TRUTH, Veritas, is used in several Senses in the Scriptures. First, for what is opposed to Falshood, a Lye, a Mistake, a Deceit. For example, There shall be none among you that shall consult the Dead, to learn the Truth from them; aut quæras à Deut. xviii. 11. Psal. v. 5. Rom. ix. 1.mortuis veritatem. And the Psalmist, speaking of the Wicked, Non est in ore eorum veritas. And St. Paul, I speak the truth in Christ, I lye not.
Secondly, Truth is put for Fidelity, Sincerity, and Punctuality in keeping Promises. Generally to Truth, taken in this Sense, is joined Mercy or Kindness. For example, Gen. xxiv. 27. Eliezer, the Servant of Abraham gives Thanks to God, that he had shewed Kindness and Truth to his Master Abraham: Benedictus Dominus, qui non abstulit misericordiam & veritatem suam à Domino meo: He has given him plenty of good things by his Mercy, and has compleatly fulfilled all his Promises to him. Misericordia & veritas, may also express a stable, constant, and permanent Mercy or Kindness: The Lord be praised, who has favoured my Lord and Master Abraham in so constant and uniform a manner.
Those Expressions, Misericordia & veritas, are very frequent in Scripture. Gen. xxiv. 29. Si facitis misericordiam & veritatem cum Domino meo, judicate mihi. And Gen. xlvii. 49. Jacob says to his Son Joseph, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt: You shall promise this Favour, and you shall faithfully perform it. And in Joshua, ii. 14. the Spies of the Israelites promised Rahab, to deal with her kindly and truly, that they would faithfully perform what they had promised. And 2 Samuel ii. 6. David sent to tell the Inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead, that the Lord would shew kindness and truth to them, for their Piety in burying the Bones of Saul, and that he himself would requite it to them. Lastly, as this manner of speaking occurs in almost every Page of the Scripture, in my opinion it may signify, that God will bestow his Kindness and Favour to all those to whom he promises Mercy and Truth; and that he will do it in a fixed and permanent manner.
There are some to whom he makes Promises, but they are only conditional; others on whom he confers Favours, but they are only for a season; others are prevented with his first Blessings, but do not obtain the Favour of a final Perseverance. God made many Promises to the Israelites, but merely on condition that they should continue faithful to him. He gave the Royal Dignity to Saul, but it was only for a time. Solomon partook plentifully of his first Favours, but it is doubted whether he had the Gift of Perseverance. In this Sense God may be said to have granted them his Kindness, but not his Truth. On the contrary, he granted both to David, in a still particular manner, and in a more perfect manner to the Messiah. David says of himself, Psalm xxxix. 12.Misericordia tua & veritas tua semper susceperunt me. And again, Psal. lvi. 4. Misit Deus misericordiam suam & veritatem suam, eripuit animam meam de medio catulorum leonum, &c. And elsewhere, Psal. lxxxviii. 34.speaking of the Messiah, Misericordiam autem meam non dispergam ab eo, neque nocebo in veritate mea, &c.
The Septuagint generally translate the Hebrew Word Chesed by Justice, which the Vulgate renders by Mercy. Blessed be the Lord, who hath not withdrawn his Justice and Truth from my Master. But in these Passages, as in many others, the Words Mercy and Justice are synonymous, even in the Hebrew.
Isaiah desires of the Lord, that Peace and Truth may be established for his Days: 2 Kings xx. 19. Isaiah xxxix. 8.Sit pax & veritas in diebus meis, where the Hebrew hath it, Shall there be Peace and Truth for my Life? May I flatter myself, that God will suspend the terrible Effects of his Vengeance till after my Death? Peace and Truth stand here for a constant and continual Prosperity. Jeremiah xxxiii.6. makes use of almost the same Expression: Revelabo illis deprecationem pacis & veritatis: I will discover to them John xiv. 6. John i. 14.an effectual manner of Prayer, to obtain Peace and Truth, or a fixed and durable Peace. Otherwise, I will make them to taste that solid Happiness they wish for. Deprecationem pacis, is as much as to say, Pacem quam enixè precantur. And Zechariah, viii. 19. Pacem & veritatem diligite, which relates to what he said a little before, Verse 16. Veritatem & judicium pacis judicate; Judge in Truth and Peace; live in Peace, and exercise Justice over your Brethren: Let the Judges and Magistrates do Justice to their Inferiors, in Truth and Equity, and let them preserve Peace among them. Or else, Judicium veritatis & pacis, is put for Judgment that procures Peace to them, a constant Prosperity. Or, lastly, it is put for Judicium verum & perfectum, Judgment attended by perfect Equity. The Hebrew Word Shalom, which signifies Peace, stands also for Perfection.
Jesus Christ is the eternal and essential Truth: Ego sum via, veritas, & vita. And again, in the First Epistle of St. John, v. 6. Quoniam Christus est veritas: He is the Word, full of Grace and Truth. Plenum gratiæ & veritatis: ‘Tis he that has granted and communicated to us a Plenitude of both Ibid. 17.of these. Gratia & veritas per Jesum John iv. 26Christum facta est. ‘Tis he that has sent to his Apostles the Spirit of Truth: Spiritum veritas qui à Patre procedit.
The Word of Truth, the Way of Truth, the Knowledge of Truth, to walk in the Truth, to speak in Truth, to give Testimony to the Truth, in the sacred Authors of the New Testament, import the Truth of the Gospel, the holy Truths of Christianity.
Psal. xxxv. 6. lvi. 11.The Psalmist says, that the Mercy of the Lord reaches to the Heavens, and his Truth to the Clouds; to express their Greatness, Immensity, and Extent; and that all Creatures partake of them. Elsewhere he says, Psalm lxxxv. 10, 11.Mercy and Truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven. In this Place the Prophet describes the Happiness of the Land of Judah, after the Return from the Captivity; and in a more exalted Sense, the Advantages the Church was to enjoy after the Coming of the Messiah. Mercy and Justice, Peace and Truth, in these Places may be considered as synonymous Terms. In Judah shall be seen to flourish Mercy, Justice, Peace and Truth; a constant and permanent Mercy, a full and perfect Justice. Certain it is, that Justice is often put for Clemency, Benignity, Mercy.
David, in Psalm lxxxviii. in several manners extols the Truth of God, or his Fidelity in his Promises. ‘Tis a Song of Thanksgiving for the Mercies that God had vouchsafed to the House of David. The fruitful Invention of the Prophet has furnished him with great Variety of Ways to declare the Greatness of God’s Favour, and the Effectualness of his Promises. “I will for ever shew forth “ his Mercies; I will publish his Truth “ from Generation to Generation.- — His “ Mercy is founded in Heaven, he has “ confirmed his Truth. ---- His Truth “ shall be magnified in the Congregation “ of the Saints. ---- His Power is infinite, and his Truth surrounds it on “ all sides. ---- Justice and Equity are “ the Supporters of his Throne. ----- “ Mercy and Truth march before him.--- “ His Mercy and his Truth shall be always displayed to David.” All these Expressions and different Turns amount to this, that it is his Mercy that prevents and promises, and it is his Truth that executes and performs.