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

Answ. No, no reason yet. It is indeed, a great evil, and a sore affliction, to want the Assurance of Gods love, and of ones own Salvation: yet notwithstanding, the want of this Assurance, is no sufficient ground or bottom for your discouragement. I confess, it is a great evil and a sore affliction, for a man to want Assurance: for sin and affliction are twisted together in the want of Assurance. As of all blessings, those are the greatest, where Grace and comfort are joined together, so where sin and affliction are twisted together, of all afflictions they are the most afflictive, and thus it is in the want of Assurance: for as in Assurance, there is something of Grace, and something of comfort or reward, so in the want of Assurance, there is somewhat of sin or unbelief, and somewhat of affliction too, sin and affliction, affliction and sin are both twisted together in the want of Assurance.

Answ. No, no reason yet. It is indeed, a great evil, and a sore affliction, to want the Assurance of Gods love, and of ones own Salvation: yet notwithstanding, the want of this Assurance, is no sufficient ground or bottom for your discouragement. I confess, it is a great evil and a sore affliction, for a man to want Assurance: for sin and affliction are twisted together in the want of Assurance. As of al blessings, those are the greatest, where Grace and comfort are joyned together, so where sin and affliction are twisted together, of al afflictions they are the most afflictive, and thus it is in the want of Assurance: for as in Assurance, there is somthing of Grace, and somthing of comfort or reward, so in the want of Assurance, there is somwhat of sin or unbelief, and somwhat of affliction too, sin and affliction, affliction and sin are both twisted together in the want of Assurance.

The truth is, a man that wants the Assurance of Gods love, and of his interest in Christ, is neither fit to receive mercy from God, nor to make return of love, and praise to God as he should: Not fit to receive mercy as he should, for though he would have Christ come in, yet by unbelief he shuts the door against him; and he makes an evil interpretation of mercies offered unto him; if a mercy or blessing be tendered unto him, he saith, this comes in judgment to me, it is a blessing, indeed, in it self, but I fear it is a judgment to me: Thus he makes an il interpretation of blessings and so unfit to receive. And he is not fit to make returns of love to God again. Assurance returns praise. And therefore saith the text here, O! my soul, wait on God, hope in God, for I shall yet praise him, why? for he is my God, praise grows upon assurance: and upon this account, I say, he is neither fit to receive mercy, nor to make return of praise as he should.