THE

SOVEREIGNTY AND WISDOM OF GOD,

IN THE AFFLICTIONS OF MEN,

DISPLAYED.

ECCLES. vii. 13.

Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight which he hath made crooked?

A JUST view of afflicting incidents is altogether necessary to a christian deportment under them; and that view is to be obtained only by faith, not by sense; for, it is the light of the word alone that represents them justly, discovering in them the work of God, and, consequently, designs becoming the divine perfections. When these are perceived by the eye of faith, and duly considered, we have a just view of afflicting incidents, fitted to quell the turbulent motions of corrupt affections under dismal outward appearances.

It is under this view that Solomon, in the preceding part of this chapter, advances several paradoxes, which are surprising determinations in favour of certain things, that, to the eye of sense, looking gloomy and hideous, are therefore generally reputed grievous and shocking. He pronounceth the day of one's death to be better than the day of

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ver. 1.

his birth; namely, the day of the death of one, who having become the friend of God through faith, hath led a life to the honour of God, and service of his generation, and thereby raised himself the good and savoury name better than precious ointment, In like manner, he pronounces the house of mourning to be preferable to the house of feasting, sorrow to laughter, and a wise man's rebuke to a fool's song; for that, howbeit the latter are indeed the more pleasant, yet the former are the more profitable, ver. 2-6. And observing with concern, how men are in hazard, not only from the world's frowns and ill-usage, oppression making a wise man mad, but also from its smiles and caresses, a gift destroying the heart; therefore, since whatever way it goes there is danger, he pronounces the end of every worldly thing better than the beginning thereof, ver. 7,8. And from the whole, he justly infers, that it is better to be humble and patient, than proud and impatient, under afflicting dispensations; since, in the former case, we wisely submit to what is really best; in the latter, we fight against it, ver. 8. And he dissuades from being angry with our lot, because of the adversity found therein, ver. 9; cautions against making odious comparisons of former and present times, in that point insinuating undue reflections on the providence of God, ver. 10: and, against that querulous and fretful disposition, he first prescribes a general remedy, namely, holy wisdom, as that which enables us to make the best of every thing, and even giveth life in killing circumstances, ver. 11, 12; and then a particular remedy, consisting in a due application of that wisdom, towards taking a just view of the case, Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight which he hath made crooked?"

Benefit of due consideration.

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In which words are proposed, 1. The remedy itself; 2. The suitableness thereof.

1. The remedy itself, is a wise eyeing of the hand of God in all we find to bear hard upon us: "Consider the work (or, see thou the doing) of God," namely, in the crooked, rough, and disagreeable parts of thy lot, the crosses thou findest in it. Thou seest very well the cross itself; yea, thou turnest it over and over in thy mind, and leisurely viewest it on all sides thou lookest, withal, to this and the other second cause of it, and so thou art in a foam and fret. But, wouldst thou be quieted and satisfied in the matter, lift up thine eyes towards heaven, see the doing of God in it, the operation of his hand. Look at that, and consider it well; eye the first cause of the crook in thy lot; behold how it is the work of God, his doing.

2. This view of the crook in our lot is very suitable to still indecent risings of heart, and quiet us under it: "For who can (that is, none can) make that straight which God hath made crooked ?" As to the crook in thy lot, God hath made it; and it must continue while he will have it so. Shouldst thou ply thine utmost force to even it, or make it straight, thine attempt will be vain: it will not alter for all thou canst do; only he who made it can mend it, or make it straight. This consideration, this view of the matter, is a proper means, at once, to silence and to satisfy men, and so to bring them unto a dutiful submission to their Maker and Governor, under the crook in their lot.

Now, we take up the purpose of the text in these three propositions.

Prop. I. Whatsoever crook there is in one's lot, it is of God's making.

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Prop. II. What God sees meet to mar, no one shall be able to mend in his lot.

Prop. III. The considering of the crook in the lot as the work of God, or of his making, is a proper means to bring us to a Christian deportment

under it.

Prop. I. Whatsoever crook there is in one's lot, it is of God's making.

Here, two things are to be considered, namely, the crook itself, and God's making of it.

I. As to the crook itself, the crook in the lot, for the better understanding thereof, these few things that follow are premised.

1. There is a certain train or course of events, by the providence of God, falling to every one of us during our life in this world: and that is our lot, as being allotted to us by the sovereign God, our Creator and Governor," in whose hand our breath is, and whose are all our ways.' "" This train of events is widely different to different persons, according to the will and pleasure of the sovereign manager, who ordereth men's conditions in the world in a great variety, some moving in a higher, some in a lower sphere.

2. In that train or course of events, some fall out cross to us, and against the grain; and these make the crook in our lot. While we are here, there will be cross events, as well as agreeable ones, in our lot and condition. Sometimes things are softly and agreeably gliding on; but, by and by, there is some incident which alters that course, grates us, and pains us, as when we have made a wrong step, we begin to halt.

3. Every body's lot in this world hath some crook in it. Complainers are apt to make odious compa

It cam in by sin.

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risons: they look about, and taking a distant view of the condition of others, can discern nothing in it but what is straight, and just to one's wish; so they pronounce their neighbour's lot wholly straight. But that is a false verdict; there is no perfection here; no lot out of heaven without a crook. For, as to "all the works that are done under the sun, behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit. That which is crooked cannot be made straight." Eccl. i. 14, 15. Who would not have thought that Haman's lot was very straight, while his family was in a flourishing condition, and he prospering in riches and honour, being prime minister of state in the Persian court, and standing high in the king's favour? Yet there was, at the same time, a crook in his lot, which so galled him, that "all this availed him nothing." Esth. v. 13. Every one feels for himself, where he is pinched, though others perceive it not. Nobody's lot, in this world, is wholly crooked; there are always some straight and even parts in it. Indeed, when men's passions, having got up, have cast a mist over their minds, they are ready to say, all is wrong with them, nothing right; but, though in hell that tale is true, and ever will be so, yet it is never true in this world; for there, indeed, there is not a drop of comfort allowed, Luke xvi. 24, 25. but here it always holds good, that "it is of the Lord's mercies we are not consumed." Lam. iii. 22.

4. The crook in the lot came into the world by sin it is owing to the fall, Rom. v. 12. By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin;" under which death, the crook in the lot is comprehended, as a state of comfort or prosperity is, in scripture style, expressed by living. 1 Sam. xxv. 6. John iv. 50, 51. Sin so bowed the hearts and minds of men, that they became crooked in respect of the