The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1889-12-11

praise God. The dead cannot cole-
brate his praises, aud they that go
down into the pit canaot hope for his
truth. While therefore the ,imes
with us "are bard" aud the prospec,
for still worse, Instead of complaining
we ought To thank God that it is as
well with US as it is. For We have
sufficient by proper economy to meet +,
| if not the luxuries, the necessaries of
life and Tor this we ought 10 he very
grateful. Then, again, lei, our voices
tunitea a,cerS-Hlhc i;5rotE.r La.,l Z
bursts Of gratitude for Gods goodness
even to US, and swell the volume of
his praise who has crowned the seasons
with his goodness.
But again, Wherefore doth a living
man complain, a man for the ptniSh-
n,ent of his sins Nan is a sinful Great.
ure, and the cnlamities which befail
him are in judgments and chastise
ments for his iniquilies. Why should
a man complain at God for what he
has brought upon himself? He is the
workmanship of God. Aud hath not
God right to DO what he will with
his own. God is tho Sovereign Of the
universe end its government he must
maintain even if it be by chastising
Tho disohedient. God has done right
eousness and nlnn has done wicked
ness. Then when God Furnishes, mar
has no right to quarrel with him.
Instead of complaining, man ought to
rejoice that his own wIckedness cor
reots his folly. But, "The to0lishness
of man perverteth his way: and
his heart fretteth against the Lord.'
Man, wickeduess brings down upon
him the judgment of God and thus
often time his most sanguine hopes and
fond expectations never realized.
And then he charges the failure upon
God. But he has failed through his
own wicScduess. Then instead OF
fretting against God, he ought to
blame himself and rej"ice that his
own wickedness under God has hecn
the means Of correcting him. For
when Ged chastens his children il is
neitherct,r his pleasure nor for his
profit but for their good that they
may uoi DO oesA4s-- si .it. the Nh nj
! In the inscrutible wisdom Of God aud
the sovereignty of his will, men are
visited in his providence by judgments
and calamiti.s for their sins. Iu veri-
6csti"n of this and FIR the principle of
Gods dealings with mau, hear what
God by the mouth Of his prophet
Isaiah 50:l'sa "Where is the bill
of your mothers divorcement, whom |
have put away? or which Of my cred
itors IS IL To whom | have sold you -
In those days il was customary upon
even trivial offences for husband tu
give his wife bill Of enforcement
aud put her away. 1t WAS also Gus
tomary for a parent TO sell the chill
dren TO the creditors to settle the
debt in case of insolvency. Now God
challenges the jews To produce the
bill of their mothers diyUrcement, or
to say to which Of bis creditors he
had sold them. No, being able to do
So he tells them the cause of their
trouble. 1t was not on account Of his
whims in divorsing their mother.
Neither was ii on account of his bad
management that they had to be sold
But, Behold, for your ini9nitieo, and
have ye sold yourselves, and for your
transgression. is your mothers put
| away"
Now. let US make the application
and consider ourselves in the light of
this general principle of Gods deaf.
ings with man, and in view of the
facts which surround us. God deal.
with men now upon the same princi-
pie that he did in the days OF Isaiah or
OF the Jews. Iii. immutabilily estab.
dishes this os you'li readily "dmi,, anL
We need not consume lime in arguing
it. But what are the facts which
stare US in the face day The bar
YES, yield Of all around has been
bouniiiul, aud perhaps as much 80 ss
ever in our national history, if not
more so while ours has been cut
short, as short, ifnot shorter, as ever
before IN the recollection Of our oldest
citizens. Then the question unbidden
thrusts itself upon us Are We suffer
ing for our sins The answer must be,
Yes. Verify, Gods Judgments are
upon Us. Now, these are the facts in
the premises. Let us cease to Conn
plain for we have other work to do.
Instead ofrepinisg, we ought to be re.