Rule 6.

Rule 6.

If thou canst not apply to thy self for thy comfort in affliction,¹ the conditional Promises, lay hold upon the absolute Promises. I have formerly told you that there are some Promises conditional, others absolute, some to grace, others of grace, some to those that are godly, others, to make us godly: God hath not only promised to pardon those that repent, but to give repentance; ²not only to justify those who believe, ³but to give us to believe; ⁴not only to give Heaven to those that love him, ⁵but to give us grace to love him; not only to save those that persevere, but to enable us to persevere: And ⟨p. 195⟩therefore if thou canst not lay hold upon the Promises to those that are godly, apply those which are made to make us godly. If not those which are made to those who repent, believe and persevere, apply those wherein God promiseth to give us to repent, believe, and persevere. If not the conditional, lay hold upon the absolute.

If thou canst not apply to thy selfe for thy comfort in affliction,¹ the conditional Promises, lay hold upon the absolute Promises. I have formerly told you that there are some Promises conditional, others absolute, some to grace, others of grace, some to those that are godly, others, to make us godly: God hath not onely promised to pardon those that repent, but to give repentance; ²