hout spot or defect.
What is the subject of all men's questions, doubts, complaints, censures,
expostulations, and such like, of which the world is full? It is some one
work of God or other; there is no work of his providence, but some man
finds a fault in it, and would be at the mending of it. _Neque Deus cum
pluit, omnibus placet_:(259) if he give rain, he displeases many; if he
withhold it again, we are as little pleased. The reason of all this
misconstruction is, we look on his work by parcels,(260) and take it not
whole and entire. [Viewed] so, it is perfect, and cannot be made better.
"His works are perfect," in relation to the beginning and original of
them, his own everlasting purpose. Men often bring forth works by guess,
by their purpose, so no wonder it answer not their desire. But "known to
him are all his works from the beginning," and so he doth nothing in time,
but what was his everlasting pleasure. Often we purpose well, and resolve
perfectly, but our practice is a cripple, execution of it is maimed and
imperfect. But all his works are carved out, and done just as he designed
them, without the least alteration; and, if it had not been well, would he
have thought on it so, and resolved it beforehand? His works are perfect,
in relation to the end to which he appointed them. It may be it is not
perfect in itself: a blind eye is not so perfect as a seeing eye; nay, but
in relation to the glory of his name, who hath a purpose to declare his
power by restoring that sight, it is as perfect. And in this sense, all
the imperfection of the creatures and creation, all of them are perfect
works, for they accomplish the end wherefore they were sent; and so the
night declares his name, and utters a speech as well as the day, the
winter as the summer, the wilderness as the fruitful field. For what is
the perfection of the creature, but in as far as it accomplishes his
purpose and end, as the maker of it serves himself with it? And therefore
all his work is perfect, for it is all framed in wisdom to his own ends,
in number, measure, and weight; it is so exactly agreeing to that, that
you could not imagine it better. Again, his work is perfect, if we take it
altogether, and do not cut it in parcels, and look on it so. Is there any
workmanship beautiful, if ye look upon it in the doing? While the timber
lies in one part, and the stones in another, is that a perfect building?
When ye see one arm here, another there, and a leg