Boston, Thomas The Crook in the Lot

The Crook in the Lot Or The Sovereignty and Wisdom of God Displayed in the Afflictions of Men

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Crook in the Lot

The Sovereignty and Wisdom of God Displayed in the Afflictions of Men

by Thomas Boston

Table of Contents

Introductory Remarks

PROPOSITION I. Whatsoever Crook there is in one’s Lot, it is of God’s making.

I. As to the Crook itself.

II. The Crook is of God’s making. How it is of his making. Why he makes it.

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 he sees meet.

II. Men’s attempting to mend or even the Crook in their Lot.

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. Directions for rightly managing the application for removing the Crook in our Lot.

PROPOSITION III: Considering the Crook in the Lot, as the work of God, is a proper means to bring one to behave rightly un der it.

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.

III. That it is a proper means to bring one to behave rightly under it.

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 all to their mind.

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 mind. Humility the great means to bring all to their respective duties.

Doctrine. I. The bent of one’s heart, in humbling circumstances, should be towards a suitable humbling of the spirit, as under God’s mighty hand placing us in them.

II. What are those humbling circumstances the mighty hand of God brings men into.

III. What it is in humbling circumstances, to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God.

Directions for reaching humiliation.

Doctrine. II. In due time, those that humble themselves under the mighty hand of God will certainly be lifted up.