A35535:2278
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.
Secondly, From the matter of the charge,
Observe.
While godly men behave themselves like wicked men, they may be said to go in company with them.
While godly men behave themselves like wicked men, they may be sayd to goe in company with them.
This heavy charge falls justly upon them whether they demean themselves in their affliction (as Job in some sort did) ⟨p. 543⟩like the wicked, or in the days of their fullness and prosperity. If we speak or do like wicked men, we have our amends in our hands if we are numbered with them, though we are not really of their number. Some good men when they have got much of the world about them make but an ill use of it. Are wicked rich men proud? so are they in a great measure, you may see vanity in their houses, and superfluity upon their tables, as if they also were making provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof. Now if a godly man, when he hath the abundance of this world makes himself more unfit for the next world; is he not in this like the wicked? or if when God layeth him low, he be full of complainings and have risings of heart against the dealings of God; what is this but to do like the wicked, who in their straits quarrel with God, & blaspheme his name? (Isa: 8. ult.) When they are hungry and hard bestead, they curse their God and their King. Thus the wicked do; and it was the Devils plot to make Job do so too; and because in the extremity of his sufferings he spake such things as savoured of a murmuring spirit, Elihu taxeth him as walking with wicked men. For as when wicked men act and speak like good men, it may be said they go in the company with the godly, and walk with the workers of righteousness, though they are stark nought all the while, being (as the Apostle gives their character, Tit: 1.16.) Abominable, disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate; So some good men under temptation act and speak like the wicked, yet retain their goodness, and are as to the general state of their persons, and bent of their hearts, acceptable, obedient, and inclined to every good work. It will do the wicked no good at last, that they have thus gone in company with the good; but it is very sinful for and hurtful to good men, to go in company or walk with wicked men, though it be but (as Elihu makes his proof of it against Job) only in using their Sibboleth, or speaking a language like theirs.