"The apostle did not only diligently seek heaven after he knew he was converted, but was earnestly cautious lest he should be d-mned, as appears by the passage already cited. But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection, lest by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. Here you see the apostle is very careful lest he should be a castaway, and denies his carnal appetites, and mortifies his flesh, for that reason. He did not say, I am safe, I am sure I shall never be lost; why need I take any further care respecting it? Many think because they suppose themselves converted, and so safe, that they have nothing to do with the awful threatenings of God's Word, and those terrible denunciations of d-mnation that are contained in it. When they hear them, they hear them as things which belong only to others, and not at all to themselves, as though there were no application of what is revealed in the Scripture respecting hell, to the godly. And therefore, when they hear awakening sermons about the awful things that God has threatened to the wicked, they do not hear them for themselves, but only for others. But it was not thus with this holy apostle, who certainly was as safe from hell, and as far from a d-mnable state, as any of us. He looked upon himself as still nearly concerned in God's threatenings of eternal d-mnation, notwithstanding all his hope, and all his eminent holiness, and therefore gave great diligence, that he might avoid eternal d-mnation."
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