Dost thou by faith on him rely?

On him, not on thy faith?
If faith shall with its object vie,
Thy Husband's set beneath.

Their hands' receiving faculty
Poor beggars never view;
But hold the royal gift in eye:
Thy Husband so wilt thou.

Faith, like a gazing eye, ne'er waits
To boast in seeing pow'rs;

Its object views, itself forgets;
Thy Husband it adores.

It humbly still itself denies,
Nor brags its acts at all;
Deep plung'd into its object lies,
Thy Husband is its all.

No strength but his it has, and vaunts,
No store but his can show:

Hence nothing has, yet nothing wants,

Thy Husband trains it so.

Faith, of its own, no might can show,

Else would itself destroy;

But will for all it has to do,

Thy Husband still employ.

Self-saviours none could ever be
By faith or grace of theirs ;
Their fruitless toil, so high that flee,
Thy Husband's praise impairs.

The seemingly devoutest deed,

That would with shameless brow
His saving trade take o'er his head,
Thy Husband wont allow.

Dost therefore thou to him alone

Commit thy sinful soul?

Knowing of thy salvation

Thy Husband is the whole?

SECTION III.

BELIEVERS CHARACTERIZED BY THE OBJECTS AND PURITY OF

THEIR DESIRE, DELIGHT, JOY, HATRED, AND LOVE, DISCOVERING THEY HAVE THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST.

Dost thou his Spirit's conduct wait?

And, when compar'd to this,
All worldly wisdom underrate?

Thy Husband waits to bless.

Tak'st thou his Spirit for thy guide

Through Baca's valley dry, Whose streams of influences glide Thy Husband's garden by?

In digging wells here by his

pow r,

Dost find it not in vain,

While here a drop, and there a show'r
Thy Husband makes to rain?

Hence dost thou through each weary case
From strength to strength go on,

From faith to faith, while grace for grace

Thy Husband gives anon?

The good, the gracious work begun,

And further'd by his strength,

Shall prosp'rous, though with wrestling, win

Thy Husband's crown at length.

Sin's pow'r and presence canst thou own

Is thy most grievous smart,

That makes thee sob, and weep alone?
Thy Husband knows thy heart.

Does love to him make thee distaste
Thy lusts with all their charms?

And most them loath'st, when most thou hast

Thy Husband in thine arms?

Are cords of love the sweetest ties

To bind thee duty-ways?

And best thou serv'st when most thou spies

Thy Husband's beauteous rays?

Didst ever thou thy pardon read

In tears of untold joy?

When mercy made thy heart to bleed,
Thy Husband was not coy.

Do pardons sweetly melt thy heart?

And most imbitter sin?

And make thee long with dross to part,
Thy Husband's throne to win?

When he arises lust to kill,

Corruptions to destroy,

Does gladness then thy spirit fill ?

Thy Husband is thy joy.

Dost thou his person fair embrace

Beyond his blessings all?

Sure, then, thou boldly mayst through grace

Thy Husband JESUS call.

What company dost thou prefer?

What friends above the rest?
Of all relations everywhere,

Thy Husband is the best.

Whom in the earth or heav'n dost thou
Most ardently desire?

Is love's ascending spark unto
Thy Husband set on fire?

Hast thou a hatred to his foes,

And dost their course decline?
Lov'st thou his saints, and dar'st suppose
Thy Husband's friends are thine?

Dost thou their talk and walk esteem,
When most divinely grave?

And favor'st best when most they seem

Thy Husband's Sp'rit to have?

SECTION IV.

BELIEVERS IN CHRIST AFFECT HIS COUNSEL, WORD, ORDINANCES,

APPEARANCE, FULL ENJOYMENT IN HEAVEN, AND SWEET PRESENCE HERE.

WHERE go'st thou first when in a strait,

Or when with grief opprest?