V. 3. '* Thou hast stricken them, but they have

*' not grieved ; thou hast consumed them, but they " have refused to receive correction. Tliey have ** made their faces harder than a rock ; they have *•'' refused to return." JMuch more v.- hen ye work against him to force up your condition, which we may see God means to hold doAvn. And of this resistance consider,
(1.) The sinfulness ; what an evil thiffg it is. It is a direct fighting against God, a sliaking off of subjection to our sovereign Lord, and a rising in rebellion against him, Isa. xlv. 9.
(2.) Th^foliij of it. How unequal is the match ? How can the struggle end well ? Job ix. 4. What else can possibly be the issue of the potsherd*s of the earth dashing against the Rock of ages, but that they be broken to pieces ? We may say, as Job xli. 8. All men musr certainly bow or break under the mighty hand.
4. This is the time of humiliation, even the time of this life. Every thing ic beautiful in its ^eoson'; and the bringing down of the spirit now is beautiful, as in the time thereof, even al the plowing and sowing of the ground is in the spring. Consider,
(1.) Humiliation of spirit is in the sight cfGod of great prrce^ 1 Pet. iii. 4. As he has a special n- version to pride of heart, he has a special liking of humility, chap, v. 5. The humbling of sinners, and bringing them doM'n from their heights, wherein the corruption of their nature has set them, is the great end of his word, and of \\i% pro- vidence.
(2.) It is no easy thing to humble men's spirits ; his not little that will do itj it is a work that is
The Crook in the Lot. 115
not soon done. There is need of a digging deep for a thorough humiliation in the work of conver- sion, Luke vi. 48. ?i4rany a stroke must be given at the root of the tree of the natural pride of the heart ere it fall; oft-times it seems to be fallen, and yet it arises again. And, even when the root-stroke is given in believers, the rod of pride buds again, so that there is still occasion for new humbling work.
(3.) The whole time of this life is appointed for humiliation. This was signified by the forty veavs the Israelites had in the wilderness, Deut. viii. 2. It was so to Christ, and therefore it must be so to men, Heb. xii. 2. And in that time they must either be formed according to his image, or else appear as reprobate silver that will not take it on by any means, Rom. viii. 29. So that whatever lifting up men may now and then get in this life, the habitual course of it will still be humblino:.
(4.) There is no hum])ling after this, Rev. :;x:i. 11. If the pride of the heart be not brought down in this life, it will never be ; no kindly humilia- tion is to be expected in the other life. There the proud will be broken in pieces, but not softened ; iheir lot and condition will be brought to the low- est pass, but the unhunibleness of their spirits will still remain, whence they v/ill be in eternal ago- nies, through the opposition betwixt their spirits and lot, Kev. xvi. 21.
Wherefore, beware lest ye sit your time of hu- miliation: humbled we must be, or we are gone for ever ; and this is the time, the only time of it ; therefore, make your hay while the sun shines ; strike in vrith humbling providences, and fight not against them while ye have them, Acts xiii. 41. The season cf grace will not last; if ^-e fleep in seed-time, ye '\ill beg in hrnrec-t.
1 1 G The Crook in the Lot.
5. This is the way to turn humbling circum- stances to a good account ; so that instead of be- ing losers, ye would be gainers !)y them, Psalm cxix. 71. '^ It is good for me that I have been af- " flictf d.*' Would ye gather grapes of these thorns and thistles, set yourselves to get your spirits humbled by them.
(1.) Humiliation of spirit is a most valuable thing in itself, Prov. xvi. 32. It cannot be bought too dear. -Whatever one is made to suffer, if his spirit is thereby duly brought down, he has what is well worth bearing all the hardship for, 1 Pet. iii. 4.
(2.) Humility of spirit brings m2iny advantages along with it. It is a fruitful bough, well loaden, wherever it is. It contributes to one's ease under the cross, Matt. xi. 30. Lam, iii. 27, 28, 29. It is a sacrifice particularly acceptable to God, Psalm li. 17. The eye of God is particularly on such for good, Isa Ixvi. 2. "To this man will I look, even " to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and *' trcmblcth at my word." Yea, he dwells with them, Isa. Ivii. 15. And it carries a line of wis- dom through one's whole conduct, Prov. xi* 2. '' With the lowly is wisdom."
Lastlif^ Consider it as a mighty hand that is at work with us; the hand of the mighty God; let us then bend our spirits towards a compliance with it, and not wrestle against it. Consider,
(l.( We must fall ?.'/ir/e?r it. Since the design of it is to bring us down, we cannot stand before it ; for it cannot miscarry in its designs, Isa xlvi. 10. " My counsel shall stand." So, fall before it we must, either in the way of duty or judgment, Psal. .xlv. 5. " Ti'.ine arrows are sharp in the heart of *'' the king's encn::.' . ■\T'h?rcbv the pcdple fall ur '' ricr thee."'
The Crook in the Lot. IIT
(2.) They that are so wise as to fall in humilia- tion under the mighty hand, be they ever so low, the same hand will raise them up again, James iv- 10. In a word, be the proud ever so high, God will bring them down : be the humble ever so low, God will raise them up.
Directions for reaching this humtUatioju