A81199:1383
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.
Thirdly, God is unchangeable in his purposes, decrees, and counsels. The Medes and Persians boasted of their decrees, that they altered not (Dan. 6.18.) But the very unalterableness of humane Decrees is alteration it self compared with the unalterableness of divine decrees. We have the Lord thus speaking in the Prophet (Isai. 46.16.) I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times, the things that are not yet done, saying my counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. And as the Lord establisheth his own counsel, so he can unsettle the best laid counsels of the sons of men (Psal. 33.10, 11.) The Lord bringeth the counsel of the Heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect: The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. And hence the Lord, by his Prophet, challengeth the deepest politicians, the Oracles for counsel, the Achitophels of this world […] strain their wits to the utmost, for securing of their own counsels from disappointment (Isai. 8.10.) Gird your selves, and ye shall be broken in pieces, take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand; for God is with us; he is with us as to protect us against your open opposition, so to blast your most secret consultations against us. And as the Lords counsels are immutable in themselves, so he hath condescended to assure us of ⟨p. 422⟩their immutability (Heb. 6.17, 18.) Wherein God willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation &c. Oaths are sacred and the strongest confirmations between man and man, and therefore though the counsel of God be immutable without an oath, yet that we might have the greatest assurance that it is so, God hath confirmed it by an oath. That so the heirs of salvation having two immutable things to rest their souls and build their faith upon, might not only have consolation, strong consolation; such consolation as might master and overcome all the fear and unbelief of their own hearts, and the gainsayings of Satan.