A35535:1614
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.
There are two sorts of gracious acts of God. First, some are acts of absolute grace, or of preventing grace; These are put forth upon and exercised towards the creature, before there is any the lest preparation in the heart, to draw them out or invite the bestowing of them. Thus, the grace of God in election is absolutely free, there was no prevision of any qualification in man moving God to elect him. And so that wonderful act of grace (in which election first descends and discovers it self) effectual vocation, is absolutely free. God calls a sinner when he is in the heat and hurry of his evil ways, pursuing his lusts in the height of his pride, and in the hardness of his impenitent heart. Now, if when God first calleth a sinner there is nothing in him but sin; What can move God to call him but free grace? A third absolute act of grace is justification; God doth not justify a sinner for any thing that he finds or sees in us; As to us 'tis altogether free. He justifieth the ungodly (Rom: 4.5.) when that wretched infant was in its blood (which expresseth a miserable unclean polluted condition) then was a time of love (Ezek: 16.8.) then was God gracious. What loveliness was there in that infant (representing the best of men in that fallen natural estate) to draw out the love of God? nothing at all, yea she was altogether unlovely, yet then (saith God) thy time was the time of love, or then was the time of putting forth love in her conversion and vocation; Then, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, live. And because the thing might seem not only strange, but even impossible, that the heart of God should be towards such a wretched one for good, the word is doubled, yea I said unto the•, when thou wast in thy blood, live. These acts of absolute free grace are the glory of the Covenant of grace; for if the Covenant should hold out acts of Grace only upon our pre-dispositions, when should we receive any act of grace? ⟨p. 398⟩The promise is not of this tenor, I will pardon them when their hearts are soft and tender; but, I will take away the heart of stone, and give them a heart of flesh.
There are two sorts of gracious acts of God. First, some are acts of absolute grace, or of preventing grace; These are put forth upon and exercised towards the creature, before there is any the lest preparation in the heart, to draw them out or invite the bestowing of them. Thus, the grace of God in election is absolutely free, there was no prevision of any qualification in man moving God to elect him. And so that wonderfull act of grace (in which election first descends and discovers it selfe) effectuall vocation, is absolutely free. God calls a sinner when he is in the heat and hurry of his evill wayes, pursuing his lusts in the height of his pride, and in the hardness of his impenitent heart. Now, if when God first calleth a sinner there is nothing in him but sin; What can move God to call him but free grace? A third absolute act of grace is justification; God doth not justifie a sinner for any thing that he finds or sees in us; As to us 'tis altogether free. He justifieth the ungodly (Rom: 4.5.) when that wretched infant was in its blood (which expresseth a miserable uncleane poluted condition) then was a time of love (Ezek: 16.8.) then was God gracious. What loveliness was there in that infant (representing the best of men in that fallen naturall estate) to draw out the love of God? nothing at all, yea she was altogether unlovely, yet then (saith God) thy time was the time of love, or then was the time of putting forth love in her conversion and voction; Then, I sayd unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, live. And because the thing might seeme not only strange, but even impossible, that the heart of God should be towards such a wretched one for good, the word is doubled, yea I sayd unto the, when thou wast in thy blood, live. These acts of absolute free grace are the glory of the Covenant of grace; for if the Covenant should hold out acts of Grace only upon our pre-dispositions, when should we receive any act of grace?