CONTENTS. 14-29 29-56 PROPOSITION II. What God sees meet to mar, we shall not be able to mend in our Lot. What Crook God makes in our Lot, we shall not be able to even, I. God's marring and making a Crook in one's Lot, as III. In what sense it is to be understood, that we shall not be able to mend, or even the Crook in our Lot, IV. Some reasons of the point, Considering the Crook in the Lot, as the work of God, I. What it is to consider the Crook as the work of God, II. How it is to be understood to be a proper means to bring one to behave rightly under the Crook, 79 A comparison between the Lowly and Proud, DOCT. There is a generation of lowly, afflicted ones, having their spirit lowered and brought down to their lot; whose case, in that respect, is better than that of the proud getting their will, and carrying I. The generation of the lowly afflicted ones, II. The generation of the proud getting their will, and carrying all to their mind, III. It is better to be in a low afflicted condition, with the spirit humble and brought down to the lot, than to be of a proud and high spirit, getting the lot brought up to it, and matters go according to one's Humility the great means to bring all to their respec- DocT. I. The bent of one's heart, in humbling cir. cumstances, should be towards a suitable humbling DocT. II. In due time, those that humble themselves THE CROOK IN THE LOT. 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 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, ver. 1. 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?" 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 crook ed?" As to the crook in thy lot, God hath mad 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 |