A35535:1339
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.
The word rendered, keepeth back, notes a threefold keeping back; First, by force, as a man holds another from falling into a pit, or running into danger; he holds him whether he will or no. Secondly, there is a holding or keeping back by persuasion or entreaties, by seasonable advice and counsel; so Abigail kept David from shedding blood (1 Sam: 25.) Thirdly, there is a holding or keeping back by authority, when a Command or an injunction forbids a man from going on, and so stops his proceeding. Thus we see there is a keeping back,1 either by outward force, or by counsel, or by command. And there is a keeping back according to any of these three notions, two ways. First, such a keeping back, as hinders the very attempt, such a keeping back, as stops the first motions, or step into an undertaking. Secondly, there is a keeping back when a man is deeply engaged in an undertaking, when he is gone on and is near the journeys end of his own purpose. Thus David was kept back from destroying Nabal when he was far advanced in that enterprise; and Abimeleck was kept back from taking Sarah Abraham's wife when the matter had made a very great progress in his spirit. Both these ways we may understand it here, though chiefly, I conceive, in the latter. Sometimes God keepeth man, either by his power, or by persuasions and commands sent to him, from setting so much as one foot forward in any sinful way leading to the pit; yet often he suffers him to go on a great way, and when he is advanced ⟨p. 327⟩far towards, yea is near, very near to the pits brink, even ready to drop into it, then, then the Lord graciously keeps his soul from falling into it. This word is used •in the negative twice to set forth the high commendation of Abraham (Gen. 22.12.16.) When God had commanded Abraham to offer his Son, and he was so ready to do it, that presently God tells him, Now I know thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld (or kept back) thy son, thine only son from me. Abraham might have had many reasonings within himself to keep back and withhold his Son from being a Sacrifice, but, saith the Lord, thou hast not withheld or kept him back; There the word is used in the negative, as also upon the same occasion at the 16 verse of the same Chapter. And so by Job (Chap. 7.11.) Therefore I will not refrain (or keep back) my mouth.