A35538:1239
An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-eighth, thirty-ninth, fortieth, forty-first, and forty-second,…
An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-eighth, thirty-ninth, fortieth, forty-first, and forty-second, being the five last, chapters of the book of Job being the substance of fifty-two lectures or meditations / by Joseph Caryl ...
London: printed by M. and S. Simmons, 1666
Title page typeset from the transcription.
AN EXPOSITION WITH Practical Observations UPON The Thirty-eighth, T… › Chapter 38 › Verse 39-41
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.
The Hebrew word rendered provideth, hath two significations,1 which wonderfully set forth the care of God towards this creature: First, the certainty of their provision, for the word signifies to establish; as if the Lord did give them a necessary, settled, or constant diet. Secondly, It notes the suitableness and pleasingness of their food to their nature and constitution, yea, to their gust and appetite; as if the Lord fitted their food, as we say, to their tooth or palate, and gave them not only meat, but savoury meat to them (like that which Isaac bespake of his son Esau) such as they love; for though the food of Ravens be unpleasant to us, yet it is pleasing and toothsome and savoury to them. What the Lord provides for Ravens, is to them dainties and delicacies; carrion is so to them, because 'tis suitable to their nature, & such as their stomach likes very well. The suitableness of any food to our taste and palate, makes it delightful to us: What makes sin, which is as odious as a carrion or corrupt thing to God and good men, pleasant to carnal and wicked men, but the suitableness of it to their nature? they can feed upon sin as heartily and hungrily, as a Raven doth upon a putrefied carcass. And what's the reason that the ways of God are so pleasant to a godly man? is it not because his heart is made (through grace) suitable to them? To do the will of God is meat and drink to a godly man; but his soul being in a right frame) can no more delightfully do, any thing that is sinfully evil, than he can delight to feed bodily upon putrefaction or poison.
The Hebrew word rendred provideth, hath two significations,1 which wonderfully set forth the care of God towards this creature: First, the certainty of their provision, for the word signifies to establish; as if the Lord did give them a necessary, settled, or constant diet. Secondly, It notes the sutableness and pleasingness of their food to their nature and constitution, yea, to their gust and appetite; as if the Lord fitted their food, as we say, to their tooth or palate, and gave them not only meat, but savoury meat to them (like that which Isaac bespake of his son Esau) such as they love; for though the food of Ravens be unpleasant to us, yet it is pleasing and toothsom and savoury to them. What the Lord p•ovides for Ravens, is to them dainties and delicacies; carrion is so to them, because 'tis sutable to their nature, & such as their stomack likes very well. The sutableness of any food to our taste and palate, makes it delightful to us: What makes sin, which is as odious as a carrion or corrupt thing to God and good men, pleasant to carnal and wicked men, but the sutableness of it to their nature? they can feed upon sin as heartily and hungrily, as a Raven doth upon a putrified carcase. And what's the reason that the ways of God are so pleasant to a godly man? is it not because his heart is made (through grace) sutable to them? To do the will of God is meat and drink to a godly man; but his soul being in a right frame) can no more delightfully do, any thing that is sinfully evil, than he can delight to feed bodily upon putrifaction or poyson.