A81199:1216
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 wraps up himself often in the darkness of secrecy as to man, but man is never in that darkness as to God; the very children of darkness, and the ways of darkness are in the light to him. And as the ways of evil men, and the evil of their ways, so the ways of good men, and the goodness of their ways, are known to God. We need not fear that the good we do or have done (though no eye of man see it) shall be lost in the dark. We scarce know our own ways, and we cannot know our own hearts, but God doth. (Jerem. 17.9.) The heart of man is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it? No man can know all the ways of his heart; he cannot come to the bottom of his own heart, though he may know the bent of it; but (saith God) I search the heart; much of our heart is a secret to our selves, but to God nothing of it is; he knows our inside fully. As he knows our actions, so the grounds upon which we act, and the ends for which we act, and the heart with which we act; thus God knows the way that every man takes. And thus none but God can know the ways of man. We can trade no farther then upon the borders of mens ways, their outward acts, as for the spirit and principle of them, whence they flow, as for the aims and ends of them, whether they are flowing, with these God alone is intimate. And with these God is more intimate then man can be with that which is wholly outward.
God wraps up himselfe often in the darknes of secrecy as to man, but man is never in that darknes as to God; the very children of darknes, and the wayes of darknes are in the light to him. And as the wayes of evill men, and the evill of their wayes, so the wayes of good men, and the goodnes of their wayes, are knowne to God. We need not feare that the good we doe or have done (though no eye of man see it) shall be lost in the darke. We scarce know our owne wayes, and wee cannot know our owne hearts, but God doth. (Jerem. 17.9.) The heart of man is deceitfull above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it? No man can know all the wayes of his heart; he cannot come to the bottome of his owne heart, though he may know the bent of it; but (saith God) I search the heart; much of our heart is a secret to our selves, but to God nothing of it is; he knowes our inside fully. As he knowes our actions, so the grounds upon which wee act, and the ends for which we act, and the heart with which wee act; thus God knowes the way that every man takes. And thus none but God can know the wayes of man. Wee can trade no farther then upon the borders of mens wayes, their outward acts, as for the spirit and principle of them, whence they flow, as for the aymes and ends of them, whether they are flowing, with these God alone is intimate. And with these God is more intimate then man can be with that which is wholly outward.