Exposition of Job 15-17, Title page – To the reader
AN EXPOSITION WITH Practicall Obſervations CONTINUED UPON The fifteenth, ſixteenth, and ſeventeenth Chapters of the Book of JOB: BEING The Summe of twenty three Lectures, delivered at Magnus neer the Bridge, LONDON.
By JOSEPH CARYL, Preacher of the Word, and Paſtour of the Congregation there.
JAMES, CHAP. 1. VERS. 12.
Bleſſed is the Man that endureth temptation: for when he is tryed, he ſhall receive the Crowne of life, which the Lord hath promiſed to them that love him.
LONDON; Printed by Matthew Simmons, and are to be ſould by Thomas Eglesfeild at the Marigold, and at the Braſen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard, 1650.
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER, TO THOSE ESPECIALLY OF THIS City, who have been the movers, and continue the Promoters of this WORK.
SOLOMON, who made Many Bookes, tells us (toward the end of one of them, Eccl. 12.12.) That, of making many Books there is no end, and, that much ſtudy is a wearineſſe to the fleſh. But while Solomon ſpeakes thus, doth he not at once blot thoſe many Books which himſelfe had written, and diſcourage others from writing any more? Though ſtudy be a wearineſſe to the fleſh, yet ('tis granted) that's no ſufficient reaſon why we ſhould deſiſt (the fleſh muſt be wearied and hard wrought, 'tis good it ſhould be ſo) But there's no colour of reaſon, why we ſhould begin that, which eyther cannot be finiſht and brought to an end or which is to no end, when 'tis brought to an end, and finiſht. How then ſaith Solomon, that of making many Books there is no end? His ſcope cleares this ſcruple; for, having read his Son a Lecture upon the vanity of the Creature, and having given him many excellent advices, for the due ſteering of his courſe through this World, he applyes all in the former part of this Verſe, And further by theſe, my Son, be admoniſhed. Let what is now written take upon thy heart, and be accepted with thee. For (Verſ. 10.) The Preacher ſought to finde out acceptable words, and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. Againe (Verſ. 11.) The words of the Wiſe are as Goads, and as Nayles faſtned by the Maſters of Aſſemblies, which are given from one Shepheard: Therefore, let theſe words, like Goads, put thee on, and like Nayles, faſten thee to the obedience of my counſels; By theſe, my Son, be admoniſhed: As if he had ſayd, Let not this Booke, which diſcovers the vanity of all worldly things, be it ſelfe accounted vaine; If this Book prevaile not with thee, if it maſter not thy judgement, and mannage not thy affections, 'tis to no end for me to make many Bookes; ſeeing this is cloathed with as much compleatneſſe of rule to direct, as a Book, of this Argument can be, and is ſtampt with as much ſtrength of Authority to command, as any Book of any Argument, can be: And further, why ſhouldeſt thou, my Son, put mee to the making of many Bookes? What if I could make many with as much eaſe to my owne ſpirit, as I have made this one, which was given me in immediately by the ſpirit? yet thou canſt not ſtudy (or as we put in the Margin, read) many Books without wea…ineſſe to thy fleſh.
So then, though Solomon might have juſt had ground to put the affectation both of writing and reading many Books, upon the file of his obſerved vanities; yet hee doth not diſoblige from the ſtudy of neceſſary and ſerious Books; nor at all condemne thoſe many Monuments of profitable learning, which induſtrious Pens have in any Age bequeathed to Poſterity. He indeed (which yet is but a ſecond deſigne, if it be at all the deſigne of that place) takes us off from vaine ſtudies, and cenſures thoſe Bookes (be they few as well as many) which have no tendency to make any man, eyther the wiſer, or the better by reading them. Nor can thoſe Books how many ſoever they are, be (to their diſparagement) called Many, which center in, and promote (what is but one in every kinde) any kinde of Truth, cheifely that, which we call Divine, or Holy Truth. Any One uſeleſſe, or erroneous Booke is too many: Many uſefull and Orthodox Bookes are but One. The five Bookes of Moſes are but One Law: The foure Bookes of the Birth, Life, and Death, of our ever bleſſed Redeemer Jeſus Chriſt, are but One Goſpell: All the Bookes of both Teſtaments are but one Booke. Ʋpon which account we may alſo ſay, that, All thoſe many and many Bookes which faithfully interpret That one Booke are but one Booke. And though of making many ſuch Bookes, there ſhould (as I conceive there will) be no end, till this World ends, as End is taken for a ceaſing to make them; yet of making many ſuch Bookes there is an end, yea many noble ends, as End is taken for the good, or benefit which comes by making them. The making of ſuch Bookes is good, and a benefit to the Reader, as communicating to him thoſe manifeſtations of the ſpirit which are given to every man (to whom they are given) to profit withall: The word (foreign) there uſed by the Apoſtle, ſignifies ſuch a profit as ſtreameth out to community. The making of ſuch Bookes is alſo good, and a benefit to the Maker, as being an improvement of his Time and Talents, to his owne peace and his Maſters glory. 'Tis reward beyond all the World can give, for any worke, that God hath glory, and man peace, in doing it. As this ſmall peice of worke is directed to theſe laſt mentioned ends, and (as it ought) principally to the firſt of them; ſo, that it may reach the former, by adding a Mite or two to the Treaſury of the Readers knowledge in the beſt things, and by being his encouragement, to walke in the beſt wayes, is the hope and prayer, and the reaching of it, will be indeed, a very rich reward and payment of,
Your affectionate Freind, and Servant in this Worke of the Lord, Joſeph Caryl. May, 22. 1650.