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

Quest. You will say then, but what is the difference between these? a man is to be humbled, and not discouraged, not discouraged and yet to be humbled, what is the difference between these two, being humbled, and being discouraged?

Quest. You wil say then, but what is the difference between these? a man is to be humbled, and not discouraged, not discouraged and yet to be humbled, what is the difference between these two, being humbled, and being discouraged?

Answ. It is a profitable question and worth our time: by way of answer therefore thus.

First, When a man is humbled, truly humbled, the object of his grief, sorrow or trouble, is sin it self, as a dishonour done unto God: the object of discouragement is a mans own condition, or sin in order to his own condition, the ultimate object of discouragement being a mans own condition when a man is discouraged, you shall find still, that his trouble runs all out upon his own condition, O! saith a discouraged person, I have sinned, I have thus sinned, and therefore my condition is naught, and if my condition be naught now, it will never be better, Lord, what will become of my soul? Still his trouble is about his own condition. But when a man is grieved and truly humbled for sin, his trouble is about sin it self, as a dishonour done unto God. To clear this by scripture, you know Cain was discouraged, but Cain was not humbled: how may that appear? Cain was troubled about his condition ⟨p. 71⟩Ah! saith he, My punishment is greater than I can bear. on the other side, the poor prodigal was humbled, but not discouraged: how may that appear? his trouble was about his sin, and not about his condition: I will return unto my Father, saith he, and I will say unto him, I have sinned against Heaven, and before thee, and I am no more worthy to be called thy Son, make me as one of thy hired servants. David sometimes was both discouraged and humbled, and then you find his repentance and humiliation to be very brackish: but if you look into the