CAP. V.4ta4. M.G's notion of God's Faithfulnet1e,weighed & rejaled. 126 God by his Faithfulneffe, but that whereby his Truth and his Conftancie in Words and Promifes is fignified, I knownot. Let the places from thebegin- ing of the Scripturesto the end, wherein there is mention made ofthe Faith, or FaithfulnefeofGod, of his being Faithful!, with theApplication thereof, theScope, and intendment ofthe place,be perufed, and fee ifthey will give the lealt allowance to turne alide from eying the Property and Perfection ofGod before mentioned, as thatwhich they peculiarly intend. Deut:7.9. FT: 36.5. Pf8g. i,2, 5. Pf:143.1. Ifai:49 7. Hof 2.20. Rom. 3.3. 2 7th,: 2. i 3. Heb:, 10.23. I Iohn 1.9. are fomeofthem. Why we ffiould wringout another fence ofthe expreffion in this place, I know not. 2. The FaithfulneffeofGod isnot'mentioned as that Divineprinciple, out ofwhich he ismoved to eftablilhand confirme Believers to the end, but only toconfirmethem in the faith ofhis Unchangeableneffe and Conftancie,in the accomplifhing the workeofhisfree Grace, which he had begun in them, and promifed to confirmeto the end. Thework flowes from the Principleofhis free Grace inJefus Chrift, whence alone, he gives themgreat, free, and pre.. tious Promifes. His ftability and Conftancie in thofe Promifes, a.s to their performance, is intendedby his Faithfulnefe and Truth in them. What are thePromifes ofGod improperly fir called, andnot exhibited inwards,which you intimate,I know not. 3. TheApoftle doth notonly fuppofe,. but in thename, and Authorityof God, givesa fually in the places underconGderation, Promifes ofthe certain and infallible prefervation ofBelievers to theend, afferting the immutability ofGods engagement in them from his Faithfulneffe. In briefe: not to darken counfell andunderftanding with a multitude ofwords; by the Promifes of God, we intend in a peculiar manner, thofe expreft in the Texts under cone- deration. via. That God will eflablifhh Believers to the end , keep them frome- vill, and all Temptations, that would overthrow them: and by theFaithfulneffe .ofGod, fromwhence Believers have their Affuranceof the accamplifhment ofthefe promifes, that which:the Scripture holdsout, and all the World of Believers have hitherto taken tobe, the Faithfalnefé of God , as was before defcribed. But it kettles the word is hereufed otherwife. For (faith he.) It iefach a kindofFaithfeelnefè, or difpofition in him, as that meant byPeter, when heflileth him a faithfull Creator:NowGod1.s, and mayproperly be termed 4 faithfullCreator, becaufe he conflantly perforates unto his Creature, whatfoever the Relation of a Creator promifeth in an equitable and rationall way unto it, which is a great careand tenderneffe for the prefervation and well-being ofit: in like manner he may,yea it is waftlikely that he is, calledfaithfull in his calling ofmen, as he is afpirituall Fatheror Creator, agiver o f a newbeing unto.men, be.. caufe heneverfaileth to perform unto thofenew creatures ofhis, whatfoeverfilch abeing as this regularly interpreted, promifeth untohim, who receiveth it from him who is the donor ofit: (that is) convenient and f,f ficient meaner for thepre- fervation, andwell-beingofit. So that the Faithfulnefe ofGod in the Scriptures inhand, fuppofes no fach Promfe made by God, as our oppofers imagine, viz. Wherebyhefbould in termes , orwords (land engaged to eflablifl:, confirme, or keep .Believersfrom evil!, his new- his regeneratedones, after anyfuch a man- eier, but that they if they be carelefe or negligent themfelves, maybe flea- ken and decline, andcommit evillnotwithfianding. .Anf.. That by Gods Faithfulnefe mentioned in that place ofPeter, fuch a difpofition as you afterwards defcribe,isintended,you had better fay, then un- dertake to prove. It is evident the fcope of the Apoftle isto exhort theSaints ofGod in all their trialls and afflierions, to commit 2hemfelves and their waies, with patience &quietneffe untoGod, upon the account of hisponce to r
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