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…

To explain this, Let us consider,

First, That the sense of the Doctrine is, That no man can bear any burden ¹of affliction in a gracious manner without divine assistance from Christ. Men may be naturally patient under great troubles; yea they may have that fortitude, as to be able to despise death it self; but all this is not done in a godly way. There is not the least temptation or affliction that cometh upon thee, but if God should leave thee to thy self, thou wouldst be broken under it; nothing but sin and corruption would manifest it self therein. Peters case is abundantly known, a temptation did befall him, that was more than he could bear for the present, though he had a good issue out of it. Now this was a very little one in it self; Peter had not yet resisted to blood; It was but a Damsel, ⟨p. 281⟩and some others that told him he was of Christs company. Here was no arraigning of him, no impleading of him: Here is no sentence of death pronounced against him, and yet for all that he falls under it, and in a most dreadful manner denieth Christ. What will any one say here, Peter was pressed above measure? No: but from hence we may gather, That there is not the least, or most inconsiderable trouble that is, but falling upon thee in thy own strength, as Sampson with his hair cut off, but it is able to overwhelm thee. Therefore in all thy exercises, consider thy infirmity: Know that to bear the least burden as a Christian, thou canst not do it, unless it be given thee from above. For if (John 15.) We are not able to do any good, separated from Christ; if we cannot perform any holy action without the help of grace, then much less are we able to bear any affliction graciously. Conclude then on this, That so great is thy sinful infirmity and impotency, that thou canst no more in a godly manner bear thy burden, then the lame Cripple could rise up, and take his bed, and walk, till Christ bid him, and gave him power to do it.