A35537:170
An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…
An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of the book of Job being the substance of thirty-five lectures / by Joseph Caryl ...
London: printed by M. Simmons, 1664
AN EXPOSITION WITH Practical Observations UPON The Thirty-fifth, Th… › Chapter 35 › Verses 4-8
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, The Lord receives nothing at our hands, for he is full already. We can put no more into a full vessel; if there be any ⟨p. 44⟩empty space, you may put somewhat more into a Vessel, but when it is as full as it can hold, what can you put into it? Who can make the Ocean fuller, which hath in it the fullness of all waters? All that we can give to God is not so much an increase to him, as a drop of the Bucket is to the whole Ocean. Who can make the Sun b ighter? all we do to, or for God, is not so much as a Candle to the Sun. What can he receive, who hath all things in himself? God is infinitely full, therefore there is no giving to him, nor receiving by him at our hands. That word which is one of the Titles of God holds forth as much, he is Elshaddi, that is, A God every way full, every way sufficient, he is all-sufficient for us, and he is Self-sufficient. 1Some of the Heathens had such notions and glimmering apprehensions of Go•. Plato saith, The exercise of Godliness, or of Worship, is acceptable to God, but is not at all profitable to God. It is manifest, saith Aristotle, that God needs no friends, nor any thing to help him. The Sacrifices of the Jews were great and royal Offerings, they brought their Sheep, and Oxen, and Bullocks, and Goats in abundance, yet the Lord would have them know he had no need of them, (Psal. 50.8.) I will not reprove thee for thy Sacrifices, and burnt offerings to have been continually before me; I will take no Bullock out of thy house, nor he-Goat out of thy Folds, for every Beast of the Forrest is mine, and the Cattle upon a thousand Hills: I know all the Fowls of the Mountains, and the wild Beasts of the Field are mine. If I were an hungry, I would not tell thee, for the world is mine, and the fullness thereof. Some conceive that Elihu aims especially at those gifts. If thou bringest or givest many sacrifices, what receiveth he at thy hand? The Lo•d doth not call for sacrifices because he is hungry; that is, hath need of them. The Lord (Zeph. 2.11.) threatens the gods of the Heathen, that he would starve or famish them; that is, he would destroy the means of their Worship: But who can famish the Lord, whose the world is, and the fullness of it?