(1.) Is there truth in these promises? If there be the least occa- sion in the world to suspect the truth of the promises or the veracity of the promiser, then may our staggering at them arise from thence, and not from our own unbelief On this ground it is that all human faith, that is bottomed merely on the testimony of man, is at best but a probable opinion ; for every man is a liar, and possibly may lie in that very thing he is engaged to us in. Though a good man will not do so to save his life, yet it is possible he may be tempted, — he may do so. But now, the author of the promises whereof we speak is truth itself, — the God of truth, who hath taken this as his special attribute, to distinguish him from all others. He is the very God of truth ; and holds out this very attribute in a special manner in this very thiiig, in making of his promise : " He is faithful to forgive us our sins," 1 John i. 9. Whence his word is said not only to be true, but " truth," John xvii. 1 7, — truth itself All flesh is as grass, but his word abideth for ever, Isa. xl. 6, 8.
But yet farther, that it may be evident that from hence there can be no occasion of staggering, this God of truth, whose word is truth, hath, in his infinite wisdom, condescended to our weakness, and used
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all possible means to cause us to apprehend the truth of his promises. The Lord might have left us in the dark, — to have gatliered out his mind and will towards us from obscure expressions; and, knowing of what value his kindness is, it might justly be expected that we shoidd do so. Men in misery are glad to lay hold of the least word that drops from him that can relieve them, and to take courage and ad- vantage upon it; — as the sei-vants of Benhadad watched diligently what would fall from the mouth of Ahab concerning their master, then in fear of death, and when he had occasionally called him his brother, they presently laid hold of it, and cry, " Thy brother Ben- hadad," 1 Kings XX. 33. God might have left us, and yet have manifested . much free grace, to have gathered up falling cnmibs or occasional droppings of mercy and supply, that we should liave re- joiced to have found out one word looking that way. But, to shut up all objections, and to stop for ever the mouth of unbelief, he hath not only spoken plainly, but hath condescended to use all the Avays of confirming the truth of what he says and speaks that ever were in use among the sons of men.
There be four ways whereby men seek to obtain credit to what tliey speak as an undoubted truth, that there may be no occasion of staggering.
[1.] By often averring and affirming of the same thing. When a man says the same thing again and again, it is a sign that he speaks the truth, or, at least, that he would be thought so to do; yea, if an honest man do clearly, fully, plainly, often engage himself to us in the same thing, we count it a vile jealousy not to believe the real truth of his intentions. Now, the Lord in his promises often speaks the same things, — he speaks once and twice. There is not any thing that he hath promised us but he hath done it again and again. For instance, as if he should say, "I will be merciful to your sins;" I pray believe me, for " I will pardon your iniquities;" yea, it shall be so, — " I will blot out your transgressions as a cloud."
There is not any want whereunto wo are liable, but thus he hath dealt concerning it. As his command is line upon line, so is his pro- mise. And this is one way whereby God causeth the tnith of his promises to appear. To take away all colour of staggeiing, he speaks once, yea twice, if we will hear.
[2.] The second ivaxj of confirming any trnth is by an oath. Thougli we fear the truth of some men in their assertions, yet when once they come to swear any thing in justice and judgment, there are veiy few so knownly profligate, and past all sense of God, but that their asseverations do gain credit and pass for truth. Hence the apostle tells us, Heb. vi. 16, that " an oath for coniirraation is to men an end of all strife." Though tlie truth be before ainbiqfuous and
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doubtful, yet wlien any interposes Avith an oath, there is no more contest amongst men. That nothing may be wanting to win our be- lief to the promises of God, he hath taken this course also, — he hath SATom to their truth, Heb. vi. 13, " When God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by him- self" He confirms his promise by an oath. " 0 felices nos, quo- rum causa, Deus jurat ; O infelices, si nee juranti Deo credimus ! " When Christ came, " in whom all the promises of God are yea and amen," to make sure work of the truth of them, he is confirmed in his administration by an oath, Heb. vii. 21. He was made a priest by an oath by him that said, " The Lord sware, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever." Now, I pray, what is the cause of this great condescension in the God of heaven, to confirm that word which in itself is truth by an oath? The apostle satisfies us as to the end aimed at, Heb. vi. 17, 18. This was, saith he, the aim of God herein, that his people, seeing him engaged by two such immutable things as his promise and his oath, may be assured that there is an utter impossibility that any one word of his should come short of its tiTith ; or that they firmly resting upon it should be deceived thereby. And this is a second way.