An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters…

Further, taking those other parts of his instruction, as they respect persons afflicted, who are here described by weak hands, and feeble knees, ready to fall, unable to stand.

Observe first, That sore afflictions do exceedingly indispose for duty. Sore afflictions make weak hands and feeble knees: the weak hand and the feeble knee are (as I said before) emblems of one unfit for any business; unfit to work, unfit to walk, when the hand is weak and the knee is feeble, what is a man fit for? Great sufferings unfit us for action. Hence it is that the Lord moderates the afflictions of his people, sweetens the bitterness, and takes off the oppressing weight of them. God promiseth to come ¹with reviving, and that he will not contend for ever with his people. Why? A principle Reason is, Lest their spirits should fail before me, and the souls which I have made. Lest the spirits should fail; that is, lest they should fail in their duties: the spirit cannot fail in the essence of it, the spirit is of an eternal constitution; but it faileth in the duty often. And if afflictions lie too hard and too long upon a people, their spirits fail, their faith fails, their courage fails, their labours cannot be laborious, to carry on and carry out their work. Therefore when Job saw any under afflictions, he endeavoured to put courage into their hearts, and so strength into their hands.

Observe first, That sore afflictions doe exceedingly indispose for duty. Sore afflictions make weak hands and feeble knees: the weake hand and the feeble knee are (as I said before) emblems of one unfit for any businesse; unfit to work, unfit to walk, when the hand is weak and the knee is feeble, what is a man fit for? Great sufferings unfit us for action. Hence it is that the Lord moderates the afflictions of his people, sweetens the bitternesse, and takes off the oppressing weight of them. God promiseth to come ¹with reviving, and that he will not contend for ever with his people. Why? A principle Reason is, Lest their spirits should fail before me, and the soules which I have made. Lest the spirits should faile; that is, lest they should faile in their duties: the spirit cannot faile in the essence of it, the spirit is of an eternall constitution; but it faileth in the duty often. And if afflictions lie too hard and too long upon a people, their spirits fail, their faith fails, their courage failes, their labours cannot be laborious, to carry on and carry out their work. Therefore when Job saw any under afflictions, he endeavour'd to put courage into their hearts, and so strength into their hands.