2. Consider the certainty of it. When the word is gone out of God's mouth, it shall not be recalled. The Lord prizeth his faithfulness above all things. The scripture must be fulfilled whatever inconveniences come of it. Mark the whole course of providence, and you will find that God is very tender of his word ; he valueth it above all his works : Luke xxi. 33, ' Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.' God is not so tender of heaven and earth but that he will break it all to pieces rather than not make good his word ; though it be a curious frame and fabric, in which he hath displayed much of his glory, yet that shall be dissolved. Heaven and earth do only con- tinue till all that is prophesied of in the word be fulfilled. We shall enjoy the comfort of his word in heaven, when all these things are melted away with a fervent heat. Nay, which is more, God valueth his word above the human life of Christ his own Son. If God passed his word for it, his Son, who was the delight of his soul, equal to him in glory, must come from heaven, take a body, and suffer a cruel death : * Lo, I come, in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to
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do th)^ will, 0 God,' Ps. xl. 7. God had passed his word to the church that it should be so ; therefore, rather than he would go back from his word, he sent Christ to die for a sinful world. There was no pro- mise of more difficulty for God to grant nor for us to believe, than this of the incarnation and death of Christ ; yet rather than go back from bis word Christ must come and die an accursed and shameful death.
Secondly, The main thing is, what ground of consolation we have in God's oath. And there I shall — (1.) Show the reasons why God gives us his oath over and above his word ; (2.) The several advantages which we have by his oath in believing.
1. For the reasons why God should give this oath. An oath you know is given in matters doubtful. Philo saith, An oath is given for the manifestation of a matter which is secret and doubtful, and which cannot otlierwise be determined. To swear in things apparent and matters clear is to take the name of God in vain. All matters which are clear are otherwise decided ; matters of opinion, by argument ; matters of fact, by testimony ; matters of promise, by the single word of the party that promises, if he be a person of honour and credit ; but always an oath supposes some doubt and controversy that cannot other- wise be determined. And so much the apostle intimates when he says, Heb. vi. 16, ' It is the end of all strife' or controversy. Well, then, God's promises being of such absolute certainty, why doth the Lord deposit his oath with the creature, since his single and bare word is enough.
I answer — The matter itself needs it not, but only in regard of us, AVe look upon the promises with doubtful thoughts ; there is a con- troversy between God and us ; we have hard thoughts of God, as if he would not be so good as his word ; therefore his oath is given, not to show the doubtfulness of the thing that is sworn, but the greatness of our unbelief. Austin saith, Est exprohatio quadam injidelitatis nostrcB — God hereby upbraids us with our unbelief, when he gives us an oath for the confirmation of any matter. Briefly, God's oath is given us for two reasons — to show us the certainty, and to show us the excellency of our privileges in Christ.
Reason 1. To show us the certainty of our privileges in Christ. The world makes it a controversy and doubtful matter whetlier Christ came to die for sinners, yea or nay ? whether God will save those that take sanctuary at Christ ? God saith, Aj, and we say, No ; and how shall the matter be decided ? Observe it, and you will find that there are two things which we are apt to suspect in Grod — his good affection in making the promise, and his truth in keeping the promise. We suspect his good aft'ection, especially when we are in pangs and gripes of conscience ; and we suspect his truth in straits and difficulties, whenever in the course of God's providence we are cast into such a condition that we think he hath forgotten his promise. Now the Lord might be highly offended with us for those wicked thoughts we enter- tain of his majesty, but in a gracious condescension he is pleased to ])ut an end to the controversy by an oath. As if the Lord had said, Do you doubt of this ? Will you put me to my oath ? Here I am ready to take it ; and that the matter may no longer remain in suspense, I swear by my life, by my holiness, by whatever you count sacred and
296 SERMONS rPON HEBREWS VI. 18.