another quarter, till in the end the waters break in on every hand.

3dly. It often falls in the tender part; I mean, that part of the lot wherein one is least able to bear it, or, at least thinks he is so. Psalm Iv. 12, 13. “It was not an enemy that reproached me, then I could have borne it. But it was thou, a man, mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance." If there is any one part of the lot, which of all others one is disposed to nestle in, the thorn will readily be laid there, especially if he belongs to God; in that thing wherein he is least of all able to be touched, he will be sure to be pressed. There the trial will be taken of him; for there is the grand competition with Christ. "I take from them the desires of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their minds, Ezek. xxiv. 25. Since the crook in the lot is the special trial appointed for every one, it is altogether reasonable, and becoming the wisdom of God, that it fall on that which of all things doth most rival him.

But more particularly, the crook may be observed to fall in these four parts of the lot.

First, In the natural part affecting persons considered as of the make allotted for them by the great God that formed all things. The parents of mankind, Adam and Eve, were formed altogether sound and entire, without the least blemish, whether in soul or body; but in the formation of their posterity, there often appears a notable variation from the original. Bodily defects, superfluities, deformities, infirmities, natural or accidental, make the crook in the lot of some: they have something unsightly or grievous about them. Crooks of this kind, more or less observable, are very common and ordinary; the

In others, it affects their reputation.

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best are not exempted from them; and it is purely owing to sovereign pleasure they are not more numerous. Tender eyes made the crook in the lot of Leah, Gen. xxix. 17. Rachel's beauty was balanced with barrenness, the crook in her lot, chap. xxx. 1. Paul, the great apostle of the Gentiles, was, it should seem, no personable man, but of a mean outward appearance, for which fools were apt to contemn him, 2 Cor. x. 10. Timothy was of a weak and sickly frame, 1 Tim. v. 23. And there is a yet far more considerable crook in the lot of the lame, the blind, the deaf, and the dumb. Some are weak to a degree in their intellects; and it is the crook in the lot of several bright souls to be overcast with clouds, notably bemisted and darkened, from the crazy bodies they are lodged in: an eminent instance whereof we have in the grave, wise, and patient Job, "going mourning without the sun; yea, standing up and crying in the congregation." Job. xxx. 28.

Secondly, It may fall in the honorary part. There is an honour due to all men, the small as well as the great, 1 Pet. ii. 17, and that upon the ground of the original constitution of human nature, as it was framed in the image of God. But, in the sovereign disposal of holy Providence, the crook in the lot of some falls here; they are neglected and slighted; their credit is still kept low; they go through the world under a cloud, being put into an ill name, their reputation sunk. This sometimes is the natural consequence of their own foolish and sinful conduct; as in the case of Dinah, who, by her gadding abroad to satisfy her youthful curiosity, regardless of, and therefore not waiting for a providential call, brought a lasting stain on her honour, Gen. xxxiv. But, where the Lord intends a crook of this kind in one's lot, innocence will not be able to ward it off in

an ill-natured world; neither will true merit be able to make head against it, to make one's lot stand straight in that part. Thus David represents his case, Psal. xxxi. 11-13. "They that did see me without, fled from me: I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel. For I have heard the slander of many."

Thirdly, It may fall in the vocational part. Whatever is a man's calling or station in the world, be it sacred or civil, the crook in their lot may take its place therein. Isaiah was an eminent prophet, but most unsuccessful, Isa. liii. 1. Jeremiah met with such a train of discouragements and ill usage in the exercise of his sacred function, that he was very near giving it up, saying, "I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name." Jer. xx. 9. The Psalmist observes this crook often to be made in the lot of some men very industrious in their civil business who sow in the fields-and at times "God blesseth them-and suffereth not their cattle to decrease but again, they are minished, and brought low, through oppression, affliction, and sorrow. Psal. cvii. 37-39. Such a crook was made in Job's lot after he had long stood even. Some manage their employments with all care and diligence; the husbandman carefully labouring his ground; the sheep-master diligent to know the state of his flocks, and looking well to his herds;" the tradesman, early and late at his business; the merchant, diligently plying his, watching and falling in with the most fair and promising opportunities; but there is such a crook in that part of their lot, as all they are able to do can by no means make even. For why? The most proper means used for compassing an end are insignificant without a word of divine appointment commanding their success. "Who is he that saith.

In others, their nearest relations.

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and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?" Lam. iii. 37. People ply their business with skill and industry, but the wind turns in their face. Providence crosses their enterprises, disconcerts their measures, frustrates their hopes and expectations, renders their endeavours unsuccessful, and so puts and keeps them still in straitened circumstances. "So the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise." Eccl. ix. 11. Providence interposing, crooks the measures which human prudence and industry had laid straight towards the respective ends; so the swift lose the race, and the strong the battle, and the wise miss of bread; while, in the mean time, some one or other providential incident, supplying the defect of human wisdom, conduct, and ability, the slow gain the race and carry the prize; the weak win the battle and enrich themselves with the spoil; and bread falls into the lap of the fool.

Lastly, It may fall in the relational part. Relations are the joints of society; and there the crook in the lot may take place, one's smartest pain being often felt in these joints. They are in their nature the springs of man's comfort; yet, they often turn the greatest bitterness to him. Sometimes this crook is occasioned by the loss of relations. Thus a crook was made in the lot of Jacob, by means of the death of Rachel, his beloved wife, and the loss of Joseph, his son and darling, which had like to have made him go halting to the grave. Job laments this crook in his lot, Job xvi. 7, Thou hast made desolate all my company;" meaning his dear children, every one of whom he had laid in the grave, not so much as one son or daughter left him. Again, sometimes it is made through the afflicting hand of

God lying heavy on them: which, in virtue of their relation, recoils on the party, as is feelingly ex pressed by that believing woman, Matt. xv. 22 "Have mercy on me, O Lord; my daughter is grievously vexed." Ephraim felt the smart of family afflictions," when he called his son's name Beriah, because it went evil with his house." 1 Chron. vii. 23. Since all is not only vanity, but vexation of spirit, it can hardly miss, but the more of these springs of comfort are opened to a man, he must, at one time or other, find he has but the more sources of sorrows to gush out and spring in upon him; the sorrow always proportioned to the comfort found in them, or expected from them. And, finally, the crook is sometimes made here by their proving uncomfortable through the disagreeableness of their temper, and disposition. There was a crook in Job's lot, by means of an undutiful, ill-natured wife, Job xix. 17. In Abigail's, by means of a surly, ill-tempered husband, 1 Sam. xxv. 25. In Eli's, through the perverseness and obstinacy of his children, chap. ii. 25. In Jonathan's, through the furious temper of his father, chap. xx. 30-33. So do men oftentimes find their greatest cross, where they expected their greatest comfort. Sin hath unhinged the whole creation, and made every relation susceptible of the crook. In the family are found masters hard and unjust, servants froward and unfaithful; in a neighbourhood, men selfish and uneasy; n the church, ministers unedifying, and offensive in their walk, and people contemptuous and disorderly, a burden to the spirits of ministers; in the state, magistrates oppressive, and discountenancers of that which is good, and subjects turbulent and seditious; all these cause crooks in the lot of their relatives. And thus far of the crook itself