A35535:1571
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.
This is not spoken by Elihu here, nor ought it to be taken up by any of the most faithful Ministers of Christ, to draw honour and respect upon themselves, or that their persons may be had in admiration who are faithful; this were a pitiful design of holding ⟨p. 383⟩out such a truth; but it serves for this end, that the people of God may see, they have a blessing where any are faithful; and may learn how they ought to prize those faithful messengers, whom the Lord sends among them, yea how readily they should receive the grace of God which is tendered in their ministry. These are not only each of them, one messenger, or interpreter, but each one of them is one of a thousand. A soul-convincing, converting, quickening, comforting Minister of the Gospel is worth thousands, and one among a thousand. The Prophet saith (Isa: 52.7.) How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings, &c. By their feet he meaneth their coming, feet being the instruments of their coming to bring this glad tidings; yet when he saith, their feet are beautiful, it may have a greater emphasis, for (the feet being the lowest part of the structure of mans body) it may intend thus much, that even that which is lowest and meanest in a messenger of the Gospel, his feet wearied and wet, yea foul and dirty with travel, have a beauty upon them, how much more his face and countenance; for if the very feet of such news-bringers, of such messengers, and interpreters, should be acceptable and lovely (so beauty is) to all men, how much more should their persons and most of all their message and tidings be? And doubtless, if men did but understand it, they would acknowledge, that God hath committed such a treasury to them, as is better and more beautiful, then all the gold and precious things of this world, and would cry out, O what a mercy is it to have such a News-bringer? and what Greedy News-mongers would they be? The one among a thousand would be more desirable then many thousands of Gold and Silver.
This is not spoken by Elihu here, nor ought it to be taken up by any of the most faithfull Ministers of Christ, to draw honour and respect upon themselves, or that their persons may be had in admiration who are faithfull; this were a pittifull designe of holding ⟨p. 383⟩out such a truth; but it serves for this end, that the people of God may see, they have a blessing where any are faithfull; and may learne how they ought to prize those faithfull messengers, whom the Lord sends among them, yea how readily they should receive the grace of God which is tendred in their ministry. These are not only each of them, one messenger, or interpreter, but each one of them is one of a thousand. A soule-convincing, converting, quickning, comforting Minister of the Gospel is worth thousands, and one among a thousand. The Prophet saith (Isa: 52.7.) How beautifull are the feet of them that bring glad tideings, &c. By their feet he meaneth their coming, feete being the instruments of their coming to bring this glad tideings; yet when he saith, their feete are beautifull, it may have a greater emphasis, for (the feete being the lowest part of the structure of mans body) it may intend thus much, that even that which is lowest and meanest in a messenger of the Gospel, his feete wearied and wet, yea foule and dirty with travel, have a beauty upon them, how much more his face and countenance; for if the very feete of such news-bringers, of such messengers, and interpreters, should be acceptable and lovely (so beauty is) to all men, how much more should their persons and most of all their message and tideings be? And doubtlesse, if men did but understand it, they would acknowledge, that God hath committed such a treasury to them, as is better and more beautifull, then all the gold and precious things of this world, and would cry out, O what a mercy is it to have such a News-bringer? and what Greedy News-mongers would they be? The one among a thousand would be more desirable then many thousands of Gold and Silver.