_3. Truth:_ The attribute of "Truth" is ascribed to God; and here we again come in touch with the absolute, as when speaking of God's Eternity. God can be no other than absolute in this quality. An untruthful God! the thought is blasphemy. "God is not a man that he should lie, neither the son of man that he should repent."[A] "Mercy and Truth shall go before thy face."[B] "A God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he."[C] "Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of Truth."[D] "Abundant in goodness and Truth."[E] So our modern scriptures: "God does not walk in crooked paths, neither does he turn to the right hand nor the left, or vary from that which he has said, therefore his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round."[F] It cannot be emphasized too strongly--God is a God of Truth; and does not, and cannot lie without ceasing to be God. It would wreck the moral universe for God to lie. He must _be_, he is TRUTH! "A God of truth, without iniquity, just and right is he."[G] [Footnote A: Numbers xxiii:19.] [Footnote B: Psalms lxxxix:14.] [Footnote C: Deut. xxxii:4.] [Footnote D: Psalms xxxi:5.] [Footnote E: Ex. xxxiv:6.] [Footnote F: Doc. & Cov., Sec. 3:2.] [Footnote G: Deut. xxxii:4.] _4. Justice:_ "Justice," as an attribute, is of the same quality as the attribute of Truth--it must be conceived as absolute in Deity. God not just! The thought would be blasphemous. Of course we have scripture warrant for the doctrine: "Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne."[A] "There is no God beside me: a Just God and a Savior."[B] "The Just God is in the midst thereof."[C] "Behold thy King cometh unto thee: he is Just and having salvation."[D] [Footnote A: Psalms lxxxix:14.] [Footnote B: Isaiah xv:21.] [Footnote C: Zech. iii:5.] [Footnote D: Zech. ix:9.] _5. Mercy:_ "Mercy" as an attribute of God is in a class with Truth and Justice and Holiness. A God without compassion--only another name for mercy--would be a monstrosity. No, God must be Merciful! Else what shall become of man? God not merciful! It is unthinkable, that is all. The quality of Mercy as an attribute of God is not strained; "It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath; it is twice blest; It blesses him that gives, and him that takes; 'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes The throned monarch better than his crown; * * * It is an attribute to God himself!" "Mercy and truth shall go before his face," is the testimony of the Psalmist.[A] "And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, Merciful and gracious."[B] "But thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful."[C] [Footnote A: Psalms lxxxix:14.] [Footnote B: Ex. xxxiv:6.] [Footnote C: Neh. ix:17.]