A35439:2436
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.
Life is a special favour of God.
Life is a speciall favour of God.
There are divers sorts of creatures which have not the favour of life bestowed on them, no not the lowest degree of life. The Lord hath given man not only l•fe, but the highest degree of life; this is a high favour. It was Satan's argument (chap. 2.) Skin for skin, and all that a man hath, will he give for his life; As if he had said, What is a mans bo•y to his life? What are his estate, his lands, his gold and silver? What are all these dead commodities to his life? Life is the most precious of natural blessings. A worm (under this consideration) is a more noble creature then the Sun, because a worm hath life, which the Sun hath not. The lowest of a superior order, is better then the highest of an inferior; Though the Sun be the excellentest of all inanimate creatures, yet it moves (though in heaven) in a lower orb, then any thing that lives grovelling on the earth. A leaf is more excellent then a pearl or a diamond, because a leaf hath a life in it, which these have not; That opinion of voluptuous Atheists or Epicures, delivered us by the Preacher, hath a truth in it, A living dog is better then a dead lion (Eccl. 9.4.) For though (as that voice spake from heaven, Revel. 14.13.) Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, and though cursed are the living that live without the Lord: In which sense the poorest ⟨p. 524⟩dead dog is better then the proudest lion alive; Yet, consider man only within the line and compass of natural life; Then he that lives in the worst condition, is better then he that once was in highest dignity, but now is dead. It is usual in Scripture by a dog to set forth the vilest estate of man, and the most excellent by a lion. When Mephibosheth would show how low he was in his own eyes, though the son of a noble Prince, he joins these two, Dead and a dog together,