Some are kept in a desponding state--+I. By the views they entertain of the sovereignty of God and the doctrine of election.+ But--1. The election of God, whatever it is, is an election _unto life,_ and not unto destruction. It should therefore be a source of encouragement, not discouragement; it should awaken hope and joy, rather than despondency. 2. God's election is _His_ rule of action, not yours: yours is the Bible.[1] 3. The thing you are required to believe in order to salvation is not your election, but God's truth. 4. In your present state you have nothing to do with election;[2] but if you will entertain the question, the _evidence_ is much more in favour of your election than against it. +II. By the views they take of certain isolated passages of Scripture+ (Matt. xii. 31, 32; Heb. xii. 17; Prov. i. 24-31). Not one of these passages, rightly understood, need quench your hope. Where there is one obscure passage that seems to make against you, there is a hundred which plainly and positively tell you that if you turn you shall live, if you believe you shall be saved. +III. By an apprehension that their repentance has not been deep enough.+ But--1. The genuineness of your repentance is not to be estimated by the pungency of your feelings.[3] 2. It is not the depth of your feelings that is your warrant to come to Christ. 3. Your penitential feelings will not be likely to be increased by staying away from Christ. +IV. By the fear that they have gone too far and sinned too much to be forgiven.+ But, admitting the very worst you can say of yourself, there is everything in the character of God, in the work of Christ, in the power of the Spirit, in the experience of other sinners,[4] in the promises of the Bible, to inspire and sustain your hope.--_John Corbin._ FOOTNOTES: