I. Scripture-light the most sure light ... delivered in three sermons on 2 Pet.…

Thirdly, If your discouragements begin to arise and press in upon you, check your self and say, why should I multiply thoughts without knowledge? why should I tire out my soul with these thoughts? am I able to ad one cubit to my spiritual state? am I by all my thoughtfulness able to alter my condition? yea, doth not my thoughtfulness set me at a farther distance from the mercy desired? The truth is, the only way to lose the comfort desired, is to be solicitous about it: as the only way to have an outward blessing is to be content to go without it; So the only way to have a spiritual or outward affliction removed, is to be contented that it should be continued, if God and Christ will have it so. But you will have your affliction presently removed, and you must presently know that you are in the state of Grace, and the child of God, or else you will be discouraged, and as the bird in the net, the more it strives, the more it is entangled; so with you also. Wherefore do temptations, afflictions, desertions come, and Satan join with them, and say unto thy soul, this will ever be? answer, well, but I therefore believe the contrary, because thou sayest so Satan, who art a Liar, yet if God will have it so, I am contented, I leave it to him: whether I shall ever be in this condition or not, is not my question, but now O Lord, let me serve thee, that is all my desire, let me see thee as thou pleasest, when thou pleasest. I have done, Lord I have done, I have been questioning, and questioning my condition these many years, I see there is no end of that, yea, the more I do, the more I may, I get nothing by it, why therefore, O my soul, should I tear out my self with this kind of thoughtfulness? thus check your selves.

Thirdly, If your discouragements begin to arise and press in upon you, check your self and say, why should I multiply thoughts without knowledg? why should I tire out my soul with these thoughts? am I able to ad one cubit to my spiritual state? am I by al my thoughtfulness able to alter my condition? yea, doth not my thoughtfulness set me at a farther distance from the mercy desired? The truth is, the only way to lose the comfort desired, is to be sollicitous about it: as the only way to have an outward blessing is to be content to go without it; So the only way to have a spiritual or outward affliction removed, is to be contented that it should be continued, if God and Christ wil have it so. But you wil have your affliction presently removed, and you must presently know that you are in the state of Grace, and the child of God, or else you wil be discouraged, and as the bird in the net, the more it strives, the more it is intangled; so with you also. Wherefore do temptations, afflictions, desertions come, and Satan joyn with them, and say unto thy soul, this wil ever be? answer, wel, but I therefore beleeve the contrary, because thou sayest so Satan, who art a Lyar, yet if God wil have it so, I am contented, I leave it to him: whether I shal ever be in this condition or not, is not my question, but now O Lord, let me serve thee, that is al my desire, let me see thee as thou pleasest, when thou pleasest. I have done, Lord I have done, I have been questioning, and questioning my condition these many years, I see there is no end of that, yea, the more I do, the more I may, I get nothing by it, why therefore, O my soul, should I tear out my self with this kind of thoughtfulness? thus check your selves.