The Crook in the Lot Directions for Reaching This Humiliation Part 1 by Thomas Boston This audio was created with an artificial voice for the audiobook initiative on Sermon Audio. Directions for Reaching This Humiliation 1. General Directions Direction 1 Fix it in your heart to seek some spiritual improvement of the conduct of providence towards you. Micah 6.9 Till once your heart get a set that way, your humiliation is not to be expected. Hosea 14.9 but nothing more reasonable, if we would act either like men or Christians, than to aim at what is so grievous to the flesh unto the profit of the Spirit, that if we are losers at one hand, we may be gainers at another. 2. Settle the matter of your eternal salvation in the first place by betaking yourself to Christ and taking God for your God in Him, according to the Gospel offer, Hosea 2.19, Hebrews 8.10. Let your humbling circumstances move you to this, that while the creature dries up, you may go to the fountain, for it is impossible to reach due humiliation under the mighty hand, without faith in Him as your God and Friend. Hebrews 11.6 1 John 4.19 Lastly use the means of soul humbling in the faith of the promise, Psalm 28 verse 7. Moses smiting the rock in the faith of the promise made waters gush out which otherwise would not have appeared. Let us do likewise in dealing with our rocky hearts. They must be laid on the soft bed of the Gospel and struck there as Joel chapter 2 verse 13, Turn to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, or they will never kindly break or fall in humiliation. Two particular directions. 1. Assure yourselves that there are no circumstances so humbling that you are in, but you may get your heart acceptably brought down to them. 1 Corinthians 10.13 But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape. that ye may be able to bear it. This is truth. 2 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 9. My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. You would be persuaded of it with application to yourselves if ever you would reach the end. Philippians chapter 4 verse 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. God allows you to be persuaded of it, whatever is your weakness and the difficulty of the task. For our sakes this is written, that he that ploweth should plow in hope, and he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. 1 Corinthians chapter 9 verse 10 And the belief thereof is a piece of the life of faith. 2 Timothy chapter 2 verse 1. If you have no hope of success, your endeavors, as they will be heartless, so they will be vain. Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees. Hebrews chapter 12 verse 12. To whatever hand is, or is not, in your humbling circumstances, do you take God for your party, and consider yourselves therein as under his mighty hand? Micah chapter six, verse nine. Men in their humbling circumstances overlook God, so they find not themselves called to humility under them, they fix their eyes on the creature instrument, and instead of humility their hearts rise. But take him for your party, that ye may remember the battle, and do no more. Job 41.8 Three be much in the thoughts of God's infinite greatness. Consider His holiness and majesty fit to awe you into deepest humiliation. Isaiah chapter 6 verses 3 through 5. Job met with many humbling providences in his case, but he was never sufficiently humbled under them till the Lord made a new discovery of himself unto him in his infinite majesty and greatness. He kept his ground against his friends and stood to his points till the Lord took that method with him. It was begun with thunder, Job chapter 38 verses 1 and 2, then followed God's voice out of the whirlwind, chapter 38 verse 1, whereon Job is brought down, chapter 40 verses 4 and 5, it is renewed till he is farther humbled, chapter 42 verses 5 and 6. Wherefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes. inure yourselves silently to admit mysteries in the conduct of providence towards you which you are not able to comprehend, but will adore. Romans chapter 11 verse 33. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! That was the first word God said to Job. Chapter 38 verse 2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? It took him by the heart, stuck with him, and he comes over it again. Chapter 42 verse 3 As that which particularly brought him to his knees to the dust. Even in these steps of providence, which we seem to see far into, we may well allow, there are some mysteries beyond what we see. And in those which are perplexing and puzzling, sovereignty should silence us, his infinite wisdom should satisfy, though we cannot see. 5. Be much in the thoughts of your own sinfulness. Job 40.4. Behold, I am vile, what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth. It is overlooking that which gives us so much ado with humbling circumstances. While the eyes are held that they cannot see sin, the heart riseth against them, but when they are opened it falls. Wherefore whenever God is dealing with you in humbling dispensations, turn your eyes upon that occasion, on the sinfulness of your nature, heart and life, and that will help forward your humiliation. 6. Settle it in your heart that there is need of all the humbling circumstances you are put in. This is truth, 1 Peter 1.6, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations. God brings no needless trials upon us, afflicts none, but as their need requires, Lamentations 3.33, for he doth not afflict willingly. nor grieve the children of men. That is an observable difference betwixt our earthly and heavenly Father's correction, Hebrews chapter 12, verse 10, they after their own pleasure, but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Look to the temper of your own hearts and nature, how apt to be lift up, forget God. Carried away with the vanities of the world, what foolishness is bound up in your heart? Thus you will see the need of humbling circumstances for ballast and of the rod for the fool's back, and if at any time you cannot see that need, believe on the ground of God's infinite wisdom that does nothing in vain. Seven believe a kind design of providence in them towards you. God calls us to this, as the key that opens the heart under them, Revelation chapter 3 verse 19. Satan suggests suspicions to the contrary, as the bar which may hold it shut, 2 Kings chapter 6 verse 33, This evil is of the Lord, what should I wait for the Lord any longer? As long as the suspicions of an ill design in them against us reigns, the creature will, like the worm at the man's foot, put itself in the best posture of defense it can. and harden itself in sorrow, but the faith of a kind design will cause it open out itself in humility before Him. Case, oh, if I knew there were a kind design in it, I would willingly bear it, although there were more of it, but I fear a ruining design of providence against me therein. Answer. Now what word of God or discovery from heaven have you to ground these fears upon? None at all, but from hell. 1 Corinthians 10.13. What think you the design towards you in the gospel is? Can you believe no kind design towards you in all the words of grace there heaped up? What is that, I pray, but black unbelief in its hue of hell? Isaiah chapter 55 verse 1. Flying in the face of the truth of God and making Him a liar. 1 John chapter 5 verses 10 and 11. The gospel is a breathing of love and goodwill to the world of mankind's sinners, Titus 2.11 and 3.4, 1 John 4.14 and John 3.17, but ye believe it not in that case more than devils believe it. But if ye can believe a kind design there, ye must believe it in your humbling circumstances too. For the design of providence cannot be contrary to the design of the gospel, but contrarywise the latter is to help forward to the other. later. Think with yourselves that this life is the time of trial for heaven, James 1.12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he has tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. And therefore there should be a welcoming of humbling circumstances on that view. Verse 2 counted all joy when ye fall into divers temptations. If there is an honorable office or beneficial employment to be bestowed, men strive to be taken on trials for it, in hope they may be thereupon legally admitted to it. Now God takes trial of men for heaven by humbling circumstances, as the whole Bible teacheth, and shall men be so very loath to stoop to them, I would ask you, One, is it nothing to you to stand a candidate for glory, to be put on trials for heaven? Is there not an honour in it, an honour which all the saints have had? James chapter 5 verse 11, Behold we count them happy that endure, etc. and a fair prospect in it, 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 17, for our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Do but put the case, that God should overlook you in that case, as one whom it is needless ever to try on that head. That he should order you your portion in this life with full ease, as one that is to get no more of him, what would that be? To what a vast disproportion is there between your trials and the glory, your most humbling circumstances, how light are they in comparison of the weight of it! The longest continued of them are but for a moment compared with that eternal weight. Alas! there is much unbelief at the root of all our uneasiness under our humbling circumstances. Had we a clearer view of the other world, we would not make so much of either the smiles or frowns of this. 3. What think ye of coming foul off the trial of your humbling circumstances? Jeremiah chapter 6 verses 29 and 30. The lead is consumed of the fire, the founder melteth in vain, for the wicked are not plucked away. Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them. that the issue of it be only, that your heart appear of such a temper as by no means to be humbled, and that therefore you must and shall be taken off them, while yet no humbling appears. I think the awfulness of the dispensation is such, as might set us to our knees to deprecate the lifting us up from our humbling circumstances, ere our heart be humbled. 9. Think with yourselves how it is by humbling circumstances the Lord prepares us for heaven. Colossians 1.12 Giving thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. 2 Corinthians 5.5 The stones and timber are laid down, turned over and over, and hewed ere they be set up in the building, and not just set up as they come out of the quarry and wood. Were they capable of a choice, such of them as would refuse the iron tool would be refused a place in the building. Pray how think ye to be made meat for heaven By the warm sunshine of this world's ease, And getting all your will here, Nay, sirs, that would put your mouth out of taste For the joys of the other world. Vessels of dishonour are fitted for destruction that way, But vessels of honour for glory By humbling circumstances, I would here say. First will nothing please you but two heavens, one here, another hereafter. God has secured one heaven for the saints, one place where they shall all get their will, wish, and desire, where there shall be no weight on them to hold them down, and that is in the other world, but ye must have it both here and there, or ye cannot digest it. Why do ye not quarrel too, that there are not two summers in one year, two days in the twenty-four hours? The order of the one heaven is as firm as that of the years and days, and ye will not reverse it. Therefore choose ye whether ye will take your night or your day first, your winter or your summer, your heaven here or hereafter. To N.D.L.Y., without being humbled with humbling circumstances in this life, ye are not capable of heaven, 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 5. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God. Ye may indeed lie at ease here in a bed of sloth, and dream of heaven, big with hopes of a fool's paradise. wishing to cast yourselves just out of Delilah's lap into Abraham's bosom, but without ye be humbled ye are not capable. One of the Bible heaven that heaven described in the Old and New Testament is not that heaven are lifting up in due time, but how shall ye be lifted up that are never well gotten down? Where will your tears be to be wiped away? What place will there be for your triumph that will not fight the good fight? How can it be a rest to you, who cannot away with labor? Two of the saints heaven, Revelation chapter 7 verse 14, And he said unto me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. This answers the question anent Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the saints with them there. they were brought down to the dust with humbling circumstances, and out of these they came before the throne. How can ye ever think to be lifted up with them, with whom ye cannot think to be brought down? 3 of Christ's heaven, Hebrews chapter 12 verse 2, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is now set down at the right hand of God. Oh, consider how the forerunner made his way, Luke chapter 24 verse 26. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things? and to enter into his glory, and lay your accounts with it, that if ye get where he is ye must go thither as he went. Luke chapter 9 verse 23. And he said, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. Ten, give up at length with your towering hopes from this world, and confine them to the world to come. Be as pilgrims and strangers here, looking for your rest in heaven, and not till ye come there. There is a prevailing evil. Isaiah chapter 57 verse 10. Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way, yet saidst thou not there is no hope. So the Babel building is still continued, though it has fallen down again and again. For men say, The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones. The sycamores are cut down. But we will change them into cedars. Isaiah chapter 9 verse 10. This makes humbling work very lonesome, we are so hard to quit our grip of the creature, to fall off from the breast and be weaned. But fasten your gripes on the other world and let your gripe of this go, so shall ye be humbled indeed under the mighty hand. The faster you gripe the happiness of that world, the easier will it be to accommodate yourselves to your humbling circumstances here. Lastly, make use of Christ in all His offices, for your humiliation under your humbling circumstances. That only is kindly humiliation that comes in that way, Zechariah chapter 12 verse 10, And they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn, etc., that you must do by trusting on Him for that effect. One, as a priest for you, you have a conscience full of guilt, and that will make one uneasy in any circumstances, and far more in humbling circumstances. It will be like a thorn in the shoulder on which a burden is laid. But the blood of Christ will purge the conscience, draw out the thorn, give ease, Isaiah chapter 33 verse 24, and fit for service, doing or suffering, Hebrews chapter 9 verse 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 2. As your prophet to teach you, we have need to be taught rightly to discern our humbling circumstances. For often we mistake them so far that they prove an oppressing load. Whereas, could we rightly see them, just as God sets them to us, they would be humbling, but not so oppressive. Truly we need Christ and the light of His Word and Spirit to let us see our cross and trial as well as our duty. Psalm 25 verses 9 and 10. 3. As your King. You have a stiff heart loath to bow even in humbling circumstances. Take a lesson from Moses what to do in such a case. Exodus chapter 34 verse 9. And he said, Let my Lord, I pray thee, go amongst us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin. Put it in his hand that is strong and mighty. Psalm 24 verse 8. He is able to cause it melt, and like wax before the fire turn to the seal. Think on these directions in order to put them in practice, remembering that if ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. Remember, humbling work is a work that will fill your hand while you live here and that you cannot come to the end of till death, and humbling circumstances will attend you while you are in this lower world. A change of them ye may get, but a freedom from them ye cannot till ye come to heaven. So the humbling circumstances of our imperfections, relations, contradictions, afflictions, uncertainties, and sinfulness will afford matter of exercise to us while here. What remains of the purpose of this text I shall comprise in. Doctrine 2. There is a due time wherein those that now humble themselves under the mighty hand of God will certainly be lifted up. We shall take First a general view of this point, and consider. 1. Something supposed and implied in it, it bears. one that those who shall share of his lifting up must lay their accounts in the first place, with a casting down, Revelation chapter 7 verse 14. John chapter 16 verse 33 In the world ye shall have tribulation. There is no coming to the promised land, according to the settled method of grace, but through the wilderness, nor entering into this exaltation, but through a straight gate. If we cannot away with casting down, we will not taste of the sweet of the lifting up. 2. Being cast down by the mighty hand of God, we must learn to lie still and quiet under it, till the same hand that casts us down raise us up, if we would share of this promised lifting up. Lamentations 3.27 It is not the being cast down into humbling circumstances by the providence of God, but the coming down of our spirits under them by the grace of God that brings us within the compass of this promise. Three, never humbled in humbling circumstances, never lifted up in the way of this promise. Men may keep their spirits on the high bend in their humbling circumstances, and in that case may get a lifting up. Proverbs chapter 16 verse 19. But note this, that what they get will be a lifting up, to the end they may get the more grievous fall. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places, thou castedst them down in a moment. Psalm 73 verse 18. But they who will not humble themselves in humbling circumstances will find their obstinacy a neednill, that will keep their misery ever fast on them without remedy. Humility of spirit in humbling circumstances, ascertains a lifting up out of them some time with the goodwill and favour of heaven. Luke chapter 18 verse 14. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other, for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased. and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Solomon observes, Proverbs chapter 15 verse 1, that a soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger. And so it is, that while the proud through their obstinacy do but wreath the yoke faster about their own necks, the yielding humble ones by their yielding. make their relief sure, 1 Samuel chapter 2 verses 8 through 10. He raiseth the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory. He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness, for by strength shall no man prevail. the adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces. So the cannonball breaks down a stone wall while the yielding packs of wool take away its force. Five There is an appointed time for the lifting up of those that humble themselves in their humbling circumstances. Habakkuk 2.3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie, though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry. To everything there is a time. As for humbling, so for lifting up. Ecclesiastes 3.3 We know it not, but God knows it, who has appointed it. Let not the humble one say, I will never be lifted up. There is a time fixed for it, as precisely as for the rising of the sun, after the long and dark night, or the return of the spring, after the long and sharp winter. 6. It is not to be expected, that immediately upon one's humbling himself, the lifting up is to follow. No, one is not only to lie down under the mighty hand, but lie still waiting the due time. Humbling work is lonesome work. The Israelites had forty years of it in the wilderness. God's people must be brought to put a blank in his hand, as to the time, and while they have a long night of walking in darkness, must trust Isaiah chapter 50 verse 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. Seven, the appointed time for the lifting up is the due time, the time fittest for it, wherein it will come most seasonably. And let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. Galatians chapter 6 verse 9. For that is the time God has chosen for it, and be sure His choice, as the choice of infinite wisdom, is the best, and therefore faith sets to wait it, Isaiah chapter 28 verse 16, He that believeth shall not make haste. There is much of the beauty of a thing depends on the timing of it, and He has fixed that in all He does. Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verse 11, He hath made everything beautiful in His time. Lastly, the lifting up of the humbled will not miss to come in the appointed and due time, Habakkuk chapter 2 verse 3. Time makes no halting, it is running day and night. So the due time is fast coming, and when it comes, it will bring the lifting up along with it. Let the humbling circumstances be ever so low, ever so hopeless. It is impossible, but the lifting up from them must come in the due time. 2. A word in the general to the lifting up abiding those that humble themselves. There is a twofold lifting up. One a partial lifting up, competent to the humbled in time during this life, Psalm 30 verse 1, I will extol thee, O LORD, for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. This is a lifting up in part, and but in part not wholly, and such liftings up the humbled may expect while in this world, but no more. These give a breathing to the weary, a change of burdens, but do not set them at perfect ease. So Israel in the wilderness, in midst of their many mourning times, had some singing ones, Exodus chapter 15 verse 1, Numbers chapter 21 verse 17. 2. A total lifting up, competent to them at the end of time, at death. Luke 16.22 It came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. Then the Lord deals with them no more by parcels and halves, but carries their relief to perfection. Hebrews 12.23 then he takes off all their burdens, eases them of all their weights, and lays no more on for ever. He then lifts them up to a height they were never at before, no not when at their highest. He sets them quite above all that is low, and therein fixes them, never to be brought down more. Now there is a due time for both these. one for the partial lifting up. Every time is not fit for it, we are not always fit to receive comfort, an ease or a change of our burdens. God sees there are times wherein it is needful for His people to be in heaviness, 1 Peter 1.6, to have their hearts brought down with grief, Psalm 107.12. but then there is a time really appointed for it in the divine wisdom when he will think it as needful to comfort them as before to bring down 2 Corinthians 2.7. So that, contraryways, ye ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. We are in that case in the hand of God, as in the hand of our physician, who appoints the time the drawing plaester shall lie to, and when the healing plaester shall be applied, and leaves it not to the patient. 2. For the total lifting up. When we are sore oppressed with our burdens, we are ready to think, oh to be away, and set beyond them all, Job chapter 7 verses 2 and 3. As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work, so am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed for me. But it may be fitter, For all that, that we stay a while and wrestle with our burdens, Philippians chapter 1 verses 24 and 25. Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith. A few days might have taken Israel out of Egypt into Canaan, but they would have been over soon there if they had made all that speed, so they behoved to spend forty years in the wilderness. till their due time of entering Canaan should come. And be sure the saints, entering heaven, will be convinced that the time of it is best chosen, and there will be a beauty in that it was no sooner. And thus a lifting up is secured to the humble. 3. The certainty of the lifting up of those that humble themselves under humbling circumstances. If one would assure you, when reduced to poverty, that the time should certainly come yet, that ye should be rich, when sore sick, that ye should not die of that disease, but certainly recover, that would help you to bear your poverty and sickness the better, and ye would comfort yourselves with that prospect. However one may continue poor and never be rich, may be sick and die of his disease, but whoever humble themselves under their humbling circumstances, we can assure them from the Lord's Word, they shall certainly, without all peradventure, be lifted up out of, and relieved from their humbling circumstances. They shall certainly see the day of their ease and relief, when they shall remember their burdens as waters that fail. and ye may be assured thereof from the following considerations. First, the nature of God, duly considered, ensures it, Psalm 103, verses eight and nine. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide, neither will he keep his anger forever. The humbled soul looking to God in Christ may see three things in his nature jointly securing it. one infinite power that can do all things. No circumstances are so low, but He can raise them, so entangling and perplexing, but He can unravel them, so hopeless, but He can remedy them. Genesis chapter 18 verse 14. Is anything too hard for the Lord? Be our case what it will, it is never past reach with Him to help it, but then is the most proper season for Him to take it in hand. when all others have given it over, Deuteronomy chapter 32 verse 36. For the Lord shall judge his people and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone and there is none shut up or left. 2. Infinite goodness inclining to help. He is good and gracious in his nature. Exodus 34 6-9 And therefore his power is a spring of comfort to them. Romans 14 4 Men may be willing that are not able or able that are not willing, but infinite goodness joining infinite power in God may ascertain the humbled of a lifting up in due time. That is a word of inconceivable sweetness, 1 John chapter 4 verse 16, and we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. He has the bowels of a father towards the humble, Psalm 103 verse 13, like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. Yea, bowels of mercy, more tender than a mother to her sucking child, Isaiah chapter 49 verse 15. Wherefore, howbeit his wisdom may see it necessary to put them in humbling circumstances, and keep them in them for a time, it is not possible he can leave them in them altogether. 3. Infinite wisdom, that does nothing in vain, and therefore will not needlessly keep one in humbling circumstances. Lamentations, Chapter 3, Verses 32 and 33. But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies, for he doth not afflict willingly. nor grieve the children of men. God sends them on for humbling as the end and design to be brought about by them. When that is obtained, and there is no more use for them that way, we may assure ourselves they will be taken off. THE END OF DIRECTIONS FOR REACHING THIS HUMILIATION PART 1 This audio was created with an artificial voice for the audiobook initiative on Sermon Audio. There may be mispronunciations or occasional repetitions. To report a mistake, please email us at info at sermonaudio.com and include the sermon ID or title of the message and the time at which the error occurs. We will do our best to get it corrected for future listeners.