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…

1. We were pressed out of measure. 2. The Quality, Above measure. 3. From the Event, So that we despaired of life. And in the next verse it is further illustrated from a two-fold end; of which in its time.

Let us take notice of the first particular; wherein we have this trouble heightened, viz. from the Quantity or Extension of it, It was above measure, [Greek or Hebrew]. The word [Greek or Hebrew] and [Greek or Hebrew], is applied sometimes to the enduring of a burden, Matth. 20. 12. Gal. 6. 2. whether it be a temporal burden, or a spiritual. Sometimes it is applied to the heaviness of the eyes by drowsiness, Mark 14. 40. In this place it seemeth to be taken from Porters, who have a burden imposed upon them more than they are able to stand under: or as Chrysostom, from ships who are overmuch burdened, and so are in danger of being lost: And as if there were not emphasis enough in the word pressed, he addeth ⟨p. 270⟩another to aggravate it, [Greek or Hebrew]. Pareus saith, The Scripture never useth an hyperbole, because that strictly taken is a lie. But this opinion cannot be justified, neither is an hyperbole, if you do regard the intention of the speaker a lie. For such an expression he meaneth not so much the thing signified by the words; as when the Evangelist saith, The world would not contain all the books that might be written about Christs deeds; but thereby to represent to the Reader some further degree, then ordinarily is in other things. But the Apostle doth not here speak of a verbal hyperbole, but a real one, that which was above expression. The Apostle useth this expression, when he speaketh of the riches of Gods grace and power to believers, 2 Cor. 9. 14.