P Eom.i.2G— 28. q 2 Thess. ii. 10— 12. -^ Isai. xxxiii. 1.
^ Rev. xviii. 5, G.
261.1 adoni-bezek's punishment. o
order that it may be seen that he governs the world ; but he does not do it in all instances, in order that men may know, that he will judge the world. It often happens that the wicked prosper, and the righteous are oppressed; and yet God does not remarkably interpose to punish the one, or to reward the other : but in the last day, all will be made right ; and every creature in the universe, the good and the evil, the oppressor and the oppressed, will " receive at God's hands a just recompence of reward'."]
From hence we may learn,
1. To investigate the reasons of God's deahngs with us —
[Every dispensation of Providence has a voice, to which we should give diligent attention. If we more carefully in- quired into the design of God in his various dispensations towards us, we should find them an inexhaustible source of most instructive information. We might read in our afflictions some fault which God designs to correct; some mistake which he intends to rectify; some corruption which he desires to subdue; some grace which he is anxious to confirm; or some temptation, against which he purposes to fortify our minds. As in the instance before us, God brought to the remembrance of Adoni-bezek the sins which he had committed, and which perhaps in the fulness of his prosperity he had overlooked ; so he often, by a particular chastisement, shews us the evil of some practice which we had justified, or revives in our minds the recollection of some which we had too slightly condemned. I would say unto you therefore, " Hear the rod, and Him that hath appointed it." If you see not the reason of it, go unto your God, and say, " Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me ? " and let no cross be suffered to escape from you, without having first paid to you that tribute of good, which by the order of Providence you are entitled to exact.]
2. To repent of particular sins —
[We cannot be too particular in calling to mind the sins which at any time we may have committed. Though we have not walked in the steps of this wicked tyrant, it is highly pro- bable that we have lived in sinful habits, which custom has rendered familiar to our minds ; and that we have in many things offended God, whilst we have not been conscious of committing any offence at all. Possibly Adoni-bezek at first felt a consciousness of doing wrong ; but after a season, accomited his rival kings a legitimate prey, whom he might
t 2 Thcss. i. G— 10.