A35535:405
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.
Thirdly, God is wise; he cannot be deceived concerning any man; therefore there is some great reason why he afflicts, and what reason can more probably be given of a great affliction, then some great sin? As God is so true that he will not deceive any man, so he is so wise that he cannot be deceived in any man. He cannot miss his mark, nor fall upon a wrong subject in his dispensations; therefore we have fair warrant to say, that a man against whom God appears so much, appears very foul to him, what ever fair appearances he may have among men.
Thirdly, God is wise; he cannot be deceived concerning any man; therefore there is some great reason why he afflicts, and what reason can more probably be given of a great affliction, then some great sin? As God is so true that he will not deceive any man, so he is so wise that he cannot be deceived in any man. He cannot misse his mark, nor fall upon a wrong subject in his dispensations; therefore we have faire warrant to say, that a man against whom God appeares so much, appeares very foule to him, what ever faire appearances he may have among men.
Fourthly, Take this Consideration also, when men afflict their brethren, they often do it either out of resolved malice, or in heat of revenge; but God cannot do it with such a spirit, nor from such principles; The highest acts of revenge in God, are but the awards of Justice. Again, Men will afflict others out of envy, or to ease themselves; as the Apostle speaks of parents chastening their children (Heb: 12.9, 10.) We have had fathers of our flesh, which have corrected us, and we gave them reverence, shall we not much more be in subjection to the father of spirits and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure, or (as that text may more clearly be rendered out of the original Greek) as it seemed good to them, 1or as they thought good; As if he had ⟨p. 93⟩said, They will do it upon their natural prerogative, or the right of paternity, without giving any account; Yea, a father will afflict and chasten his child sometimes (in another sense) for his pleasure; That is, to vent his passion, and ease himself: but God never chasteneth us in passion, no ever purely upon prerogative, but with a respect also to our spiritual (which is the best) profit, and for our good. Now among the good things which God aimeth at in afflicting any man, this is nor the least, the purging out of his evils. And therefore when we cannot ascribe the chastisement of man to man, but to God alone, 'tis a witness against him, at least, it draws a suspicion upon him of some great sinfulness lodged in him, or sinful ways walked in by him.