I have answeres to these few ensuing questions that I may have a better opinion if it be meete I should of that ruffling generation that are gotten into these Arminian tenents First whether God Foreknew this truth from eternity of each Sonne and Daughter of Adam numerically personally and by name that such a one and such a one should beleeve and be saved and such and such remaine in unbeliefe and be damned Secondly according to the matter in hand which put me upon this digression whether this were first a truth before God knew it and so passed into the foreknowledge of God Tam impossibile est Deum falli circa rem minutissimam verbi gratia circa cogitationes aut intentiones cordis humani minimus ejus circumstantias quam est ipso scribite illum falli circa propriam essentiam Less de perf div 50. as the Metaphysicall truth of the thing to cause a logicall truth in Gods understanding Thirdly in general whether the intitive knowledge of God extending it selfe to creatures may in any sort be said or thought to depend and draw truth from them so as to move the divine mind and to forme knowledge in it Fourthly what difference is in God betweene his foreknowledge and purpose Fifthly whether it can stand with the wisdom of God to purpose salvation alike to all and yet to know that only such and such as he foreknew should receive it Sixthly What difference there is in God between knowledge and foreknowledge And when I shall be satisfied about these quaeries which I suppose wil not soon be done I shall perhaps encline to think Pelagians Arminians Generalists as they now would be called have taken paines to know God according to Scripture discoveries concerning his infinite al-knowing al-ordering al-wise Quid est praescientia futurorum quid autem futurum est Deo quia omnia supergreditur tempora Si enim res ipsas in scientia habet non sunt ei futurae sed praesentes at per hoc non jam praescientia sed tantum scientia dici potest August lib. 2. ad simplician al-powerfull al-just al-good and al-mercifull essence But to go on a little more upon this logicall sort of truth in things that are not in esse there is not properly truth but it may be there before the world was made man was not in himselfe true man nor substance nor being but only he might be these that is it was not contrary to that objective conception which is apprehended in the formall notion of a man and abstracted from both esse actu non esse But in the divine intellect and by his eternall notion by which all things are apprehended and formed the totum esse of all things was no other thing but to be understood to be fashioned and formed in the divine intellect But things may be said to be possible or in posse esse in a double respect First as it were from an intrinsecall potentialitie which is no other thing but a non-repugnancy by meanes hereof although there be nothing and that it have in it nothing of entity yet it is not repugnant to them to be and to have a true entitie shape and form Secondly a thing may be said to be possible by extrinsecall denomination from the divine power and wisdom by which they may be brought forth in to beeing Therefore as in these there is no actuall entitie but only possible so no actual truth but one possible and this wholy how little-soever dependeth upon divine veritie For that the objective conceptions of things or the things which are said to be possible may be truly things and have a true entitie and form commeth herehence that the divine essence is imitable in those manners and measures and by the same wisdome with which they were conceived they may be made and formed Ye see then truth in God is the first root from whence all truth is hatched and derived to all other things whether existing or not existing and that divine wisdom is the measure of all objective veritie in created things In oculis divinae sapientiae noÌ„minus lucient possibilia quam existentia Yet doth not the evidence of things or any efficacy from them form knowledge in God but by reason of Gods comprehending essence Yet we may say it is a condition sive qua non For Gods knowledge would not be terminated or directed to particular existences if this will had not beene they should have beene I have but a word more and I have done Divine knowledge is not terminated to things existing but extended to futuritiones yea to possibles that neither are in praesenti nor ever shall be hereafter Of all logicall truthes take this for a most certaine rule Note That the Lord truly and according to the very truth of things avoucheth whatsoever he avoucheth and that without any the least errour or mistake whatsoever All the teachings of God are teachings of truth And therefore John saith 1 Ep. 4.2 Beloved Vse 1 believe not every spirit but trie the spirits whether they be of God because many false prophets are gone out into the world We must take heed how we receive doctrines hand over head from those that stand in the place of Gods ministers and professe their zeal in seeking our salvation The Beraeans are justly commended because they did not instantly believe those things which they heard from the Apostles themselves but first searched the Scriptures to see whether they were so or no. What folly and madnesse is it to believe the Devill and our flesh who are notorious lyers that seldome speake the truth and when they do it is with a purpose to deceive And so also we had need take heed as of false doctrines so of misapplied doctrines whereby truths in themselves become lies to us As if Sathan Suggest that we are in a good estate when we are not or that we be hypocrites when we are sincere or that we may be negligent in holy duties as many poore soules now adayes are deluded by the Devill to the laying aside of divine ordinances to the great perill of their souls But our word is Emunatho his truth or verassitie his stabilitie and firmnesse in all that he saith His ethicall truth as I may call it This heere only at least principally David meanes It is most true that in men ethicall truth is either to speake truth without lying Or to promise with their mouth what they intâ—nd without dissimulation or to fulfill what they have promised and said they will do This latter I purpose to treate of the answerablenesse of Gods doings and dealings Doct. to all that he saith he will do Hence learne That truth and faithfullnes is an attribute of God And this said to be to all generations That is for ever and without alteration God is faithfull and true and unalterably in all times makes good whatsoever he hath said and promised If it be objected
that after this life when all promises are fulfilled Obj. there is no use of fidelity I Answer that we may distinguish the property from the exercise of it or else and rather This I say Sol. to all eternity there is use of Gods fidelity for that his saints continue in their blessednes is by vertue of his promise and fidelity where some also have said there is some kind of faith that lasts in heaven which they call the faith of depency This truth I say will stand when all that oppose it or slight it shall fall and such as doubt of it shall be without Fides depenetiae Numb 23.19 God is not a man that he should ly nor the sonne of man that he should repent shall he say and not do or shall he speake and not make it good Malachy 3.6 For I am the Lord I change not therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed And the Apostle James saith with him is no varablenesse nor shadow of turning Deut. 7.9 Know therefore that the Lord thy God he is God the faithfull God which keepeth Covenant mercy with them that love him c. Proofs are plentifull in the history of the Scriptures Gods truth and faithfullnes is the ground of the Saints security and the sinners destruction And this must needs be in God who first knows what hee saies to be good and fit and truth in a logicall sence of which ye have already heard and therefore he need not repent he hath no after thoughts And Secondly He hates and threatens and punisheth the want of faithfulnes in others Ezekiell 17.15 16. Shall he prosper shall he escape that doth such things or shall he breake the covenant and be delivered As I live saith the Lord God surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king whose oath he despised and whose covenant he brake even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall dy Now put these two together First What God saith is so good and true according to the just rule as that he hath no cause to alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth Secondly that he hates and punisheth faithfullnes and want of truth in others and it will be surely concluded that God is a God of truth and faithfullnes Now what God saith is either by way of menace or promise as may be abundantly read in Scripture and of both it is true as it is written of the law Mat. 5.18 One jot or title shall in no wise passe from it till all be fulfilled God watcheth over his word to perform it It is a note of Mr. Capel upon the fifth verse of the first of Zachary Your fathers where are they and the Prophets do they live for ever That the power of Truth of Gods word depends not on any mens persons nor is limited to one age Their Fathers were dead that were threatned and the Prophets were dead too that did threaten them but the truth of their prophesies was not buried with them but was in every point fulfilled according to their preaching That follows v. 6. But my words and my statutes which I commanded my servants the Prophets did they not take hold of your Fathers And they returned and said like as the Lord of hoasts thought to do unto us according to our ways according to our doings so hath he dealt with us It is confessed by them selves the hand of God upon them did draw a confession from them that they were punished as God had threatned as they had deserved and they returned that is were convinced better advised as Mal. 3.18 Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Men will know one day to their sorrow that God is a God of truth not a word goes out of his mouth but is exactly performed Yea circumstances exactly observed ye find Gen. 15.13 a promise made to Abram that after foure hundred yeares his seed should be freed and come out of the land of Bondage with great substance And compare that place with Exod. 12.41 And ye shall find great exactnes And it came to passe at the end of the foure hundred and thirty yeares even the selfe same day it came to passe that all the hosts of the Lord went out of the land of Aegypt The Lord is most true yea truth it selfe And all his promises in Christ are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 He is a faithfull witnes and whatsoever he hath spoken shall be accomplished so that though the heavens decay and wax old like a garment though the sunne lose his light and the moone be turned into blood though the earth tremble and quake and the foundations of the mountaines be moved and shake yea though heaven and earth and all things therein contained perish and pass a way yet all that God hath threatned or promised shall be accomplished God is Jehovah he hath his essence and beeing in and from himselfe alone giveth beeing unto all things else especially to his word and promises And therefore for the First Use Let the people of God be confident upon this truth of God Light is sowen for the righteous and Vse 1 joyfull gladnesse for the upright in heart Psalme 97.11 And Gods Testimonies are very sure Psalme 93.5 He hath promised to all beleevers and repentant sinners that he will in Christ Jesus pardon all their sinnes and will receive them into his grace and favour and that he will be a sunne and shield to them and that no good thing will he withhold from them And therefore let us believe and rest upon our Saviour Christ alone for salvation truly repenting us of all our sinnes and build upon Gods truth that though our sinnes be never so many and grievious yet the Lord will pardon and forgive them and though our distresses and misery be never so great and woefull yet he can and therefore will because he is a God of truth deliver us from all Truth and faithfulnes is one of Gods names a part of his title let us not therfore call it into question it is a great dishonor to God It is an errour in the foundation to subsistitute fals objects either in religion or in christian conversation We must not build upon works but rely upon promises made by the God of truth God can neither endure fals objects nor a double object His faithfulnes or truth must be our shield buckler And therefore in the second place Ps 91.4 this reproves our doubtings somtimes churlish enough concerning the truth faithfulnes Vse 2 of our gratious God who yet is ever will be without falshood Titus 1.2 A God that cannot ly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet is often charged with breach of promise to his children by his very children 2 Pet. 3.4 5. If only scoffers walking after their owne lusts should say where is the promise of his
at all and why shewed in two Reasons 109 Diverse effects and acts of mercy 1. the Incarnation of Christ ib. 2. the Revelation of Gods mind by him 111 That the world was full of ignorance sin when Christ came ib 3. Christ given a Copy for all good life and conversation 112. 4. Freedome from the guilt of sin 113 from liking lying in sin 114 5. Freedome from eternal destruction ib. 6. The grace of Adoption in which foure Things are considered The state God hath taken us from The state to which he hath brought us The good which thereupon we do expect The means whereby this is effected 115 7. The benefits of all Christs Merits 116 8. The pouring out of the spirit of grace 117 9. The sweetnesse of Ordinances ibid. 10. Particular vouchsafements 118 11. Communion with God 116 12. Life everlasting ibid. Vse 1. Then mankind is miserable 120 Vse 2. Not to dispair in our afflictions and Miseries 121 Vse 3. Nor of salvation though we fall into grievous sins 122 Vse 4. Let us render unto God the honor due unto his name 123 Four things are due to God 1 To be mindfull of his mercies 124 2 Love to God who is worthy of it 125 3 We should yield obedience and service to God ibid. 4 The praises of God should be in our mouthes ibid. Vse 5. Let us be mercifull as our father which is in heaven is mercifull 126 Here are three Motives 1 Such shall finde mercy 2 Their seed are blessed 3 It is attainable if you desire it ibid. The second Proposition That Mercy is Communicable ibid. Made good by three Reasons ibidem Vse 1. Unmercifull men want a very glorious and commendable thing ibid Illustrated in foure thing 1 They are wicked every way 1 They are Covetous 2 Unbelievers 3 They have not the love of God 4 This sin hath much cruelty 127 2 They are cursed persons 3. They are unlike God 4. Unmercifulnesse bars audience of Prayers 128 5. Unmercifulnesse is a kinde of Murther 129 6. It is a shrewd signe of Reprobation ibid. 7. Their end doleful that have no Mercy ib. Vse 2. An exhortation to be mercifull as God is mercifull ibid. Three Motives 1. It is a blessed thing 2. Ye give to Christ 3. God will not dy in your debt 130. Three directions given for the obtaining this merciful property ibid. The third proposition of the infinitnes c. of Gods Mercy 131 Many admirable sayings of Gods mercy 1. God enclines to it 2. It is delightfull to him 3. He doth multiply to shew mercy 4. He will be exalted to shew mercy Lastly It is his proper work 132 Vse 1. Then there is no want of Mercy in God 133 Vse 2. Let us trust in this mercifull God for ever 134 Choice mercies are not to be found out of the Church 135 Unbelivers are flatly excluded from these mercies 136 The Sixth Attribute Of the Truth of God THe diverse acceptations of the word Truth and the severall words used to wit Kosht or Keshet and Emunatho p. 137. That truth generally signifieth the conformitie of a thing to its rule ib. That there are two Positive properties of an entity to wit truth and goodnes 138. That unity is not a property of an entity and why not ib. That Gods being is a fundamentall veritie not a conformitie c. ib. That the word truth is used for conformitie of knowledge to its object 142. That an enunciation logical cannot be true of what is metaphysically false 143. That formal truth in God is from the objective truth of his essence ib. That truth descends from God into creatures by revelation and divine illustration but in God it is not so who is the first formall truth 144. Certain questions are propounded touching Arminian tenents ib. In things that are not in esse there is not properly truth 145. That things are said to be in posse in a double respect and how ibid. That divine knowledge is not terminated to things existing but is extended to futuritious and possibles 146 That God avoucheth logicall truths without the least errour ibid. Vse 1. We must take heed of receiving truths hand over head c. ibid. And as of falsiâ—ies so also of misapplied truthes take heed ibid. A third acceptation of truth according to the word used in the text ibid. Doct. That truth and faithfullnes is an Attribute of God ibid. 2. Reasons given 1. God hath no after thoughts 2. Punisheth faithfulnes in others 147. Gods faithfullnes and truth is either in regard of manners promises 148. Vse 1. Let the people of God be confident upon this truth of God 149. Vse 2. For reproof our doubtings of Gods truth and faithfulnes ibid. That gratious ones somtimes are apt to question Gods truth c. ibid. Misunderstanding or misaplying promises causeth this ibid. That some Promises are made with condition and limitation ibid. That promises are misaplyed sometimes to persons to state and behavior 150. Vse 3. Let sinners know that the God of truth hath threatned 151 Vse 4. Let us learn to be like God to be men of truth ibid. That truth in man hath relation 1 To God 2 To Man 152 2. Proposition That truth is a Communicable attribute ibid. Two Objects about this point answered 153 Vse 1. The fault is not in God that men are fals and faithless ib. 2. We must learn to seek for this quality of truth at the hand of of God by Prayer 154 3. Honest men may take comfort in that they are like God to wit men of truth ibidem Third proposition truth in God is infinite and incomprehensible ibidem Vse 1. To beare up the spirit of Saints against all false dealings in men God is faithfull infinitely 155. Vse 2. A cooling card to all such as have not made God their portion 156. Reader Correct with thy Pen these faults in the First Part. PAge 8. line 7. read floweth p 11. l. 32. r. is p. 28. l. 33. r. at p. 29. l. 6. r. doth l. 15. r. see p. 35. marg r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 34 r. none p. 36 l. 4. r. by and in l. words p. 37.24 in sin besides p. 38. l. 26. God saith one p. 42. mar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 43. r. 43. summis negatum est aliquid addi p. 45. marg ejus p. 58. l. 1. miseries l. 5. they l. 39. extingui p. 60. l. 11. then p. 63. l. 28. see is not by nature l. 31. are of a p 68. l. 4. kindness l. 10. and so Paul p. 70 l. 3. instrument marg eighth p. 71. l. magor p. 72. l. 8. infinite p. 73. l. 31. stature 76. marg peregrinabitur l. 36. now p. 78. l. 11. he is not so at all p. 81. l. 18. produce to any p. 94. l. 31. Heb. 12.24 p. 95.21 that those curses p. 96. l. 20. do revenge p. 105. l. 25. preventing p. 117. l. 8. wholy p 118. marg Luthers sentence
Sublimity for he Reigneth with the highest and most absolute power Also he is great in regard of profundity because he ruleth not only bodies but hearts and ordereth the most inward thoughts and affections of all neither is there any thing so hidden or secret which the rod of his Kingdom and greatness doth not penetrate We may then understand somewhat by this word GREAT of God but must stop our mouths with the close of the Verse Psal 135.3 His greatness is unsearchable or of his greatness there is no search 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew word doth properly signifie finding out or searching after The Septuagint there is no end of his greatness and so the vulgar latine For therefore is no finding out of the greatness of God because the end thereof neither is nor can be found for in deed it is not there is no end of his greatness And therefore in all predications wherein GOD is the subject we must know that their force is in negation and exclusion As when we say God is a Spirit we mean he is not a body when we say he is a spiritual substance we mean he is not a corporeal substance When we say he is he is a substance we mean he is not an accident For properly a substance God cannot be according to the nature of that Lative word for a substance is that that doth stand under accidents and bear them up which asserted of the essence of God is blasphemy Yet is that word substance often attributed to God but by it we mean essence according to the greek word Ousia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Essence or being but in God properly there is neither substance nor accident Objection But this may seem to deny God to be a living God properly and indeed to aver God to be properly neither just nor merciful nor any thing which he is said to be in scripture Solution For clearing up whereof yee must know that God is most properly Life And he is every thing that he is without a Metaphor for he is all that he is of himself He is truly all that the Scripture teacheth and the Saints conceive him to be but not in that manner or measure as men or Angels conceive of him He is all that we think him to be in our minds according to scipture Attributes and infinitely more As now to speak of this Attribute Life as life is considered in the Creature it is a principle of operation but in God all Attributes are his essence and so is his life Remember what I have said and so I shal come out of these briars that we have not words to set out God by and if there were such a language found out it would be worse then greek to us we should not have the capacity to learn it therfore with all humility let us blesse God for those discoveries of himself he hath been pleased to make and for making our ears blessed to hear and our eyes to see so much of God as we do I have but one question to answer and it is upon occasion of my close of the former discourse If it be so Question that God is so hidden that he is so above our reach that such clouds and darkness are round about him that he dwelleth in such eye-dazling unapproachable light why then may some say do you spend so many words about such a subject To whom I answer that if we can catch but one jot of what hath been said and make it our own why then Answ we are made forever if but the lest glimmerings of the living God be afforded to you as your God in Christ and yee are all resolved with David That it is good for you to draw near to him and so yee purpose to do and never to depart from him why then I say let men Ps 73 28 and Devils rage and do what they can yee are alive in God not only as Creatures but as new Creatures yee shal be carried as upon eagles wings yee shal lye in the bosome of Life Your life is hid with Christ in God Collos 3 ◠Wonder not then that I have been so forward to expose my self to censure and to speak of things that are not easily understood in any measure Difficilia quae pulchra There is beauty in these difficulties and something I hope wil stick All wil not I hope run over the narrow-mouth'd bottle O draw neer to this living God Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God They that do so forsake their own mercies Study this Attribute of God spend some time with prayer about it and so much for the Explication as I have been able Come we to the Application First Vses of this Doctrine The first Vse then he is worth the coming unto by those that are yet afar off and worth the keeping and holding fast by such as have him Draw neer to God therefore O yee sinners that are far from him For loe they that are far from thee shal perish saith the Psalmist Psal 73.27 O cast not the law of this living God behind your backs any longer Make not your wil your humors your lusts your Law any more Refuse not the Lord Jesus the Son of the Living God any longer lest he be angry and yee perish in the way Reject not the Ordinances of Life content not your selves with them as dead Ordinances let them be to you the Ordinances of a living God Take heed of a dead faith as all faith is without works Jam 2.17 take heed of worshipping a dead God Such as pretend to believe in God and in works deny him do in effect take away his life their faith is dead their works are dead they have not a lively hope they Worship a dead God Every bodies God is no bodies God A Traditional God every bodies God and that is no bodies God Come to Christ that yee may have God who is life And yee Saints that have him hold him fast and chuse rather to dye a thousand deaths then to forsake the living God Be circumspect take heed saith my Text we are in danger on every side watch over your hearts take heed of an evil heart that is the cause of departing from God If we have good hearts we shal never go away from God it is impossible And then in the next place mark the words that I have read in my Text an evil heart of unbelief What is that makes the heart evil Unbelief this is the cause peoples hearts be evil because they want Faith And if that be a truth that faith which comes by the hearing of the Word is increased daily by it as also by the administration of the Sacraments and prayer Then take heed of throwing away of gospel-Ordinances in these ranting times Perkins 2d principle They that depart from Ordinances depart from God For this
comfort that the worke of grace is begun in you already The work I say is begun and he that hath begun that good work will perfect it unto the day of Jesus Christ Never was there a soule that groaned after holines sincerity that ever perished for the want of it These groanes could not be but by the spirit of Christ and where the Spirit of Christ is there is Christs dwelling and where Christ dwelleth there is true faith You that desire holines that hunger and thirst after righteousnes are pronounced blessed You are in Christs schoole though but in the lowest forme Vse 3 Motives Thirdly this may provoke you to holy desires and endeavours seeing holines is to be had and God both commands it Motive 1 and directs you what to do to obtaine it Lev. 20.7.8 Sanctifie Motive 2 your selves therefore and be ye holy for I am the Lord your God And ye shall keep my Statutes and do them I am the Lord which sanctifie Motive 3 you And moreover the Lord hath promised that they that ask shall have that they that seeke shall finde and that to them that knock it shall be opened Math. 7.7 And yet again consider the Motive 4 great danger if we dy without holines Without it we cannot see God Heb. 12.14 no holines no heaven And therefore upon these and such like considerations we should be stirred up to put to it to the purpose and labour to be holy as God is holy I am loath to leave this point therefore for an other motive Motive 5 consider that man that desires to do a thing and hath probable means as a good rule a good coppie hath great ground of hope that he shall obtaine what he would have and attaine unto that which he laboureth for Now Beloved what a copy have we to walke by Even the Lord Jesus Christ who is sent from heaven to us that we might writ after him God its true is a coppy Be ye holy for I am holy But that indeed was a very hard one for us to writ by But now he hath given us a living law in the Lord Jesus who is made unto us of him wisdome and righteousnes and sanctification c. 1 Cor. 1.30 Now he hath given us his owne son to draw out every letter before our eies that so we might the better write after him Good men be blessings whose examples are to be followed but there is no man so good but hath his faylings and defects But now Christ hath neither spot nor wrinckle nor any such thing in him for he is full of knowledge and likewise of the feare of the Lord. All sorts may learne of him how to behave themselves Children may learn of him how to behave themselves towards their parents subjects and people to Princes and Magistrates in him we have a coppy for prayer how also to be doing of good upon all occasions to love our enemies not to revile again when we are reviled In things both concerning this life and the life to come we have patterns in Christ to immitate In Christ I say not as God but as man indued with the graces of the Holy Ghost And this is that living ooppie which the holy God hath provided for us that we might be holy too Sixtly And yet this is not all The Scriptures are left to be Motive 6 a standing rule and blessed meanes of sanctification John 15.3 Now ye are cleane through the words which I have spoken unto you The word of the gospel is that which cleanseth people By it they are sanctified as it is expressed in that heavenly prayer of Christ John 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy trueth thy word is trueth And so also Ephes 5.26.27 That he might sanctifie it speaking of the Church with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himselfe a glorious church not having spot or wrinkle of any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish 7ly We have many outward favours whereby God doth allure us into holines Every outward blessing mercy should Motive 7 invite us to holines As Luke 1.74.75 That he would grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without feare in holines and righteousnes all the dayes of our life God would by his blessings as it were get into our bookes his love tokens are sent to woe us to holines And therefore when we are tempted to sinne let us say as Joseph did Gen. 39.9 How can I do this great wickednes and sin against God O let the minds of God engage us unto holines let his loving kindnesse constraine us to labour after it Q. But how should we seeke unto God for this grace A. I answer first by faithfull prayer as you find David did Psalme 51.7 purge me with Hyssope and I shall be cleane wash me and I shall be whiter then snow And againe ver 10. Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me And to Paul praies for the Thessalonians That the God of peace would sanctifie them wholly and that their whol spirit and soule and body might be preserved blamless c. 1 Thes 5.23 This is the first means to be used for the obtaining of holines 2. Let us study the Doctrine of holines or the new creature or the new man that we may know what it is and when we have it It is an alluring Doctrine It is called the image of God Ephes 4.24 And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnes and true holines Such as would have money must learn how to tell it Then are divers sorts of moneys and coines abroad in the world and therefore labour to know the King of heavens coyne And learne to try it too from counterfeit there is much false money going I will a litle speake of this holines which I am now perswading you to labour for and to seeke after It standeth 1. in the renovation of the whol man both in the spirits of our minde and in the affections of our hearts When our spirits and affections are renewed then we become holy Secondly it stands in giving up our selves wholy by a dedication to the use of the Almighty So that we do not longer live unto our selves but to him that died for us and rose again We shall the better see what this holines is by its contrary to wit the old man and the former conversation thereof Vertues appeare the better and shine the more gloriously by those vices that are contrary to them A faire beauty is the more lovely in a comely woman when a blackmore stands by A soile sets forth a Diamond What the old man is And therefore that we may the better see the lovelinesse of the new man we will looke a little upon the old man That therefore which is called the old man is want of knowledg in
fire and torments for ungodly men than God can want mercy If ye be not all saved O ye sinners it is not out of any defect in God His bowels yern over lost mankinde Yee are self murtherers if ye come not all to Heaven He perswades you intreats you begs you and complains of you that ye will not come to him that ye might have life And what would ye have more I say again if any of you be damned t is not God but your selves that cause it See what God hath done to others men saved already next the devils have been the greatest objects of pitty that could be because vile sinners and enemies to God in their mind by wicked works bloody Manasseth persecuting Saul abhominable Mary Magdalen and the Thief upon the Crosse even dropping into the jaws of Hell And for Saul who I named but just now when he was breathing out threatnings and slaughters against the disciples of the Lord Act. 9.1 Even then was God breathing out his mercies upon him These are glorious suns that shine in the crown of our mercifull God He hath mercy of all sorts for all conditions and nothing displeaseth him more then when men take up narrow thoughts of his infinite bowels Then secondly Let us trust in this mercifull God for ever Vse 2 and trust perfectly in him whose mercy indureth for ever Let the wicked forsake his way Isa 55.7 c. and turn to the Lord for he is mercifull He will have mercy he will abundantly pardon stand it not out with God any longer ye know not if ever ye may have another such a tender of mercy from God again O then close with God labour to come into the Covenant and keep under it ye that are in Otherwise ye may live long enough under mercies offered Come to Christ God is a Father onely to such as have Christ for their Lord and King Beloved consider what I say Gods works are glorious and to be sought out I say we come not to heaven in a way of mercy onely but through a Mediator for out of Christ God is nothing else but everlasting burnings For though his nature and property be to have mercy and to forgive yet he is forced to take punishment by our impenitency and our impenitency cannot be taken off untill we be united to Christ by the spirit working repentance If ye be not in the Covenant ye are out of the sphear in which Gods mercics to eternal salvation move though many ordinary showers of mercies and Sun-blasts of comfort are to be had upon the account in general of the satisfaction of Gods justice by Jesus Christ elsewhere yet choice mercies the sure mercies of David are to be had no where else but under the Covenant Psal 89.28 Mark I pray My mercy will I keep for him ever more How comes that to passe It followeth And my Covenant shall stand fast with him By David in this Psalm is signified Christ of the seed of David of whom David was type And Gods mercies to us in him are firm and sure Verse 34. My covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips And much more ye may read in the following verses to the same purpose The sum of all is that Gods mercies in Christ are firm to the whol body mystical To them they are like the waters of Noah T is a Covenant of salt that cannot be broken Get once assurance that thou art in Christ and never doubt of the mercies of God more Be thou never so weak in parts or grace Those that are so weak that they cannot apprehend Christ he is ready to comprehend them But still we must be perfect in this truth Dr. Preston Sts. Infirm pag. 52. that Justification Redemption and Salvation which are these sure mercies of David are not to be found out of the Church nor extended to those whom God never received into his Covenant But here it may be objected Object out of the first of Titus v. 2. That eternal life which God that cannot ly hath promised before the world began cannot be appropriated to those who do believe and bring forth the fruits of their Faith in obedience because there were none such before the world began To which I Answer first That that place may be Englished Sol. from the times of ages And then the sence will be that God in all ages from the beginning hath made promises of eternal life to such as come into the Covenant and are believers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A parallel place in some what a clearer phrase we have 2 Thess 2.13 God hath from the beginning chosen you that is all along from the beginning God hath chosen you and such as you are to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and unbelief of the truth Or if according to the latter Interpretation of Piscator which Dr. Twisse embraceth we read ante tempora soecularia Quèmad modum etiam verum est Deum sicut neminem adultum nisi resipiscentem bonis operibus invigilantem salvum facit ita etiam non nisi resipiscentem bonis operibus deditum statrisse salvum facere unde conficitur resipiscentiam bona opera causas quidem esse salutis idque ex ordinatione Dei quippe qui nos elegit ad salutem in sanctifatione spiritus fide veritatis sed non sequitur resipiscentiam bona opera causam esse ordinationis ipsius divinae Twiss 233. fol. before times of ages that is before many ages to wit in the beginning of ages which seems fitter then to say before eternity for God neither promised nor decreed to promise any thing before eternity this sence will answer this Objection well enough to wit that whatsoever Gods decree or purpose be of men means sure I am that God hath promised eternal life onely to such as be in Christ and that all mercies belonging to life eternal are appropriated to such new creatures as are in Christ Jesus But secondly for satisfaction in this point if ye that are pleased to consider what I say are resolved to read the words either in the Epistle to Titus or to the Thessalonians according to the usuall reading of them in our English Bibles and according to Beza and others and will make the sense to be before the world began although it will be hard to make the place in in the Epistle to the Thessalonians so to sound yet still it will stand for a truth that Christ laid down his life onely for his sheep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioh. 10.15 and not for his enemies for the company of Believers and not for wicked unbelievers And as is said Heb. 5.9 He is the author of eternal salvation to all that obey him Nay not onely are Christ and his benefits restrained to the faithfull but also unbelievers and such as continue in their wickednesse are flatly excluded from
the participation of them He that believeth not is condemned already Joh. 3.18 He that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him vers 36. If any man have not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his Rom. 8.9 And he that committeth sin is of the Devill 1 Joh. 3.8 But to return and so draw to an end Let us take notice of wonderfull condiscension in God to make a Covenant with any and of the unspeakable happinesse of such as be enabled to come into this Covenant To doubt of mercy and professe our selves Christians is a very great sin God that cannot ly hath promised eternall life before these ages even from the beginning Know therefore that he is faithfull which hath called you who also will do it 1 Thess 5.24 Gods mercifulnesse is continued upon the account of his truth and faithfulnesse which Attribute is next to be spoken of out of this very Text. The end of the Attribute of Mercy Of the Truth of God Psalme 100. Verse the last For the Lord is good his mercy is everlasting And his truth endureth to all generations WE are come now to the third property mentioned in this Text the sixth in order of the communicable attributes of God And this truth indureth to all generations In handling of which I purpose to keepe my selfe to those three propositions or rules which I have observed in the other five that have beene spoken off This word Truth hath diverse acceptations and no marvell for in the originall Hebrew there are more words then one rendered in our english tongue by this word Truth The usual word in the Bible which signifies truth is Kosht or Keshet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the word here used is Emunatho by reason of the pronoune affix His truth it is It comes from the same roote that that common word among us doth viz. Amen Which in the forme Niphal signifieth to be true firme or stable And here in my text it denotes the truth firmness and faithfulness of God as ye shall God-willing hereafter heare Truth Generally signifieth the conformity of any thing with its measure or rule according to which it ought to be formed or made as true Gold true Silver true Water Veritas est conformitas seu adaequatio rei ad missam Vig. gra p. 8. because it is conformable according to its kind and agreeable to the appointed proportion or allay and is not false The measure of each created thing is that which is somtimes called an Idea to wit the divine conception of God in himselfe of each thing according to which as a rule by vertue of this conception of his he gave being in time For in the wisdome of God from everlasting hath the form of every thing not only specifically from the highest Seraphim to the lowest Ant but in their particular individuum's If a creature should be otherwise Veritas est proprietas entis creati sicut bonitas Less then is so conceived in the mind of God it should not be true but false And as each thing is said to be true by its conformity to its exemplary cause so to be good by its agreement unto its finall cause And therefore we say truth is one although goodnes be manifold as there are many ends subordinate one to another yet neverthelesse there is but one utmost end and in that regard but one goodnes neither There is nothing which God hath made concerning which we may say Natura nihil fecit frustra it is good for nothing For what the heathens according to their skill say of nature that it made nothing in vain we may much more truly say of God It is agreed upon in the Church of Christ that God made all things and all persons in particular for certain ends whereby he may be glorified So Solomon saith Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himselfe yea even the wicked for the day of evill And look as a thing serves more to declare the excellencies of God so it is said to have in it more goodnesse Take all the jewells in the world they have not in them that goodnes in a true consideration that hath one blade of grasse which hath life though of the lowest sort yet it hath life Grasse and plants not so good as sensitives that have a better kind of life Lions and Eagles nothing comparable to the poorest man And to speake in the words of Chrysostome Take all the men in the world and they are not worth one Saint or gracious soule though never so meane in regard of outwards And what 's the reason of this surely because they are they by whom God attaines his end of making the world and from them alone hath his glory in the world And therefore I conclude the righteous is more excellent then his neighbour Duae proprietates entis verum bonum There is a greater goodnes better a greater conformity to the end of being Ye see the two positive properties of an entitie the trueth of it and the goodnes of it But it may be demanded whether onenes or unitie be not another propertie of an entitie or being To which I answer No. Because the onenesse of a thing addes nothing unto the being of that thing Unitas suprà rationem entis nihil dicit nisi divisionis negationem Less veritas uniuscujusque rei est proprietas sui esse Avicen vigue Grav Instituit f. 8. neither doth it affirme any thing save onenesse which is a negation of division For that which is one is a thing undivided divided from all other things And therefore hath no place among properties But I hasten from these notions lest I should offend the judicious I have spoken of the property of goodnes as it is attributed to God and now to speak of truth though this be not that acceptation of the word which I purpose most to insist upon Yet take this by the way Our God is a true God that is he is truly God But here it may be objected if truth be a conformity of a being unto its rule or as Augustine saith a true similitude of the beginning which is without any dissimilitude what rule is there for God to be conformed unto To which I answer Truth as it is in this first acceptation attributed to God is not in him a conformity of being to a rule or pattern for then God should not be eternall Veritas est vera similitudo principii quae sine ulla dissimilitudine est Aug. de vera religione and something should be before God according to which his entitie being conforme should make him a true God but in this that his nature is such as that it ought to be the exemplary cause and measure of all things This being of God then is veritas fundamentalis as the Schoolmen call it In this sence he is the
petty Kingdomes and Lordshipps and that one title more honourable So we see David starving and famishing all the gods Psal 4.7 Thou hast put gladnesse in my heart more then in the time that their corne and their wine increased Thus he makes the leannesse of the gods of worldlings and foolish people that know not the true God to appeare And so much for the first acceptation of the word True and the application of it to Jehovah who is the only true God and that fundamentally without conformity to a rule But neither the word in my Text used Emunatho nor the scope of the place nor indeed the subject I intend in my descourse is for this acceptation of the word truth Therefore we must seeke another Therefore Secondly leaving this object and fundamentall verity this cheif intelligible among all intelligibles the first supream measure of all measurables in whom every intelligible and measurable is most eminently contained as in the bottomlesse depth of all truth and the first determinating and modifying rule of all things We have another truth to wit formall truth This is the conformity of knowledge with the object as with its measure when a thing is judged such as indeed it is when our knowledge obtaines its object this is truth This truth also is attributed to God whose knowledge attaines it due object and his wisdom infinitely surpasseth all created wisdome The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men that they are vaine Vaine and false thoughts lodg in men none in God we may say of men ye misse thinke and ye say false we cannot say so of God I speake not of lying against conscience but of comming short of the truth of mistaking truth and taking falsehood for it we make use of two words concerning learned men and opinions which will help much to the understanding of this logical truth Orthodox and Heterodox an Orthodox man is one that is sound in his judgement and holds the truth and doth not take errours instead of truth When there is a conformitie of the concâ—ptions of the mind with things as they are this makes a man Orthodox But a Heterodox man is one that apprehendeth otherwise of things then they are I take it that place Rom. 3.4 Is to be understood of this truth Yea let God be true but every man a lyer Who then is an Orthodox divine surely such a one as thinkes of things held forth to be known as they are Thus ye have a second use of the word truth as it is the English of the Hebrew word Keshet or Kosht In which acceptation also God is true truly conceiving and ennunciating things as they are That ye may be full of this in your understanding consider that if all the holy and excellent men that ever were in the world or are or shall be were brought together we might say of many thousands as was said of John Baptist John 5.35 he was a burning and a shining lamp They were and are Orthodox and true judging men but we cannot say of so much as one all that he holds or beleeveth or sayeth is true For this only is proper to God who only is compleatly Orthodoxe of men we must say as James the Apostle doth in many things we offend all In many things we erre and do not hold the truth even every one even the most sound and most knowing Christian or Minister that ever was The first kind of truth was as I may call it Metaphysicall truth whereby things are truly what they seem or are conceived or reputed to be having the reality of that essence which they have the name of But this truth which I have called logicall is the knowing and saying of things in mind and tongue as the truth is In this sence the Scriptures are the Scriptures of truth and in them is no ly nor errour And so God only I say is the true God or the God of truth But although God be in this regard the only true God and the God of all truth from the truth of whose divine wisdome all truths descend to men and Angels Yet the truth of things which he knoweth do not passe from the things into his knowledge as the measure thereof as in men ye know things are true and therefore afterwards known so to be But in God from the objective verity of his essence two manner of wayes do the knowledge of things true in themselves come to be said to be true in regard of God First by Creation for by wisdome all things are made and formed their truth doth consist in their conformity with that wisdome and divine art Psal 104.24 O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdome hast thou made them all Now to endeavour to make you understand somwhat of this comming of things to be true ye must know that in regard of us truth passeth into our knowledge because the truth of things as I said before is the measure of the truth of our knowledge Therefore what thing is Metaphysically false an enunciation logicall thereof cannot be true But there is necessarily required a truth of the thing before I come to know it to be so And so after truth passeth from my knowledge into my affections and so into my manners and conversation in as much as they are subject to the judgement wisdome and knowledge of the divine law And lastly it passeth for truth into our words and writings in which are beheld the least footsteps the smallest sound and as it were the last farwell of truth Now in God whose wisdome infinitely surpasseth all wisdome every notion of truth is most eminently contained his wisdome and knowledge attaining and penetrating most perfectly and most distinctly every objective truth And this formall truth in God as well as we can conceive it ariseth in God from the objective truth of his essence which is the measure of divine wisdome and the truth of wisdome standeth in conformity or adequation with his essence and consequently with all things which in it are eminently contained Secondly Whereas truth descends from God unto creatures by revelation and divine illustration for this truth is not drawn from the objects but directly communicated by the infusion of light in which manner the truth of faith and the blessed vision of God is derived unto us In God it is not so For he is not only the first object and fundamentall truth but also the formall truth the very universalitie and fullnes of wisdome and so he comprehends without revelation all truths by reason of his infinite knowledge For more then twenty yeares I could not perceive how a man could be in judgement an Arminian and in truth an understanding Christian as ye will confesse I am perswaded with me that are not unreasonably engaged in those controversies or miserably entangled in those snares of unsanctified witts the desciples of Pelagius and Plato Not of Augustine or Paul the Apostle of Jesus Christ Faine would
comming and should call in question Gods truth it were not so grievous to be borne But this is said that such as are gratious should say as David did in his hast Psalm 116.12 all men are lyers But whence issues this that we may see the grounds of this sore evill Quest Surely either from the misunderstanding of the promises Ans or from misapplying of them Concerning the first ye must know that some promises are made with condition and limitations As assurance of salvation peace of conscience temporall blessings Now many poore soules that enjoy not these promises often call in question Gods truth or their own good estate at least not considering that God may be true and we gratious and in Christ though neither assurance nor peace of conscience nor temporal favours be our portion For these promises have conditions and limitations Such as will have assurance must give diligence to make their calling and election sure And such as will have peace of conscience 2 Pet. 1.10 must have care to walke exactly according to rule As many as walke according to this rule peace be on them c. Gal. 6.16 And surely temporals are many times reached out to gratious souls with a streight hand for ends best known to God and worth the enquiring into at least sometimes by us No marvail then ye are so forward to charge God ye misunderstand thing ye erre not considering the promises with their limitations And likewise misapplication of promises causeth much mischief for promises are misapplied sometimes to Persons somtimes to state and behaviour For the former we read Mal. 3.14 of some that complained of want of care in God to reward them that served him They said it was vain to serve God and asked what profit there was to have kept his ordinances c. They considered not that some are called Jews onely and that he is not a Jew that is one outwardly onely The promise is not made to the ceremony but to the substance of Religion Many think themselves Gods children who are not so Now shall God be charged for want of truth concerning such as he never promised any thing unto O study to make your calling and election sure and to finde that ye are the children of the promise Likewise ye that are the children of God indeed must take heed how ye be carelesse of childe-like conversation For many times though ye be sons and daughters yet if ye break out into scandalous sins or be proud of your graces or negligent about cherishing Ordinances and so faile in your due qualifications and demeanour ye may finde God otherwise in his dispensations towards you then he would be if it were not your fault But if we be well instructed in Gods nature and dealings with his people and with hypocrites and carefull to get good evidence of our sincerity such as will not shrink in the wetting and also to walk exactly and be kept in a good decorum We may be sure all good things promised shall be performed accordingly seem Devils men and nature never so opposite When no means when no means competent when weak means when means opposite do all cry down the truth of God yet God will be true and it is our duty to trust God and to rest on his bare word and promise And now let us make some Use of the truth of Gods threats Vse 3 and menaces let sinners know that the God of truth hath said ye swore against some of them Psal 95.11 Vnto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest How dare ye take Gods name in vain as all do that make him a lyar yea perjured It is a kinde of blasphemy not to fear when God threatens or believe what he promiseth When men are perfidious and violate Oaths they are in credit neither with God nor good men their very names stink and they live under perpetuall infamy What a sin is this to rank God blessed for ever with the worst of men Yet so do all wicked men in effect and by consequence for they dare do that which God forbiddeth and to the doing of which he hath made threats that are able over one think to shake both heaven and earth Go too Sirs let me close up this Use with Deut. 29.19 and 20. And the Lord set it home upon your souls And it come to passe when he heareth the words of this curse that he blesse himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of my heart to adde drunkennesse to thirst The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven God is a God of truth And for the fourth and last Use of this point sith truth and Vse 4 faithfulnesse is an attribute of God let us learn to be like God men of truth take heed of falshood it argues a very wicked man and God is set against such Psal 55.23 But thou O God shall bring them down into the pit of destruction bloody and deceitfull men shall not live out half their dayes Such shall not prosper 2 Chron. 24.20 Why transgresse ye the commandements of the Lord that ye cannot prosper Because ye have forsaken the Lord he hath also forsaken you This attribute is among those vertues which admit resemblance in the creature the faithfull God owns not perfidious children It is a mark of one that shall be with God in glory to swear to his own heart and not to change Psal 15. v. 4. that is to be true and faithful though he lose by it from these two latter places ye see that truth in man hath a twofold relation First to God for as God hath bound himself to us by promise so we have covenanted our obedience to him Remember therefore your Baptisme and take heed of walking loosly in the Covenant And secondly to man we are bound to support the credit of fidelity though with losse What a shame is it for such as professe themselves Christians to be like the Jews in Jeremy cap. 9.4 5. Take ye heed every one of his neighbour and trust ye not in any brother for every brother will utterly supplant and every neighbor will walk with slanders And they will deceive every one his neighbour Sacerdos est non fallet christianis est non mentietur and will not speake the truth they have taught their tongue to speake lies and weary themselves to commit iniquity It was wont to be a saying He is a Priest he will not deceive he is a christian he will not ly O how comly were it that it might be so now is rather to be wished then expected Read the Turkish History page 287. The battaile of Varna betweene Vladislaus and Amuroth And consider how God
bore witnesse from heaven against falsehood The story is obvious It is also storied of the ancient Romans that they were very conscientious in observing their leagues covenants and oathes And such as violated them saith mine author were held for damned and cursed creatures and accounted worthy to live in humane society Be carefull of your promises and covenants that ye make with men God is a God of truth do ye be men of truth It is a communicable attribute it is to be had and this must now be spoken of in the second place c. Ye know we have done in handling the other attributes this is the second proposition That truth is a communicable attribute For God did communicate it to Adam in his innocency it was a part of that uprightnesse mentioned Eccles 7.29 And it is again vouchsafed and communicated in the worke of regeneration for God maketh such to be as he requireth they should be Rev. 2.10 to be faithfull to the death And he saith his people will not ly Isaiah 63 8. For God lookes and causeth the conversation of his servants to be answerable to their vocation he maketh them to be men of truth and faithfulnes And such as are otherwise be of the devill John 8.44 Who abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him Such are not for Sion nor heaven Psalm 15. For they speake the truth from their heart that shall abide in Gods tabernacle and dwell in his holy hill and verse 4. He that sweareth to his own heart and changeth not By all which places and passages and many more that might be named and observed we see that truth and faithfullnes is communicated by God unto men which is the point that we have in hand to make good unto you Object But it may be objected out of Rom. 3.4 Let God be true and every man a lyer and out of the 13. verse With their tongues they have used deceit Sol. In both which places all men without exception are spoken off For answer ye must know that the first place shews the certainty of Gods truth in opposition to all men that doubt thereof Gods faithfulnes and truth is alwaies accompanied with stedfastnes and assurance Calvin on Isa 22.23 And for that cause as Mr. Calvin notes the Hebrewes take truth for a thing sure and certaine Wherefore this being the scope of the former verse that God will be as good as his word and true and faithfull in all his sayings it maketh nothing against the point we have in hand And for the other passage in the 13. verse of the same chapter It shewes as well as the former mans naturall inclination until he be regenerated But it may be further objected Truth may be found among heathens that were no christians Object To which I Answer It is true of a vertue but not of a grace Sol. and therefore not acceptable to God and sometimes turned into a vice when ill circumstantiated and alwaies a sinne because not acted upon a good principle nor to a good end viz. Gods glory And therefore we must take the extent of this communicated attribute or property and we shall find that no man hath it since the fall of Adam in every respect in its extent but only such as are regenerated For it signifieth and comprehendeth three things Sinceritie a due proportion of a thing and stability and firmenesse In hoc genere tria potissimum hujus vocabuli significata esse videri que aut alias enim significat animum ejusque cogitationes actiones sinceras minique fucatas alias plenae seu justae cujusdam quantitatis alias denique certas ratas ac permanentes Flac Illyric Clav. Script 1575. So God doth not only do what he saith but loveth the truth and hateth hypocrisie God is truly and sincerely and constantly all that he is in his excellencies Now it is impossible for the compleatest morall man in the world that hath not the work of the new birth to walke before God in truth in this sence This is proper to Saints such as Hezekiah Isaiah 38.3 Remember O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart And so much for that objection And now for Application The fault is not in God that men are so Vse 1 false and faithlesse that they deale trecherously that a brother will deceive a brother This contrary propertie is to be had from God if men had a mind to it And it is an evident signe that there is but little true religion going because there is so little truth and honesty going But where there is deceitfull dealing and want of truth and honesty men may take it for a truth that they have no religion and that they have not sought to God from whom this good gift and all others come Vse 2 And therefore in the next place ye must learne to seeke for this qualitie at the hand of God by prayer as in the former attributes ye have been directed And to that end that ye may be stirred up the more to pray for it do but consider how ill it becomes christians to be more false then heathens and to be like to the devill and to overthrow humane society what in them lyeth and to procure inevitable wrath upon themselves As we have two famous examples in scripture The first of Saul mentioned in the 2 Sam. 21.2 Who sought to slay the Gibeonites in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah and so to violate the oath which the children of Israel had sworne to them Ye see God was angry a famine of three yeares came upon the people and an attonement must be made by the hanging up of seven of Sauls sonnes unto the Lord in Gibeah of Saul ver 6. And the other place is Ezekiel 17.15 16. Where grievously doth the Lord threaten the rebellious house as he calls Jerusalem and their king for falsenes and covenant breaking We have touched upon this before Vse 3 now and therefore shall say the lesse of it now The third and last use to be made is That honest men may take comfort though they be thought too honest to live in the world and have not the trick of dishonest false and unfaithfull dealing whereby so many get estates for their posterity to ruffle in while they lye in Hâ—ll yet they shall be no looser by it at last God will blesse the house and seed of such as are like unto him Men of truth hating coveteousnesse and dealing truly are Gods delight for such fear God whereas knaves and false men are odious both to God and men And so much briefly for the second Proposition that truth is a communicable attribute 3. Propos The third comes in hand that God in this as in the rest is infinite and incomprehensible His faithfullnes reacheth to the clouds Psal 36.5 He never broke with any in his life