promise in the Bible, as long as there is the least mention of grace,
as long as there is a moment left me of breath or life in this world;
so long will I wait or look for mercy, so long will I fight against
unbelief and despair.

This is the way to honour God and Christ; this is the way to set the
crown on the promise; this is the way to welcome the invitation and
inviter; and this is the way to thrust thyself under the shelter and
protection of the word of grace. Never despair so long as our text
is alive, for that doth sound it out,--that mercy by Christ is
offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinner.

Despair is an unprofitable thing; it will make a man weary of waiting
upon God; 2 Kings vi. 33; it will make a man forsake God, and seek
his heaven in the good things of this world; Gen. iv. 13-18. It will
make a man his own tormentor, and flounce and fling like a wild bull
in a net; Isa. ii. 20.

Despair! it drives a man to the study of his own ruin, and brings him
at last to be his own executioner; 2 Sam. xvii. 23; Matt. xxvii. 3-5.

Besides, I am persuaded also, that despair is the cause that there
are so many that would fain be Atheists in the world: For because
they have entertained a conceit that God will never be merciful to
them; therefore they labour to persuade themselves that there is no
God at all, as if their misbelief would kill God, or cause him to
cease to be. A poor shift for an immortal soul, for a soul who
liketh not to retain God in its knowledge! If this be the best that
despair can do, let it go, man, and betake thyself to faith, to
prayer, to wait for God, and to hope, in despite of ten thousand