A81199:1116
An exposition with practical observations continued upon the twenty-second, twenty-third, twenty-fourth, twenty-fifth, and twenty-sixth…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the twenty-second, twenty-third, twenty-fourth, twenty-fifth, and twenty-sixth…
An exposition with practical observations continued upon the twenty-second, twenty-third, twenty-fourth, twenty-fifth, and twenty-sixth chapters of the book of Job being the sum of thirty-seven lectures, delivered at Magnus near London Bridge. By Joseph Caryl, preacher of the Word, and pastor of the congregation there.An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the twenty-second, twenty-third, twenty-fourth, twenty-fifth, and twenty-sixth chapters of the book of Job being the summe of thirty-seven lectures, delivered at Magnus near London Bridge. By Joseph Caryl, preacher of the Word, and pastour of the congregation there.
London: printed by M. Simmons, 1655
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
First, A believer hath no opinion of his own strength, or that he can do any thing in his own strength.
First, A beleiver hath no opinion of his owne strength, or that he can doe any thing in his owne strength.
He trusts no more to his own strength or power, then to his own righteousness or worthiness. As our Justification before God is purely founded in the righteousness of Christ, so all the actings of our sanctification are maintained by the strength of ⟨p. 345⟩Christ. Holy Job spake nothing of his own strength, yea he spake as having no strength of his own. A Godly man knows his own strength is but weakness, and that when he prevails with God it is with a power which he hath from God. Paul useth a form of speech which we may call a divine riddle (2 Cor. 12.10.) When I am weak then I am strong, he predicates or affirms one contrary of another, weakness is contrary to strength, how a weak man should be strong, and then especially strong when he is weak, is hard to conceive by those who are spiritual, and is unconceivable by those who are carnal. This assertion is enough to pose and puzzle nature; He that is weak is strong, or the readiest way to get strength is to be weak. The truth and the Apostle Pauls meaning is plainly this; When I am weak in my own sense and opinion, when I am convinced that I have no power of my own, then I feel power coming in, then Christ strengthens me, and I am strong, then I experience that word, My grace is sufficient for thee. When I find the waters of my own cistern low and failing, then I have a supply from the Spirit. So the Apostle spake, (Phil. 1.19.) I know that this also shall turn to my salvation through your prayers, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. The first Adam received all his strength at once, we now receive our strength by daily fresh supplies from the second Adam. The word there used by the Apostle, which we render supply, signifieth an under-supply, implying thus much, that as the natural body and each particular member of it, is supplied with sense and motion, together with a suitable strength and ability from the head, so believers who are altogether the mystical body of Christ, and each of them members in particular, are supplied from Christ their head by the Spirit, with spiritual life, motion, and strength of Grace for every duty to which they are called, or which is required of them. And because as this is so in its self, so believers are instructed in it; therefore they disclaim and go out of their own strength, that the power of Christ may rest upon them.