A35535:827
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.
Hence note.
They who speak to others about the things of God, should speak as God, or as put in Gods place and stead.
'Tis enough to make all the Ministers of Christ tremble and cry out in the Apostles words, Who is sufficient for these things? ⟨p. 185⟩to remember that when they speak to men, they speak in Gods stead. We (saith the same Apostle, 2 Cor: 5.20.) are Ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christs stead, be ye reconciled to God. Thus spake he who had indeed an immediate call and commission from God; and they who have not such an immediate call and commission as he had, yet speaking of or about the things of God; and coming in the name of God, they should speak as placed in Gods stead. And if the Ministers of Christ ought to speak as in Gods stead, then surely they that hear, should hear them as speaking in Gods stead. The Apostle testifies of the Galatians (Gal: 4.14.) My temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected, but received me as an Angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Ye received me not only as an Angel or messenger of Christ, but as if Christ had been there in person, so did ye receive me. He gives the same testimony of the Thessalonians (1 Thes: 2.13.) For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received the word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of man, but (as it is in truth) the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. I do not say, that what every man speaketh about the things of God, is presently to be taken for the word of God, or as if God spake it. But if that be his scope and purpose, if that be his Theme and his business, if that be the subject matter and substance of his speech, Then he (as to the body of his speech) is to be looked upon as uttering the word and mind of God in Gods stead. 'Tis a very great means to advance our profit in hearing the word, when they who speak it are looked upon as speaking in Gods stead, and not bringing an errand of their own.