A35535:1113
An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…
An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and the thirty fourth chapters of the book of Job being the substance of forty-nine lectures / delivered at Magnus near the Bridge, London, by Joseph Caryl ...An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and the thirty fourth chapters of the booke of Job being the substance of forty-nine lectures / delivered at Magnus neare the Bridge, London, by Joseph Caryl ...
London: printed by M. Simmons, 1661
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.
Fourthly, Why should we strive with God about these things? are they worth the striving with God about? surely they are not worth the striving with men about, much less with God. If we were in the best outward estate that ever any man enjoyed in this world, yet we were not then got a step beyond vanity (Psal: 39.5.) Every man in his best estate is altogether vanity. Suppose God should give you a blank, and bid you sit down and write what you would have as to your outward state, and then bestow it upon you, yet in this best estate, you and your all are altogether vanity. And will ye strive with God for taking a vain thing from you? Will you be so much dissatisfied for the taking away or want of that which could not satisfy you when you had it, nor can when you have it again? If a man had all these comforts which he strives for, they could not make him happy, why then should he strive because they are removed from him? But as they are vanity, because unable to satisfy when we have them, so they are vanity, because of our uncertainty to hold them. Yea suppose we hold them as long as we can have them, it is but a while. And shall we strive with God about loosing that which at longest we cannot keep long? To be sure these things are not necessary for us: Christ said to Martha, There is one thing necessary (Luke 10.42.) But a worldly comfort of any kind is not the nece••••y thing which Christ there intends; And shall we strive with God about unnecessaries?
Fourthly, Why should we strive with God about these things? are they worth the striving with God about? surely they are not wotth the striving with men about, much lesse with God. If we were in the best outward estate that ever any man enjoyed in this world, yet we were not then got a step beyond vanity (Psal: 39.5.) Every man in his best estate is altogether vanity. Suppose God should give you a blank, and bid you sit downe and write what you would have as to your outward state, and then bestow it upon you, yet in this best estate, you and your all are altogether vanity. And will ye strive with God for taking a vaine thing from you? Will you be so much dissatisfied for the taking away or want of that which could not satisfie you when you had it, nor can when you have it againe? If a man had all these comforts which he strives for, they could not make him happy, why then should he strive because they are removed from him? But as they are vanity, because unable to satisfie when we have them, so they are vanity, because of our uncertainty to hold them. Yea suppose we hold them as long as we can have them, it is but a while. And shall we strive with God about loosing that which at longest we cannot keepe long? To be sure these things are not necessary for us: Christ sayd to Martha, There is one thing necessary (