A35535:947
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.
A good Prince desires to find many good subjects who deserve to be rewarded, but it troubles him to find any who deserve to be punished, or whom he is necessitated to punish; Now what is ⟨p. 216⟩the goodness of the most benign and gracious Princes in the world, to the graciousness and benignity of God! Again, his precious promises evidence the unworthiness of such a surmise; all which are full of mercy, and goodness, and patience, and pardon, and tenderness to poor sinners: so far is the Lord from seeking occasions to charge any one with what is not, that he seeks all the ways and occasions he can to do good, and to extend compassion to those who have done amiss. He even labours to deliver poor souls from their dangers, and from their sins. How far is he then from desiring to find them tripping and sinning, or from urging sin hardly harshly or causelessly upon them? yea all the experiences of Saints bring in witness against this blasphemous apprehension. They will tell us from what they have found and felt, that when they have given the Lord occasion to destroy them, when they have put a sword into his hand to smite them, when by their unbelief, and pride, and neglect of known duties, they have laid themselves open to ruin and destruction, even then he hath held his hand and spared them. Is it not then a great, a gross sin, to charge the Lord, that he seeks occasions against us? Yea indeed (as was touched before) the Lord needs not seek occasion against any man, for as much as the best of men give him too much occasion, and too often. He needs not stand to spy advantages against us, we lay our selves too open and naked to him continually. As in Fencing, when two that are very expert at that art are engaged, there is watching for an occasion or advantage to get the mastery; but if an expert Master of Defence be to deal with an ignorant fellow that knows not his postures, nor how to use his weapon, he needs not seek occasion, he may have him here and there and every where. It is so with the best of Saints, when they have to do with God; He needs not watch for an occasion where to hit, or smite them, for they through their ignorance and folly, lay their naked breasts open to his strokes every day. Were he not infinite in mercy to cover our sins,1 and to pardon our transgressions, we must needs perish under his justice.
A good Prince desires to finde many good subjects who deserve to be rewarded, but it troubles him to finde any who deserve to be punished, or whom he is necessitated to punish; Now what is