CHAP. I.] CONSIDERATION OF THE NATURE OF GOD. 689
it as a very great stain to their profession, whatever else it be : and by this rule would I have my own ways examined.
2. Truth is another grace, another part of holiness, of the same imjiort and nature. Truth is used in the Scripture for uprightness and integrity, — " Thou requirest truth in the inward parts," Ps. li. 6, — and frequently for the doctrine of truth, as of God revealed and by us believed. But that which I intend is only what is enjoined us by the apostle, — namely, in all things to "speak the truth in love," Eph. iv. 15. Our apostasy from God was eminently from him as the God of truth ; by an opposition to which attribute we sought to dethrone him from his glory. We would not believe that his word was truth. And sin entered into the Avorld by and with a long train of lies; and ever since, the whole world, and every thing in it, is filled with them ; which represents him and his nature who is the father of lies and liars. Hereby doth it visibly and openly continue in its apostasy from the God of truth. I could willingly stay to manifest how the whole world is corrupted, depraved, and sullied by lies of all sorts, but I must not divert thereunto. Wherefore, truth and sincerity in words, — for that at present I must confine myself unto, — is an effect of the renovation of the image of God in us, and a representation of him to the Avorld. No duty is more frequently pressed upon us : "Put away false speaking;" "Lie not one to another;" "Speak the truth in love." And the consideration hereof is exceeding necessary unto all those who by their course of life are engaged in trading; and that both because of the disreputation which by the evil practices of some, of many (that I say not of the most), is cast upon that course of life, and also because failures in truth are apt a thousand ways to insinuate themselves into the practices of such persons, yea, when they are not aware thereof " It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer, but when he goetli away he boasteth;" and "It is good, it is good, saith the seller, but when he hath sold it he boasteth," or is well pleased with the advantage which he hath made by his words. But these things have the image of Satan upon them, and are most opposite to the God of truth. Another occasion must be taken farther to press this necessary duty; only at present, I do but intimate that where truth is not universally observed, according to the utmost watchful- ness of sincerity and love, there all other marks and tokens of the image of God in any persons are not only sullied but defaced, and the representation of Satan is most prevalent. And these things I could not but add, as naturally consequential unto that first jwineipal argument for the necessity of holiness which we have projiosed and insisted on.
Having despatched this first argument, and added unto it some especial improvements with resiDect unto its influence into our prac-
590 NECESSITY OF HOLINESS, ETC. [BOOK V.
tice, it remains only that we free it from one objection, which it seems exposed unto. Now, this ariseth from the consideration of the in- finite grace, mercy, and love of God, as they are proposed in the dis- pensation of the word ; for it may be said unto us, and like enough it will, considering the frame of men's minds in the days wherein we live, "Do not you yourselves, who thus press unto holiness, and the necessity of it, from the consideration of the nature of God, preach unto us every day the greatness of his mercy towards all sorts of sin- ners, his readiness to receive them, his willingness to pardon them, and that freely in Christ, without the consideration of any worth, merit, or righteousness of their own? And do you not herein invite all sorts of sinners, the worst and the greatest, to come unto him by Christ, that they may be pardoned and accepted? Whence, then, can arise any argument for the necessity of holiness from the con- sideration of the nature of this God, whose inestimable treasures of grace, and the freedom of whose love and mercy towards sinners, no tongue, as you say, can express?"
Ans. 1. This objection is very natural unto carnal and unbeliev- ing minds, and therefore we shall meet with it at every turn. There is nothing seems more reasonable unto them than that we may live in sin because grace hath abounded. If men must yet be holy, they can see no need nor use of grace; and they cannot see that God is gracious to any purpose, if notwithstanding men may perish because they are not holy. But this objection is raised, rejected, and con- demned by our apostle, in whose judgment we may acquiesce, Rom. vi. 1 ; and in the same place he subjoins the reasons why, notwith- standing the superabounding grace of God in Christ, there is an in- dispensable necessity that all believers should be holy.
2. God himself hath obviated this objection. He proclaims his name, Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7, "The LoRD, The Lord God, merciful and gra- cious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.'' Had he stood here, and neither in this nor in any other place of Scrip- ture farther declared his nature and unchangeable purposes concerij^ng sinners, some colour might have been laid on this objection. But he adds immediately, " and that will by no means clear the guilty," — that is, as it is explained in places of Scripture innumerable, such as go on in their sins, without regard unto obedience and holiness springing from the atonement made for their guilty souls in the blood of Christ.