Some select cases resolved. Specially, tending to the right ordering of the heart, that…

Hereupon the Soul thinks thus; These promises are made for some that are filthy; for why should God pour clean water upon them? for some that be hard-hearted; for why should he promise to take away the stony heart from them? &c: and if unto some such, and I being such a one, why may not the Lord possibly intend and include me, seeing he has not by his promise excluded nor shut me out? Indeed I dare not say he will, but yet how do I, or men, or Angels know, but yet I may be one? Hereupon Hope is raised to life again: seeing God has undertaken the work for the vilest, it is possible he may do it for me, now when I am vile and can do nothing for my self. And thus you may see the first end and use of absolute promises, to be as it were, twigs to uphold the sinking Spirits of hopeless, helpless, distressed Souls.

2. The Second end and use of them is this; To create and draw out faith in Jesus Christ in the promises. For as the Law begets Terror, so the promises beget Faith. Now no conditional promise firstly begets Faith; because he that is under any condition of the Gospel, in that man there is a presupposed faith. It's God's absolute promise that firstly begets faith; for Faith is not assurance, but the coming of the whole Soul to Christ in a Promise, John 6.35: And then the Soul believes in Christ, when it comes to Christ: Now this God works in the Gospel. (1) The Soul is ⟨p. 31⟩raised up by Hope: And being raised, it (2) comes to Christ, which is Faith, by vehement unutterable desire: And being come to him it (3) Embraceth Christ by Love: and thus the match is made, and the everlasting knot is tied.

Now as you have heard, the absolute promise works hope of relief from Christ: and if it works hope, it also works a desire, or coming to Christ by desire. Oh! that thou Lord wouldst honour thy grace, thy power, thy love, thy promise, in helping me a poor cast-away! And thus Faith is created, as it were, by this absolute promise: for it cannot but move the heart of any one that ever felt his want, to cry mightily to the Lord for help, if he has any hope, seeing the Lord has promised to do it for some. Oh saith the Soul, that thou wouldst do it for me! And surely, were it not for this absolute promise of God, no Soul would desire, because he would have no hope to be saved, or to seek for any thing as from the hands of God. And thus you see to what end God makes and to what use a Christian may put these absolute Promises.