PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

Pronlises. 99
interve" ~jon of promises are formal, and is seen and
acknowledged; our jn~tance, therefore, is intended
to show it in the other, where it is not so distinctly .
observed.
II. In what sense Promises are to be interpreted.
\Vhere the terms of a promise admit of more senses
than one, the Fomiae is to be _ p~rfg..rme4_ " ill tlgt.
se~= in ~hich the proniiser~reh~~ed_at the time
that th~_Dromi~ receivei[il.' -- -
It-is nor-me sense! in which the promiser actually
intended it, that always- governs the interpretation
of an equivocal promise; because at that rate, you
might excite expectations which you never meant,
Much less is it the
nor would be obliged, to satisfy.
sense, in which the promisee actually received ~e
prcmis~; for according to that rule, you might be
drawn i'lto engagements which you never d~gned
to undertake. It must therefore ~ the s~~ (for
there is no other re~ainit:g)· i~ wahich tlie r~o!lliser.
bflieved that ~romisee_ acc~te. _ hiipr.prmse.
This will not differ froDl the actual intention of
the promiser, where the promise -is given without
collusion or reserve; but we put the rule in the above
form, to exclude evasion in cases in which the popular
Dleaning of a.phrase, and the strict grammatical
signification of the words· differ, or, in general, wher·
ever the promiser attempts to raake his escape through
some ambiguity in the expressions which he used.
T C11lures promi'ed the garrison of Sebasfia, that, if
they ~1(Juld su.rrender, no biood should be shed. The
garrison surrendered; and 1elnures r.,uried them all
alive. Now Temures fulfiI1ed the promise in one sense,
and in the ~ense too in "Thiell he intended it at -the
time; but not in the sense in which the garrison of
Sebastia actually received it, nor in the sense in which
Tcmures himself knew that the garrison received it :
which last sense~ according to our rule, was the sense
he was in conscience bound to have performed it in.
From the account we have given of the obligation .
of promises, it is evident, th~t __ ~h.~$ obligation dc; ___ -