God's dear children have not all the same clear judgment of truth; they are not all of one mind and the same sentiment in all points: yet they all have one Lord, one faith, and one hope; and there is a uniformity in their experience, in regard to the exceeding sinfulness of sin, the depravity of their nature, their perplexities from the world, the flesh, and the devil; their love of the Scriptures, and the exceeding preciousness of Christ: this proves that they are taught by one and the same Spirit. We have perplexities of a spiritual nature, besides those in common with others, to which natural men are utter strangers: these are no weak evidences of our spiritual birth. To be perplexed with a body of sin and death, with a sense of unbelief, with deadness, formality, wanderings in spiritual duties; with Satan's temptations, accusations, corrupt reasonings, and carnal pleadings: being sensible to all these makes it manifest that the soul is born of God, and alive to God; for when dead in sin we felt nothing of them. How absurdly and foolishly then do many act? Because thus perplexed, they are ready to give up hope, cast away confidence, and deny that they are God's children; but their sense of these things, and groaning under them, are evident tokens of salvation: "Perplexed, but not in despair:" O take heed of yielding in the least to despair: of desponding: of letting go your confidence in Christ: oŁ giving up, for one moment, hope in Christ.
Consider the evil of this. You hereby slight the everlasting love of God the Father to sinners. You dishonor the work and salvation of the Son of God. You grieve the Holy Spirit, the Comforter of sinners. You disregard the Gospel of grace, glad tidings to sinners: and set at nought all God's precious promises in Christ. You give the enemy all possible advantage over you. He stands and cries, "There, there, so would I have it." You give sin all its strength against you. You perplex, distress, and darken your own soul, whereby you are hindered from running the way of God's commands with love and delight. A thousand evils are connected with indulging despondence; away then with all false humility. Hold fast this faithful saying, for it is worthy of all acceptation at all times, under all circumstances, "Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners." I Tim 1:15. Till the adversary can blot that truth out of God's word, or make you worse than a sinner; you, as a quickened sinner, have the same reason as Paul, or any other apostle, to say, "I am always confident." 2 Cor. 5:6.