A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 29 (Question 4 cont.)
SERMON XXIX.
6. THE laſt of the Divine Vertues here mentioned is Truth. This alſo … eſſentially in God, for it hath its eminent … plays in the works of Efficiency.
THE one Truth admits of various Notions which are put upon it; but when it is applied to God, it uſe ally comes under one of theſe T… ſ…ſes either, 1. As it is applied to his Being, on which account he is ſaid to be the True God, in oppoſition to all the feigned and made ones of the Gentile… to all Idols; but this is not here to be conſidered, but will come under the following Queſtion. Or, 2. As it is looked upon as 1 …, in Men. Truth may be conſidered Obje…ely, and ſo it relates to the Underſtanding, whoſe proper Object is Truth: and then it implie: a Knowledge of things as they are; and this when Attributed to God, belongs to his Omniſcience, and is accounted a Vertue of his Underſtanding, of which we have already heard under his Wiſdom: Or it may be conſidered Subj…tively as it is a Property inherent in the Subject, and then it is a Vertue of the Will, and it compri…e him … thoſe two Vertues of Faithfulneſs and Conſtancy: True and Faithful are therefore of… joyned together in Scripture Language: and thus it is often aſcribed to God, after the … of Men: and in this ſenſe we may take up this Deſcription of it:
TRUTH is God, Fulfilling of all his Will, according to his Word. There is an exact harmony between his Will, his Word, and his Performance, and in this it appears that God agrees with himſelf, and that is his Truth. For a brief …ring up of the Doctrine of this Attribute, let theſe things be obſerved,
(1.) THAT God's Will hath determinately, …ly, unchangeably, purpoſed what he will do. The Scripture aſcribes unto God a Will; ſometimes under the n…tion of a Faculty, ſometimes of an Act, and in this latter reſpect, it refers it ſometimes to his Purpoſes, and ſometimes to his …; is the former reſpect it is more ge…ſly, and here to be underſtood: We are here to conſider,
1. THAT God hath Decreed or fore determined all his Works of Efficiency; ſo that what …es to paſs in Time, is no other but what he had appointed before all Time, in the days of E…ity; and for this very reaſon all God's … are ſaid the… to be known to him, Acts 15.18. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. And how ſhould he know them antecedently, but becauſe he had Decreed them?
2. THAT this Decree is an Act of his Will. I… God we conceive ſome Acts to be Immanent, others Tranſcient; to the former belongs his Decree, which is nothing elſe but his Will as it reſpects the Works of Efficiency; and this is an Eternal Act, in which he hath reſolved with Himſelf what to do, and there is nothing comes to paſs, which was not firſt in this Purpoſe; Hence that, Eph. 1.11. In whom alſo we have obtained an inheritance, being predeſtinated according to the purpoſe of him who worketh all things after the counſel of his own will. i. e. He took counſel of no other but his own Will.
3. THAT this Will of his is determinate, fixed, immutable: the Decree is ſometimes called his Word… for what he hath, as it were ſaid in himſelf, that he will do; and herein is the Truth of this Word, that he ſtands to his own Purpoſes, and never alters them, Job 23.13. But it is in … mind, and … can turn him? and what his … deſireth, ever that he doeth. God's Decrees are not Conditional but Abſolute: He hath indeed Decreed Conditions or Connexions between things; but he hath not Connected any dependent undetermined Conditions between things, but he hath fixed them: the Conditions of things are but Me…e in his Decrees, and only intend, that he will bring about ſuch Ends, by ſuch Means; and having once purpoſed, he never varies: He engageth to himſelf, that thus he will do, and he ſtands to his Word: But of this more in the Doctrine of the Decree.
(2.) THAT God is pleaſed as far as he ſees meet, is reveal this Will of his unto Men. He hath not indeed revealed all his Counſels and Purpoſes; there are the ſecret things which belong to God, and are no otherwiſe known but by the Accompliſhment: But ſo far as in Wiſdom he ſees it convenient, he doth declare his Mind, and acquaint his People with what he hath Decreed. And theſe Diſcoveries of his Will are made,
1. IN thoſe Predictions which he hath given of things before-hand, which in the Time appointed were to come to paſs. The Scripture abounds with ſuch as theſe; ſome referring to perſonal, others to more publick Affairs: ſome in reſpect of his Church, others relating to the Enemies of his Church; ſome that have been already accompliſhed, others, that are as yet to be expected, the Time not being come for the fulfilling of them.
2. IN the Revelation of the Rule of Man's Happineſs. He hath ſhewn to Man the Way: He made known to Man at firſt, the things wherein his Felicity did conſiſt, and how he might be bleſſed forever; and he hath alſo diſcovered to fallen Man the Way and Means of his Recovery out of Miſery, and obtaining Salvation by Jeſus Chriſt: and this is called the Will of God in Scripture, becauſe he did forever purpoſe within himſelf that there ſhould be a Connexion between theſe things: Hence we have that aſſertion of Paul, Acts 20.27. For I have not ſhunned to declare unto you all the counſel of God.
3. IN the Promulgation of the Promiſes. The word of God is full of precious Promiſes, in which God obliged himſelf, and paſt his Word to his People, that he will beſtow theſe and thoſe Favours and Bleſſings upon them; and they do contain in them Matter of univerſal Conſolation: Theſe alſo are the Manifeſtations of his Decrees, and give us to underſtand what Thoughts he entertained in his Heart from Eternity concerning his People; Jer. 29 11. For I know the tho'ts that I think towards you, ſaith the Lord, tho'ts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expelled end.
4. IN the Denunciation of his Threatnings: There are fearful Menaces uttered in the Scriptures againſt theſe and thoſe who are God's Enemies, and Haters of Him; whereby Men are fully acquainted what he would have them …pect …t his Hands; which are the making known of thoſe Judgments that he had purpoſed, and prepared in his Decree concerning ſuch; Iſa. … For T…phe… is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared, he hath made it deep & large: the pile thereof is …re and … …od, the breath of the Lord, like a ſtream of brimſtone, doth kin…t ….
(3.) THAT God ſpeaks Nothing but what he hath purpoſed. There is Truth in his Word; and this Truth is the exact Agreement which there is between his Counſels and his Declarations: He doth not ſay one thing and intend another: He ſpeaks nothing raſhly, undeliberately, unknowingly. There are Two Reaſons of Men's fal…ng ſhort of Truth in what they ſay; but God is far from both of theſe:
1. IGNORANCE or Inadvertency. Men often miſtake, and think of things otherwiſe than they are, and yet perſuade themſelves they are … the right; and this ariſeth from a want of Knowledge or Deliberation: But thus He cannot utter a Falſhood or Error, becauſe of his Infinite all Knowledge: He knows his own Thoughts; and in knowing them, he knows every thing.
2. DECEITFULNESS, or a lying Diſpoſition: Many ſpeak with a Purpoſe to deceive others, and to impoſe things that are not true, upon their Credit; and there is a root of this perverſe Diſpoſition in all Men by Nature: But there is no ſuch thing with God: Hence the Oppoſition in, Rom. 3.4. — Yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mighteſt be juſtified in thy ſayings, and mighteſt overcome when thou art judged. And this in Man proceeds from the Wickedneſs of his Heart; But God is Holy, and therefore it is ſaid to be Impoſſible to him; Heb. 6.18. That by two immutable things, in which it was impoſſible for God to lie—. When therefore God is ſaid to Deceive the Prophet, Ezek. 14.9. it doth not intend that God revealed a Falſhood to him; but it reſpects his Providence, ſuffering him to deceive himſelf by falſe Conjectures, and diſappointing his confident Expectations, which he had in ſecond Cauſes: All that God ſaith is very True, and Faithfull.
(4.) THAT God Always performs what He hath ſpoken. What He ſaith, He will do, That he doth without fail: As there is Truth which conſiſts in a Conformity between the He…rt and Tongue, ſo there is a Truth appears in an Agreement between Words and Deeds: God not only intends to do it when he ſpeaks it, but he ſtands by and purſues that declared Intention of his: There is Conſtancy appertains to Truth, and that is when one is not to be put by from what he hath ſaid: Men may not ſay one thing, and intend another; and yet they may change their Mind and Repent of what they have ſaid, and ſo go back from it, which is alſo a Defect in point of Truth: But neither is there any ſuch thing with God; and therefore theſe two things are put together, Numb. 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 be not do it? or hath he ſpoken, and ſhall he not make it good? God is incapable of thoſe things that make Men to break their Words, which they intended when they ſpake them, viz.
1. WANT of Ability, which they before ſuſpected not. And there are many things which do caſually intervene, unforeſeen; for which reaſon Men are always to reſolve with that Clauſe, If God …ll: But God cannot be obſtructed; His Power is as large as his Will, ſo that he could never be impeded: If he hath a Mind to do any thing, he is able to accompliſh it; Job 23.13. But he is in one mind, and why … turn him? and what his ſoul deſireth, even that he dieth. There was no great work ever yet put Him to a ſtand; there is no Mountain too high for Him to skip over.
2. SOME new Diſcovery which makes them to ſee reaſon to alter their Thoughts. Men ſometimes ſay, before they have ſeen the thing through, and their after Thoughts are wiſer: There are many Inconveniences that diſcover themſelves upon Deliberation, which at firſt view lay out of their ſight: But God is incapable of this alſo; for he ſees all things in their Cauſes, and Effects, and all their Circumſtances and Conſequences, at one view; ſo that it is impoſſible that he ſhould even have any occaſion to repent of his Word. When therefore Repentance is aſcribed to Him in Scripture, it is an Humane Expreſſion; the Change is neither is his Purpoſe, nor in his Word, but in his Providence, or Works, and that according to his Word: And if it be ſaid, that we find both Promiſes and Threatnings in the Word of God, which never were accompliſhed, but God did otherwiſe; the Anſwer is ready, viz. That God often reveals Himſelf to Men in conditional Promiſes and Threatnings: If therefore the Condition ceaſe, the Truth of the Word doth ſtand, though the Thing it ſelf be not done: So David underſtood the Promiſe, 1 Chron. 28.6, 7. And he ſaid unto me, Solomon thy ſon, he ſhall build my houſe, and my courts: for I have choſen him to be my ſon, and I will be his father. Moreover, I will eſtabliſh his kingdom for ever, if he be conſtant to do my commandments, and my judgments, as to this day. And ſo God himſelf tells us he would have the Threatning to be interpreted, Jer. 18.7, 8. At what inſtant I ſhall ſpeak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull …, and to deſtroy it: If that nation againſt whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to … unto them.
(5.) THAT God doth all things Exactly, as he hath ſpoken. The Execution is not varied from the Expreſſion: He doth not come ſhort … his Word, in the Performance: We have Solomon acknowledging of this, 1 King. 8.56. Bleſſe… be the Lord, that hath given reſt unto his people Iſrael, according to all that he promiſed: the… hath not failed one word of all his good promiſe, which he promiſed by the hand of Moſes his ſervant. And this is to be obſerved not only as to the Subſtance, but alſo the very Circumſtances of things; and this both in Predictions, Promiſes, and Threatnings: If we ſhall in particular take notice of the Predictions concerning Chriſt; How many things, which may to us look like minute Circumſtances, and yet in the Goſpel we ſhall find manifold references to the Old Teſtament in ſuch things as theſe, to certify us, how exactly God is carefull in performing the Truth of his Word; and how he orders all things ſo as to bring it about: God's Promiſe to Abraham was not only about the Thing, but the Time too; and ſee what a Remark Moſes makes upon it, Exod. 12.41. And it came to paſs at the end of the four hundred & thirty years, even the ſelf-ſame day it came to paſs, that all the …olts of the Lord wnt out from the land of Egypt. If it be here Objected, that … Propheſied Nineveh's Deſtruction in Forty Days, which yet was adjourned. Forty Years; It may readily be anſwered that Forty Prophetical Days, which are Years, might be intended, tho' Jo…h underſtood it not; or the Threatning might be Co… …, and the general Repentance and Reformation it put them upon might be a length…ing out of their Tranquillity; which neither altered God's Purpoſe, not impaired the Truth of his Word.
(6.) THAT God hath not ſo much as the … Inclination in him to vary from his Word. The Pſalmiſt ſpeaks of Truth in the inward parts. Men may perform their Obligations, becauſe they cannot with Honour or Safety omit ſo doing when yet they have many Reluctances and Strivings in them, inclining them ſo to do, if they could; which is a ſecret Evidence that there is a great deal of Falſeneſs in their Hearts: But with God there is no ſuch thing: He never ſo much as entertains o… Thought in him to do otherwiſe: He doth not … his Word meerly becauſe he hath Given it, but he gave it becauſe he reſolved to fulfill it; and it pleaſeth him always; he takes a Delight and is fully ſatisfied in it: As he cannot, ſo he will not Repent: His Heart is in all he doth. When therefore the Scripture faith, He doth not do a thing willingly, as L…. 3.33. it is ſpoken after the Manner of Men, and only intends that he doth it not without juſt Cauſe, and ſufficient Reaſons moving him thereto. And in theſe things doth the Truth of God ſhine out to us:
USE 1. LEARN hence, How ſafe it is to be under the Promiſes, and how dangerous to be under the Threatnings of God. The Word of God is full of great and precious Promiſes, which contain in them compleat and perfect Happineſs; and here lies the Safety of the Children and Heirs of the Promiſe, that when once they come to be under them, and have …en God engaged to them, they can never fail, becauſe they have the Truth of God Yet as a Seal to them: This is the Encouragement, 1 Theſ. 5.24. Faithful is he that calleth you, who alſo will do it. And this is the Conſolation of Believers, Heb. 6.18. That by two immutable things, in which it was impoſſible for God to lie, … might have ſtrong conſolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope for before us. If God hath once paſt his Word to your Souls, and His Spirit given his Teſtimony, that you are the Sons of God; never fear, His Truth ſtands to pawn for your Salvation: Hath he wrought the Condition in you; your Salvation is then ſecured: They horribly injure this Attribute, who ſay a Child of God may loſe his Hope. There are alſo fearfull Threatnings menaced by God in his Word againſt ungodly Men; and here lies the Terror of them, God ſpeaks as he intends. He would not have Men to pleaſe themſelves with an Opinion, that theſe are but to fright them, and never purpoſed to be executed upon them: See how he backs his Menaces againſt Soul, 1 Sam. 15.2…. And alſo the ſtrength of Iſrael will …, nor repent: for he is not a man that he ſhould repent. And how dangerous a thing is it for Men to preſume he will not be as Good as his Word, we find in that particular Threatning, Deut. 29 19, 20. And it come to paſs when … …eareth the words of this curſe, that he bleſs himſelf in his heart, ſaying, I ſhall have peace, tho' I walk in the imagination …f mine …ear…, to … drunkenneſs to thir…: The Lord will … ſpare him, but then the anger of the Lord, and his jealouſy ſhall ſmoke againſt that man, and all the curſes that are written … this book ſhall He upon him, and the Lord ſhall … out his name from …er heaven. It is true, God hath graciouſly left the Door of Repentance open for Sinners to eſcape; but there is no other way. If God be true, let Sinners then be afraid of coming under his dreadful Threatnings.
USE 2. HENCE one have good Encouragement is Believe for the Church of God. Chriſt's Flock indeed, …eeds upon the Mountain of Lion…, and Hill of Leopards, and they ly open to no little Danger by reaſon of this; but the Word of God is ſo full for it, that there is a Day of Deliverance a coming; and the Predictions there do give us ſufficient Footſteps to trace, which may aſſure us, that the time for Accompliſhment of this cannot be far off; and what tho the Face of Providence be covered with Clouds and Darkneſs, yet the Word of Propheſy is ſure: That God is able to give being to his Word, is witneſſed to by his Omnipotency; and that he will certainly do it, is ratified by his Truth: This therefore affords ſure Footing for our Faith: When therefore John had his Revelations about theſe Great things, he had that given him for his Confirmation, Rev. 19.9. And he ſaith unto me, Write, Bleſſed are they which are called unto the marriage-ſupper of the Lamb. And he ſaith unto me, theſe are the true ſayings of God.
USE 3. BE we exhorted to Imitate God in this Attribute. As he is a God of Truth himſelf, ſo he loveth Truth in his People, Pſal. 51.6. Behold, thou deſireſt truth in the inward parts—. And on the contrary, he hates and abhors Lying, and hath fearfully threatned it, Rev 21.8. — And all liars, ſhall have their part in the lake which barns with fire & brimſtone: which is the ſecond death. Let us then abſtain from l…ying, Diſſembling, Deceitfulneſs either in Words or Deeds, as we would not pull down Divine Diſpleaſure upon our ſelves. And let Children and Young ones beware of this Sin: Be afraid of telling a Lye; the true God will be for fully Angry with you if you addict your ſelves to Falſhood; you mend no Fault by it, but make two of one: Remember, you are naturally addicted to it, you are born with … Lye in your Mouth, Pſal. 58.3. The …ked are … from the …, they go aſtray … as they be born, ſpeaking lies. You muſt then pray with David, Pſal. 119 29. Remove from … of lying—. Get a Love to the Truth, and a Hatred to every falſe Word and Way; and ſo God will Love you; Uprightneſs and Integrity ſhall preſerve you; and you ſhall be called the Children of God, and His Truth ſhall make you Happy.
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