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…

That God doth by all his dispensations carry on and further the salvation of ¹his people.

1. 1God doth by all his dispensations carry on and further the salvation of his people.

If others be afflicted, if others be comforted, all helpeth forward to the salvation of those that believe. In this sense it is said, 1 Cor. 3. ult. All things are yours. The Officers and Ministers of the Church, life and death, things present, and things to come, How are all these things a godly mans? Even because they further his salvation; by all these he promoteth the happiness of his people. Thus Paul knew, Phil. 1. 19. that all his enemies practices, yea their preaching Christ out of envy, thinking thereby to afflict him more, yet this would all turn to his salvation. What Doctrine can be fuller of comfort than this, to consider that what ever befalleth thee, whatsoever Gods dispensations are towards thee, yet all doth advance thy salvation, thou shalt not be a loser by any thing? The people of Israel indeed they were hindered and put backwards in their journey to Canaan, being forty years detained therein, when their arrival at Canaan might have been far sooner; but our journey to Heaven is hastened by every thing, yea our very stumblings do make us afterwards go the faster.

If others be afflicted, if others be comforted, all helpeth forward to the salvation of those that believe. In this sense it is said, 1 Cor. 3. ult. All things are yours. The Officers and Ministers of the Church, life and death, things present, and things to come, How are all these things a godly mans? Even because they further his salvation; by all these he promoteth the happinesse of his people. Thus Paul knew,