it to us; this was the temper of our Saviour, who was the expreſs image of the Father, full of Grace and Truth. John 14.2. In my Father's houſe are many manſions; if it were not ſo, I would have told you.

And as the Scripture aſſures us of his Sincerity, ſo of his Truth and Faithfulneſs in the accompliſhment of all his Predictions, and performance of all his Promiſes. As for the truth of his Predictions, and certain accompliſhment of them, the Scripture frequently uſeth this Proverbial Speech, to aſſure us of the certainty of their accompliſhment; p. 346Heaven and Earth ſhall paſs away, but my words ſhall not paſs away. Mat. 24.35. For the Faithfulneſs of God in his Promiſes, the Scripture makes frequent mention of it, Deut. 7.9. Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy. Pſal. 89.33, 34. I will not ſuffer my faithfulneſs to fail, my covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing which is gone out of my lips. The Scripture doth record God's punctual and full performance of his Promiſes; particularly of that Promiſe to Abraham, after four hundred Years to bring the Children of Iſrael out of Egypt, and to give them the Land of Canaan for an Inheritance. Gen. 15.13. the Punctual accompliſhment you have recorded, Ex. 12.41. And it came to paſs at the end of the four hundred and thirty Years, even the ſelf ſame day it came to paſs, that all the hoſts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt; ſee likewiſe Joſ. 21.44, 45. and 23.14. 1 Kings 8.56. And upon this account it is that God is ſo frequently in Scripture ſtyl'd the God that keepeth covenant. 1 Kings 8.23. Neh. 1.5.9.32. and in ſeveral other Places. And ſo likewiſe of Predictions of evil to come, God is p. 347true in fulfilling his Word. 1 Sam. 15.…9. When the Prophet had threatned Saul to rent the Kingdom from him, he adds, the ſtrength of Iſrael will not lie nor repent, for he is not a Man that he ſhould repent.

III. I come to remove ſome Objections that may be made againſt the truth and faithfulneſs of God.

Firſt, It is Objected againſt the ſincerity of God and his plain dealing, that he is ſometimes repreſented in Scripture, as inſpiring Prophets with falſe Meſſages. 1 Kings 22.20, &c. Jer. 4.10.20.7. Ezek. 14.9.

Anſ. As to three of theſe Texts, it is a known Hebraiſm to expreſs things in an imperative and active form, which are to be underſtood only permiſſively. So where the Devils beſought Chriſt, that he would ſuffer them to enter into the herd of Swine, he ſaid unto them go, Mat. 8.31. He did not command, but permit them. And ſo John 13.27. where our Saviour ſays to Judas, what thou doſt, do quickly, we are not to underſtand, that he commanded him to betray him, tho' that ſeem to be expreſt in the form. So likewiſe here, where an evil ſpirit offer'd p. 348himſelf to be a lying ſpirit in the mouth of the Prophet, and God ſays go forth and do ſo; this only ſignifies a permiſſion not a command. And ſo Jer. 4.10. where the Prophet complains that God had greatly deceived the People, ſaying they ſhould have peace, when the ſword reached to the Soul; we are to underſtand this no otherwiſe, but that God permitted the falſe Prophets to deceive them, by Propheſying Peace to them, as appears by the Hiſtory. Ezek. 14.9. I the Lord have deceived that Prophet, that is permitted him to be deceived, and to deceive the People, as a juſt judgment upon them for their Infidelity with reſpect to his true Prophets. This he threatens at the 5th. v. I will take the houſe of Iſrael in their own heart, becauſe they are all eſtranged from me through their idols; becauſe they have choſen to themſelves falſe gods, I will ſuffer them to be deceived with falſe Prophets; and that this is the meaning, appears by the threatning added, and I will ſtretch out my hand upon him, and I will deſtroy him from the midſt of my people; now God will not puniſh that whereof he is the Author.

p. 349That Text Jer. 20.7. Thou haſt deceived me, and I was deceived, ſignifies no more, but that he had miſtaken the Promiſe of God to him, who when he gave him his Commiſſion told him he would be with him, by which he underſtood that no evil ſhould come to him, and now he was become a deriſion, and the people mocked him; and in his paſſion and weakneſs he breaks forth into this expreſſion, thou haſt deceived me, and I was deceived; whereas it was his own miſtake of the meaning of God's promiſe, which was not that he ſhould not meet with ſcorn, and oppoſition, and perſecution, but that they ſhould not prevail againſt him, as you may ſee at the latter end of the firſt Chapter.

Secon… Objection againſt the Faithfulneſs of God as to performance of his promiſe. 'Tis Objected that God did not give the Children of Iſrael all the land which he promiſed to Abraham, as will appear by comparing, Gen. 18.19, 20. with Joſh. 13.1. &c. and Judg. 2.20, 21. Gen. 15.18. God promiſeth to give Abraham and his ſeed ſuch a Land, the bounds whereof he deſcribes; Joſh. 13.1. 'Tis ſaid there, that there remained very much land yet unconquer'd, duplicate page p. 348duplicate page p. 349p. 350which they had not got the poſſeſſion of▪ And Judg. 2.20. 'tis ſaid that the People having not performed their part of the Covenant, God would ſuſpend the further performance of his Promiſe, and would not drive out any more of the Nations before them; and it is probable that the Iſraelites never were poſſeſt of the promiſed Land in the full latitude and extent of the Promiſe.

Anſ. This Covenant of God with Abraham, was upon conſideration of his paſt Faith and Obedience, tho' it ſeems the full performance of it did likewiſe depend upon the future Obedience of his poſterity; in purſuance of this Covenant, notwithſtanding all the murmerings and rebellions of that People, God did bring them into the promiſed Land, tho' they provoked him to deſtroy them many a time; becauſe he remembred his covenant with Abraham; when they were poſſeſt of it, God gave them a title to the reſt, and would have aſſiſted them in the Conqueſt of it, if they had performed the Condition required on their part, that is, continued Faithful and Obedient to him, but they did not, and thereby diſcharged God from any further performance of his p. 351Promiſe; and God when he had done this, had fully performed the Covenant he made with Abraham, ſo far as concerned his part, as appears by the acknowledgment of Joſhua, even in a time when a great part of the Land was unconquer'd, Joſh. 21.44. and of Solomon, 1 Kings 8.56. yea and had it not been that God had made this Covenant, as well upon conſideration of Abraham's Faith and Obedience, as upon Condition of the future Obedience of his Poſterity, the Rebellions and Diſobedience of the People in the Wilderneſs had releaſed God wholly from the Promiſe, and he had not been unfaithful if he had deſtroyed utterly that People, and made a full end of them, and they had never entred into that Land, becauſe a failure of the Condition doth make the Obligation to ceaſe; and that this Condition was imply'd in this Covenant with Abraham, appears by theſe Texts, Deut. 7.12, 13.11.22.23.42. and Judg. 2.20. God gives this Reaſon why he ſuſpended the compleat performance of his Promiſe, the anger of the Lord was hot againſt Iſrael, and he ſaid, becauſe that this People p. 352hath tranſgreſſed my Covenant which I commanded their Fathers, and have not harkned to my voice, I alſo will not henceforth drive out any of the Nations which Joſhua left when he died.

Third Objection, God is not punctual in performing his Threatnings; as when he threatned Adam, Gen. 2.17. In the day thou eateſt thereof, thou ſhalt ſurely die; which yet was not accompliſht, for he lived many hundred Years after. God threatned Ahab to bring evil upon him and his family, 1 Kings 21.21. But upon his Humiliation he is pleaſed to reſpite it, v. 29. So God threatned Hezekiah with Death, but upon his prayer adds fifteen Years to his Life. 2 Kings 20. Thus Nineveh was threatned, but upon their Repentance, God repented of the evil, Jon. 3.10. Now how is this deferring and turning away of judgment conſiſtent with the Truth of God? doth not this ſeem to charge him with falſe-hood or levity?

Anſ. This may be ſaid in general, that every one that underſtands the Nature of God, cannot but be very well aſſur'd, that falſe-hood and levity are very far from God; and tho' he could p. 353not untie ſome particular Knots, and anſwer all difficulties, yet he ought to reſt ſatisfied in this aſſurance. I confeſs this Objection is troubleſom, and requires a diſtinct Conſideration. I will not be peremptory in nice matters, but I ſhall, with ſubmiſſion, offer theſe things in anſwer to it.

1. As for the expreſſion of God's repenting, we are to underſtand it, as many others in Scripture, after the manner of Men, and ſpoken by way of condeſcention to our Weakneſs, and accommodated to our Capacities, and not as caſting any imputation of falſe hood or inconſtancy upon God, as if either he did not intend what he ſaith, or out of levity did alter his Mind. When God is ſaid to repent, the expreſſion only ſignifies thus much, that God doth not execute that which ſeemed to us to have been his purpoſe, that he is pleaſed to do otherwiſe than his threatnings ſeemed openly to expreſs, becauſe of ſome tacit Condition implyed in them; and this doth not derogate either from the truth, or ſincerity, or conſtancy of God in his Word. Not from his truth; for he ſpeaks what he intends really, if ſomething did nor intervene to prevent the p. 354Judgment threatned, upon which he was reſolved, when he threatned, to be taken off and ſtop his Judgments: Nor doth it derogate from his ſincerity and plainneſs; for he hath told us that his threatnings have ſuch Conditions imply'd in them: Nor doth it derogate from the conſtancy and immutability of God; becauſe God doth not mutare conſilium ſed ſententiam, he doth not change his counſel and purpoſe, but takes off the ſentence, which he had paſt with reſerved Conditions.

2. As to the Inſtances, that I may give more particular ſatisfaction to them, I ſhall Conſider the threatnings of God with this double reſpect, either with relation to Law, or with relation to the Event; with relation to a Law, as they are the ſanction of it; or with relation to the Event, as they are Predictions of ſomething to come.

(1.) Some threatnings have only relation to a Law, as they are the ſanction of it. And thus conſider'd, they differ from Promiſes; for Promiſes confer a Right, omne promiſſum cadit in debitum; but a threatning doth not convey any Right, nor if forborn can the party complain of Wrong done to him; and therefore p. 355in this Caſe it can only ſignifie what the offence againſt the Law deſerves, and what the offender may expect; for the end of threatning is not Puniſhment, but the avoiding of it. And this may anſwer the firſt Inſtance. God gave Adam a Law; and by way of Sanction, not of Prediction of an Event, he threatned the breach of it with Death: Now God did not execute the Puniſhment threatned at the time threatned, but deferr'd it, and this without any impeachment of his Juſtice or Truth, becauſe this threatning was only the Sanction of the Law.

(2.) We may conſider Threatnings with Relation to the Event and as Predictions; and as to the accompliſhment of theſe, there ſeems to be a greater degree of Neceſſity, becauſe the honour of God's Knowledge, and Power, and Truth ſeem to be concerned in them; for if his Word be not fulfill'd, it muſt either be for want of Knowledge to foreſee Events, or Power to bring them to paſs, or Conſtancy to his Word. Now if we conſider Threatnings with reſpect to the Event, as they are Predictions of future Judgements, I think all the other Inſtances may be ſatisfied, by laying down this Rule for the underſtanding p. 356of them, viz. That all Prophetical Threatnings or Predictions of Judgment are to be underſtood with this tacit Condition, if there do not intervene the Humiliation, and Repentance, and Prayer of the Perſons againſt whom the Judgment is threatned; and if ſo, God may upon Repentance, without any impeachment of the honour of his Truth, or Knowledge, or Power, either defer, or abate, or remit the Puniſhment. And that the Predictions of Judgments are to be underſtood with this Condition, appears clearly from that known Text, Jer. 18.7, 8.

I come now to the laſt thing I propoſed, to make ſome Ʋſe of this Doctrine.

Firſt, If God be a God of Truth, then this gives us aſſurance that he doth not deceive us, that the Faculties which he hath given us are not falſe, but when they have clear perceptions of Things, they do not err and miſtake. Were it not for the veracity of God, we might, for any thing we know, be under a conſtant Deluſion; and no Man could demonſtate the contrary, but that this is our make and temper, and the very p. 357frame of our Underſtandings, to be then moſt of all deceived, when we think our ſelves to be moſt certain; I ſay no Man could be aſſured of the contrary, but from hence, becauſe veracity and truth is a Divine Perfection; and therefore God cannot be the Author of Errour and Deluſion. Therefore we may be aſſured, that the frame of our Underſtandings is not a Cheat, but that our Faculties are true, and unleſs it be our own fault, we need not be deceived in things that are neceſſary to our Happineſs.

Secondly, If God be a God of Truth, then there is Reaſon why we ſhould believe and aſſent to whatever we are ſatisfied is revealed to us by God. A Divine Revelation is a ſufficient ground for the moſt firm aſſent; for this very thing, that any thing is revealed by God, is the higheſt Evidence, and ought to give us the moſt firm aſſurance of the truth of it. Hence it is that the Word of God is call'd the Word of truth, yea and truth it ſelf, John 17.17. Thy Word is truth.

Therefore whoever entertains the …criptures as the Word of God, and is ſatisfied of the Divine Authority of p. 358them, ought in Reaſon to believe every thing contained in them, yea tho' there be ſome things of which no reaſonable account can be given, and which our Reaſon and Underſtanding cannot give us particular ſatisfaction in; yet becauſe we are ſatisfied that they are revealed by God who cannot lie, whoſe Knowledge is infallible, and whoſe Word is true, we ought upon this higher and ſuperior Reaſon to yield a firm aſſent to the truth of them: if we do not, we diſhonour this Perfection of God, and rob him of this eſſential property, his Veracity. 1 John 5.10. He that believeth on the Son of God, hath the witneſs in himſelf: he that believeth not God, hath made him a liar, becauſe he believeh not the record that God gave of his Son. As on the other hand, if we do believe what God hath revealed, we glorifie this Perfection of his, and ſet our ſeal to his Veracity. So 'tis ſaid of Abraham, Rom. 4.20. That he was ſtrong in faith, giving glory to God. And St. John the Baptiſt, ſpeaking concerning our Saviour, ſaith, John 3.33. He that hath received his teſtimony, hath ſet to his ſeal, that God is true.

p. 359Thirdly, If God be a God of truth, and faithful in performing his Promiſe, then here is a firm Foundation for our Hope and Truſt. If God have made any Promiſe, we may ſecurely rely upon it, that it ſhall be made good; we may hold faſt our hope without wavering, becauſe he is faithful who hath promiſed, Heb. 10.23. Hence it is that the Bleſſings of God's Covenant are call'd ſure mercies, Iſa. 55.3.

We attribute much to the Word of a faithful Friend, and look upon the Promiſe of an honeſt Man as very good ſecurity; but Men may fail us when we rely upon them: but God is true, tho' all Men ſhould prove Lyars. Men are fickle and murable; but the Nature of God is fixt, he cannot fail thoſe that truſt in him. When God hath made any Promiſe to us, we may plead it with him, and urge him with his faithfulneſs. So we find David did, 2 Sam. 7.25. &c.

Only we ſhould be careful to perform the Condition which is required on our part, Heb. 4.1. we ſhould take heed leſt a Promiſe being left us, any one ſhould come ſhort of it, by not performing the Condition; for that doth releaſe p. 360and diſcharge him of the Promiſe, and he is faithful, tho' he doth not perform what he promiſed, becauſe he did not promiſe but upon Condition; and this ſeem to be the meaning of thoſe Words, 2 Tim. 2.13. If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himſelf. He ſaid before, that if we perform the Conditions required, God will beſtow the Bleſſings promiſed, It is a faithful ſaying, for if we be dead with him, we alſo ſhall live with him; if we ſuffer, we alſo ſhall reign with him; but if we deny him, the Curſe threatned will then take place, and he will deny us; and God is not unfaithful in doing this, he does not deny himſelf.

Now if we have ſuch aſſurance, we may truſt him with our greateſt Concernments, and venture our Souls with him, Pſal. 31.5. Into thy hands I commit my ſpirit, O Lord God of truth. We ſhould rely upon him, when there are the greateſt improbabilities of the accompliſhment of his Promiſes. Thus did Abraham, Rom. 4.17. &c.

This ſhould alſo make us patient in hope; if a Promiſe be not ſpeedily accompliſht, we ſhould not be dejected or diſquieted. David challengeth himſelf upon this account, Pſal. 42.11. p. 361Why art thou caſt down, O my Soul? and why art thou diſquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I ſhall yet praiſe him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. And ſo likewiſe in reference to the Rewards of another World, tho' at a diſtance, yet we ſhould, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, wait for the bleſſed Hope.

Fourthly, The Truth of God is matter of terrour to the Wicked. All the threatnings of temporal Evils may juſtly be expected, becauſe their Sins deſerve them, and there is no Condition implyed in them, upon which thou canſt reaſonably hope for the avoiding or abating of the Evils threatned, but of Humiliation and Repentance, and if notwithſtanding theſe threatnings thou continueſt in thy Sins, and bleſſeſt thy ſelf, ſaying, I ſhall have peace, tho' thou walk in the imaginations of thy heart, by this very thing thou provokeſt the Juſtice of God not to ſpare thee, and makeſt his wrath and his jealouſie to ſmoke againſt thee; and if thou continueſt impenitent, however he may defer the execution of temporal Evils, his Truth and Veracity is concerned to inflict eternal Puniſhments upon thee; for he p. 362hath ſworn in his wrath that ſuch ſhall no enter into his reſt.

Fifthly, Let us propound to our ſelves the truth of God for our pattern and imitation. Would you be like God? be true and faithful. Truth and faithfulneſs are Divine Perfections; but lying and falſehood are the Properties of the Devil, and the predominant qualities of Hell. The character of the Devil is, that he abode not in the truth, and there is no truth in him, when he ſpeaketh a lie, 'tis of his own, for he is a lyar and the Father of it. John 8.44.

One of the firſt and moſt natural Notions that we have of Religion is, that it is to imitate God, and to endeavour to be like him, ſo far as we are capable; and to contradict any of the Divine Excellencies and Perfections is the higheſt Sin, becauſe it is againſt the cleareſt Dictates of our Mind, and contrary to thoſe Principles which are moſt deeply rooted in our Nature. No Man can be Cruel and Unmerciful, Falſe and Treacherous, without a very high degree of guilt, becauſe theſe Sins are contrary to the chiefeſt and moſt eſſential Perfections of God. Lying is a Sin that would fly in the Face of an Heathen, p. 363becauſe it directly contradicts thoſe Natural Notions which every Man hath of God and Religion; therefore we find that there is hardly any thing that Men are more aſhamed of than to be taken in a Lie, and 'tis eſteemed the higheſt reproach to be charged with it, it argues ſuch a direct contrariety to that which is the Rule of Perfection, the Nature of God, and conſequently ſo much imperfection and baſeneſs. He that tells a Lie out of fear is at once bold towards God, and baſe towards Men.

Upon theſe accounts God expreſſeth himſelf highly offended with thoſe that practiſe Lying and Falſe-hood, and to have a deteſtation of them, Pro. 12.22. Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord. It renders us unlike to him, Eph. 4.24, 25. Put on the new Man, which after God is created in Righteouſneſs and true Holineſs (or in the Holineſs of truth.) And from hence he infers, Wherefore putting away lying, ſpeak every Man truth with his Neighbour: for we are members one of another. Col. 3.9.10. Lie not one to another, ſeeing that ye have put off the old Man with his deeds: And have put p. 364on the new Man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created him; that is, becauſe we profeſs to be conformed to the image of God. More particularly, we ſhould charge our ſelves with truth and faithfulneſs towards God and Men.

1. Towards God, in our Oaths, and Vows, and Covenants. In our Oaths, when we ſwear in any Matter, we tell God that what we ſpeak is Truth, and invoke him to bear Witneſs to it. To falſifie in an Oath is one of the moſt ſolemn affronts that we can put upon the God of Truth.

And ſo in our Vows, which are a ſolemn Promiſe to God, of ſuch things in which we have no precedent Obligation lying upon us. He that regardeth truth will neither be raſh in making a Vow, nor careleſs to perform it. Eccleſ. 5.4. When thou voweſt a vow to God, defer not to pay it, for he hath no pleaſure in Fools. Not to perform what we have vowed, is an Argument of Folly; either of raſhneſs in the making of it, or of inconſtancy in not keeping it.

So likewiſe in all our Covenants with God, to ſerve him and obey him, and p. 365keep his Commandments, we ſhould ſtrictly charge our ſelves with performance of theſe. There is a Natural Obligation upon us to theſe Things from the very Law of our Creation, tho' we ſhould never ſolemnly make any ſuch Promiſe, nor enter into any ſuch Engagements, becauſe it is a tacit Condition of our Beings; but the taking of this Covenant ſolemnly upon us in Baptiſm, ſtrengthens the Obligation, and makes our unfaithfulneſs the greater Sin. All our hopes of Happineſs are founded in the Faithfulneſs of God; and if thou be falſe to him, how canſt thou expect he ſhould be faithful to thee? 'Tis true indeed, that he abides faithful, he cannot deny himſelf; but if thou haſt any ingenuity in thee, this ſhould be an Argument to thee to be faithful to him; I am ſure this can be no Encouragement to thee to be unfaithful; for if thou breakeſt the Covenant thou haſt entred into, and neglegcteſt the Conditions upon which God hath ſuſpended the performance of his Promiſe, thou diſchargeſt the Obligation on his part.

2. Towards Men; we ſhould charge our ſelves with Truth in all our Words, p. 366and Faithfulneſs in all our Promiſes. It becomes us who worſhip the God of truth, to ſpeak truth; to uſe plainneſs and ſincerity in all our Words, to abhor Falſehood and Diſſimulation, and thoſe more refined ways of lying by equivocation of Words, and ſecret reſervations of our Minds on purpoſe to deceive. Thoſe that plead for theſe, 'tis a ſign they do not underſtand the Nature of God, and of Religion, which is to conform our ſelves to the Divine Perfections. We meet with many complaints in the old Teſtament, of the want of Truth and Faithfulneſs among Men, Pſal. 12.1.2. Iſa. 59.13, 14, 15. Jer. 7.2, 8, 9.2.4, 5, 6. Hoſ. 4.1. I am afraid there is as much Reaſon for this complaint now; for we live in an Age of greater Light, which doth reprove and make manifeſt this work of Darkneſs; and methinks there is no ſadder ſign of the decay of Chriſtianity, and of the little power and influence that the Goſpel hath upon us, than that there is ſo little regard had by Chriſtians to theſe Moral Duties, which becauſe Moral (however Men may ſlight that Word) are therefore of Eternal and Indiſpenſable Obligation, p. 367having their Foundation in the Nature of God.

To Conclude all, That Man that can diſpence with himſelf as to Moral Duties, that makes no Conſcience of telling a Lie, or breaking his Word, what Badge ſoever he may wear, what Title ſoever he may call himſelf by, it is as impoſſible that ſuch a Man ſhould be a true Chriſtian, as it is to reconcile the God of Truth, and the Father of Lies.