CXLI. SERM. (2.) We may confider threatenings with relation to the event, and as predictions; and as to the accomplishment of thefe, there feems to be a greater degree of neceffity, because the honour of God's knowledge, and power, and truth feem to be concerned in them; for if his word be not fulfilled, it muft either be for want of knowledge to foresee events, or power to bring them to país, or conftancy to his word. Now if we confider threatenings with refpect to the event, as they are predictions of future judgments, I think all the other inftances may be satisfied, by laying down this rule for the understanding of them, viz. "That all prophetical threat"enings or predictions of judgments are to be under"ftood with this tacit condition, if there do not in"tervene the humiliation, and repentance, and prayer "of the perfons against whom the judgment is "threatened; and if fo, 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. xviii. 7, 8. I come now to the laft thing I propofed, to make fome use of this doctrine. First, If God be a "GOD of truth," then this gives us affurance 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 any thing we know, veracity of GOD, we might, for ftandings, 1 CXLI. ftandings, to be then most of all deceived, when SERM. we think ourselves to be moft certain; I fay, no man could be affured of the contrary, but from hence, because veracity and truth is a divine perfection; and therefore God cannot be the author of error and delufion. Therefore we may be affured, that the frame of our understanding 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 neceffary to our happiness. Secondly, If GOD be "a GOD of truth," then there is reason why we should believe and affent to whatever we are fatisfied is revealed to us by God. A divine revelation is a fufficient ground for the moft firm affent; for this very thing, that any thing is revealed by GOD, is the highest evidence, and ought to give us the moft firm affurance of the truth of it. Hence it is, that the word of God is called "the word of truth," yea, "truth itself," John xvii. 17. "Thy word is truth." Therefore whoever entertains the fcriptures as the word of God, and is fatisfied of the divine authority of them, ought, in reason, to believe every thing contained in them, yea, though there be fome things of which no reasonable account can be given, and which our reafon and understanding cannot give us particular fatisfaction in; yet, because we are fatiffied that they are revealed by GOD, "who cannot "lie;" whose knowledge is infallible, and whose word is true, we ought, upon this higher and fuperior reason, to yield a firm affent to the truth of them: if we do not, we difhonour this perfection of GoD, and rob him of this effential property, his veracity, 1 John v. 10." he that believeth on the fon of GoD, "hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not "GOD, O 3 CXLI. SERM." GOD, hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of his fon." As, on the other hand, if we do believe what God hath revealed, we glorify this perfection of his, and fet our seal to his veracity. So it is faid of Abraham, Rom. iv. 20, That "he was ftrong in faith, giving "glory to God." And St, John the baptift, fpeaking concerning our SAVIOUR, faith, John iii. 33. "He that hath received his testimony, hath set to "his feal, that God is true." Thirdly, if God be "a GOD of truth," and faithful in performing his promife, then here is a firm foundation of our hope and truft. If God have made any promise, we may fecurely rely upon it, that it fhall be made good; we may "hold faft" our hope "without wavering, because he is faithful who hath "promifed," Heb, x. 23. Hence it is that the bleffings of GOD's covenant are called "fure mer"cies," Ifa, lv. 3. We attribute much to the word of a faithful friend, and look upon the promise of an honest man as very good fecurity; but men may fail us when we rely upon them; but "GOD is true," though" all men "fhould prove liars." Men are fickle and mutable; but the nature of God is fixed, he cannot fail thofe that truft 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. vii. 25, &c. Only we should be careful to perform the condition which is required on our part, Heb. iv. 1. we should "take heed, left a promise being left us, any "one should come fhort of it," by not performing the condition; for that doth release and discharge him of the promise; and he is faithful, though he doth だ CXLI. doth not perform what he promised, because he did SER M. not promife, but upon condition: and this feems to be the meaning of those words, 2 Tim. ii. 13. "If "we believe not, yet he abideth faithful, he cannot ર ; Now if we have fuch affurance, we may trust him This fhould make us alfo "patient in hope:" if art thou cast down, Omy foul? and why art thou difquieted within me? Hope thou in GoD; for I "fhall yet praise him, who is the health of my "countenance, and my God." Fourthly, the truth of GOD is matter of terror to the wicked. All the threatenings of temporal evils may justly be expected, because their fins deserve them, and there is no condition implied in them, upon which thou canft reasonably hope for the avoiding or abating of the evils threatened, but of humiliation and repentance; and if, notwithstanding these threatenings, 0 4 CXLI. tr SER M. threatenings, thou continueft in thy fins, and “ bles"feft thyself, faying, I fhall have peace, though "thou walk in the imaginations of thy heart;" by this very thing thou provokeft the juftice of GOD, "not to fpare thee," and makeft" his wrath and "his jealousy to smoke against thee;" and if thou continueft impenitent, however he may defer the execution of temporal evils, his truth and veracity is concerned to inflict eternal punishments upon thee; for "he hath fworn in his wrath," that fuch " shall "not enter into his reft." Fifthly, let us propound to ourselves 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 falfhood 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 fpeaketh a lie, it is of his σε own; for he is a liar, and the father of it." John viii. 44.. One of the moft natural notions that we have of religion is, that it is to imitate GOD, and to endeavour to be like him, fo far as we are capable; and to contradict any of the divine excellencies and perfections, is the highest fin; because it is against the cleareft dictates of our mind, and contrary to those principles which are most deeply rooted in our nature, No man can be cruel and unmerciful, falfe and treacherous, without a very high degree of guilt; because these fins are contrary to the chiefest and most effential perfections of GOD. Lying is a fin that would fly in the face of an heathen, because it directly contradicts those natural notions which every man hath of GOD and religion; therefore we find that there |