6- The T ruth ofCod. __ Vol i that Godpermitted the falfe Prophets to deceive them, Prophefying Peace to them, as appears by the Hiflory, Ezek. r4. 9. I the Lord have deceived that Prophet, that is, permitted him to be deceived, and to deceive the People, as a juft judgment upon them for their Infidelity with refped to his true Prophets. This he threatens at the 5th v. Iwilltake the houfe of Ifrael in their own heart, becaufe they are all_ eflrangedfrom me through their idols ; becaufe they have chofen to them- felves falte gods, I will fuffer them to be deceived with faire Prophets ; and that this is the meaning, appears by the threatning added, and Iwillffretch out my hand _upon him, and I will c'eftroy him from the midlt of mypeople : now God will not ,punit1h that whereof he is the Author. That Text Ter. zo. 7. Thou haft deceived me, and I was deceived, lignifies no more, but that he liad miïaken the Promife of God to him, who when he gave him his Commiffion, told him he would be with .him, by which he underftood that no evil thould come to him, and now hi was become a derilion, and the people mocked him ; and in his pafüon and weaknefs he breakes forth into this expreffion, thou haft deceived me, and Iwas deceived ; whereas it was his own miftakeof the meaning of God's promife, whichwas not that he thould not meet with fcorn, and oppofition, and perfecution, but that they thould not prevail againft him, as you may fee at the latter end of the ftrfi Chapter. Second Objection againft the Faithfulnef of God as toperformance of his promife. 'Tis Obje ltd that God didnot give the Children of Ifrael all the Land which he promifed to Abraham, as will appear by comparing Gen. 58. 59. zo. with 7ofh. 53. a. &c. and Judg. z. zo, Lt. Gen. 15. 58. God promifed togive Abraham and hisfeed fuck a Land, the bounds whereof he defcribes, Jofh. 53. t. 'Tis Paid there, that there remained very much Land yet unconquerd, which they had not got the po11"eon of. And .udg. z. zo. 'tis Paid that the People having not per- formed their part of the Covenant, God would fufpend the further performance of his Promife, and would not drive out any more ofthe Nations before them; and it is probable that the Ifraelites never were poffeft of the promifed Land in the full latitude and extent of the Promife. fief. This Covenant of God with Abraham, was upon confideratiònof his paft Faith and Obedience, tho'it feems the full performance of it did likewife depend upon the future Obedience of his pofterity; in purfuance of this Covenant, not- withftanding all the murmurings, and rebellions of that People, God did bring thetì'h into the promifed Land, tho' they provoked him to deftroy them many a time ; becaufe ¿re remembred his covenant with Abraham; when they werepoffeft of it, God gave them a title tothe reft, and would have aflfted them in the Conqueft ofit, if they had performed the Condition required on their pari, that is, continued Faithful and Obedient to him ; but they did not, and thereby difcharged God from any further performance of his Promife ; and God when he had done this, had fully performed the Covenant ha made with Abraham, fo far as concerned his part, as appears by the acknowledgment of yofhuú, even in a time when a great part of the Land was unconquer'd, 3ofh. zt. 44, and of Solomon, r Kings 8. 56. yea and had it not been that God had made this Covenant, as well upon con - rderat on of Abraham's Faith and Obedience, as upon Condition of the future Obedience of his Pofterity, the Rebellions and Difobedience of the. People in the 'Wildernefs had releafed God wholly from the Promife, and he had not been unfadthful if he had defrayed utterly that People, and made afull end of them, and they had never entred into that Land ; becaufe a failure ofthe :Condition doth make the Obligation to ceafe ; and that this Conditi- on was imply'd in this Covenant with Abraham, appears by there Texts, Deut. 7. t z, 53. 55;22. zz z3. 4i. and fudg. z, zo. God givesthisReafon why he fufpend- ed the compleat performance of his Promife, the anger ofthe Lordwas bot againff Z./rael, andhefait, becaufe that this People bath tranfgref/ed my Covenant which I commanded their Fathers, andhave not hearkned to my voice, I alfo will not hencefàrth drive out any of the Nations which lofhua left when he died. Third Obje6tion, God is not punétualin performing his Threatnings; as when be threatend Adam, Genz z. 57. In the day thou eateft thereof, thou /halt Purely
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