05.25. In what God's glorious attribute of truth
In what God’s glorious Attribute of Truth is
manifested.
1. In his works both of creation and providence; and that both in his common and more ordinary works of providence, in preserving and governing the creatures; and extraordinary ones, such as the glorious work of redemption, his great and miraculous operations, and the wonderful preservations of and deliverances granted to his church and people when exposed to the greatest dangers. God is true in all these; as Psalms 111:7-8. ’The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.’ Psalms 25:10. ’All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth.’ It is a part of the church’s song, Revelation 15:3. ’Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Revelation 16:7. ’Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.’ All God’s works are true and real things, not chimeras or appearances. He executes true judgments, grants true deliverances, works true miracles; his mercies are true mercies, and his comforts are true comforts. He does not deceive or delude his people with vain shows and appearances.
4. In his word. His word is most pure truth. ’Thy word is truth,’ says our Saviour, John 17:17. And,
(1.) God is true in all the doctrines which he hath revealed. There is no flaw nor corruption in any of them. They are all the true form of sound words. And especially he is true in the doctrines of the gospel. Hence we read of the ’ truth of the gospel,’ Galatians 2:5.; and the gospel is called ’the word of truth,’ Ephesians 1:13. Some of the doctrines revealed there are above the reach of human reason, as the doctrines of the glorious and adorable Trinity, the union of the two natures in the person of Christ, and the mystical union between him and believers. But though they cannot be comprehended by reason, they are not contrary to it.
(2.) In the historical narratives which he hath recorded in his word, as those of the creation, the fall of man, the drowning of the old world with the deluge, the incarnation of Christ, the many miracles which he wrought, his life and bloody death, &c. In these and other historical relations which we have in the word of God, there is no lie nor mistake at all. Hence Luke says, in his preface to his history, Luke 1:3-4. ’It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, that thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed.’
(3.) In his prophetical predictions. None of them fail or come short of their accomplishment, but they are all fulfilled in their season. A man may foretell such things as depend on natural causes, as rain and snow, heat and cold, the eclipses of the sun and moon, &c. But things are foretold in the scriptures which are merely contingent, depending upon the free grace of God, or the free will of man, as the rejecting of the Jews, the calling of the Gentiles, &c. None of its predictions have fallen to the ground. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but his words shall not pass away. The Lord tells the prophet, The vision is for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie,’ Habakkuk 2:3. And after divers prophetical predictions, it is said, Revelation 22:6. These sayings are faithful and true.’
(4.) In his commands. All his commands are faithful, and his law is truth. All his precepts which he has given us are counterparts of his own heart, real copies of his approving will. The matter of them is exactly consonant to his holiness, and most acceptable and well-pleasing in his sight. God approves of all that he commands : so that his precepts are a true and perfect rule of holiness, without any flaw or defect.
(5.) In his threatenings. They are always accomplished in their season; not one of them shall fail. Says the Lord to the Jews, by the prophet, Zechariah 1:6. ’Did not my word take hold of your fathers?’ And the apostle Paul tells us, Romans 2:2. ’We are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.’ It is true, indeed, some threatenings are conditional, and to be understood with the exception of repentance; so that unfeigned repentance and reformation prevents the execution of them; as is clear in the case of Nineveh, and from Jeremiah 18:7-8. ’At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, 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 do unto them.’ But Divine threatenings will surely be executed upon impenitent and incorrigible sinners.
(6.) In his promises. All the promises are yea and amen, i. e. there shall be an infallible accomplishment of them. Therefore promised blessings are called sure mercies, Isaiah 55:3. ’Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.’ And the gospel, which is the compend of all the promises, is often called the word of truth. God’s people have found the truth of the promises many times in their comfortable experience. Says Joshua to the Israelites, Joshua 23:14. ’ Ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.’ Joshua was now about to die, and therefore could not be supposed to feign and dissemble; and he appeals to their own consciences, ’Ye know,’ &c. And Solomon speaks to the same purpose, 1 Kings 8:56. ` Blessed be the Lord, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised : there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant. All the promises which he hath made to his people shall have their accomplishment in due time. Now, the truth of God is most frequently taken in this sense in scripture, and in this his faithfulness doth peculiarly consist. And,
(1.) This truth and faithfulness of God shines with peculiar lustre in accomplishing the many promises recorded in the holy scriptures; such as that made to Abraham concerning his seed, that, after their sojourning in a strange land four hundred and thirty years, they should come out again with great substance; which was punctually fulfilled, as Moses tells us, Exodus 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.’ Such also was the accomplishment of the promise relating to the return of the Israelites from the Babylonish captivity after seventy years. No length of time nor distance of place can wear the remembrance of his promise from the Divine mind. ’ He remembered his holy promise,’ says the Psalmist, ’ and Abraham his servant,’ Psalms 105:42.
(2.) In accomplishing the promises concerning the Messiah. So it is said, Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ; grace in regard of our pardon, and truth in regard of the promise of God, This appears in performing the promise of Christ’s incarnation after so many revolutions of time, and many expectations of his coming, and many contrary appearances, and long stay of four thousand years after the first promise. After all this, God made good his word, by sending his Son into the world.---It appears in performing the promise of his death and sufferings. God passed his word to the church, that his Son should suffer death and the wrath of God for elect sinners. And having once passed his word for this, he would not spare him. Rather than God should break his word, his own dear Son must suffer a painful, shameful, and cursed death in his body, and the wrath of God in his innocent soul.---It appears in performing the promise of his resurrection from the dead. God had said, he would not leave his soul in hell, [the state of the dead], nor suffer his holy One to see corruption. This prophecy and promise was accordingly fulfilled : for he was raised from the dead in solemn triumph. Angels attended his resurrection, and the earth trembled and shook, as a sign of triumph and a token of victory; by which Christ intimated to the whole world, that he had overcome death in his own dominions, and lifted up his head as a glorious conqueror over all his enemies. It was promised that he should rise from the dead on the third day : and this was made good to a tittle
(3.) In fulfilling his promises, when great difficulties and seeming improbabilities lay in the way of their accomplishment. Thus God promised to give Abraham a son, and he made it good, though Sarah was barren, and both Abraham and she were past age. Again, he brought back the captives from Babylon, though the thing seemed most improbable, and many great difficulties lay in the way. Difficulties are for men not for God. ’Is any thing too hard for Jehovah?’ Genesis 18:14. See Zechariah 8:6. He is not tied to the rod of human probabilities. He will turn nature upside-down, rather than not be as good as his word.
(4.) In fulfilling promises to his people, when their hopes and expectations have been given up. See instances, Ezekiel 37:11. ’Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel : behold they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost : we are cut off for our parts.’ Isaiah 49:14. ’But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me,’ There may be much unbelief in good men, their faith may be sorely staggered. Yet God is faithful and true. Men may question his promise, but God cannot deny himself,
2 Timothy 2:13. ’If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful; he cannot deny himself.’
(5.) God’s truth and faithfulness in keeping promise is confirmed by testimonies given to it by the saints in all ages. They have all set to their seal that God is true. They have all borne witness for God, and attested his unspotted faithfulness to the generations that were to come. See instances, Deuteronomy 7:9. Joshua 23:14, 1 Kings 8:56. Psalms 146:6. All learned men are for experiments : now, the saints in all ages have made experiments upon God’s word of promise, and have always found him to be true and faithful. ’The word of the Lord is tried,’ says the Psalmist. None that relied on his promise were ever disappointed.
We may here also take a short view of the grounds of God’s faithfulness. There are divers glorious attributes and perfections of the Divine nature, upon which his truth and faithfulness in keeping promise is built, as so many strong and unshaken pillars. As,
1. His perfect knowledge of all things past. His knowledge is called ’ a book of remembrance,’ Malachi 3:16 to signify the continual presence of all things past before him. Men do often break their word, because they forget their promise; but forgetfulness cannot befal a God of infinite knowledge. He will ever be mindful of his covenant, and remember his holy covenant and promises, as the Psalmist speaks.
2. His immutability. Though men in making promises may have a real purpose to perform them, yet they may afterwards change their mind. But God is always firm to his purpose, and cannot change his mind, because of his unchangeable nature. Malachi 3:6. ’For I am the Lord, I change not ; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed;’ James 1:17 ’Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.’ Again, men are often inconsiderate in making promises, and do often meet with what they did not foresee. But all events are eternally foreseen by God. So all his promises are made with infinite wisdom and judgment. To this purpose is that promise, Hosea 2:19. ’I will betroth thee unto me for ever, yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies.
3. His power. Whatsoever he hath promised to his people, he is able to perform it. Sometimes men falsify their promise, and cannot make good their word through a defect of power. But God never out-promised himself. He can do whatsoever he pleased to do. It is said, Psalms 135:6. ’ Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven and in earth,’ &c. Yea, all things are possible with God. This was the foundation of Abraham’s faith, which kept it from staggering at the thoughts of the improbabilities which lay in the way of the accomplishment of the promises, Romans 4:21. ’ And being fully persuaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform.’ In the case of civil debts, many a man cannot keep his promise, because others break to him. But though the whole creation should break, God is as able as ever. Hence the prophet says, Habakkuk 3:17-18, Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat, the flock shall he cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls : Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.’ Believers in Christ can never be undone, though the whole creation should disband and go into ruin.
4. His holiness. Some men are so wicked and malicious, that though they can, yet they will not keep their word. But it is not so with God. He cannot be charged with any wickedness; for there is no unrighteousness in him, Psalms 92:15 by reason of the perfect holiness of his nature. It is impossible for him to lie. The deceitfulness and treachery that is to be found in men, flows from the corruption that is lodged in their hearts : but the Divine nature is infinitely pure and holy. ’God is not a man, that he should lie, neither the son of man that he should repent; hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?’ Numbers 23:19.
5. His justice and righteousness. A man by virtue of a promise hath a right to the thing promised; so that it is his due; and justice requires to give every one their due. So God by his promise makes himself a debtor, and his justice obliges him to pay. Hence it is said, 1 John 1:9. ’God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.’ He is faithful to pardon, as he hath promised it; and faithful in keeping promise, because he is just. Though it was his goodness and mercy to make the promise, yet his justice binds him to make it good. It is true, when God makes himself a debtor by his promise, it is indeed a debt of grace; yet it is a debt which it is just for God to pay. Therefore his word of promise is called the word of. his righteousness,’ Psalms 119:123.
6. The glory and honour of his name may give us full assurance of his faithfulness in making good his promises. He doth all things for his own glory; and therefore, wherever you find a promise, the honour of God is given as security for the performance of it. Hence his people plead this as a mighty argument to work for them. So Joshua, Joshua 7:9. ’What wilt thou do unto thy great name? q. d. ’0 Lord, thy honour is a thousand times more valuable than our lives. It is not much matter what become of us. But, 0! it is of infinite importance that the glory of thy name be secured, and thy faithfulness kept pure and unspotted in the world. We find Moses pleading to the same purpose, Exodus 32:11-12.
Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt, with great power, and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people;’---q. d. ’It will be sad enough for the hands of the Egyptians to fall upon thy people; but infinitely worse for the tongues of the Egyptians to fall upon thy name.’ In a word, the glory of all God’s attributes is engaged for the performance of his promises, especially his faithfulness and power. Now, these are strong pillars upon which God’s truth and faithfulness in keeping promise is built. He can as soon cease to be omniscient, unchangeable, omnipotent, infinitely just and holy, as he can cease to be true and faithful. He can as soon divest himself of his glory, and draw an eternal veil over all the shining perfections and excellencies of his nature, as cease to be faithful and true.