A81199:358
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.
Secondly, Then serve the Lord with reverence and holy fear, in in all your addresses to him, and appearings before him. We reverence those who are on high on earth, and shall we not reverence him who is higher then the highest? him who is in the height of heaven? While Christ bids us say, Our Father which art ⟨p. 107⟩in heaven, he teacheth us, as to pray with confidence, because God is our father, so to pray with reverence, because he is a father in heaven, (Matth. 6.9.) The Preacher (Eccl. 5.2.) makes this an argument why we should be taken up in high thoughts of God, why we should speak in a reverential manner both of him, and to him; Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God. He puts (as it were) a double bridle upon man in his drawing near to God; first, upon his mouth, Let not thy mouth be rash; and secondly, upon his heart (for the heart will talk at random as well as the mouth, yea the heart will talk more at random then the mouth can; and there is praying with the heart alone as well as with the heart and mouth together, therefore saith he) Let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God; Why? for God is in heaven, and thou art upon the earth, therefore let thy words be few. Here are indeed two arguments to enforce this composure of spirit; first, the highness and Greatness of God; secondly, the lowness and vileness of man. Consider God is above, and thou art below, not only in regard of place, but of state and dignity, of power and majesty. The being of God in heaven, notes not only a power of sovereignty to command us, but a power of ability both to punish and to provide for us, to punish our rashness, and to supply all our wants wherewith we acquaint him, and humbly mention before him; therefore Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty, &c. The same Solomon in the same book, allegorically describing the declined decrepit condition of man, saith of the old man, that he is afraid of that which is high (Eccl. 12.5.) Young men will be clambering and ascending, but old men are afraid of that which is high, they dare not go up a high steep place, least their strength or breath should fail, or least their brain should turn, and they through giddiness tumble down. Old men love to keep upon level or even ground, and are afraid of that which is high.