A35535:271
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.
God can make the weakest and the unlikeliest of men wise and full of understanding.
It is no matter what the man is, if God will use him; he can make Enos to be Ish, the weak man strong, the ignorant a learned a knowing man; Amos was a husbandman, and God gave him an excellent understanding; the Apostles were Fishermen, and yet the Inspiration of the Almighty made them wise above many; God can make the wise foolish, and fools wise. The power of God triumphs over all humane power, and in all humane infirmity. So much the Apostle teacheth (1 Cor. 1.27.) God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised hath God chosen, yea and things which are not, to bring to nought things which are, that no flesh should glory in his presence. God chooseth those things which have the greatest improbability for his work, that the power and success of the work may be ascribed to him alone. When we choose, we should choose those that are fit for the work, to which they are chosen; we should not choose a fool to govern, nor one that is of low parts himself to teach others; we should pitch upon the wisest and ablest we can get. Joseph said well to Pharaoh (Gen. 41.33.) Look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the Land of Egypt. We cannot make men wiser then they are, and therefore we must choose and take those that are wise to do our work. But when God comes to do his work, he often takes the foolish and the weak, because as he calleth them to, so he can fit them for his work. As the strongest opposition of nature against grace cannot hinder the work of the Spirit; when the Spirit comes, he will make a proud man humble, a covetous man liberal, an unclean person modest and temperate; so the weakness of nature cannot hinder his work. If a man below in parts, God can raise him; Out of the mouths of babes a•d sucklings hast thou ordained strength (