Selected quad for the lemma: act_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
act_n	aaron_n	abraham_n	excellency_n	31	3	10.9580	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A35473	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.	Caryl, Joseph, 1602-1673.	1650 (1650)	Wing C765; ESTC R17469	487,687	567

upon that neither onely consider the forme of expression or the periphrasis of Man He that is borne of a woman In the first clause he saith VVhat is man in this latter What is he that is borne of a woman Emphaticè mulieris meminit Vt. cap. 14 1. Merc. He speakes of man in both yet with an additionall emphasis to minde us of our birth and originall as was shewed upon those words Chap. 14.1 Man that is borne of a woman is of few dayes and full of trouble where the Reader may finde what that teacheth even an aggravation of mans sinfulnesse in that he is borne of a woman who sinned first or was as the Apostle speakes 1 Tim. 2.14 First in the Transgression How prone is man to sin being born of a woman who was so prone to sin that shee was the first sinner VVhat is he that is borne of a woman that he should be righteous The whole race of mankinde hath yeelded but one exception to this generall Rule and that was in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ He indeed was borne of a woman and yet righteous because his Mothers conception was of the holy Ghost Matth. 1.20 and by the power of the most high overshadowing her Luke 1.35 But wee may say of all men except him who was also infinitely more then man even God-man VVhat is he that is borne of a woman that he should be righteous Secondly Eliphaz proceeds though the point be clear in it selfe to give a proofe of it which he ugeth from the greater to the lesse Vers 15. Behold he putteth no trust in his Saints and the heavens are not cleane in his sight How much more abominable and filthy is man c. The Argument rises thus If they who are the purest the holyest creatures are not able to stand before God in their owne purity how shall he who hath no purity no holinesse at all in him But the Heavens yea the Angels in Heaven who are the purest the holyest creatures are yet uncleane in the sight of God Therefore man who is abominable and filthy drinking iniquity like water cannot be cleane in his sight Behold he puts no trust in his Saints Eliphaz urged this argument for the substance of it Chap. 4.18 here hee repeats and re-inforceth it Behold is usually a note of attention here it is more a note of admiration as if he had sayd VVould you thinke it that God puts no trust in his Saints yet he doth not or is not this a wonder that God puts no trust in his Saints whom will hee trust if not his Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. cap. 4.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est credere tanquam rei fideli constanti aut fidele constans cui credi debeat The word which we translate to put trust signifies properly to beleeve he doth not beleeve in his Saints or not give credit to them he doth not as our word hath been confide in them a person is confided or trusted in either because of his faithfulnesse or because of his strength and stability the word which we render here to trust signifies sometimes strength or firmenesse as also a Pillar which is not onely firme but upholds and confirmes the Building or that which leanes upon it The same word doth elegantly signifie both to trust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Genus columnarum 2 Reg. 18.16 In Sanctis suis non est fides i. e firmitas vel immutabilitas naturae Aug. Ecce inter Sanctos ejus nemo immutabilis Vulg. Aliqui legunt Non credit sanctis suis 2. in sanctos suos 3. in sanctis suis Sic credere in Deum in Deo Deo Synonymai sunt Drus and to be firme because every thing that is trusted is trusted upon supposall either of a naturall or morall firmenesse Hence the Vulgar translates immutable Behold among the Saints there is not one immutable or unchangable And another of the Ancients There is no faithfulnesse in his Saints that is firmenesse or unchangeablenesse of nature is not to be found in them There are three different uses of the word First To trust Secondly To trust in Thirdly To trust upon So the translation varies here For first some read He doth not trust his Saints Secondly others He doth not trust in his Saints A third He doth not trust upon his Saints Thus some put a difference betweene beleeving God and beleeving in God and beleeving upon God though we finde them used promiscuously in Scripture It is sayd by Moses Gen. 15.6 Abraham beleeved in the Lord and it was accounted to him for righteousnesse but the Apostle Rom. 4.3 saith plainely Abraham beleeved God and it was counted to him for righteousnesse So that there is not any materiall difference betweene those two expressions yet ordinarily to trust in or upon is taken in a higher construction then barely to trust Behold he putteth no trust in his Saints Here it is questioned who are meant by Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est ab usu communi ad divinum separare there are three opinions about it The word Saint in generall signifies a person separated or one set apart from others Holinesse is our separation from the world unto God holy persons are separated persons that 's their state But more distinctly who are these holy persons these Saints The Greek Interpreters restraine the Text to the old Patriarks Abraham Isaac and Jacob as also Moses and Aaron with whom God at some times was angry or found fault with some of their actings Secondly others by the Saints understand the confirmed Angels who are called Saints by way of excellency Angeli vocantur Sancti Dei quasi ei familiarissimi atque illius obsequio addictissimi Dan. 4.8 because among all creatures they are in one sense the most holy as having ever been without the least spot or taint of sin whether in their natures or in their lives and having ever continued as the Houshold servants of God observant of and obedient to all his commands But we may rather take it in generall both for the holyest of men and for the holy Angels Behold he puts no trust in his Saints no not in those who are most holy Hence Observe There is no created holinesse sure stable and perfect in it selfe The glorious Angels which are and ever shall be Saints in Heaven and the Saints in Heaven who are like Angels stand not in that holy and happy estate by their owne sufficiency but by the decree and grace of God Those Angells which fell at first were holy and they who now stand might have fallen notwithstanding their created holinesse if God had not superadded confirming grace which establisheth them for ever Yet this is not all that the Angels are imperfect because they might fall if not supported there is somewhat more in it for though the Angels are perfectly righteous in reference to the Law for the whole bent

say it shewed that the deed was very good because the Lord promised to reward his Children for it with the possession of the Throne of Israel to the fourth generation 2 Kings 10.30 Now as those acts have a great deale of excellency in them for which God rewards and blesseth to posterity so those sins have a speciall malignity in them which are threatened and pursued with revenges to Posterity Such sins have a touch of the first sin in them The punishment of Adams first sin is hereditary to the last man all have smarted for that sin and the eyes of his Children have failed because he looked upon and eate the forbidden fruit Now every sin which is thus spoken of in Scripture as Idolatry in the second Commandement and here flattery hath a speciall stampe of the first sin upon it not onely as being a sin and so a derivative from it but as having much of the sinfulnesse of that sin in it The evils of which did not dye with those who gave it life And as all flattery is very sinfull so spirituall flattery or flattery about spirituall things is most sinfull both because about them we ought to be most plaine-hearted and because a deceit about them doth most hurt Any kinde of flattery is bad enough but this is worst such was that of the falfe Prophets who daubed with untempered morter and cryed Peace peace when there was no peaee Who set themselves to please not to instruct the people and were therefore busie in sewing pillowes under every elbow A flatterer would make all men leane soft sit easie and be well perswaded of themselves though their case be starke naught He that thus speakes flattery to his Freind doth indeed speake misery yea and death to his Freind The flatterer is the greatest hater and no man speakes worse of another then hee who speakes better of him then he deserves or then his state will beare It is dangerous to speake all the good of a man that is true but to speake good of him which is not true may be his utter undoing And though it hath beene sayd and often experienced that flattery gaines Freinds and Truth-speaking hatred yet none have run into so much hatred as flatterers For as it is sayd of Treason That many love the Treason but all hate the Taytor so many love to heare themselves flattered but all hate flatterers And though true reproofes are bitter Pills and very distastfull to most in the taking downe yet wise Solomon hath assured us That he that rebuketh a man afterwards shall finde more favour even with that man then he that flattereth with his lips Prov. 28.23 There are many who as the Psalmist speakes Psal 36.2 Flatter themselves they are their owne Parasites But as they who flatter others doe most commonly fall under their displeasure so all they sooner or latter shall fall under their owne displeasure and that 's worse then the displeasure of any yea then of all men who have flattered themselves It is our wisedome and our peace to be plaine with our selves and with all men how much present disquiet so ever we get by it Paul speakes it out to the Thessalonians 1 Epist 2.3 4 5. Our exhortation was not of deceit neyther at any time used we flattering words But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel even so we speake not as pleasing men but God Further these words may be expounded not as a threat against his Freinds for their flattering of him but as a threat against himselfe in case he should have flattered them And so they carry also the weight of a reason why hee used so much freedome in reproving them and shewing them the danger that hung over their heads As if he had sayd You my Freinds may perhaps wonder at my boldnesse and plainenesse of speech while I tell you that God hath hid your hearts from understanding and that he will not exalt you But you must pardon me I had rather incurr your frownes by my downeright dealing with you then Gods by flattering you I had rather make your eares tingle by reproving you then make the eyes of my Children ake by my applauding you for this I have learned as a certaine truth that hee who speakes flattery to his Freind the eyes of his Children shall faile Hence Observe That even a godly man doth and ought to strengthen himselfe in doing his duty by the remembrance of those evills which are threatned against the neglect of it A Beleever makes use of the threatnings as well as of the promises to keep his heart close in obedience That is the best obedience which springs from the feare of the Lord and his goodnesse but that may be a good and a pure act of obedience which springs from the feare of the Lord and his wrath Christ exhorts and forewarnes his freinds to feare him who after hee hath killed hath power to cast into Hell Luke 12.5 'T is noblest and most spirituall to obey God for himselfe without respect eyther to Heaven or Hell yet wee may have respect both to Heaven and Hell to reward and punishment in our obedience Joseph resisted temptation by the highest argument when he sayd How can I doe this great evill and sinne against God Gen. 39.9 He resists temptation by a good argument who saith How can I sin against God which will doe so much evill to my selfe or draw many evils upon mine And thus Job argued according to this interpretation when he sayd He that speakes flattery to his freind the eyes of his Children shall faile Or as Master Broughton renders The eyes of the given that way that is to flattery shall be consumed Vox Ban in non filios sed intelligentes vel considerantes significat a Verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est intelligere hinc sic conficitur textus Et ooculi considerantium eum deficient Bold There is another reading of the latter clause and so of the whole Verse The eyes of those that consider observe or attend him shall faile and so they derive the word Bamin not from Ben a Son or a Childe but from Bin which signifies to understand or consider The eyes of those that consider him shall faile Then the meaning is my freinds are so exact and accute in flattery in composing and uttering fauning speeches that they who heare them are wrapt into an extasie and their very eyes doe faile with their intentnesse in beholding them They are such powerfull Orators that they can draw the mindes and eyes of their Auditors whither they please and cause their eyes to ake with looking so wistly on them having as the Apostle speakes in a like case their persons in admiration Job having thus complained against and taxed his Freinds of flattery goes on to aggravate the sadnesse of his condition and upon the whole to move the Lord to hasten an end of his miseries or to hasten