On his father's death in 1680 he inherited property in Watling Street, Castle Hedingham in Essex and six other houses.

Ashurst was appointed Deputy Lieutenant in 1687 and elected Alderman for Bread Street on 12 August 1687.

[5] He was a good friend of Edmund Calamy and was a nonconformist like the rest of his family, so he was an active supporter of the Glorious Revolution.

[2] In 1689 he became Colonel of the Yellow Regiment, London Trained Bands, for a year and Vice-President of the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) from 1689 to 1703.

At the 1695 English general election he was returned again as MP for the City of London and signed the Association on 27 February 1696.

In January 1697, he presented a bill in Parliament to complete the building of St Paul's cathedral.

In July 1698, he was appointed to a lucrative post as a Commissioner for excise and was returned again as MP for the City at the 1698 English general election.

[1] Ashurst was returned to Parliament again as a Whig at the 1705 English general election and voted for the Court candidate for Speaker on 25 October 1705.

He supported the Court in its proceedings on the place clause in the regency bill on 18 February 1706 and was rewarded with a post as a commissioner for receiving the loan to the Emperor.

He served on several drafting committees and was concerned with a bill to encourage the Royal Lustring Company, He was a colonel of the White regiment again from 1707 to 1710.