Wait at his shore, and be not fear'd, Yea, though in duties sense may miss Yet do not faint, for never is Thy Husband wholly gone. Though Satan, sin, earth, hell, at once, Mind what he said, he wont renounce; Though foes assail, and friendship fail, The gates of hell shall ne'er prevail, SECTION VIII. COMFORT TO BELIEVERS FROM THE STABILITY OF THE PROMISE, NOTWITHSTANDING HEAVY CHASTISEMENTS FOR SIN. TAKE well, howe'er kind Wisdom may Dispose thy present lot; Tho' heav'n and earth should pass away, Thy Husband's love will not. All needful help he will afford, Thy Husband will be loath. To fire and floods with thee he'll down, Whose credit cannot burn nor drown: Dost thou no more his word believe, Though thou both wicked art and weak, His word he 'll never rue; Though heav'n and earth should blend and break, Thy Husband will be true. I'll never leave thee,* is his vow, If Truth has said the word. While Truth is truth, this word is true, Thy Husband is the Lord. *Heb. xiii. 5. Thy covenant of duties may Prove daily most unsure: His covenant of grace for ay Thy Husband does secure. Dost thou to him thy promise break, And fear he break to thee? Nay, not thy thousand crimes can make Thy Husband once to lie. He visit will thy sins with strokes, But never once his word revokes, Thy Husband's truth will stand. Then dream not he is chang'd in love, When thou art chang'd in frame; Thou mayst by turns unnumber'd move, Thy Husband's ay the same. He for thy follies may thee bind With cords of great distress; To make thee moan thy sins, and mind Thy Husband's holiness, By wounds he makes thee seek his cure; By frowns his favor prize; By falls affrighting, stand more sure; Thy Husband is so wise. Proud Peter in the dirt of vice Fell down exceeding low; His tow'ring pride, by tumbling thrice, Before he suffer pride that swells, He in affliction's mortar may Fierce billows may thy vessel toss, But that the curse has fled the cross, Conclude not he in wrath disowns, Thy Husband's healing wounds. Yea, when he gives the deepest lash, SECTION IX. COMFORT TO BELIEVERS, IN CHRIST'S RELATIONS, IN HIS DYING BEHOLD the patrimony broad He is of relatives a store; Thy Friend will help in thrall: All these he does amass and share, 'Mong all the husbands ever were, Whence run the streams of all thy good, |