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

Do you think that Peter ever did deny Christ before he was converted to Jesus Christ? Did David ever number the People whilst he was in the state of Nature? Do you read that the Children ⟨p. 145⟩of Israel wanted Water, and Bread, while they were in Egypt, or that they met with so many Temptations there, as they did after God had appeared mightily to them? Was not Christ tempted, after baptized, and heard a voice from Heaven, saying, This is my well beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; Did he ever meet with such Temptations, before he was so declared to be the beloved Son of God from Heaven?

Do you think that Peter ever did deny Christ before he was converted to Jesus Christ? Did David ever number the People whilst he was in the state of Nature? Do you read that the Children ⟨p. 145⟩of Israel wanted Water, and Bread, while they were in Egypt, or that they met with so many Temptations there, as they did after God had appeared mightily to them? Was not Christ tempted, after baptized, and heard a voyce from Heaven, saying, This is my well beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; Did he ever meet with such Temptations, before he was so declared to be the beloved Son of God from Heaven?

And if God do not measure a godly man by any one Action, under any present Temptation, nor cast his everlasting condition thereby; then what reason is there, why he should be discouraged in this respect? Look into the Scripture, and you shall find, That though God doth chastise his People for their miscarriage, and change of their behaviour, under their Temptation; yet he doth never measure a godly man, or cast his everlasting Condition by that. You will not measure Milk when it seethes, and wallops, but when it is cool: And God will not measure his Children by what they are, when they wallop in some Temptation; but by what they are, when they are cool, and most themselves. So he did deal with Job, Jeremiah, and Moses, and all his Children: indeed he doth not deal so by the wicked, he measures them sometimes by one carriage, and they are cast thereby, that even everlastingly they are cast thereby. Ananias, and Sapphira, lied but once to the Holy Ghost, that we read of, and Satan had a hand therein; for saith the Apostle, Why hath Satan filled your heart, that you should lie unto the Holy Ghost? yet they were cast thereby. It was but one Act that Saul did when he spared Agag, and the Fatlings, yet he was cast thereby. It was but one act that Adam did, and Eve did, when they did eat the forbidden Fruit, and Satan tempted them to it, yet they were cast thereby, and all Man-kind lost thereby, Why? Because they were upon a Covenant of Works. So, when men are under a Covenant of Works, if they miscarry but in one action, though tempted thereto by Satan, yet God may cast them thereby. Now all the wicked still, are under the Covenant of Works; and therefore though it be but one act wherein they miscarry, and they be drawn thereunto by Satan, yet God sometimes doth, and justly may cast them thereby unto all Eternity. But as for the Saints and People of God, they are not under a Covenant of Works, but of Grace, all of them are so; and therefore God deals graciously with them, not measuring them by any one carriage, under one Temptation; No, saith the Lord, it is but the time of their Temptation, I will not measure this man or woman, by what they are now; but as they are, when they are cool, most themselves, and out of Temptation: O! what a Gracious Privilege is this! Who would not labour to get into Christ, to become Godly, to be in this Covenant of Grace!