A35439:2249
An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…
An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of the book of Job being the sum of thirty two lectures, delivered at Magnus near the bridge, London / by Joseph Caryl ...An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of the book of Job being the summe of thirty two lectures, delivered at Magnus neer the bridge, London / by Joseph Caryl ...
London: printed by A. Miller for Henry Overton, 1647
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
A godly man dares appeal to God himself, that he is not wicked.
He dares stand before God to justify his sincerity, though he ⟨p. 481⟩dares not stand to justify himself before God. Job had often laid all thoughts of his own righteousness in the dust, but he always stands up for his own uprightness. God is my witness (saith the Apostle Paul, Rom, 9.1.) whom I serve in my spirit in the Gospel of his Son; I serve God in my spirit, and God knows that I do so, I dare appeal unto him that it is so, God is my witness. When Christ put that question, and drove it home upon Peter thrice, Simon, Lovest thou me? Lord (saith he) Thou knowest all things, Thou knowest that I love thee (Joh. 21.) As if he had said, I will not give testimony of my self, thou shalt not have it upon my word, but upon thine own knowledge. It were easy for me to say, Master, I love thee with all my heart, with all my soul, but I refer my self to thy own bosom, Thou knowest I love thee. So when Hezekiah lay (as he thought) upon his deathbed, he turned himself to the wall, desiring God to look upon the integrity of his life, Lord, remember how I have walked before thee in truth (Isa. 38.3.) I do not go to the world for their good word of me, I rest not in what my Subjects or neighbour Princes say of me, Lord, it is enough for me, that what I have been, and what I am, is laid up safe in the treasury of thy thoughts. This brings strong consolation, when we take not up the testimony of men, nor rest in the good opinion of our brethren, but can have God himself to make affidavit, or bear witness with us, and for us. That such a man will say, I am an honest man, that such a man will give his word for me, is cold comfort; but when the soul can say, God will give his word for me, The Lord knows that I am not wicked; here's enough to warm our hearts when the love of the world is waxen so cold, and their tongues so frozen with uncharitableness, that they will not speak a good word of us, how much good soever they know by us.