The right method for a settled peace of conscience, and spiritual comfort in 32…

Men may be said to Despair of their Salvation, and to Despair in themselves, but not to Despair in God, except the formal cause of such Despair were there present; and except they are drawn to it, by not believing his Truth and Faithfulness. The true nature of Despair is expressed in that of the Apostles, Luke 24.21. We trusted that this was he that should Redeem Israel: Only it was but imperfect Despair: else it had been damnable. Their hopes were shaken. And for my part, I am persuaded that it is only this proper Despair in God, which is the damnable Desperation, which is threatened in the Scripture: and not the former: And that if a poor soul should go out of this world without any Actual Hope of his own Salvation, merely because he thinks that he is no true ⟨p. 198⟩Believer, that this Soul may be saved, and prove a true Believer for all this. Alas, the great sin that God threateneth is our Distrust of his Faithfulness, and not the doubting of our own sincerity and Distrust of our selves. We have great reason to be very jealous of our own hearts, as knowing them to be Deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know them? But we have no reason at all to be Jealous of God. Where find you in Scripture that any is condemned for hard thoughts of themselves, or for not knowing themselves to have true Grace; and for thinking they had none? It is true unbelief in Gods Promise that men are condemned for: even that sin which is an Aversion of the Soul from God. But perhaps you will ask, Is doubting of our own sincerity and Salvation no sin? I answer, Doubting is either taken in opposition to Believing; or in opposition to knowing or to conjecturing.

Men may be said to Despair of their Salvation, and to Despair in themselves, but not to Despair in God, except the formal cause of such Despair were there present; and except they are drawn to it, by not believing his Truth and Faithfulness. The true nature of Despair is exprest in that of the Apostles, Luke 24.21. We trusted that this was he that should Redeem Israel: Only it was but imperfect Despair: else it had been damnable. Their hopes were shaken. And for my part, I am perswaded that it is only this proper Despair in God, which is the damnable Desperation, which is threatned in the Scripture: and not the former: And that if a poor soul should go out of this world without any Actual Hope of his own Salvation, meerly because he thinks that he is no true