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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. These perceived by the eye of faith, and duly considered, one has a just view of afflicting incidents, fitted to quell the turbulent motions of corrupt affections under dismal outward appearances.

I. WHATSOEVER CROOK IS IN ONE'S LOT, IT IS OF GOD'S MAKING.

1. As to the crook itself, the crook in the lot, for the better understanding thereof these few things following 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.

(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.

(3) Everybody's lot in this world hath some crook in it. Complainers are apt to make odious comparisons: 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.

(4) The crook in the lot came into the world by sin: it is owing to the fall (Romans 5:12).

2. Having seen the crook itself, we are, in the next place, to consider of God's making it.

(1) That the crook in the lot, whatever it is, is of God's making, appears from these three considerations. It cannot be questioned, but the crook in the lot, considered as the crook, is a penal evil, whatever it is for the matter thereof: that is, whether the thing in itself, its immediate cause and occasion be sinful or not, it is certainly a punishment or affliction. Now, as it may be, as such holily and justly brought on us, by our sovereign Lord and Judge, so He expressly claims the doing or making of it (Amos 3:6). It is evident from the Scripture-doctrine of Divine providence that God brings about every man's lot and all the parts thereof.

(2) That we may see how the crook in the lot is of God's making, we must distinguish between pure sinless crooks and impure sinful ones. There are pure and sinless crooks: the which are mere afflictions, cleanly crosses; grievous indeed, but not defiling. Such were Lazarus' poverty, Rachel's barrenness, Leah's tender eyes, the blindness of the man who had been so from his birth (John 9:1). Such crooks in the lot are of God's making, in the most ample sense, and in their full comprehension, being the direct effects of His agency, as well as the heavens and the earth are. There are impure sinful crooks, which, in their own nature, are sins as well as afflictions, defiling as well as grievous. Such was the crook made in David's lot, through his family disorders, the defiling of Tamar, the murder of Amnon, the rebellion of Absalom, all of them unnatural. Now, the crooks of this kind are not of God's making, in the same latitude as those of the former; for He neither puts evil in the hearts of any, nor stirreth up to it (James 1:13). But they are of His making, by His holy permission of them, powerful bounding of them, and wise over-ruling of them to some good end.

(3) It remains to inquire why God makes a crook in one's lot. And this is to be cleared by discovering the design of that dispensation: a matter which it concerns every one to know, and carefully to notice, in order to a Christian improvement of the crook in their lot. The design thereof seems to be, chiefly, seven-fold. The trial of one's state — whether one is in the state of grace, or not? Whether a sincere Christian, or a hypocrite? Excitation to duty, weaning one from this world, and prompting him to look after the happiness of the other world. Conviction of sin. As when one, walking heedlessly, is suddenly taken ill of a lameness; his going halting the rest of his way convinceth him of having made a wrong step; and every new painful steep brings it afresh to his mind: So God makes a crook in one's lot, to convince him of some false step he hath made, or course he hath taken. Correction or punishment for sin. In nothing more than in the crook of the lot is that word verified (Jeremiah 2:19). Preventing of sin (Hosea 2:6). Many are obliged to the crook in their lot, that they go not to these excesses, which their vain minds and corrupt affections would with full sail carry them to: and they would from their hearts bless God for making it, if they did but calmly consider what would most likely be the issue of the removal thereof. Discovery of latent corruption, whether in saints or sinners. The exercise of grace in the children of God. The crook in the lot gives rise unto many acts of faith, hope, love, self-denial, resignation, and other graces; to many heavenly breathings, pantings, longings, and groanings, which otherwise would not be brought forth.

II. WHAT CROOK GOD MAKES IN OUR LOT, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO EVEN.

1. Show God's marring and making a crook in one's lot, as He sees meet.

(1) God keeps the choice of every one's crook to Himself: and therein he exerts His sovereignty (Matthew 20:15).

(2) He sees and observes the bias of every one's will and inclination how it lies, and wherein it specially bends away from Himself, and consequently wherein it needs the special bow.

(3) By the conduct of His providence, or a touch of His hand, He gives that part of one's lot a bow the contrary way; so that henceforth it lies quite contrary to that bias of the party's will (Ezekiel 24:25).

(4) He wills that crook in the lot to remain while He sees meet, for longer or shorter time, just according to His own holy ends He designs it for (2 Samuel 12:10; Hosea 5:15).

2. Consider man's attempting to mend or even that crook in their lot. This, in a word, lies in their making efforts to bring their lot in that point to their own will, that they may both go one way; so it imports three things.

(1) A certain uneasiness under the crook in the lot; it is a yoke which is hard for the party to bear, till his spirit be tamed and subdued (Jeremiah 31:18).

(2) A strong desire to have the cross removed, and to have matters in that part going according to our inclinations.

(3) An earnest use of means for that end. This natively follows on that desire. And if the means used be lawful, and not relied upon, but followed with an eye to God in them, the attempt is not sinful either, whether he succeed in the use of them or not.

3. In what sense it is to be understood, that we will not be able to mend or even the crook in our lot?

(1) It is not to be understood as if the case were absolutely hopeless, and that there is no remedy for the crock in the lot. For there is no case so desperate but God may right it (Genesis 18:14).

(2) We will never be able to mend it by ourselves; ii the Lord Himself take it not in hand to remove it, it will stand before us immovable, like the mountain of brass, though, perhaps, it may be in itself a thing that might easily be removed. We take it up in these three things. It will never do by the mere force of our hand (1 Samuel 2:9). The use of all allowable means, for it will be suecessless unless the Lord bless them for that end (Lain. 3:37). It will never do in our time, but in God's time, which seldom is so early as ours (John 7:6).

4. Reasons of the point.

(1)  Because of the absolute dependence we have upon God (Acts 17:28).

(2)  Because His will is irresistible (Isaiah 46:10).Inference

1. There is a necessity of yielding and submitting under the crook in our lot; for we may as well think to remove the rocks and mountains, which God has settled, as to make that part of cur lot straight which He hath crooked.

2. The evening of the crook in our lot, by main force of our own, is but a cheat we put on ourselves, and will not last, but, like a stick by main force made straight, it will quickly return to the bow again.

3. The only effectual way of getting the crook evened is to apply to God for it.Exhortation

1. Let us then apply to God for removing any crook in our lot, that in the settled order of things may be removed.

2. What crook there is, that, in the settled order of things, cannot be got removed or evened in this world, let us apply to God for suitable relief under it.

3. Let us then set ourselves rightly to bear and carry under the crock in our lot, while God sees meet to continue it. What we cannot mend, let us bear Christianity, and not fight against God. So let us bear it —

(1) Patiently, without firing and fretting, or murmuring (James 5:7; Psalm 37:7).

(2) With Christian fortitude, without sinking under discouragements — "nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him" (Hebrews 12:5).

(3) Profitably, so as we may gain some advantage thereby (Psalm 119:71).Motives to press this exhortation.

1. There will be no evening of it while God sees meet to continue it.

2. An awkward carriage under it notably increases the pain of it.

3. The crook in thy lot is the special trial God has chosen for thee to take thy measure by (1 Peter 1:6, 7). Think, then, with thyself under it. Now, here the trial of my state turns; I must, by this be proven either sincere or a hypocrite. For —

(1) Can any be a cordial subject of Christ without being able to submit his lot to Him? Do not all who sincerely come to Christ put a blank in His hand? (Acts 9:6; Psalm 47:4). And does He not tell us that without that disposition we are not His disciples? (Luke 14:26).

(2) Where is the Christian self-denial and taking up of the cross without submitting to the crook? This is the first lesson Christ puts in, the hands of His disciples (Matthew 16:24).

(3) Where is our conformity to Christ, while we cannot submit to the crook?

(4) How will we prove ourselves the genuine kindly children of God, if still warring with the crook?

4. The trial by the crook here will not last long (1 Corinthians 7:31).

5. If ye would, in a Christian manner, set yourselves to bear the crook, ye would find it easier than ye imagine (Matthew 11:29, 30).

6. If ye carry Christianly under your crook here, ye will not lose your labour, but get a full reward of grace in the other world, through Christ (2 Timothy 2:12; 1 Corinthians 15:58).

7. If ye do not carry Christianly under it, ye will lose your souls in the other world (Jude 1:15, 16).

III. CONSIDERING THE CROOK IN THE LOT AS THE WORK OF GOD IS A PROPER MEANS TO BRING ONE TO CARRY RIGHTLY UNDER IT.

1. What it is to consider the crook as the work of God.

(1) An inquiry into the spring whence it riseth (Genesis 25:22).

(2) A perceiving of the hand of God in it.

(3) A representing it to ourselves as the work of God, which He hath wrought against us for holy and wise ends, becoming the Divine perfections. This is to take it by the right handle, to represent it to ourselves under a right notion, from whence a right management under it may spring.

(4) A continuing of the thought of it as such. It is not a simple glance of the eye, but a contemplating and leisurely viewing of it as His work that is the proper mean.

(5) A considering it for the end for which it is proposed to us, viz. to bring to a dutiful carriage under it.

2. How is it to be understood to be a proper means to bring one to carry rightly under the crook?

(1) Negatively; not as if it were sufficient of itself, and as it stands alone, to produce that effect. But(2) Positively; as it is used in faith, in the faith of the Gospel: that is to say, a sinner's bare considering the crook in his lot as the work of God, without any saving relation to him, will never be a way to carry rightly under it: but having believed in Jesus Christ, and so taking God for his God, the considering of the crook as the work of God, his God, is the proper means to bring him to that desirable temper and behaviour.

3. I shall confirm that it is a proper mean to bring one to carry rightly under it.

(1) It is of great use to divert from the considering and dwelling on these things about the crook, which serve to irritate our corruption.

(2) It has a moral aptitude for producing the good effect. Though our cure is not compassed by the mere force of reason; yet it is carried on, not by a brutal movement, but in a rational way (Ephesians 5:14). This consideration has a moral efficacy on our reason, is fit to awe us into submission, and ministers much argument for it, moving to carry Christianly under our crook.

(3) It hath a Divine appointment for that end, which is to be believed (Proverbs 3:6).

(4) The Spirit may be expected to work by it, and does work by it in them that believe, and look to Him for it, forasmuch as it is a mean of His own appointment.

(T. Boston, D. D.)

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

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