Fri.-Sabbath, 2/3-5/17 Devotion

Hip, hip, hooray—it is almost Sunday! Here is TW, from his, "A Body of Divin-ity" book. . . .

"Some say, 'There are many things done in the world which are very disor-derly and irregular; and surely God's providence is not in these things.'

"Yes, the things that seem to us irregular, God makes use of to His own glory. Suppose you were in a smith's shop, and should see there several sorts of tools, some crooked, some bowed, others hooked. Would you condemn all these things, because they do not look handsome? The smith makes use of them all for doing his work. Thus it is with the providences of God; they seem to us to be very crooked and strange, yet they all carry on God's work. I shall make this clear to you in two particular cases.

"God's people are sometimes low. It seems to be out of order that they who are best should be in the lowest condition. But there is much wisdom in this providence, as appears thus: 1) Perhaps the hearts of the godly were lifted up with riches, or with success; now God comes with a humbling providence to afflict them and fleece them. Better is the loss that makes them humble than the success that makes them proud. Again, 2) If the godly were not some-times afflicted, and suffered an eclipse in their outward comforts, how could their graces be seen, especially their faith and patience? If it were always sunshine we should see no stars; so if we should have always prosperity, it would be hard to see the acting of men's faith. Thus you see God's provi-dences are wise and regular, though to us they seem very strange and crooked."