A practical exposition on the 130th Psalm

I answer to these Complaints; First, That there are so ⟨p. 322⟩many excellent things spoken concerning Afflictions; their Necessity, their Usefulness, and the like; such blessed ends are assigned unto them, and in many have been compassed and fulfilled by them, that a man unacquainted with the exercise wherewith they are attended, would think it impossible that any one should be shaken in mind, as to the Love and favour of God on their account. But as the Apostle tells us, that no Afflictions are joyous at present but grievous; So he who made in the close of his Trials that solemn profession, That it was good for him that he had been affected, yet we know, as hath been declared, how he was distressed under them. There are therefore sundry Accidental things which accompany great Afflictions that seem to exempt them from the common Rule, and the promise of Love and Grace: As,

¹1. The Remembrance of past and buried miscarriages and sins, lies in the bosom of many Afflictions: It was so with Job; Thou makest me, saith he, to possess the sins of my youth. See his plea to that purpose, chap. 13. 23, 24, 25, 26, 27. In the midst of his troubles and distresses, God revived upon his spirit a sense of former sins, even the sins of his youth, and made him to possess them; he filled his soul and mind with thoughts of them, and anxiety about them. This made him fear lest God was his enemy, and would continue to deal with him in all severity. So was it with Josephs Brethren in their distresses, Gen. 42. 21. They said one to another, we are verily guilty concerning our Brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he sought us, and we would not hear, therefore is this distress come upon us. And vers. 22. Behold his blood is required. Their distress revives a deep perplexing sense of the guilt of sin many years past before, and that under all its aggravating circumstances which spoiled them of all their reliefs and comforts, filling them with Confusion and Trouble, though absolutely innocent as to what was come on them. And the like appeared in the Widow of Zareptha, with whom Elijah sojourned during the famine. Upon the death of her Son, which it seems was some what extraordinary, she cried out unto the Prophet, What have I to do with thee thou Man of God? Art thou come to