An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

As a Pillar, as long as it stands firm and upright, will bear any weight; but when it begins to bow, or grow crooked and sloping, then it presently falleth. We have then here a text full of comfort; It is not every affliction, every suffering thou mayest be exercised with, but that for which God hath furnished and prepared thee with strength for. We have a notable explication of this, Isa. 20. 28. where under a parabolical similitude of the divers ways of the Husbandman to thresh out his Corn, the lesser grain not requiring such weight as the other, is signified, that God maketh a difference in our afflictions; some are more knotty and difficult then others, and therefore they need more strong Physic to free them from their disease. The cart wheel is not turned about upon the cummin, a rod will serve to beat them out: A word will do more to some, then a blow to others.

As a Pillar, as long as it stands firm and upright, will bear any weight; but when it begins to bow, or grow crooked and sloping, then it presently falleth. We have then here a text full of comfort; It is not every affliction, every suffering thou maist be exercised with, but that for which God hath furnished and prepared thee with strength for. We have a notable explication of this, Isa. 20. 28. where under a parabolical similitude of the divers waies of the Husbandman to thresh out his Corn, the lesser grain not requiring such weight as the other, is signified, that God maketh a difference in our afflictions; some are more knotty and difficult then others, and therefore they need more strong Physick to free them from their disease. The cart wheel is not turned about upon the cummin, a rod will serve to beat them out: A word will do more to some, then a blow to others.

Secondly, God in his dispensations, doth not only keep to an equality, but he ¹doth superabound, his mercy doth overflow. The Lord always giveth full heaped measure, overflowing: In all things Christ hath an overplus. There cannot be an hyperbole in his goodness to us: As Luther said, Celum & gehenna non patiuntur hyperbolen. So neither do the riches and grace of God in Christ: For if first we consider Christ comparatively with Adam, the one is the original of condemnation, the other of justification. There we shall see, that Christ is not only equal to Adam, but exceedeth him, transcendeth him. You may read