CHAPTER X.

“THE TRUTH.”  SOME GENERALS PROPOSED.

That what we are to speak to for the clearing and improving this noble piece of truth, that Christ is the Truth, may be the more clearly understood and edifying, we shall first take notice of some generals, and then show particularly how or in what respects Christ is called the Truth; and finally speak to some cases wherein we are to make use of Christ as the Truth.

As to the first.  There are four general things here to be noticed.

1.  This supposeth what our case by nature is, and what we are all without Christ, who is the Truth:  as,

First. It supposeth that without Christ we are in darkness, mistakes, errors:  yea, we are said to be darkness itself.  Eph. v. 8, “Ye were sometimes darkness,” &c.  John i. 5, and of darkness; 1 Thess. v. 5, yea, under the “power of darkness;” Col. i. 13.  John xii. 35. 1 John ii. 11, “walking in darkness;” 1 John i. 6, and “abiding in darkness.” 1 Pet. ii. 9. 1 Thess. v. 4.  John xii. 46, “We wander and go astray as soon as we are born, speaking lies,” Psal. lviii. 3.  Yea, we “go astray in the greatness of our folly,” Prov. v. 22.  We are “all gone astray,” Isa. liii. 6.  Psal. cxix. 67-176; so far are we from any knowledge of, or acquaintance with truth, or with the way of truth.

Secondly. It supposeth that we cannot turn into the right way.  A spirit of error and untruth leadeth us continually wrong; like the sheep we wander still, and we weary ourselves in our wandering; and so spend all our labour and pains in vain.  Being under the power of untruth and error, we cannot walk one step right.

Thirdly. Though all other ways, beside him who only is the way and the truth, be false ways and by-ways, leading us away from the true resting-place, and from that way which is the truth; yet we are prone and ready to cleave to those false and erroneous ways, and grip to shadows, and to lean to them, as if they were the ways of truth:  Such as,

1.  A good heart, which many may imagine they have, when they have nothing less.

2.  Good intentions and purposes for time to come, which such, as were not under the power of error and untruth, would never deceive themselves withal.

3.  An harmless life, without scandalous out-breakings to the reproach of Christianity, a foundation on which no wise man, led by truth, would build his salvation, or hopes of eternal happiness.

4.  An outward, moral, civil and discreet carriage, which no man can blame, and wherein a heathen can outstrip many called Christians; so that it must be a poor ground to found our hopes upon; and yet many are so blinded, that they lean all their weight upon such a rotten staff.

5.  Outward exercise of religious duties, wherein a Pharisee may outstrip many; and yet, O how many build all their hopes of heaven upon this sandy foundation, which none but blinded persons would do!