A35439:494
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.
The point I shall give you, taking in those three sorts of materials is,
That gifts, duties and supposed graces are the stay and the staff, the house, and the strength of hypocrites.
Upon these they lean, and in these they secure themselves; they rest upon this bottom for eternity. Hence they even dare to plead with God himself about it (Mat. 7.22.) Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy Name, and in thy Name cast out devils, and done many great wonders? They trusted upon, Have we not prophesied? Have we not prayed? Have we not done wonders? They thought those sufficient materials to build them a tower which should reach heaven it self; who can doubt but they who do such things as these shall do well? The gift of prophecy, the power to cast out devils, and work miracles, sound high, and make a great noise. Yet at last, this tower of their confidence proves but a Castle in the air, or a spiders web. How confident were they who could plead thus with God: He hath opened the secrets of heaven to us, and do you think he will shut the gates of heaven upon us? We have preached, we have been instruments of saving others, and shall not we be saved ourselves? We have cast out devils, and shall we be cast to the devil? We have not walked in an ordinary tract of Profession, but we have traded in wonders and done miracles, we have amazed the world with reports of the great things we have done, is all this nothing? Thus they plead with Christ, as if he were bound to save them by the law of these services: yet Christ tells them, Depart from me. I know you not: Surely, thought they, God will fetch his fuel for those everlasting burnings from among the rude Heathens,1 or debauched drunkards, adulterers, &c. not from among us. Were it not a wonder greater then any we have wrought, if we who have wrought great wonders should not be admitted? One of the Ancients represents them in such an amazement. What means this strange, unexpected answer from Christ, Depart, &c. Must we depart who have lived so near thee? Must we be damned, whom thou hast thus honoured?