EAP.V .§. tz. The$ateofthe Queflion. MrG s Exceptions cleared. 122 nefe, norfhadowof turning,who is Faithfull in all his Promifes, and all whole words are Truth and Faithfullneffe, hathfolemnely promifedand engaged himfelfe Titus 1.2. unto, to this end, that they,unto whom hefopromifeth and engageth himfelfe,may Heb.6.18. f rom tho fa Promifes receive ron Con f o1ation; That he will certainel y p er f orme 1 Cor.1.9. and Accompliflb. That hewill be a God and a Guide unto death unto hisSaints, that hewill never leave them norforfal¿e them, that he willnever call themoff, nor leave them outofhisfavour, but willpreferve them fach as is meet for his Holy Majeflie to embrace, Love, anddelight in, and that with an expreffë not- withftandingfor everyfirth thing,as rnightfeeme toprovoke hint tofort l¿e them, He hathPromifed, andfor the endmentioned. Therefore that he willfoabide with them,that his Lovefhall be continuedto them to the End, that he will Preferve them unto himfelfe&c. according to his Truth and Faithfirllnefe,fballbe aecom- plifbedandfulfilled. The inference bath its ftrength from the Nature, Truth and Faithfulnefe ofGod: and whileft they abide in any credit with the fonnes ofmen, it may feeme ftringe, that it fhouldbedenyed or queftioned. Themajor propofition ofthe forementioned Argument is examined byMr Goodwin Cap. t r. Sett. t. Pag. 225. faith he. ¢. 12. t. What God hothpromifed inhis Word, is certaine in _filch afence, andup- onfuchTermes, asGodwould beunderflood in his Promifes; but what hepromi- fed in onefence,is not certaineofperformance in the other. Anf, 1. Doubtleffe Gods meaningand intentioninhis Promifes is the - Rule oftheiraccomplifhment. This fometimes we may not be able to fa- thome: and thereupon beexpofed to Temptations not a few, concerning their fulfilling, fo was it with them with whom Paul had.to do, in reference to the Promifes made to theseedof Abraham. The Queftion then is not whither that which is promifed in one fence, (hall beperformed in another: butwhither God's Promifes have, and (hall certainely have, all of them, ac- cording tohi§ intendment, any performance at all. And the aime of Mr Goodwin in the Example, that he afterwards produceth, is not tomanifefl< that that whichGod promifeth, {hall certainely be performed only in that fence,wherein he madehis Protnife>but that they maybeperformed , or not performedat all.It is not inwhore fence they (hall have their performance,but whither they (hallhave any performance,or no. Ifthe thing promifed be not accomplifhed, the Promifeis not at all in anyfence performed; unleffe Mr Goodwinwill diftinguifh, and fay, there are twowayes ofany things perfor- mance, one whereby it is performed; 'another, whereby it is not. But hepro - ceedes tomanifeft this Affertion byan indu&ion ofinftances- Mts 27. God (faith he)promiJédto Paul the lives of them that were in the ship: his intent andmeaningwas not, that they fhould allbe preferved, againgl what ever they in the Shipmight do to hinder that Promife, butwith this provifo or Con- dition, that they in theShip fhould harIen unto him, and follow his advice: which is evident from thole wordsofPaul,Except theft abide in the Ship, yee can- not be raved: Andhad they gone away, God had not made any breach ofPromife, though theyhadbeen all drowned. Anf. Firft when men ferioufly promife any thing, which is wholly, and abfolutely in their power toAccomplifh &bring about,caufing therebygood men to reff upon their words,&to declareunto others their repofe upon their honefty and worth; if they do not make good what they have fpoken, we account them unworthy promife -breakers, and they do it at the perill ofall the repute ofhonefty,honor, and Faith they have in the world. WithGodit feemes it is otherwife; He makesa folemne Gracious Promife toPaul that the lives ofall them in theshipwith him,fhould befaved: Paulonwhó it was as much incumbent as on any man in the world not to engage thename ofGod(that God
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