1. There are promises of the grace of faith, and others that are made to it; as it is said, in John vi. 37. ‘All that the Father giveth to me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.’ And, in Eph. ii. 8. ‘By grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.’
2. There are promises of the grace of repentance, in Rom. xi. 26. ‘There shall come out of Zion the deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.’ And, in Ezek. xx. 43. ‘Ye shall remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled, and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight, for all your evils that ye have committed.’
3. There are promises of love to God: Thus in Gal. v. 2. ‘The fruit of the Spirit is love.’ And, 2 Tim. i. 7. ‘God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and love, and of a sound mind.’ And, in Rom. v. 5. ‘Hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.’ And, in 2 Thes. iii. 5. ‘The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.’
4. Another grace promised is an holy filial fear of God, in Jer. xxx. 39, 40. ‘I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear them for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.’ And, in Hos. iii. 5. ‘They shall fear the Lord and his goodness.’
5. Obedience to God’s commands, which is an indispensable duty, is also considered as a promised blessing, in Deut. xxx. 8. ‘Thou shalt return and obey the voice of the Lord, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day.’
Moreover, as there are promises of the graces of the Spirit, so the comforts that flow from thence are also promised: Thus it is said in Isa. li. 12. I, even I, am he that comforteth you. And, in chap. xl. 1. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people: Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, &c. more particularly,
(1.) There are promises of peace of conscience, which is a great branch of those spiritual comforts which God gives his people ground to expect: Thus it is said in Isa. lvii. 18, 19. ‘I will restore comforts unto him, and to his mourners. I create the fruit of the lips; peace, peace to him that is afar off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord.’ And, in chap. xxvi. 4. ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee.’
(2.) God has promised a good hope of eternal life, in 2 Thes. ii. 16. ‘Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, who hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation, and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts.’ And, in Rom. xv. 4. ‘Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning; that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope.’
(3.) God has promised spiritual joy to his people, in Psal. lxiv. 10. ‘The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.’ And, in Psal. xcvii. 11, 12. ‘Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.’
Here we shall consider a believer, when drawing nigh to God in prayer, as depressed and bowed in his own spirit, and hardly able to speak a word to him in his own behalf, as the Psalmist says, in Psal. lxxvii. 3, 4. I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed. I am so troubled that I cannot speak; and how he may receive great advantage from those promises which he will find in the word of God; as,