The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb.…

It is a great dispute among the Schoolmen, whether God be properly obliged to us by his Promises: When the word [obligation] it self is but a metaphor, which must be cast away or explained, before the question can be answered: God cannot be bound as man is, who transferreth a propriety to another from himself: or maketh himself a proper debtor in point of communicative Justice; or may be sued at Law, and made to perform against his will. But it is a higher obligation than all this which lieth upon God. His Power, Wisdom and Goodness, which are himself, do constitute his Veracity: And his very Nature is immutable, and just; and therefore his Nature and Being, is the infallible cause of the fulfilling of his Promises: ⟨p. 242⟩He freely made them; but he necessarily performeth them: And therefore the Apostle saith, that God that cannot lye hath promised eternal life, before the world began; which is either [promised according to his counsel which he had before the world began] or [from the beginning of the world] Titus 1.2. Or as the word also signifieth many ages ago. And Heb. 6.17, 18. Wherefore God willing more abundantly to show to the heirs of Promise, the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath; that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lye, we might have a strong consolation, who have fl•d for refuge, to lay hold upon the hope set before us: which hope we have as an Anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast—And therefore when the Apostle meaneth, that Christ will not be unfaithful to us, his phrase is, He cannot deny himself, 2 Tim. 2.13. As if his very Nature and Being consisted more in his truth and fidelity, than any mortal mans can do.

It is a great dispute among the Schoolmen, whether God be properly obliged to us by his Promises: When the word [obligation] it self is but a metaphor, which must be cast away or explained, before the question can be answered: God cannot be bound as man is, who transferreth a propriety to another from himself: or maketh himself a proper debter in point of communicative Justice; or may be sued at Law, and made to perform against his will. But it is a higher obligation than all this which lyeth upon God. His Power, Wisdom and Goodness, which are himself, do constitute his Veracity: And his very Nature is immutable, and just; and therefore his Nature and Being, is the infallible cause of the fulfilling of his Promises: