Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	devil_n	father_n	lie_n	3,415	5	9.0726	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62636	Several discourses upon the attributes of God viz. Concerning the perfection of God. Concerning our imitation of the divine perfections. The happiness of God. The unchangeableness of God. The knowledge of God. The wisdom, glory, and soveraignty of God. The wisdom of God, in the creation of the world. The wisdom of God, in his providence. The wisdom of God, in the redemption of mankind. The justice of God, in the distribution of rewards and punishments. The truth of God. The holiness of God. To which is annexed a spital sermon, of doing good. By the most reverend Dr. John Tillotson, late Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury. Being the sixth volume; published from the originals, by Raph Barker, D.D. chaplain to his grace.	Tillotson, John, 1630-1694.; Barker, Ralph, 1648-1708.	1699 (1699)	Wing T1264; ESTC R219315	169,861	473

is that he abode not in the truth and there is no truth in him when he speaketh a lie 't is of his own for he is a lyar and the Father of it John 8.44 One of the first and most natural Notions that we have of Religion is that it is to imitate God and to endeavour to be like him so far as we are capable and to contradict any of the Divine Excellencies and Perfections is the highest Sin because it is against the clearest Dictates of our Mind and contrary to those Principles which are most deeply rooted in our Nature No Man can be Cruel and Unmerciful False and Treacherous without a very high degree of guilt because these Sins are contrary to the chiefest and most essential Perfections of God Lying is a Sin that would fly in the Face of an Heathen because it directly contradicts those Natural Notions which every Man hath of God and Religion therefore we find that there is hardly any thing that Men are more ashamed of than to be taken in a Lie and 't is esteemed the highest reproach to be charged with it it argues such a direct contrariety to that which is the Rule of Perfection the Nature of God and consequently so much imperfection and baseness He that tells a Lie out of fear is at once bold towards God and base towards Men. Upon these accounts God expresseth himself highly offended with those that practise Lying and False-hood and to have a detestation of them Pro. 12.22 Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord. It renders us unlike to him Eph. 4.24 25. Put on the new Man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness or in the Holiness of truth And from hence he infers Wherefore putting away lying speak every Man truth with his Neighbour for we are members one of another Col. 3.9.10 Lie not one to another seeing that ye have put off the old Man with his deeds And have put on the new Man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him that is because we profess to be conformed to the image of God More particularly we should charge our selves with truth and faithfulness towards God and Men. 1. Towards God in our Oaths and Vows and Covenants In our Oaths when we swear in any Matter we tell God that what we speak is Truth and invoke him to bear Witness to it To falsifie in an Oath is one of the most solemn affronts that we can put upon the God of Truth And so in our Vows which are a solemn Promise to God of such things in which we have no precedent Obligation lying upon us He that regardeth truth will neither be rash in making a Vow nor careless to perform it Eccles 5.4 When thou vowest a vow to God defer not to pay it for he hath no pleasure in Fools Not to perform what we have vowed is an Argument of Folly either of rashness in the making of it or of inconstancy in not keeping it So likewise in all our Covenants with God to serve him and obey him and keep his Commandments we should strictly charge our selves with performance of these There is a Natural Obligation upon us to these Things from the very Law of our Creation tho' we should never solemnly make any such Promise nor enter into any such Engagements because it is a tacit Condition of our Beings but the taking of this Covenant solemnly upon us in Baptism strengthens the Obligation and makes our unfaithfulness the greater Sin All our hopes of Happiness are founded in the Faithfulness of God and if thou be false to him how canst thou expect he should be faithful to thee 'T is true indeed that he abides faithful he cannot deny himself but if thou hast any ingenuity in thee this should be an Argument to thee to be faithful to him I am sure this can be no Encouragement to thee to be unfaithful for if thou breakest the Covenant thou hast entred into and neglegctest the Conditions upon which God hath suspended the performance of his Promise thou dischargest the Obligation on his part 2. Towards Men we should charge our selves with Truth in all our Words and Faithfulness in all our Promises It becomes us who worship the God of truth to speak truth to use plainness and sincerity in all our Words to abhor Falsehood and Dissimulation and those more refined ways of lying by equivocation of Words and secret reservations of our Minds on purpose to deceive Those that plead for these 't is a sign they do not understand the Nature of God and of Religion which is to conform our selves to the Divine Perfections We meet with many complaints in the old Testament of the want of Truth and Faithfulness among Men Psal 12.1.2 Isa 59.13 14 15. Jer. 7.2 8 9.2.4 5 6. Hos 4.1 I am afraid there is as much Reason for this complaint now for we live in an Age of greater Light which doth reprove and make manifest this work of Darkness and methinks there is no sadder sign of the decay of Christianity and of the little power and influence that the Gospel hath upon us than that there is so little regard had by Christians to these Moral Duties which because Moral however Men may slight that Word are therefore of Eternal and Indispensable Obligation having their Foundation in the Nature of God To Conclude all That Man that can dispence with himself as to Moral Duties that makes no Conscience of telling a Lie or breaking his Word what Badge soever he may wear what Title soever he may call himself by it is as impossible that such a Man should be a true Christian as it is to reconcile the God of Truth and the Father of Lies SERMON XIII The Holiness of God 1 PET. I. 16 Be ye holy for I am holy IN speaking to this Attribute I shall I. Inquire what we are to understand by the Holiness of God II. Endeavour to shew that this Perfection belongs to God I. What we are to understand by the Holiness of God There is some difficulty in fixing the proper Notion of ●t for tho' there be no Property more frequently attributed to God in Scrip●ure than this of Holiness yet there is none of all God's Attributes which Divines have spoken more sparingly of than this The general Notion of Holiness is that it is a separation from a common and ordinary to a peculiar and excellent use And this Notion of Holiness is applicable either to Things or Persons To Things thus the Vessels of the Tabernacle and the Vestments of the Priests were said to be holy because they were separated from common Use and appropriated to the peculiar and excellent use of the service of God Holiness o● Persons is two-fold either Relative and External which signifies the peculiar Relation of a Person to God such were call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Priests or holy Men or else Habitual and Inherent such is

some Objections that may be made against it and then make some Vse of it I. What we are to understand by the Truth of God I shall take it as the Scripture useth it in a large Sense so as to include not only the veracity of God but his Faithfulness Hence it is that in Scripture Truth and Faithfulness are so often put together and frequently put one for another Isa 25.1 Thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth Rev. 21.5 These words are true and faithful And the Faithfulness of God in performing his Promises is frequently call'd his Truth And because the Scripture useth them promiscuously we need not be very solicitous to find out distinct Notions of them but if you will they may be distinguisht thus the truth or veracity of God hath place in every Declaration of his Mind the Faithfulness of God only in his Promises For the First The veracity or truth of God this hath place in every Declaration of his Mind and signifies an exact Correspondence and Conformity between his Word and his Mind and consequently between his Word and the truth and reality of Things The Correspondence of his Word with his Mind depends upon the rectitude of his Will the conformity of his Word with the reality of Things not only upon the rectitude of his Will but the Perfection of his Knowledge and the infallibility of his Vnderstanding so that when we say God is true or speaks Truth we mean thus that his Words are a plain Declaration of his Mind and a true representation of Things in opposition to False-hood which is speaking otherwise than the thing is and Hypocrisie that is speaking otherwise than we think For instance when God declares any thing to be so or not to be so to have been thus or not to have been thus the thing really is so and he thinks so when he expresseth his desire of any thing he does really desire it when he commands any thing or forbids us any thing it is really his Mind and Will that we should do what he Commands and avoid what he forbids when he declares and foretels any thing future it really shall come to pass and he really intended it should if the Declaration be to be understood absolutely it shall absolutely come to pass if the Declaration be to be understood Conditionally it shall come to pass and he intends it shall if the Condition be performed Secondly The Faithfulness of God This only hath place in his Promises in which there is an Obligation of Justice superadded to his Word for God by his Promise doth not only declare what he intends and what shall be but confers a right upon them to whom the promise is made so as that the breach of his Promise would not only cast an imputation upon his Truth but upon his Justice II. That this Perfection belongs to God And this I shall endeavour to prove First From the Dictates of Natural Light Secondly From Scripture First From the Dictates of Natural Light Natural Light tells us that Truth and Faithfulness are Perfections and consequently belong to the Divine Nature and that False-hood and a Lie are Imperfections and to be removed from God There is nothing that is amongst Men esteemed a greater contumely and reproach than to give a Man the Lie to call him a Lyar because it is an Argument of so much baseness and of a low and mean and servile spirit the usual Temptation to it being fear of losing some Advantage or incurring some danger Hence was that saying that it is the property of a Slave to lie but of a free Man to speak truth Now whatever argues baseness or imperfection our Reason tells us is infinitely to be separated from the most Perfect Being God cannot be tempted with evil the Divine Nature being all-sufficient can have no temptation to be otherwise than Good and Just and True and Faithful Men are tempted to Lie by advantage and out of fear but the Divine Nature hath the security of its fullness and all-sufficiency that it cannot hope for any increase nor fear any impairment of its Estate Men are unfaithful and break their Words either because they are rash and inconsiderate in passing of them or forgetful in minding them or inconstant in keeping of them or impotent and unable to perform them but none of these are incident to God his infinite Wisdom and perfect Knowledge and clear foresight of all Events secure him both from inconsiderateness and inconstancy and forgetfulness and his infinite Power renders him able to perform what he hath spoken and to make good his Word And that these are the Natural Dictates and Suggestions of our Minds appears clearly from the reasonings of the Heathen in this matter who were destitute of Divine Revelation Plato de Repub. l. 2. lays down this as a certain Truth That lying and Falsehood are imperfections and odious to God and Men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And afterwards he tells us That the Divine Nature is free from all Temptation hereto either from advantage or fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Concludes Therefore God is true and deals plainly with us both in his Words and Actions and is neither changed himself nor deceives us Porphyry in the Life of Pythagoras tells us That this was one of his Precepts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and afterwards he adds that Truth is so great a Perfection that if God would render himself visible to Men he would chuse Light for his body and Truth for his Soul Secondly From Scripture The Scripture doth very frequently attribute this to God 2 Sam. 7.28 And now O Lord God thou art that God and thy words be true Psal 25.10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth Psal 31.5 Into thy hand I commit my spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth Rev. 3.7 These things saith he that is holy he that is true Rev. 6.10 How long O Lord holy and true 15.3 Just and true are thy ways thou King of Saints 16.7 True and righteous are thy judgments Hither we may refer those Texts which speak of the Plenty and Abundance of God's truth Ex. 34.6 Abundant in goodness and truth Psal 86.15 Plenteous in mercy and truth and those which speak of the Duration and Eternity of it Psal 100.5 And his truth endureth to all generations 117.2 And the truth of the Lord endureth for ever 146.6 Who keepeth truth for ever As the Scripture doth attribute this Perfection to God so it removes the contrary from him with the greatest abhorrence and detestation Num. 23.19 God is not a Man that he should lie neither the son of Man that he should repent hath he said and shall not he do it hath he spoken and shall he not make it good They are Balaam's Words but God put them into his Mouth 1 Sam. 15.29 The strength of Israel will not lie nor repent for he is not a Man that he should repent Rom.

God may upon Repentance without any impeachment of the honour of his Truth or Knowledge or Power either defer or abate or remit the Punishment And that the Predictions of Judgments are to be understood with this Condition appears clearly from that known Text Jer. 18.7 8. I come now to the last thing I proposed to make some Vse of this Doctrine First If God be a God of Truth then this gives us assurance that he doth not deceive us that the Faculties which he hath given us are not false but when they have clear perceptions of Things they do not err and mistake Were it not for the veracity of God we might for any thing we know be under a constant Delusion and no Man could demonstate the contrary but that this is our make and temper and the very frame of our Understandings to be then most of all deceived when we think our selves to be most certain I say no Man could be assured of the contrary but from hence because veracity and truth is a Divine Perfection and therefore God cannot be the Author of Errour and Delusion Therefore we may be assured that the frame of our Understandings is not a Cheat but that our Faculties are true and unless it be our own fault we need not be deceived in things that are necessary to our Happiness Secondly If God be a God of Truth then there is Reason why we should believe and assent to whatever we are satisfied is revealed to us by God A Divine Revelation is a sufficient ground for the most firm assent for this very thing that any thing is revealed by God is the highest Evidence and ought to give us the most firm assurance of the truth of it Hence it is that the Word of God is call'd the Word of truth yea and truth it self John 17.17 Thy Word is truth Therefore whoever entertains the ●criptures as the Word of God and is satisfied of the Divine Authority of them ought in Reason to believe every thing contained in them yea tho' there be some things of which no reasonable account can be given and which our Reason and Understanding cannot give us particular satisfaction in yet because we are satisfied that they are revealed by God who cannot lie whose Knowledge is infallible and whose Word is true we ought upon this higher and superior Reason to yield a firm assent to the truth of them if we do not we dishonour this Perfection of God and rob him of this essential property his Veracity 1 John 5.10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself he that believeth not God hath made him a liar because he believeh not the record that God gave of his Son As on the other hand if we do believe what God hath revealed we glorifie this Perfection of his and set our seal to his Veracity So 't is said of Abraham Rom. 4.20 That he was strong in faith giving glory to God And St. John the Baptist speaking concerning our Saviour saith John 3.33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true Thirdly If God be a God of truth and faithful in performing his Promise then here is a firm Foundation for our Hope and Trust If God have made any Promise we may securely rely upon it that it shall be made good we may hold fast our hope without wavering because he is faithful who hath promised Heb. 10.23 Hence it is that the Blessings of God's Covenant are call'd sure mercies Isa 55.3 We attribute much to the Word of a faithful Friend and look upon the Promise of an honest Man as very good security but Men may fail us when we rely upon them but God is true tho' all Men should prove Lyars Men are fickle and murable but the Nature of God is fixt he cannot fail those that trust in him When God hath made any Promise to us we may plead it with him and urge him with his faithfulness So we find David did 2 Sam. 7.25 c. Only we should be careful to perform the Condition which is required on our part Heb. 4.1 we should take heed lest a Promise being left us any one should come short of it by not performing the Condition for that doth release and discharge him of the Promise and he is faithful tho' he doth not perform what he promised because he did not promise but upon Condition and this seem to be the meaning of those Words 2 Tim. 2.13 If we believe not yet he abideth faithful he cannot deny himself He said before that if we perform the Conditions required God will bestow the Blessings promised It is a faithful saying for if we be dead with him we also shall live with him if we suffer we also shall reign with him but if we deny him the Curse threatned will then take place and he will deny us and God is not unfaithful in doing this he does not deny himself Now if we have such assurance we may trust him with our greatest Concernments and venture our Souls with him Psal 31.5 Into thy hands I commit my spirit O Lord God of truth We should rely upon him when there are the greatest improbabilities of the accomplishment of his Promises Thus did Abraham Rom. 4.17 c. This should also make us patient in hope if a Promise be not speedily accomplisht we should not be dejected or disquieted David challengeth himself upon this account Psal 42.11 Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God And so likewise in reference to the Rewards of another World tho' at a distance yet we should as the Apostle speaks wait for the blessed Hope Fourthly The Truth of God is matter of terrour to the Wicked All the threatnings of temporal Evils may justly be expected because their Sins deserve them and there is no Condition implyed in them upon which thou canst reasonably hope for the avoiding or abating of the Evils threatned but of Humiliation and Repentance and if notwithstanding these threatnings thou continuest in thy Sins and blessest thy self saying I shall have peace tho' thou walk in the imaginations of thy heart by this very thing thou provokest the Justice of God not to spare thee and makest his wrath and his jealousie to smoke against thee and if thou continuest impenitent however he may defer the execution of temporal Evils his Truth and Veracity is concerned to inflict eternal Punishments upon thee for he hath sworn in his wrath that such shall no enter into his rest Fifthly Let us propound to our selves the truth of God for our pattern and imitation Would you be like God be true and faithful Truth and faithfulness are Divine Perfections but lying and falsehood are the Properties of the Devil and the predominant qualities of Hell The character of the Devil