The Nature, Providence, and Promises of God

For the better settling of our trust in God, a further discovery is necessary than of the nature and providence of God; for though the nature of God is written in the book of creation in such great letters, as he that runs may read, and though the providence of God appears in the order and use of all things, there is another book whereby we know the will of God towards us, and our duty towards him. We must have a knowledge of the promises of God. For though God has revealed himself most graciously in Christ, yet had we not a word of promise, we could not have the boldness to build upon Christ. From the same reasoning that there must be a God, there must also be a revealing of the will of God. For how else can we ever have any firm trust in him without him offering himself to be trusted? Therefore God has opened his heart to us in his word, and reached out to us by many sweet promises for us to lay hold on. For promises are the stay of the soul in an imperfect condition, and so is faith in them until all promises end in performance, and faith in sight, and hope in possession.
Note of these promises: (1) The spring from whence they proceed—the free engagements of God, for if he had not bound himself, who could? (2) Their value—precious. (3) Their extent—large, even to include all things that contribute to true happiness. (4) The benefit they produce—quickening and strengthening to the soul. (5) Their certainty—as sure as the love of God in Christ is, upon which they are founded, and from which 'nothing can separate us' (Rom. 8:39). For all promises are either Christ himself, the promised seed, or else they are the good things made to us in him and for him and accomplished for his sake.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
The Soul's Conflict with Itself, Works, vol. 1, p. 212
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