Prov. 24. 10. If thou faintest in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. If thou shrinkest, if thou abatest and slackest in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. Man hath no trial of his strength, till he be in trouble; faintness then discovers weakness. Afflictions try what sap we have, as hard weather tries what health we have. A weak Christian sinks under a little burden; every frown, every sour word, every ⟨p. 64⟩puff of wind blows him down, and makes him sink under his burden: But now a soul strong in grace, bears up bravely against all winds and weather. That's a brave Text (and worthy to be written in letters of gold) that you have in Gen. 49. 23, 24. Joseph's Bow abode in strength, though the Archers sorely grieved him, shot at him, and hated him. And the arms of his hands were made strong, by the mighty God of Jacob. The Archers that sorely grieved him, were his Barbarous Brethren that sold him; his Adulterous Mistress, that Harlot-like hunted for his precious life; his injurious Master, that without any desert of his, imprisoned him; the tumultuating Egyptians, that were pined with hunger, perhaps spake of stoning him; and the envious Courtiers, and Enchanters, spake evilly of him before Pharaoh, to bring him out of favour. All these shot sorely at him. The word that is rendered Archers, in the Hebrew is Arrow-masters, which term implieth 1cunning and skilfulness in shooting. They were cunning and skilful to hit the mark, and they shot at him, as at a mark. But yet his Bow abode in strength. When God in the midst of weakness makes a soul strong, that soul will not only face enemies and difficulties, but triumph over them. Those that are strong in grace, seldom want courage or counsel, when they are at the worst: They always find their hope to be an Anchor at Sea, and their faith a Shield upon Land: and therefore they triumph in all storms and dangers: They stand firm when they are under the greatest pressures, 2 Cor. 11. 23. I, labours more abundant, In stripes above measure, 2in prisons more frequent, in deaths often, &c. And yet he triumphs in 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in singleness and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the Grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-wards.
Prov. 24. 10. If thou faintest in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. If thou shrinkest, if thou abatest and slackest in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. Man hath no triall of his strength, till he be in trouble; faintnesse then discovers weaknesse. Afflictions try what sapp we have, as hard weather tryes what health we have. A weak Christian sinks under a little burden; every frowne, every sowre word, every ⟨p. 64⟩puffe of wind blowes him downe, and makes him sinke under his burden: But now a soule strong in grace, bears up bravely against all winds and weather. That's a brave Text (and worthy to be written in letters of gold) that you have in Gen. 49. 23, 24. Joseph's Bow abode in strength, though the Archers sorely grieved him, shot at him, and hated him. And the armes of his hands were made strong, by the mighty God of Jacob. The Archers that sorely grieved him, were his Barbarous Brethren that sould him; his Adulterous Mistresse, that Harlot-like hunted for his precious life; his injurious Master, that without any desert of his, imprisoned him; the tumultuating Egyptians, that were pined with hunger, perhaps spake of stoning him; and the envious Courtiers, and Inchanters, spake evilly of him before Pharoah, to bring him out of favour. All these shot sorely at him. The word that is rendred Archers, in the Hebrew is Arrow-masters, which terme implieth 1cunning and skilfulnesse in shooting. They were cunning and skilfull to hit the mark, and they shot at him, as at a mark. But yet his Bow abode in strength. When God in the midst of weaknesse makes a soul strong, that soul will not only face enemies and difficulties, but triumph over them. Those that are strong in grace, seldome want courage or counsell, when they are at the worst: They alwayes find their hope to be an Anchor at Sea, and their faith a Shield upon Land: and therefore they triumph in all stormes and dangers: They stand firme when they are under the greatest pressures, 2 Cor. 11. 23. I, labours more abundant, In stripes above measure, 2in prisons more frequent, in deaths often, &c. And yet he triumphs in 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in singlenesse and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisedome, but by the Grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-wards.
- 1[Greek or Hebrew]〈non-Latin alphabet〉
- 2If we perish, Christ perisheth with us. said Luther.
