WEAKNESS.
It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.—Romans, xiv. 21.
Comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak.—I. Thessalonians, v. 14.
What weaker breast,
Since Adam’s armour failed, dares warrant his?
That, made by God of all his creatures best,
Straight made himself the worst of all the rest:
If any strength we have, it is to ill;
But all the good is God’s, both power and will;
The dead man cannot rise, though he himself may kill.
Giles Fletcher.
Ah! what are we, but lumps of walking clay?
Why should we swell? Whence should our spirits rise?
Are not the beasts as strong, and birds as gay,
Trees longer lived, and creeping things as wise?
Only our souls were left an inward light,
To feel our weakness, and confess Thy might.
Sir H. Wotton.
Still let us, Lord, with grace be blest,
Who in thy guardian mercy rest,
Extend thy mercy’s arms to me,
The weakest soul that trusts in Thee;
And never let me lose thy love,
’Till I, even I, am crowned above.
Dryden.
Oft have I heard of Thine Almighty power,
But never saw thee till this dreadful hour.
O’erwhelmed with shame, the Lord of life I see,
Abhor myself, and give my soul to Thee.
Nor shall my weakness tempt Thine anger more:
Man was not made to question, but adore.
Young.
And though sometimes Thou seem’st Thy face to hide,
As one that had withdrawn his love from me,
’Tis that my faith may to the full be tried,
And that I may thereby the better see
How weak I am, when not upheld by Thee!
Thomas Ellwood.