A81199:28
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.
The third is our reading, Can a man be profitable unto God? Can a man? he doth not mean an ordinary weak, sickly, frail man; but a man, yea any man at his best: the word here used ⟨p. 4⟩notes a man in his health, strength, and glory; a man in the flower and perfection not only of his natural abilities, but in the richest furniture and array of his acquired, yea inspired abilities. Take this man, a man of these attainments, a man thus accomplished, and Can he be profitable to God? For as when the Psalmist saith (Psal. 33.17.) A horse is a vain thing to save a man; By the horse there, we are not to understand a lean, poor, weak, slow-paced horse, or a strong, swift horse unmanned; Such a horse indeed is a very vain thing to save a man by; Such a horse may do a man more hurt then help when he comes into danger; but the Psalmist means a horse of the greatest strength, courage, and swiftness: A horse exactly manned, and taught all his postures, even such a horse is a vain thing to save a man. Again, when the Scripture saith, Christ came to save sinners, we must not understand it of lesser, lower, or of the ordinary sort of sinners only, but even of the highest and the greatest, for such Jesus Christ came to save as well as the least of sinners. So here when 'tis said, Can a man be profitable to God? we must expound it of the highest, of the learnedst, of the holiest, of the best of men; Can a man be profitable unto God? The word is Ell, The strong God; Can the strongest man be profitable unto the strong, the mighty, the omnipotent, the Almighty God? Can he be profitable? Can he bring any advantage, gain, or profit to God? Should he reason with unprofitable talk (saith Eliphaz. Chap. 15.3.) or with words that bring in no Profit? A word of the same root, signifies a Treasurer, who is a keeper of public Profits (Isaiah 22.15.) Go, get thee unto this Treasurer, even unto Shebna. Can a man be profitable? Thus Eliphaz reproves Job for insisting so often upon his own innocency, as if that were an Advantage to God? As if he had said, how holy or righteous soever any man is, the Lord receives no advantage by him. So that Eliphaz (it seems) apprehended Job trusting or boasting of somewhat in himself, as if he had thought God his debtor, or that he had done somewhat for which God was beholding to him. And upon this ground, that God is debtor, or beholding to no man;
The third is our reading, Can a man be profitable unto God? Can a man? he doth not mean an ordinary weak, sickly, frail man; but a man, yea any man at his best: the word here used