A35535:797
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.
'Tis a metaphorical speech,1 often and most properly used for ⟨p. 178⟩the marshalling of an Army; and so is elegantly applied here in this matter of controversy, or polemical discourse. Set thy words, thy reasons, thy arguments, as it were in battle array against me; we had the word in the former Chapter at the 14th verse. It is applied also to the exactness of the heart in prayer, not an affected exactness or curiosity about words, or to word it with God, but it notes exactness or spiritualness rather in meditating and disposing the strongest Scripture reasonings, to prevail with God in prayer. Prayer is, as it were, a battle fought in heaven, not in wroth or revenge, but with faith and holy submission. Thus did Jacob when he wrestled with the Angel, (Gen: 32.) And thus David speaks (Psal: 5.3.) In the morning I will direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up, or, I will marshal my prayer, I will bring up petition after petition, pleading after pleading, even till I am become like Jacob a Prince with God, till I have won the field, and got the day. Thus the word is applied by a metaphor both to disputations with men, and supplications to God. Further, we may take the meaning plainly without any strain of rhetoric, Set thy words in order before me. Method is good in every thing, either an express or a covert method. Sometimes 'tis the best of art to cover it; in speaking there is a special use of method; for, though, as one said very well (speaking of those who are more curious about method, then serious about matter) Method never converted any man; yet method and the ordering of words, is very useful. Our speeches should not be heaps of words, but words bound up, not a throng of words, but words set in array, or, as it were, in rank and file. The Prophet (Joel 2.5.) describes a terrible Judgement of God by a strong people set in battle array. In pursuance of which sense, Mr Broughton renders the next words, not (as we) stand up, but stand to it, as Commanders say to their Soldiers, stand to it; and the Italian translation thus; Set thy words in order before me, present thy self to the Combat. Thus he continues the metaphor; As if he had said; Choose thy ground, 2and maintain it like a valiant Champion;