15z VireElions forgetting and keeping bathbroke hra Word ; this is properly a Defpair in your friend. But ifyou only think that you have overftaid the time, and that it is paff, and therefore you Shall not have the gift, this may be called. a Defpair of the event, and a Defpair in your Pelf, but not properly a Defpair of your friend : only the Aft of Hoping in God is kindred, as is faid. So it is in our prefent. cafe. Men may be Paid to Defpair of their Salvation and to Defpair in tl cmfelves, but not to Defpair in God, except the formal caufe of fuch Defpair were there pre- fent ; and except they are drawn to it by not believing his Truth and Faithfulnefs. The true nature of Defpair is expreft in that of the Apoftles , Luke 24. 2T. We trolled that this Was he th4t ,(hould Redeem Ifrael : Only it was but impeded Defpair : elfe it had been dam- nable. Their hopes were Shaken. And for my part, I am periwaded that it is only this proper Defpair in God , which is the damnable De- fperation which is threatned in the Scripture: and not the former : And that if a poor foul Should go out of this world without any Atha. all Hope of his own Salvation, meerly becaufe he thinks that he is no true Believer that this Soul may be Paved , and prove a true Believer for all this. Alas, the great fin that God threatneth, is our Diaru[t ofhis Faitbfnlnefs, and not the doubt- ing of our own fncerity and diftruft of our (elves. We have great reafon to be very jealous of our own hearts , as knowing them to be De- ceitful above all things , and defperately wicked, who can know them ? But we have no reafon at
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