of applying the . dbfolute Promifes, 3/ railed up by Hope : And being railed, it (2) comes to Chrift, which is Faith, by vehement unutterable defire : And being come to him it '(3) Embraceth Chrift by Love : and thus the match is made, and the everlafting knot is tied. Now as you have heard, the abfolute promife works hope of relief from Chrift : and if it works hope, it ado works a defire, or coming to Chrift by defire. Oh ! that thou Lord wouldft honour thy grace, thy power, thy love, thy promife, in helping me a poor calf-away ! And thus Faith is created, as it were, by this abfolute promife : for it cannot but move the heart ofany one that ever felt his want, to cry mightily to the Lord for help, if he has any hope, Peeing; the Lord has pro- mifed to do it for fome. Oh faith the Soul, that thou wouldft do it for me ! And furely, were it not for this abfolute promife of God, no Soul would defire, becaufe he would have no hope to be faved, or to leek for any thing as from the hands of God. And thus you fee to what end God makes and to what rife a Chriftian may put thefe abfolute Promifes. II. For the fecond thing, viz. How and when a Chri/lian may apply thefe Promifes. I anfwer, every Chriftian is either, r. Within Covenant with God, and knows it ; or 2. Within covenant with God, and knows it not ; or 3. Out of covenant indeed, for his prefent late and condition, yet he is in feti, or making towards it.
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