Faith.
[2]
Dread not Extremities
My Soul, thou needest not fear it,
But if God please to lay more Pain,
He'll give more strength to bear it.
Such is his Faithfulness1
He will no Burden throw
Upon thy back, but what himself
Will help thee undergo.
⟨p. 104⟩[3]
Thy Strength is very small,
Thy Patience that is less;
Thy Foes are strong, the World, the Devil▪
And thine own Wickedness.
Thou canst but little bear,
As well as little do:
2But the Everlasting Arms can bear
Thee, and thy Burden too.
[4]
If those Almighty Arms,
That made the World, infold thee:
No matter what the Pressure be;
3Doubtless they will uphold thee.
His Spirit helps us bear
Our greatest Miseries,
4And takes our Burdens heavier end
In our Extremities.
[5]
If that our Pains increase,
And grow upon us sore:
5He makes our Comforts to abound,
And Spiritual Joys, much more.
For God most faithful is,
That lets not his be tried
Beyond their strength; but them supports,
That they may it abide.
⟨p. 105⟩[6]
When left unto our selves,6
Small Trials vex us sore:
And greater ones are better born,
When God assists us more.
In lesser straits, God's help
We are less apt to mind:
In greater straits we seek him more,
And more assistance find.
[7]
Hence then Extremities
Which make us for to roll
Upon God's Power and Faithfulness7
The Burden of our Soul:
Which force us out of Self
And unto Heaven send us;
They do but drive us to our Strength,8
For God will succour lend us.
Faith.
[2]
Dread not Extremities
My Soul, thou need'st not fear it,
But if God please to lay more Pain,
Hee'll give more strength to bear it.
Such is his Faithfulness1
He will no Burthen throw
Upon thy back, but what himself
Will help thee undergo.
⟨p. 104⟩[3]
Thy Strength is very small,
Thy Patience that is less;
Thy Foes are strong, the World, the Devil▪
And thine own Wickedness.
Thou canst but little bear,
As well as little do:
2But th'Everlasting Arms can bear
Thee, and thy Burthen too.
[4]
If those Almighty Arms,
That made the World, infold thee:
No matter what the Pressure be;
3Doubtless they will uphold thee.
His Spirit helps us bear
Our greatest Miseries,
4And takes our Burthens heavier end
In our Extremities.
[5]
If that our Pains increase,
And grow upon us sore:
5He makes our Comforts to abound,
And Spirituall Joyes, much more.
For God most faithfull is,
That lets not his be try'd
Beyond their strength; but them supports,
That they may it abide.
⟨p. 105⟩[6]
When left unto our selves,6
Small Trials vex us sore:
And greater ones are better born,
When God assists us more.
In lesser straits, God's help
We are less apt to minde:
In greater straits we seek him more,
And more assistance finde.
[7]
Hence then Extremities
Which make us for to roll
Upon God's Power and Faithfulness7
The Burthen of our Soul:
Which force us out of Self
And unto Heaven send us;
They do but drive us to our Strength,8
For God will succour lend us.
- 1Psal. 37.24. I•a. 63 9.
- 2Deut. 33.27.
- 3Psal. 55.22.
- 4Ro. 8.26. [Greek or Hebrew].Ro. 8.26. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉.
- 52 Cor. 1.5. 1 Cor. 10 13.1•
- 61 Sam. 25.22. compared with 2 Sam. 16.10, 11.
- 7Psal. 37.5. Psal. 55.22.
- 8Deut. 33.26, 27.
