A81199:889
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, Thou shalt decree a thing; that is, thou shalt take up a resolve, or a purpose; thou in thy wisdom and prudence shalt say in thy heart, I will do such a thing, or I would bring such a thing to pass,1 and it shall come to pass or be established. For as many men met together in Counsel, make Decrees; so any man in himself may make a decree; and we always make decrees in our own minds before we join in any decree with others; first, we speak in our minds, then we speak out our minds; Thou shalt decree a thing; that is, thou shalt resolve to go such a way, or to do such a thing, and it shall be done. Now, this Case of decreeing must be understood with a Caution, suppose the thing it self be just and lawful (as we touched before) yet a man must not make absolute decrees (that's the privilege of God, he only can make peremptory decrees, who hath all things in his power) we must decree submissively to the will of God, and say, if the Lord will, if the Lord please we will do such a thing. The Apostle (James 4.12, 13, 14.) reproves those that would make peremptory decrees of what they would do in reference to outward affairs: Go to now ye that say to day or to morrow we will go into such a City, here is a decree, we will go to such a place, or do such a thing, we will continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain. It is lawful for men to take up a purpose to go to such a place, and follow their trade to buy and sell, and get gain in an honest way, but no man must be peremptory in this, because we know not what shall be on the morrow; therefore, the Apostle directs; Ye ought to say, if the Lord will we shall live, and do this ⟨p. 277⟩or that. Such decrees must be made with the Lords good leave, or with a reference to his pleasure who alone doth whatsoever pleaseth him. As the persons so the works of all men are in the hand of God (Eccl. 9.1.) And there they are; first, as to the performance of them; secondly, as the success of them. They take themselves for more then men, who decree the doing of lawful things without the leave of God. We must not only see what we do is according to the will of God, but we must have his goodwill for the doing of it; that is, as we must have a Law from God for what we do, so leave from God. Thus Paul teacheth us to speak by his own example (