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

Secondly: If you do want Assurance, Take heed that you do not hearken unto any thing out of an Ordinance, contrary unto the comfort which the Lord speaks to you in the time of an Ordinance. Ye come to an Ordinance, and there the Lord begins to comfort you, so you go away, and ye are satisfied, and your souls are refreshed; but then afterwards, you sit down, and parly with Satan, ⟨p. 129⟩and with your own souls; and ye lose all again, and doubt again, turning Gods Wine into your own Vinegar, and are unsatisfied again. But suppose that a Father should give an Estate of Land unto his Child, and make it over to him with the best Conveyance that the Law can provide; and then this Son having laid down his Conveyance some where negligently, a cunning Lawyer (that he may get Money from him) should come and write on the backside of this Conveyance, For such and such Reasons, this Conveyance is naught: Should the Son do well thereupon to say, my Father hath done nothing for me, I have been deceived all this while, my Father hath given me nothing? Were this fair dealing with his Father? and if he should run this course, should he ever have any Assurance of his Land firm in his own thoughts? Now, so it is with you that are the People of God; the Lord hath given you a fair Inheritance; Heaven is your Inheritance, the fairest and best Inheritance; the Lord hath given it you under Hand and Seal, and sometimes you think your Evidence is clear, and you lay it by, and Satan comes, and scribbles on the back of it, and he saith, it is naught; and you believe it, and then you doubt again, and you are unsatisfied again: Is this fair dealing with God? Surely no. Wherefore then, doest thou want Assurance? The way to get it, and the way not to be discouraged in the want of it, is this: Take heed that ye never hearken to any thing, out of an Ordinance, contrary to the Comfort which you have received in an Ordinance.

Secondly: If you do want Assurance, Take heed that you do not hearken unto any thing out of an Ordinance, contrary unto the comfort which the Lord speaks to you in the time of an Ordinance. Ye come to an Ordinance, and there the Lord begins to comfort you, so you go away, and ye are satisfied, and your souls are refreshed; but then afterwards, you sit down, and parly with Satan, ⟨p. 129⟩and with your own souls; and ye lose all again, and doubt again, turning Gods Wine into your own Vinegar, and are unsatisfied again. But suppose that a Father should give an Estate of Land unto his Child, and make it over to him with the best Conveyance that the Law can provide; and then this Son having laid down his Conveyance some where negligently, a cunning Lawyer (that he may get Money from him) should come and write on the backside of this Conveyance, For such and such Reasons, this Conveyance is naught: Should the Son do well thereupon to say, my Father hath done nothing for me, I have been deceived all this while, my Father hath given me nothing? Were this fair dealing with his Father? and if he should run this course, should he ever have any Assurance of his Land firm in his own thoughts? Now, so it is with you that are the People of God; the Lord hath given you a fair Inheritance; Heaven is your Inheritance, the fairest and best Inheritance; the Lord hath given it you under Hand and Seal, and somtimes you think your Evidence is cleer, and you lay it by, and Satan comes, and scribbles on the back of it, and he saith, it is naught; and you beleeve it, and then you doubt again, and you are unsatisfied again: Is this fair dealing with God? Surely no. Wherefore then, doest thou want Assurance? The way to get it, and the way not to be discouraged in the want of it, is this: Take heed that ye never hearken to any thing, out of an Ordinance, contrary to the Comfort which you have received in an Ordinance.