A81199:1135
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.
God is free, and ready to hear, the pleadings, and reasonings of those who are upright and righteous.
God is free, and ready to heare, the pleadings, and reasonings of those who are upright and righteous.
As the prayer of the upright is the delight of God, so their modest and humble disputings are not displeasing to him. A righteous man may plead with God freely, but he must not plead with God proudly, either crying up and boasting in his own righteousness, or laying the least imputation of unrighteousness upon the ways of God in dealing with him. The righteous dispute with God, yet they know and keep their distance, and while they do so, God is willing they should, and welcomes them when they ⟨p. 353⟩do draw nigh to him, disputing as well as praying. In opposition to which 'tis said (Psal. 5.5.) The foolish shall not stand in thy sight, thou hatest all workers of iniquity. The foolish, that is, the wicked man, the hypocrite with his false-hearted and flattering tongue, are an abomination to God. The foolish man that the Psalmist means, is not the man low in parts, but unsound in spirit. This foolish man shall not stand in the sight of God, nor will God hear him either disputing or praying, but reject him with his disputes and prayers. Thou hatest all the workers of iniquity, and to the wicked God saith, what hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth (Psal. 50.16.) God will not endure it, that wicked men should speak of him, much less will he endure, that a wicked man should dispute with him. God will have nothing to do in way of arguing, and reasoning, either with a person or with a people, while he or they continue in their sins. (Isa. 1.15, 16.) When ye spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; yea when ye make many prayers, I will not hear; your hands are full of blood; that is, either of bloody sins in special, as murder and oppression, or of sins in general; for every sin is blood and bloody, every sin may be called blood: and while the hands are full of blood in either sense, God will not hear, that is, he will not graciously hear or accept so much as one of many prayers. But are the wicked and their prayers and their disputings excluded for ever? while they continue such, or to do such things they are; and therefore in the next words, the Lord by his Prophet gives them this counsel;