A practical exposition on the 130th Psalm

¹And first, such disquietments and objections against the peace of the soul, and its acceptance with God, will arise from Afflictions; they have done so of old, they do so in many at this day. Afflictions, I say, greatened unto the mind from their Nature, or by their Concomitants do oft-times variously affect it, and sometimes prevail to darken it so far as to ingenerate thoughts, that they are all messengers of wrath, all tokens of displeasure, and so consequently evidences that we are not par donned or accepted with God.

¹And first, such disquietments and objections against the peace of the soul, and its acceptance with God, will arise from Afflictions; they have done so of old, they do so in many at this day. Afflictions, I say, greatned unto the mind from their Nature, or by their Concomitants do oft-times variously affect it, and sometimes prevail to darken it so far as to ingenerate thoughts, that they are all messengers of wrath, all tokens of displeasure, and so consequently evidences that we are not par doned or accepted with God.

1. 1Afflictions a cause of spiritual disquictments.

Now this is a time of great Afflictions unto many, and those some of them such as have innumerable aggravating circumstances accompanying of them. Some have come with a dreadful surprisal in things not looked for; such as falls not out in the providence of God in many Generations. Such is the condition of them who are reduced to the utmost extremity by the late consuming fire; some have had their whole families, all their posterity taken from them; in a few days they have been suddenly bereaved, as in the Plague. Some in their own persons, or in their Relations, have had sore, long and grievous trials from Oppressions and Persecutions; and these things have various effects on the minds of men. Some we find crying with that wicked King, This evil is of the Lord, why should we wait any longer for him? and give up themselves to seek relief from their own lusts. Some bear up under their troubles with a natural stoutness of spirit; some have received a sanctified use and improvement of their trials, with joy in the Lord. But many we find to go heavily under their burdens, having their minds darkened with many misapprehensions of the Love of God, and of their own personal interest in his Grace. It is not therefore unseasonable to speak a little to this Head of trouble in our entrance. Outward troubles, I say, are oftentimes occasions, if not the causes of great inward distresses. You know how the Saints of old expressed their sense of them, and conflicts with them. The complaints of David are familiar to all who attend unto any communion with God in these things; so are those of Job, Heman, Jonah, Jeremiah, and others; neither do they complain only of their troubles, but of the sense which