is the new man, created in righteousness and true holiness; and not outward, typical, and ceremonial, nor feigned and hypocritical: and adoption, by which the saints are now really the sons of God; though it does not yet appear what they shall be; and to which the Spirit bears a true and real witness; and which is unto an inheritance, real, solid, and substantial.

III. God is true in his words, in his essential Word, his Son, who was in the beginning with God; had a true and real existence with him, and was God, really and truly God; he is true in his person and natures, the true God and eternal life, who took unto him a true body, and a reasonable soul; and whose human nature is the true tabernacle God pitched, and not man: true in his offices he bears; the true prophet raised up and sent of God, the true light, that lightens men in every sense; the true priest, not of the order of Aaron, but of the order of Melchizedek; the true and only Potentate, King of kings, and Lord of lords; the true Mediator between God and men, and not a typical one, as Moses.

God is true in his written word; the scriptures are the scriptures of truth, even the whole of them, Dan, x. 21. they are given by inspiration from God, are the breath of God, who is the God of truth, and therefore to be received, not as the word of man, but as in truth the word of God, 1 Thess. ii. 13. the law-part of them is truth; the apostle speaks of the truth in the law, known by men, Rom. ii. 20. there is not a precept in it but what is true and right; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether, Psal xix. 9. And the gospel-part of them is eminently the word of truth, Eph. i. 13. and all the doctrines of it, which are pure words, as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times, Psal. xii. 9. And the truth and veracity of God appears in the fulfilment of the predictions, promises, and threatenings contained in his word, which is the same with his faithfulness; which we shall particularly treat of in the next chapter, being naturally led to it; the veracity of God is the foundation of his faithfulness; and his faithfulness is a branch of that; and they are often put one for the other, and signify the same thing.

OF THE FAITHFULNESS OF God.

FAITHFULNESS is an attribute that belongs to God; from whence he is denominated the faithful God, Deut. vii. 9. It is essential to him, and without which he would not be God; to be unfaithful, would be to act contrary to his nature, to deny himself, 2 Tim. ii. 13. an unfaithful God would be no God at all; it is a most glorious perfection of his nature; it is great, like himself; yea, it is infinite; Great is thy faithfulness, Lam. iii. 23. it reaches to all persons and things God has any concern with; it is all around him; he is, as it were, clothed and covered with it; and there is none in any creature like unto it, Psal. lxxxix. 8, There is faithfulness in the holy angels, and in good men, but not like what

is in God, and therefore he puts no trust in them, Job iv. 18. his faithfulness is invariably the same; it has never failed in any one instance, nor never will; it is established in the heavens, and will continue to all generations, Psal. lxxxix. 2, 24, 33. and cxix. 90. Josh. xxiii. 14. otherwise there would be no firm foundation for trust and confidence in him; but he is the faithful Creator, and cove. nant-God and Father of his people; to whom they may safely commit themselves, and depend upon him for all mercies promised, both temporal and spiritual, 1 Pet. iv. 19. 1 Thess. v. 23, 24. for the faithfulness of God chiefly lies in the performance of his word, which is certain, with respect to all that is spoken by him; for hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Verily he will, Numb. xxiii. 19. Luke i. 45. And it appears,

I. In the performance of what he has said with respect to the world in general; as, that it shall never more be destroyed by a flood, as it once was; and for a token and confirmation of it, God has set the rainbow in the cloud; and now four thousand years are gone since the covenant was made; and God has been faithful to it, though the earth has been sometimes threatened with destruction by violent storms, and sudden inundations; see Gen. ix. 11-16. Isai. liv. 9. Also that the ordinances of heaven, the sun, moon, and stars, shall not depart, but always continue in their being, use, and influence; and now they have kept their course, or station, and have done their office, exactly and punctually, for almost six thousand years; see Jer. xxxi. 35, 36. and xxxiii. 25. Likewise that the revolutions of the time, and seasons of the year, should keep their constant course; that, while the earth remaineth, seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease, Gen. viii. 22. and so it has always been, and still is, in one part of the world or another, according to the different climates. Remarkable was the faithfulness of God to the Jewish nation, in that their land required rain only at two seasons of the year, and God promised it to them, and which they always had; though sometimes so ungrateful as not to fear him who gave them rain, both the former and the latter, in his season, and reserved for them the appointed weeks of the harvest, Jer. v. 24. see Deut. xi. 14, 15. and whereas God has given reason to expect that his creatures should be preserved in their being, and provided for by him, with the necessaries of life; he has not left himself without a witness to his faithfulness, in all ages and nations, giving rain from heaven and fruitful seasons; and so filling the hearts of his creatures with food and gladness; whose eyes all of them wait upon him, and he gives them their meat in due season, Acts xiv. 17. Psal. xxxvi. 5, 6. and cxlv. 15, 16. And from all this it may be strongly concluded, that whatsoever God has said concerning the world, which is yet to be fulfilled, shall be most certainly done; as the judgment of it, the end and con-summation of all things in it, the conflagration of it, and the making new heavens and a new earth, wherein will dwell righteousness, 2 Pet. iii. 7-13.

II. The faithfulness of God appears in the fulfilment of what he has said with

respect to Christ, and the salvation of men by him; both of what he has said of him, and of what he has said to him: and, indeed, the faithfulness of God is displayed in Christ as in a mirror.

1. In the performance of what he has said of him; as that he should be born of a woman, be of the seed of Abraham, spring from the tribe of Judah, arise out of the family of David, be born of a virgin at Bethlehem, and converse much in Galilee, Gen. iii. 15. and xxii. 18. and xlix. 10. 2 Sam. vii. 12, 13. Mic v. 2. Isai. vii. 14. and ix. 1, 2. and suffer, and die, and work out the salvation of his people, Psal xxii. Isai. liii. and chap. xxv. 9. and xxxv. 4. and xlix. 6. all which has been fully accomplished, Matt. i. 1, 18—23. and ii. 5—23. and iv. 13-16. Luke i. 68-72. 1 Cor. xv. 3.

II. In the performance of what he said to Christ, or promised to him; as that he would help him, and strengthen him, as man and mediator in the great work of redemption and salvation; and which help and strength Christ expected, and believed he should have, and had it, Psal. lxxxix. 21. Isai. I. 7, 9. and xlix. 8. and that though he should die, and be laid in the grave and buried; yet he would raise him from the dead, and that on the third day; and which was accordingly done, Psal. xvi. 10. Hos. vi. 2. 1 Cor. xv. 4. and that when he had done his work, being delivered unto death for the sins of his people, and raised again for their justification, he should be glorified at his right hand, in his human nature; and accordingly, Christ having done his work, pleaded this promise, and it was fulfilled, Psal. cx. 1. John xvii. 4, 5. Phil. ii. 9, 10. and that he should see his seed have a numerous offspring, which should continue to the end of the world, Isai. liii. 10. Psal. lxxxix. 4, 29, 36. and which has been accomplished in the numerous conversions both among the Jews and Gentiles, in the first ages of christianity; and which have continued, more or less ever since; and will still more manifestly appear when the nation of the Jews shall be born at once, and the fulness of the Gentiles be brought in.

III. In the person, office, and works of Christ. This, as all other divine perfections, is common to each person in the Godhead, and shines resplendently in the Son of God, the brightness of his Father's glory, who has every perfection the Father has; so that he that has seen the Son has seen the Father, the same perfections being in the one as in the other, and this of faithfulness among the rest; which is to be seen in Christ as in a mirror, or glass; and an estimate may in some measure be taken, and judgment made of the faithfulness of God, by what appears in his Son; who has been faithful to him that appointed him to his office as Mediator. Moses was faithful in the house of God, as a servant: but Christ as a Son over his own house, Heb. iii. 2-6 and whose faithfulness may be observed,

1. In the performance of his engagements: he engaged to be the Surety of his people; to stand in their place and stead; to do and suffer for them what should be required, and to take care of all their affairs and concerns for time and eternity; and accordingly, he is become the Surety of the better testament,

Heb. vii. 22. he engaged to be the Saviour and Redeemer of them; he is often spoken of as such in the Old Testament; that is, as one who had engaged to work out their redemption and salvation; and which he has now obtained, and become the author of, Heb. v. 9. and ix. 12. he engaged to come into the world, in order to do this work, saying, Lo, I come; and he is come, and as done it; and that he came into the world, and as done this for sinners, the chief of sinners, is a faithful saying; in which the faithfulness of God in his promises, and of Christ in his engagements, is abundantly displayed, 1 Tim. i. 15. he engaged to come and fulfil the law, both its precepts and its penalty, and to become a sacrifice for sin; ceremonial sacrifices being insufficient, Psal. xl. 6—8. and he is accordingly become the fulfilling end of the law for righteousness to all that believe; and has offered himself, soul and body, without spot to God; "a Sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savour; " and whereby sin has been fully expiated and put away, Rom. x. 4. Heb. ix. 14, 26. see Heb. x. 5—10, he engaged to pay off the debts of his people, and by being their Surety, become responsible for them, and to clear off all their scores; which he has done to the uttermost farthing, and blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances against them. In short, he engaged to feed the flock of God, to take the whole care and oversight of it; and he does feed his flock like a shepherd, and has shewn himself to be the good and faithful one, by laying down his life for the sheep, Zech. xi. 4, 7. Isai. xl. 11. John x. 14.

11. In his discharge of the truth reposed in him, which is very large and great; the Father hath given all things into his hand, John iii. 35. all the persons of his elect to be kept, preserved, and saved by him; and so they are and shall be, even every one of them; whom Christ will present to his Father, and say, Behold, I, and the children which God hath given me; not one is lost, Heb. ii. 13. Christ is intrusted with a fulness of grace, to supply the wants of his people; it has been his Fathers pleasure, that it should dwell in him for their use; he has deposited it with him, to communicate it to them as they need it; and he has been faithful to do it, and in all ages and generations; he has been to all his churches, and to all his saints, in every period of time, A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon, Cant. iv. 15. saints both of the Old and New Testament, have all received of his fulness, and grace for grace, John i. 16. Eternal life and happiness is in his hands, and he has a power to give it to as many as the Father has given him: and he is faithful in the use of that power, and does give it to all his sheep, so that none of them shall ever perish, 1 John v. 11. John xvii. 2. and x. 28. yea, the glory of all the divine perfections, as concerned in the salvation of men, was entrusted with Christ; and he has been faithful in things pertaining to God, as well as in making reconciliation for the sins of the people; and in doing the one he has taken care of the other. The glory of God is great in the salvation of men, even of his justice and holiness; as well as of his wisdom, power, faithfulness, grace, and mercy, Heb. ii. 17. Psal. xx. 5. and lxxxv. 10.

3. In the exercise of his offices, as Prophet, Priest, and King: In the exercise of his prophetical office; for which he was abundantly qualified, by lying in the bosom of his Father, and so privy to his whole mind and will, which he has faithfully declared; all that he heard of the Father, all the words and doctrines he gave him, as man, he made known to his disciples; in doing which, he sought not is own glory, but the glory of him that sent him; and therefore must be true and faithful, and no unrighteousness or unfaithfulness in him, John i. 18. and vii. 16-18. and xv. 15. and xvii. 8. and therefore is justly entitled to be called the Amen, and faithful Witness, Rev. iii. 14. In the exercise of his priestly office; in which he is faithful to him that appointed him; and rightly bears the character of a faithful high-priest, in that he has offered up himself to make atonement for the sins of his people; and as the Advocate for them, even Jesus Christ the righteous, faithful, and true; and takes. perfect care, in all things, of the house of God, over which he is a priest, Heb. ii. 17. and iii. 1, 2. and x. 21. and ix. 14. 1 John ij. 1. And in the exercise of his kingly office; all whose adminstrations in it are just and true; righteousness being the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins; and with great propriety is he called faithful and true, since in righteousness he doth judge and make war, Rev. xv. 3. and xix. 11. Isai. xi. 5..

4. In the fulfilment of his promises, which he made to his disciples; as that he would not leave them comfortless, but come and see them; as he did, after his resurrection, and comforted them with his presence, and filled them with joy at the sight of him, John xiv. 18. and xx. 20. that they should receive the gift of the holy Spirit, and therefore were bid to wait at Jerusalem for it, and where it was bestowed upon them, on the day of Pentecost, in a very large and extraordinary manner, Acts i. 4. and ii. 4, 33. that he would be with them in the administration of his word and ordinances; and accordingly did go forth and work with them, confirming the word by signs following, Matt. xxviii. 19, 20. Mark xvi. 20. yea, he has promised his presence with his ministers and churches to the end of the world, and that even "where two or three are gathered together in his name, he will be in the midst of them," Matt. xviii. 20. and xxviii. 20. and he makes his word good, which the experience of his ministers and people in all ages confirms: he has promised also to come again, and take his disciples and faithful followers to himself, that where he is, they may be also; and which was not only verified in his immediate disciples, but in his saints in all ages, whom, when they have served their generation according to the will of God, he comes and takes them to himself, by death; and "to them that look for him, will he appear a second time, without sin, unto salvation." John xiv. 2, 3. Heb. ix. 21.

5. The faithfulness of Christ may be observed in his concern with the covenant of grace, and the promises of it; the covenant was made with him as the Head and Representative of his people, and stands fast with him; all the blessings of it are lodged with him, and faithfully dispensed by him; the promises