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

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.

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 shal 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.

Yea further, He that wants Assurance of Gods love, converseth too much with Satan; as he that hath the Assurance of Gods love, doth converse with Christ, the spirit bearing witness to him, that he is the Child of God: So he that doth want Assurance, converseth with Satan, and Satan, (though falsely) is still bearing witness to his spirit, that he is not the child of God. and is it not a misery to be in these converses with Satan? to be under his hellish droppings? David, felt one pang of unbelief, and he cried out and said, It is too painful for me, O! what a pain is it then, to lie bed-rid of an unbelieving heart? you know, a chaste and a loving wife, counts it an affliction to her, to be followed with the solicitations of an unworthy person, to suspect, and be jealous of her husbands love; for saith she, he doth therefore follow me with these solicitations, making me to suspect my husbands love,