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

Indeed, there is no sin so unreasonable, but the sinner thinks he hath reason for it, and so the Saints and people of God may think, ⟨p. 43⟩that they have reason for their discouragements, hence it is that they have so many why's and wherefores, Why hast thou forsaken me? why go I mourning?

Yea, they may not only seem to have some reason, but in a way of nature, they have reason for their discouragements: and therefore saith David, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked, ¹I said, I have cleansed my hands in vain, till I went into the house of the Lord. So that, so long as he was in the house of nature, and natural reason, he did see reason for his discouragement.

Yea, they may not onely seem to have some reason, but in a way of nature, they have reason for their discouragements: and therefore saith David, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked, ¹I said, I have cleansed my hands in vain, til I went into the house of the Lord. So that, so long as he was in the house of nature, and natural reason, he did see reason for his discouragement.

1. 1Psal. 73.

Yea, not only so, but take things asunder, and consider things by pieces, one from another, abstracting the means from the end, and so the Saints may have a true and real reason for their discouragements, for every affliction is Grievous. If the husbandman look only upon the breaking up of his ground, without respect to the harvest, he may well be discouraged, but take both together, and so he will not: thus if the Saints consider their breakings apart from their harvest, they may see cause for their discouragements: but if they do consider their breaking up, and their harvest together, the means and the end together, I say take altogether, and then, whatever their condition be, they have no reason to be cast down, or be disquieted.