A35473:433
An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of…
An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of the book of Job being the sum of twenty three lectures delivered at Magnus near the bridge, London / by Joseph Caryl.An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of the book of Job being the summe of twenty three lectures delivered at Magnus neer the bridge, London / by Joseph Caryl.
London: printed by Matthew Simmons, 1650
Title page typeset from the transcription.
AN EXPOSITION Upon the Fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth Chapte… › Chapter 15 › Verse 20
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 wicked man is thoughtful about this, how he may live long, not how he may live or do well; he would fulfil many days and years in the World, that so he might have his fill of worldly profits and pleasures. He is therefore troubled to think his life hangs upon uncertain terms, because he is uncertain of any good beyond this life. A godly man knows not the number of his years, but he knows by whom they are numbered; that satisfies him, be they longer or shorter, more or less. But a wicked man would have the account in his own hand, he would be Lord of all, even of time too, but he cannot, The number of years are hidden to the Oppressor.
A wicked man is thoughtfull about this, how he may live long, not how he may live or doe well; he would fulfill many dayes and yeares in the World, that so he might have his fill of worldly profits and pleasures. He is therefore troubled to thinke his life hangs upon uncertaine tearmes, because he is uncertaine of any good beyond this life. A godly man knowes not the number of his yeares, but he knowes by whom they are numbred; that satisfies him, be they longer or shorter, more or lesse. But a wicked man would have the account in his owne hand, he would be Lord of all, even of time too, but he cannot, The number of yeares are hidden to the Oppressor.
Observe hence.
That the number of the years of mans life is a secret which none knows but God himself: And as it is so, so it is best for man, that it should be so, The certain knowledge when our lives should end, would hinder us in many duties and services of our lives. Men would be at a stand in their worldly callings, if they were acquainted with the precise date of their standing in the World. Our not knowing this, is not ignorance, but nescience; and were it not for this nescience, we should be taken off from the study of much profitable knowledge. Besides, our not knowing the number of our days, stirs up in us a care of improving every day, and to pray with David, Lord teach us to number our days. Our not knowing which day shall be our last, should provoke us to spend every day so, that we may have comfort if it prove our last. It is best for us not to know that, the not knowing whereof is a motive to be always doing good.