Ver. 6.-Calamity one of the works of God. It is not sin, but suffering, that is here meant. We are to regard temporal calamities as the warning voice of Gc,d, a manifes- tation of his character, and a. corrective expression of his displeasure. God maintain■ his controversy with Israel. The verses before contain language of unimpeachable equity, ill-requited kindness, and injured honour. On every ground the threatened punishment was merited, and only in mercy had it been suspended so long. 'fhere is a natural atheism in the human heart, a constantly prevailing tendenoy to forget God. Thie tendency is most powerful in prosperity, and must often be counterworked by a dispensation of adversity. Not that Divine judgments, acting on human corruption, necessarily lead to repentance. But in God's band they have often been overrnled to this effect, and it is in this reclaiming and reforming capacity that they are alluded to In this text. I. WE DISTINGUISH THB AGENCY OF JEHOVAH FROM 0HAN0E. "Chance" is a word ~uoh used, and little understooq. When we say that an event has happened b7 THE BOOK OF AMOS. toH. m.1-lll, ---------------------------------- chance, we mean either that it had no cause, which is atheism, or that we do not know the cause, which is an abuse of language. Chance, in fact, is nothing but a term of human ignorance. Yet the use of the word implies either atheism, denying the Divine existence, or naturalism, denying his superintending agency ; the two coming to the same thing, for we might as well have no God as no providence. 'l'he sentiment of our text is the refutation of both, and as such is but the echo of all Scripture. "All things are of God." Not creation only, but providence, which is as wonderful as a continuous creation. Not great events only, but the very least, without any one of which the whole machinery would be incapable of a single revolution. How beautifully yet powerfully is this brought out by Christ in his illustration from the sparrows (Matt. x. 29--Sl) ! If a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without our Father, much less can a whole city. When evil is in a city, it is not a visitation of chance, but of the hand of God, under which it has come. II. Tm; Drvn."'E AGENCY IS HERE DISTINGUISHED FBOM THAT OJI' IDOLS. Something to worship is a necessity of human nature. Hence men, when they forsake the true God, set up a false one in his place. The existence and power of this idol they believe without proof, and even against presumption. Unconquerable incredulity in reference to the true God becomes irrational credulity in reference to the false ones. Thus atheism is more a quesLion of the heart than of the head. Men do not like to retain God in their knowledge (Rom. i. 23, 28), and so discard him for gods of their own devising. This fact shows polytheism a form of atheism. And it was demonstrably so with the Jews. The obverse of apostasy with them was always idolatry; and this text affirms that Jehovah. whom they had forsaken, not any senseless idol which they bad chosen, dominated history and sent good and evil to men (see Isa. xii. 21-24; Jer. x. 3-16). We think we are in no danger of making their mistake. But the world, in its ambition, avarice, or pleasure, may take away our hearts from God, and become their idol, climbing to his throne. And we give it credit often for what God does and alone can do, and to that extent misread the providential events in which God is dealing with us. ill. Drvn."'E AGENCY IB TO BE DISTINGUISHED FBOM THE ~ENOY OF SECOND CAUSES. The deification of nature is a common practice. Conventionally, nature is a kind of mystical personification of some unknown existence, and to which the omnipotence denied to God is freely attributed. If" nature" does a thing, it is assumed that God has no hand in it, and that it wants no explanation further. "Nature is that created realm of being or substance which bas an acting, a going on or process from within itself, under and by its own laws" (Bushnell). But these laws are just " the actuating power of God." They are not powers in themselves, but only the rules according to which bis power operates. We have various kinds of seasons which we trace to various causes in nature. But these are second causes, and under the sovereign control of the First Cause. " Can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, 0 Lord our God? ••• for thou bast made all these things" (Jer. xiv. 22). Air, earth, and sea, and all that they contain, are subject to him (Ps. civ. 4; cxlviii. 8). From the natural cause of this or that we must rise to him who makes it what and puts it where it is, and gives it a commission to work. " All things are of God." • This trntb philosophy, though eagle-eyed In nature's tendencies, oft o'erlooks; And having found his instrument, forgets Or disregards, or, more presumptuous still, Denies the Power the.t wields it." '.!.'he same principle rules events in which men are agents. "Men are in God's hand" as well as matter. The King of Assyria was simply the rod with which God struck Israel (Tua. x. 5-16). In attributing temporal evils to God's sovereign control of things, distinguish between sovereignty and caprice. What God does he could assign the best of reasons for. He exercises his sovereignty in declining to do so. But he tell!! us that the great general cause of suffering is sin. Evil does not come on us as creatures, but as sinners. The infliction of it bas not to do with sovereignty, but with equity. All good is from God, all evil from the sinner. All good is gratuitous, all evil is deserved. A.II evil is righteous retribution, all good i_e fref) and sovereign love. NQr OH. ITI, 1-15.] 'l'HE BOOK OF AMOS.
is suffering destitute of a. large benevolent element. On the contrary, it often serves a merciful purpose, and would always do so were it properly received. When the sun of prosperity fails to soften, God casts men into the furnace of trial, if perchance the stronger method may prevail. If there be evil in your city, then consider who sends it, on what account, and for what purpose; so, it may be, you will "turn to him that emiteth you," as he means you should. (From a. sermon by Ralph Wardlaw, D.D., supplemented and condensed.)