Children-blessings from the Lord

This picture goes quite nicely with a quote from Puritan and Westminster divine, Joseph Caryl I have used before, but is well worth repeatng:

Children are the blessings of the Lord. They are put here as part of his inheritance. Children are an heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward. They are special blessings. Children (as it is to be observed) are a resemblance of our immortality, because a man revives again, lives anew (as it were) in every child; he is born again (in a civil sense) when others are born to him. There be some who account their children, but bils of charges, but God puts them upon the account of our mercies; how holily and piously speaks Jacob concerning his children. These (saith he) are the children which God hath graciously given thy servant. Some think themselves blessed, if they may have one or two children; one to inherit their estates, one or two to delight themselves in, to play with, or to bear their name; but if they come a number, to a great number, they then think themselves exceedingly burdened, then they are troubles. When God casts up the estate of a blessed man in outward things, he saith not only that he hath a child, that he is not barren, but that he hath many children, that he hath his quiver full of such arrows, as the expression is, Psalm 127:5. and that is made the blessedness of a man there, Happy is the man (saith he) that hath his quiver full of them, that hath many arrows, such are children of the youth, Verse 4. There are some rich and covetesous men, that are in this point beyond other rich in folly. You shall hear them pride themselves, that they have no children, or but few; this they conceive sets them off in the opinion of the world for the richer men, whereas one child is more riches than all the things that are in the world. And we know it is an ordinary thing (though indeed it is a very sinful thing) to say, tis true such a one is a rich man, he hath a fair estate, but he hath a great charge, a great many children, as if that did take off from his riches, or make him less happy; as if he were the poorer because he hath a larger share of that ancient blessing upon man, Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth. [Joseph Caryl]

 

The mercy of a sound physic

I think Job’s bodily affliction above any other part of his trial, though I relate to some of the other parts, his bodily affliction is the one that I gain most comfort from. As he the same as I was smitten from head to foot, and could find not rest or ease in his bed,  and when closing his eyes to try to sleep had visions.  I think when we are in prosperity, its very easy to think "That can  never happen to me." I certainly never expected it to.  But our lives can change and alter beyond recognition sometimes within a matter of minutes.  None of us know what will happen in the next hour. And to assume  "It can never happen to me" is rather testing God by presumption I think, rather than thanking him and praising Him for the mercy that "so far, it hasn’t happened to me."

Remember what frail bodies we live in, even such, as have in them the seeds of all diseases. Sin indeed is the seed of sickness and death. And hence it is, that the humours of the body be a little stirred, they quickly turn to a disease; and this house of clay is ready to dissolve and fall. What is the strength of the body, that we should trust it? Or the beauty of the body, that we should be proud of it? We see in Job, how quickly the strength of it turned into weakness, and the beauty into blackness. All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof as in the flowers of the field; The grass withereth, and the flower fadeth. [Isa 40:6]

And here likewise note this, you that enjoy health of body, whose strength yet continues, and yourselves are free from the bonds of any bodily infirmity; while you hear of one smitten with a disease from the crown of his head to the sole of his feet, consider what mercy you have, who have no pain from the crown of the head to the sole of the feet; who have not an aching joint, nor pain so much as in a finger. It is like that many of you can say you have this blessing, you do not know what pain in any one member means; look upon a man, that knew nothing but pain, upon a man that has not one member free; and prize your blessing.

Such likewise who have pain and infirmities, in one or two, or more parts of the body, may see in this spectacle cause to bless God, that they have any part free. To have but one or but a few sores is a  mercy, sparing mercy. Indeed when one member suffers, (whether in the body natural or mystical) all the members suffer with it. But compassion is not so heavy a burden, as passion is. And as the sound members sympathise in sorrow, with those that are smitten, so that they that are smitten sympathise in joy with those that are sound. The ease of one part mitigates the disease of another, and it is an abatement of our troubles to see those whom we love in peace. Two are better than one (saith Solomon), for if one fall, the other may help him up; but if both fall, who shall help? And if every member suffer, there is passion in all, but compassion in none; much less support or help. [Joseph Caryl]

 

Epitaph to Joseph Caryl

Westminster divine, and great expositor of Job:

"That famous and laborious minister, Mr. Joseph Caryl, your ancient friend and companion, is departed this life, aged 71 years. His death is greatly lamented by the people of God throughout this city. About the beginning of his sickness I was with him, and he inquired concerning you, as he was wont to do; and perceiving him to be somewhat weak, though he did not then keep his chamber, I desired him, while he was yet alive, to pray for you, which motiona he cheerfully and readily embraced. And coming to him again, about three days before his death, found him very weak and past hope of life. He told me, as well as I could understand him, for his speech was low, that he remembered his promise to me concerning you. I think good to metnion this particular (circusmstance) to provoke you to all seriousness in regard to your own soul, whose eternal welfare lay so much upon the heart of this servant of Christ. His labours were great; his studies incessant; his conversation unspotted; his charity, faith, zeal and wisdom gave a fragrant smell among the churches and servants of Christ. His sickness, though painful, was borne with patience and joy in believing; and so he parted from time to eternity under the full sail of desire and joy in the Holy Spirit. He lived his sermons. He did at last desire his friends to forbear speaking to him, that so he might retire in himself; which time they percieved he spent in prayer; oftentimes lifting up his hands a little; and at last his friends, finding his hands not to move, drew near and percieved he was silently departed from them, leaving many mourning hearts behind.” [A letter written by his friend Mr Henry Dorney after Joseph Caryl's death]

And below part of a eulogy to Joseph Caryl

Room for our tears; for here are thousands come
To vent our founts at his commanding tomb.
But oh! What mortal’s genious can devise
A decent flood for such a sacrifice?-
His pious sermons did declare his worth,
His expositions set his learning forth;
And whilest we lament his being gone,
Angels with anthems, welcome him at home.
Caryl, whose coversation was free from ill,
Can be expressed but by an angels quill:
As in some mirror you might clearly see
In him, a perfect map of piety;
The beauty of whose virtues may incite
The world to imitation and delight.”

When in the valley of Death

When a man is in the valley of the shadow of death, where shall he issue out? Where shall he have a passage? No where, saith man, he shall not escape; but God keepth all the passages; when men think they have shut us up in the jaws of death, he can open them and deliver us. Thim belong the issues of death, he can open them and deliver us. To him belong the issues from death; it is an allusion to one that keepth a psassage or a door: And God is a faithful keeper, and a friendly keeper, who will open the door for the escape of his people , when they cry unto him. It is expressed so in Psalm 141:7. Our bones are fettered at the graves mouth; as when one cutteth or cleaveth wood upon the earth; that is, we are even ready to die, to be put into the grave. What then? But mine eyes are upon thee, O God the Lord; in thee is my trust, leaven not my soul destitute. Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me. Let the wicked fall into their own nets; while I withall escape, that is, make me a way to escape; As if he should say, Thou hast the key of the gate by which we may issue out from death: Lord, i look that thouo shouldst now open it for me. [Joseph Caryl]

And as a side note, I have been bed bound all day, with my illness, and boy do I know how the below feels in this illness.

Satan invents a strange disease as an engine to torture Job’s body, in that he mixed the rack, and the wheel, the sword and the saw, the fiery gridiron and the boiling oil; The pain of a thousand deatha was heightened in that malignant distemper.[Joseph Caryl]

And to suffer the above almost continuously while feeling desserted  by friends much as Christ was in his hour of need, really takes things beyond the pale of what feels endurable.

Distempers of the body

Observe what Satan picks out to be the matter of this second, stronger temptation, it is, to pinch Job in his flesh, to pinch his body. Note from hence, That the pain of the body is very powerful, to disquiet and trouble the mind. Satan is very confident to trouble and vex the mind of Job, by casting darts and diseases upon his body. Physicians have a rule, That the manners of the mind follow from the tempers of the body; when the body is distempered, the mind is seldom at rest; the body and soul are such near neighbors, that the cannot but sympathize in each others sufferings. Some interpret that place of the Apostle, Gal. 4:13. 14, concerning the weakness and sickness of his body, I know (saith he) how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel: we may safely join it with those other troubles, affliction, and reproaches which he endured. So the meaning is, that though his body was infirm, though had many weaknesses upon him, yet he preached the Gospel. And then it follows in the next verse, My temptation in my flesh you despised not; observe, he calleth his bodily infirmity a temptation; The afflictions of the body are great temptations to the soul. It is very considerable to this purpose what the Apostle James saith when he speaks of the several conditions of the saints and their duties in them, Chap. 5. v 13, 14. Is any man afflicted? Let him pray, (he speaks that in general). Is any man merry? Let him sing psalms. Is any man sick? Is he pained by sickness in his body? What shall he do then? He doth not say, is any man sick, let him pray, but is any man sick? Let him call for the Elders of the church and let them pray over him: As if he should say, a sick man is very unfit to pray for himself, though for himself, he hath need to call others to pray with him and for him, he hath enough to do to wrestle with his pain and conflict with that affliction: in other afflictions let him pray, but if he be sick, let him send for the Elders of the church, and let them pray over him. A diseased body unfits the mind for holy duties. The prayer of sick Hezekiah is called chatter, Isa 38. It was rather chattering than praying, such a disqueitness and uncomposedness was upon his spirit through, or by the infirmity of the flesh. Pain is a piercing shaft that in Satan’s quiver of temptations: the spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity, yet oftentimes a wound in the body wounds the soul, and the diseases of the flesh make the spirit sick; A wounded Spirit no man can bear, and a wound in the body, is a burden too heavy for many men. [Joseph Caryl]

Soul vs life

When satan afflicted Job, he thought he had scored the piste resitance, when he attacked Job’s body. He thought Job could stand any loss except that of his life.  He felt sure it would rob Job of any and all integrity and show him for a hypocrite. I heard of a woman I have known, who is senior in years being attacked by a life threatening illness.  She wasn’t actually ill from the desease itself but has since needed care because of having treatment for it. (Surgery etc). And though she has only been unwell for aruond two months, she is struggling to hold onto her faith. I said to a friend earlier today, I beleive that many of us can be in the furnace in a myriad of ways, its only when ones life is put on the line and threatened you really find out what layds below the surface. Though who seem strong in faith, let their lives be in danger and let it be a long arduous battle as they wrestle with life and see if their faith stands to see if they hold onto the profession they may have given for many years in as tight a way or with near so much integrity. 

Josepph Caryl in his observations on Job, also says the same thing. And the relevant part is much too long to type all out in this blog post but here a few of his thought of when man’s life is threatened.

 Life is the most precious treasure, the most excellent thing  in nature. And let me tell you life is the treasure that is now so much digged for. You know what Solomon saith in the person of a natural man. A living dog is better than a dead lion. Eccl 9:4. We read what is said of the woman in the Gospel, that has spent all she had on physicians. What was it for? Only to restore her health which is a degree below life. Certainly if she spent all that she had to obtain health, which is only the comfort of life,  Shall we not spend a part of what we have to save our lives?

He then goes on to talk of saving our lives or saving our souls.

To save your lives and to save yoru souls are two things. A man may save his lif e, yet lose his soul. yea, many labour to save theier lives in doing that, which will be the loss of their souls, poor creatures.  Therefore, look to set a high rate indeed upon your immortal soul; when estates and liberties and lives are called for, count them all as trash as you may save your souls; hazzard not yoru souls. If life be worth more than all the world, then a soul is worth more than a thousand lives. What will it advantage man to gain the world and lose his soul?   The truth is, a man shall not gain much to get the whole world and lose his life that loss is a loss irreparable, incomprehensible from the creature. Nature teaches us to prize our lives above the world, and grace teaches us to value our souls above our lives.     Therefore, how unnatural are they that prefer a little profit above their lives; but how ungracious are they that prefer a little profit above their souls. Some will sin (as we say) for six pence, selling their own souls (as those false prophets did the souls of the people) for handfuls of barley and pieces of bread. EzeK 13:19.  And whereas a man may give all for his life, they will give their souls for a thing of nought. Know therefore the worth of your souls. Jesus Christ thought souls worth his life, and therefore died to save souls. How much tne do our souls transcend our own lives? And if Christ laid down his life to ransom souls,  do you lay down a thouand lives (if you had them) then endanger your souls, either by acting sin or submitting unto error? In that case, let estate go, let liberty go, let life go, for life hath not so much preminence over all, as the soul hath over life. [Joseph Caryl]

God's works are never without reason

We must take heed of thinking that God doth any thing without cause; No, the wise God doth every thing in number, weight and measure; he doth everything upon great reason, upon the highest reason. God will not do the lowest thing, but upon the height of reason, he doth the least thing upon great reason than the greatest politiican in the world do the greatest. Therefore God had reason, important reason to give Job up to be afflicted. He did it for the trial of Job, he did it for the magnifying of his free grace, and the graces of his free Spirit in his weak creature, he did it that Job might be set up as an example of patience, he did it to discover the slander of the devil; therefore he did it for strong reasons; it was not without cause in reference unto God himself. [Joseph Caryl]

God's works are never without reason

We must take heed of thinking that God doth any thing without cause; No, the wise God doth every thing in number, weight and measure; he doth everything upon great reason, upon the highest reason. God will not do the lowest thing, but upon the height of reason, he doth the least thing upon great reason than the greatest politiican in the world do the greatest. Therefore God had reason, important reason to give Job up to be afflicted. He did it for the trial of Job, he did it for the magnifying of his free grace, and the graces of his free Spirit in his weak creature, he did it that Job might be set up as an example of patience, he did it to discover the slander of the devil; therefore he did it for strong reasons; it was not without cause in reference unto God himself. [Joseph Caryl]

God's works are never without reason

We must take heed of thinking that God doth any thing without cause; No, the wise God doth every thing in number, weight and measure; he doth everything upon great reason, upon the highest reason. God will not do the lowest thing, but upon the height of reason, he doth the least thing upon great reason than the greatest politiican in the world do the greatest. Therefore God had reason, important reason to give Job up to be afflicted. He did it for the trial of Job, he did it for the magnifying of his free grace, and the graces of his free Spirit in his weak creature, he did it that Job might be set up as an example of patience, he did it to discover the slander of the devil; therefore he did it for strong reasons; it was not without cause in reference unto God himself. [Joseph Caryl]

Laying hold of integrity amidst a storm

As it is with a man at Sea in a Shipwreck, when all is cast over-board, the corn that feeds him, and the clothes that cover him, yet he swims to the shore if he can with his life in his hand. Or as it is with a valiant Standard-bearer, that carries the banner in the war, if he sees all lost, he will wrap the Banner about his body, and choose rather to die in that as his sheet, than let any man take it from him or spoil him of it, he will hold that fast, though he lose his life for it. So doth Job here, so doth every one that is of Jobs heavenly temper and spiritual resolution; in the greatest storm, in the hottest assault he will wrap himself round about with his integrity, wind that about him, and will not let it go. Kill him if you will, destroy him if you will, he will never part with his integrity, though he part with his life. Indeed there is nothing else can stand a man in stead to any purpose, if that be lost, all’s lost. A man that is in danger of drowning will lay hold upon any thing, upon a straw,, upon a rush,, though it have no strength to support him: men in danger will lay hold upon somwhat; they  that are wise will lay hold upon the Rock,, upon that which will do them good in an evil day; They will lay hold upon Christ, they will lay hold upon promises, (in laying hold upon our integrity, all that is done) then they are sure to live: for Wisdom, (that is Christ) is a Tree of life to all that lay hold upon her, Prov 3:18 [Joseph Caryl]

 

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