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strength is dried up like a potsherd; my tongue cleaves to my jaws, and thou hast brought me to the dust of death, Psa. xxii. 14, 15. My bones waxed old, through my roaring all the day. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me, Psa. xxxii. 3, 4. There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger, neither is there any rest in my bones, because of my sin. Mine iniquities, that is, the punishment of mine iniquities, are gone over my head, they are too heavy for me, Psa. xxxviii. 3, 4. Thus, and much more, does he complain: I am weary of my crying, my throat is dry. Mine eyes fail while I wait for my God, Psa. lxix. 3. So Asaph, My sore ran, and ceased not, my soul refused to be comforted, Psa. lxxvii. 2.

What think you now? Were not Job, Paul, and David, in God's love and favour, notwithstanding all this? It may be, you will reply. However the matter of their trouble might be greater than yours, yet they could remember God, they could pray to him, they had faith and confidence in God in their distresses, all which you want; therefore herein your case is worse than theirs.

Consider yourselves well, I speak only to you that are truly humbled for sin, and it is to be hoped that in some measure you shall find the like grace, faith, and confidence in you, as was in them; if you see it not, be grieved for the want thereof; endeavour to do as you see they did in their distresses, only be not discouraged, and all shall be well. But take notice, I pray you, that sometimes David neither did, nor could pray, as he conceived of his own prayer, any otherwise than in roaring and complaining, at which time, he saith he kept silence, Psa. xxxii. 3. But when he could confess his sins, and pray, then he had some apprehension that God had forgiven him his sin, Psa. xxxii. 5; and for all Asaph's remembering of God, yet even then he was troubled, and his spirit was overwhelmed, and he saith, his soul refused comfort, Psa. lxxvii. 2, 3; and David saith unto God, When wilt thou comfort me? Psa. cxix. 82. I grant, it was his fault, yet it was such a fault as was incident to one