Preface

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Books
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Crook in the. Lot^
0R> TUB
VEREIGXTYAND WIS ^OM OF COX;
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IN THE
JfmlHons cf Men, dhp^yed;
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TOGETHEP. WITH
1 Ciini-riAK DEPoaTiiEKT under them.
BEIKG THE SUBSTAKCE OF
SEVERAL SERMONS ^cd, vii. 13: /*roT;. xvi. 19. and r Pf ij. v. t.
By the Re-erend and LearneJ Mr. THOJdAS BOSTON,
:■ MISISfER OF rFE GOSPEL JLt ETfRlCK.
■ .:' I he affiic:iona of thi right eoua ; but ',*;; ji ereili him o t of them ally Psalm xxxiv. 19.
t--j iMTB III iim»jM«a>jaa
PHILADELPUI.^ :
PUBLISHED BY DAVID HOGAN,
NO -49, MARKET-STELEr.
1811.
DUKE
UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY
Treasure "Room
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IHIC
ADVERTISEMENT.
THE Rex^rendMr. Thomas Boston* es a/reacfy «v well knonun in the Christian Churchy by hi» many elabo' rateyJu(Iici9USy and useful ivritingSy (hat to say any thing either in commendation ofhim^ or ayty of his performaU' cesf %uould be altogether superfuous. Let it suffice t^ say, that this valuable Treatise^ noiu again offered to the Public^ hath already gone through a number ofim- firessionsf and deservedly well relished : and has been extremely useful, es^iecially to all (hose V)ho have labour* ed 7ir,der affliction.
We are very certain it was among his last works in composition^ tuhen he had fallen in(§ a declining state of health*; and among the last pieces he had begun to re* vise and prepare for the pressy luith his ovfn handy being luarTnly solicited thereto^ as he himself acquaints us, in his Memoir By by a letter he received from his very in(i- Tnate friend, Mr. Hoggy dated A^'ov. ISthy 1731.
As the Lord hath made these subjects useful to /lis own souL during the composition of them, for the beneft of /as oionfocky in his afflicted stmte ; he the more readi' ly complied ivith the request of publishing them ; and nuhen he had any intervals qfhis trouble, began to look over his notes for publication, and had made some pro' gress in the luork ; but got if not completely fnished, be- ing preverited by his grooving indisposition y and being removed by death, on May loth, 1732.
JVhat remained rjas transcribed after his death by c° nother hand; and frst published in the year 1737, ivith thefollovjing recommendatory Prefaccy by three of his dear friends tuho subscribe it.
• In the year 1730 and J 731. as re learn from hh Memoirs,
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Thoitgk tkey acquaint u^, that the Crook in the Lot %vas amongst the last subjects the Author handled and amongst his last works with the fieui yet they do not tell U8 h'iv)far he himself revised that fierformancey and where they began. Hoiuever^ the intelligent readers of ^Ir, Boston* s different tracts, firefiared Jor the /irew, and published by himself in his life-time^ loill he at no Irjss to perceive how far he proceeded in revising this piecCi by his pointing cwr, as usual, the emphatical t'jords and phrases in Italic characters, tw- inverted com- Tuas; Vfhich^ in the first edition rf the boQky we see haa only been done in the first doctrine.
In order to make the whole of this iirjircsaion as unt' J^rm as possible, an attempt ha^ been made to point out thf emphasis throughout the whole. The edition now offered to the Public is carefully corrected by the first o- rij^inal one, and freed of sever aiinaccuracics that, had crept into some late imfirestions*
Ediubupgii, > \ef JugU8( 1795. J
PREFACE,
MR. Thomas Boston, the youngest of chlldren, born 1676, of creditable, r-iigiou? • parents, in the town of Dunse, wherr they had some heritage ; he was licensed to peach 1697; ordained minister at Simprin* 1^9; married :• 700, to Catherine Brown, of gord extract, in the ])ari -h of Culross ; a gentlewoir«in of singular wis- dom, and many rare endow*»^nt3, (by whom he iiad a good many childre-i, of whom two sousf, and tv.'o daughters sur' ive them ; transported to Ettrick:j: 1707; died J7'32, near five yeai's before hh spouse^, in fhe 56th year of his age.
He was of a stature above the middle size, of a venerable amiable aspect, with liis own hair ori- ^^Inally black, of a strong and fruitful i^enius, of a llvffly ima2^Tiation, (such as affords what is calicu readij xvit, which, instead of cultivating, he laid under a severe restraint ;) of tender affections, a clear and solid judgment ; his temper candid, mo- A2
' * The smalU'Mt charge of a country fiarish tu-rhajis in Scotland, net bein^'- quiie ninety examinable persons in
■ -is time.
t One succeeded his father^ in name^ office^ end c^^r^e.
X One of the remotest snd ^wildest places in the s$uth of Scotland.
§ j^monif her other uncommon ejicellencics* she ivai eminent for her exemplary bearing of cj^ lie i^r.^ under xvhich she ifas boived doivn^ 'well nigh as long as ih^4 da::srh^er of Ab-r.^^c^u -menliored in Luke !:iii ' '
71 PREFACE,
dcst, cautious, benevolent, obliging, and courte- ous ; had a natural aversion to any thing rude or uncivil in words or behaviour, and a delicate feel- ing in case of meeting with ought of that sort ; could be heavy with, and severe in his words^when there was just occasion, or he judged the ^jBim^ nccessar)^
Ke was early called by divine grace ; all along afterwards exercised unto godliness ; walked in- *decd witiJ God in all his ways ; daily acknovf ledg- ing him ; fi'equent in solemn extraordinary appli- cations to heayen, (t>/2. upon every new emergent of duty, difHcultj^ or trial,) followed with evident, comfortable, and confirming testimoiucs of divine acceptance and audk^fnce; a diligent, judicious observer, recorder, an tions of divine providence, in connection with the word, his own frame and wa*' k, and consequently of great experience in religion : He was accurate- ly and extensively regardful of the divine law, in all manner of life and conversation (cv*^n in thinj?s that escape the notice of most part of Christians,) of a tender conscience, carefully watching agsinajj and avoidiag the appearance of evil ; compassior*- ate and sytnpathizing with the distressed^ chari- table to t-he needy, (to the degre* of religiously set- ting apart the tenth of his worldly substance 3^ear- ly for their supply ;) a dutiful husband, an induW gent father, a sincere, a faithful, and an affection- ate friend ; to which he had a particular cast in his temper, which proved a rich blessing to them who were favoured with his friendship*
lie was a considerable scholar in all the parts of theological learning, and t:xcelied in some of them. What he was for a humaiiist, (even towards the latter end of his days) his translation of his own ^ork, on the Hebrew accentiuition, into good Ro-
P R £ F A C E» vii
man Latin, will abundantly testify: He was well seen in the Greek ; and for the skill he attained in the Hebrew, he will, we are satisfied, in ages to come be admired, and had in honour by the learn- ed world ; especially when it is understood under what disadvantages, in what obscurity and seclu- sion from learned assistances, the work was com- posed ; and when it is considered how far, not- withstanding, he has outstripped all that went be- fore him in that study, namely, of the Hebrew accentuation. He understood the French ; and for the sake of comparing translations, could read the Dutch Bible. There were few pieces of learn- ing that he had not some good taste of; but ail his knowledge behoved to be otherwise discovered than by his professing of it* He v/as a hard stu- dent, of indefatigable application ; so that wh?.te« ver he was once heartily f:n gaged in, he knew net to quit, till, by help from heaven, and incessant la- hour, he got through it. He had a gi'eat know- ledgt; and understanding of human nature, of the most proper methods of addressing it, and of the most likeiv handles for catching hold of it.
He had an admirable talent at drawing a papc: . which made a statesman'"', a veiy able judge, say,, (when Mr. Boston was clerk to the synod of Merse and Tiviotdale) that he was the best clerk he had ever known in any court, civil or ecclesiastical. An admirer of odier men's parts and gifts, libe- rally giving them their due praise, even though in some things they differed from him ; far from censorious, assuming, or detracting.
' As a minister, he had on his spirit a de-ep and high sense of divine things; was mighty in the scriptures, in his acquaintance with th^ letter^
* Mr, Baillic of Jervi''.n'Q''^d
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with the spiiit, and sense of them, in liappily af, plying and aecommodating them, for explaining and illustrating the subject. His knowledge and insight into the mystery of Christ was great, though a humbling sense of his want of it vras like to have quite sunk and laid him by, after he begun to preach. He had a peculiar talent for going deep into the mysteries of the gospel : and at the same time, making the-m plain, making intelligi- ble their connection with, and influence upon gos- ])cl holiness ; notable instances qf which may be seen in'^liis most valuable treatise of the Covenant, and in his sermons oi^ Christ in the form of a ser- vant.
His invention was rich, but judiciously bound- ed; his thoughts were always just, and often new ; his expressix)ns proper and pure ; his illustrations and similes often surprising; his method natural and clear; his delivery grave and graceful^ with an air of earnestness, meekness, assurance, and^iu- thority, tempered together. No woncUr his mi- nistrations in holy things were all of them dear and precious to the saints.
He was fixed and established, upon solid and rational grounds, in the reformation principles, in opposition to popery, prelacy, superstition, and persecution ; he was pleasant and lively in con- versation, hut always with a decorum to his cha* 1 acter : quite free of that sottrness of temper, or r/.vc#/;Va/ rigidity, that generally possesses men of a retired life.
He fed and watched with diligence the fiock o* ver which the Holy Ghost made him over^cr ; and not^v'ilhstandinJ^ his eager pursuit of that stu- dy, which was his deliglit, he abated nothing of his ])reparation for *hc Sabbath, nor of his work a- •- • 0 id in the vr.r'^ • i v. , - ,
PREFACE.
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the short-hand, whereof he was master, but alway* wrote out his sermons fair, and generally as full as he preached them; far from serving thfe Lord with that which cost him nothing. It was his de- light to spend and be spent in the service of the gospel : was a faithful, and at the same time a prudent reprover of sin ; was endued with a rich treasure of Christian wisdom and prudence, without craft or guile, whereby he was ex- ceeding serviceable in judicatories, and excellent- ly fitted for counsel in intricate cases.
Zeal and knowledge were in him united to 7L pitch rarely to be met with; had a joint concern for purity and peace in the church ; no man more zealous for the former, and at the same time more studious of the latter, having observed and felt so much of the mischief of division and separatioil» He was exceeding cautious and scrupulous of any thing new or unprecedented, until he was tho*» roughly satisfied of its necessity and grounds.
It was his settled mind, that solidly and strong- ly to establish the truth, was, in many cases, the best, the shortest, and the most effectual way to con- fute error, without irritating and inflamingthe pas- sions of men, to their own and to the truth's pre- judice : therefore, in his explication and vindica- tion of the Protestant doctrine, in a paroxism quai - elled and condemned in a certain book, he answer- ed all and every body, but took notice expressly of no body^. He obeyed the voice, 1 Tim. vi. 11. Btit thou^ O man ofGod^fiee these things : Being in an uncommon degree dead to the world ; finding, says he, in the account of this life, the business of it ensnaring to my mind, I had- neither heart nor
* Alluding to his notes on the Marrow of Modern Divinity,
^ PREFACE.
hand for it. On all which accounts he was much respected and regarded by not only his brethren, tli;it differed from him,butgt:ncrn.]lv bv sll sort'-, of men.
To ccncludc ; h* was ascribe ^li-^uiaiiy liirstiuct cd unto the kingdom; — ^happy in finding out ac- ceptable words ; — a workman that needed not be ashamed, rightly dividing the M'ord of truth; — a burning and a shining light. The righteous shall be had hi everlasting' remembrance.
Though a skilful hand might, in fewer words, liave drawn his character to much better purpose, there is no partiality by overdoing in what is said, ii intimate friendship for many years, and the ac- count of his own life, done by himself, are allow- ed for competent evidences : liut the hearing him preach one sermon would have said something that cannot be said how.
His removal, in the juncture wherein he was ta- ken away, some are satisfied, had, on several ac- counts, more of the divine anger in it with respect to this church, than is commonly apprehended.
It might have been more edifying, had there heeik room for li here, to have heard of him in his own words, from the general account of his life, by him addressed to his childicn : Out 5f which we shall, with their leave, subjoin only a few touches to- wards the cUse of it, as follows :
** Thus also I was much addicted to peace, and *' averse from controversy ; though once engaged "thcirein, I was set to ^o through v/ith it.* 1 had " no great difficulty to retain a due honour and *' charity for mv brethren, differing from me in o- >* pinion and pniciice : But then I was in no ^eai
• The Centroveriy relflfiie to t'"e Marrow irhie.
PREFACE. xi
'hazard neither of being swayed by them to de- ^* part from what I judged truth or duty. Withal, " it was easy to me to yield to them in things where- " in I found not myself in conscience bound up* " Whatever precipitant steps I have made in the ''course of my life, which I desire to be humbled *' for, rashness in conduct v/as not my weak side. " But since the Lord, by his grace, brought me to " consider things, it was mrxh my exercise to dis- •'cern sin and duty in particular cases, being afraid " to venture on things, until 1 should see myself ** called thereto : but Vvhen the matter was cleared '* to me, I generally stuck fast by it, being as much '' afraid to desert the way which I took to be point- '' ed out to me. I nevt-r had the art of making *■• rich, nor could I ever heartily apply myself to *' the managing of secular affairs ; even the secular "■^jway of managing the discipline of the church was '* so unacceptable to me, that I had r.o heart to dip ^'in the public church management. What ap- '* pearances I made, at any time, in these matters, *' were not readily in that way." He concludes : " And thus have I given some account of the
'days of my vanVty. — Upon the whole, i bless my '^ God, in Jesus, that ever he made me a Christian, '' and took an early dealing with mv soul ; that *' ever he made me a minister of the gospel, and ^' gave me some insight into tht doctrine of his *' grace, and that ever he gave me the blest Bible, *' and brought me acquainted with the originals, '* and especially with the Hebrew text. The world *' hath long been a stepdame to me ; and v/hatso- '* ever I would have attempted to nestle in it, there " was a thorn of uneasiness laid for me. Man is *'born crying, lives complaining, and dies disap- ** pointed from that quarter. All is vanity and vex- *' ation of spirit, 1 have -waited for thy salvation. ''OLordy
Alll
PREFACE.
Habitual unreconciledness to the cross, and a palpable deficiency in many of thejduties incum- bent on us, as members of the body of Christ, mightily mar our Christian comfort, our edifica- tion, our usefulness : And, instead of adorning, they cast a dark shade on our holy profession. For remedy in both cases, the Lord in his kind provi- dence, is sending us fresh assis'tance in the two iollowing treatises. Both the subjects are set in a new and in an engaging light. It is not amiss that the reader should know, that the former, namely, that of the Crook in ont^s I ot^ was among the last subjects the blessed author handled ; and that the revising of it so far, for he got not through his notes, was amongst his last works with the pen.^ We shall leave it to exercise the reader's atten- tion how far he himself revised ; and where we have only his notes as he preached them. May the same divine blessing, v/hich the author oftw^n and earnestly sought to accompany aught of his that was, or should be called forth for the service of the church, go along with these treatises* that^ here follow .' {
Alex. Coldek. Gap.. Wilso: - II.Davidsox.
* The Frcfacers of the Fi'o, i.^a.iy;. ■:•/ i/**^ ^^^.^u-nt Tfact^ published^ along with z/, ,so?ne Sermons cm the Nature of Church Communion; bu! it is c?:fr; ';- Crook in the Lot, thecuthor*s last .^enicine v:ork^ haejirwd ao ^aveiiry (s many in ' - '
CROOK IN THE LOT.
EccL. vii. 13.
Coimder the work of God: For -a) ho can make that straight which he hath made crcoked ?
A JUST view of afPiicting incidents is altoge- ther necessar}'^ to a Christian dtportmcnt under tlieni : And that view is to be obtained on- ly by faith, not by. sense. For, it is the light of the word aione that represents them justly, dis- covering in them the work of God, and conse- quently designs becoming the divine ptrfcctions. These perceived by the eye of faith, and duly considered, one has a just view of afflicting inci- dents, fitted to quell the turbulent motions of cor- rupt affections under dismal outward appearances. It is under this view that Solomon, in the pre- ceding part of this chapter, advances several para- doxes, which are surprising determinations in fa- vour of certain things, that, to the eye of sense, looking gloomy and hideous, are therefore gene- rally reputed grievous and shocking. Ke pro- nounceth the day of ones death to be better than the dcij of his birth; namely, the day of the dea\h of one, who, having become the friend of God through faith, had led a life to the honour of God, and service of his generation, and thereby raised to himself the good aad savoi^ry nome better than B
i4 The C
/)rtclc;:.-i obitnicnt^ vci. 1. in like iiiauncr, he pro- liounct'tli the house of mourmniif to be prcl'crable to the hou-':e offeastin^y soj-ro'v to laughter^ and :; -rvise VI an'.'; rebiikf to aff^oVs son;^ ; for that, ho'.v- heit the latter are indeed the wore pleasant, yet rhc former are the more profitable, ver. 2 — — o. And ohser\'ing with concern, how men are in ha- zard, not only from the world's frowns :uk1 ill u- sagc, oppression making a xvisc men mad^ bi:: ;'.l-o from its smiles and caresses, a gift destroycth tlic heart; therefore, since whatever way it goes, there is danger, he pronounccth the the end of evert' worldly thing better than the bcginnv.zg thcrerf^ ver. 7^.B, ■ And fromjthe whole, he justly inftr*:, that it is better to be humble r.i:d patient, umm proud and impatient, imder afflicting dispensa- tions ; since, in the former case, one wisely sub- mits to what is really best; in the latter, he nghts against it, ver. 8. And he dchoris from being ;in- gry with our lot, because of the adversitv ft^iual therein, ver. 9; cautions against makir: compaiisons of former and present times, i:i .n.. ]',oint insinuating undue reflections on the prov?- (lence of God, ver. 10. and, against that querulous and fretful disposition, he first^irescribesa genera remedy, namely, holy wisdom, as that which enj. {)les one to make the best of evrry thing, a:. ! ; .. giveth life in killing circumsianees, ver. And then a particular remedy, consisting j;. .. ,i^... application of that wisdom, towards the tr.kir.g a just view of the case. Consider thew.rk of C-c' . Vor 7cho can riake that atraight ivhick he hath ;;: ;.V
a QOkCd:^
In which words is proposed, 1. lliv itself; 2j, The suitableness thereof.
Firsty The remrdy itself, is a wise l;. i..r.^^ ., .. bimd of God in nil w^^ find tQ bear hard noon ^
The Crook in the Let. 15
Consider the work (or, see thou the doing-) of God ^ viz. 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 views it on ail sides ; thou lookest withal to this and the other second cause of it, and so thou art in a foam and a fret: Eut, wouldst thou lie quieted and sa- tisfied in the matter, lift up thine eyes tov.ards licaven, see the doi7ig- 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 ofGod^ his doing.
Secondly y As for the Suitableness of this remedy, that view of the crook in our lot is very suitable to still indecent risings of heart, and quiet us under it: '''' For -vi'ho can (that is, none can) make that *' straight -ji^hich God hath made cro:ihedT'^ 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^ tiiine 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. Tiiis consider- ation, this view of the matter, \% a proper means, at once, to silence and to satisfy men, and so to bring them unto a dutiful submission to their Ma- ker and Governor, under the crook in their lot.
Now, we take up the purpose of the text in these three doctrines.
DocT. I. Whatsoever crook there is in one's lot, it is of God's making,
DccT. II. What God sees meet to mar, one vrill not be able to mend in his lot.
DoGT, III. The considering the crook in the ^ot, as the work of God, or of his making, is a
16 The Crook vi the Lot,
proper means to bring one to a Christian deport- ment under it,
T)ocT. I. Whatsoever craok there is in one'^s let, it is of Goal's yiakin^.
Here two things iall to be considered, namely, the crook its'.'lf, and God's making of it.